Do any of you do basic science research?

[rocketbooster]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I am doing basic science research right now and love it. I've never done any clinical research and don't really have a problem with that, although I would be opened to trying some. Some residents last night were telling me to switch over into clinical research because "doctors are only involved in clinical research."

Is this true? The research I am doing now is attached to a med school and I wanted to continue it if I go to med school there. Do you guys recommend against continuing my basic science research?

 

[njbmd]

I am doing basic science research right now and love it. I've never done any clinical research and don't really have a problem with that, although I would be opened to trying some. Some residents last night were telling me to switch over into clinical research because "doctors are only involved in clinical research."

Is this true? The research I am doing now is attached to a med school and I wanted to continue it if I go to med school there. Do you guys recommend against continuing my basic science research?

Entered medical school with a Ph.D in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with plenty of experience in basic science research. Continued in basic science research in medical school and residency and now as an attending physician. The last time I looked, I was still a "doctor" (actually doctor-doctor). Your resident buds are "pulling your chain".

 

[235009]

Entered medical school with a Ph.D in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with plenty of experience in basic science research. Continued in basic science research in medical school and residency and now as an attending physician. The last time I looked, I was still a "doctor" (actually doctor-doctor). Your resident buds are "pulling your chain".

terribly misleading answer. OP is obviously talking about doctors with only an MD....you have an MD, PhD so clearly your experience isn't exactly that of a typical doctor ....if MD/PhDs didn't do basic science research after med school then all the people applying to combined programs would be wasting their time...the fact that you got the PhD first and then the MD is irrelevant...the end result is the same (ie you have an MD, PhD!)

 

[suizyme09]

I've been rocking the Biochemistry research and it is a good time. Don't worry you don't HAVE to do clinical research as a doctor. Though I figure you probably won't get much funding if it's not relevant to your specialty 😛

 

[NSDQ]

If you really enjoy basic science research then stick with it. My interviewers seemed very interested in my basic science research. Also, you don't have to be a MD/PhD to continue doing basic science research as a physician. Obviously some specialties lend themselves to more opportunities in basic science research, such as oncology, immunology, and pathology ect. If you want to primarily do research then I would recommend a MD/PhD program.

 

[rocketbooster]

For getting matched to residency, does it help to have clinical research instead? Have you heard anything about residencies requiring one publication in basic science and one in clinical?

So I know you can do basic science as an MD (not phd included), but is it common and hard to come by?

I've been rocking the Biochemistry research and it is a good time. Don't worry you don't HAVE to do clinical research as a doctor. Though I figure you probably won't get much funding if it's not relevant to your specialty 😛

 

[CarrieBad]

I know this is like poking a nest of wasps, but... I think there is a lot to an MD having a basic science research background. Basic science research requires complete forward thinking, and you don't have to get bogged down in conventional wisdom. If you think something totally wacky and new can work, you can try it - you don't get that luxury in clinical research or once you are seeing patients. The practice of medicine in constantly evolving (hell, 150 years ago doctors thought bad humors made you sick), and you might be better equipped to deal with the evolution if you have a background in that "forward thinking." Hopefully with your experience you will have learned not to fear something new.

You also are required to do a lot of reading from medical journals to keep up to date on what is going on in the world of research. In my opinion, you end up learning how to weed through the crap, and know how to spot poor controls/results as you have done similar experiments yourself. Critical reading/thinking is pretty darn important as an MD.

**This isn't to say that you can't have similar views doing clinical research or no research at all.

 

[thesauce]

terribly misleading answer. OP is obviously talking about doctors with only an MD....you have an MD, PhD so clearly your experience isn't exactly that of a typical doctor ....if MD/PhDs didn't do basic science research after med school then all the people applying to combined programs would be wasting their time...the fact that you got the PhD first and then the MD is irrelevant...the end result is the same (ie you have an MD, PhD!)

Wait...what? I can't tell if you're serious, but most doctors doing basic science research are MDs, not MD/PhDs. Here at the NIH, some of the most accomplished basic science investigators are MDs.

OP: were they surgery residents that you were speaking to? It is a widely held belief that the surgery lifestyle precludes basic science research. Honestly, it IS hard to do basic science research as a surgeon so most stick with clinical research.

Back to the OP's original question: it is totally up to you which type of research you do. I would suggest trying both. Both are highly valued to the medical community.

 

[MudPhudHopeful]

So I know you can do basic science as an MD (not phd included), but is it common and hard to come by?

I don't think it is as common anymore, and it is probably more difficult now than in the past. As a previous poster suggested, if you are serious about doing basic research as a physician (ie spend the majority of your time doing basic research), you should look into an MD/PhD program. It will train you to do translational or medically-relevant basic research. You may also want to check out the MD/PhD forum for more information.

 

[rocketbooster]

I don't want to do research most of the time. I want to be a clinician mainly and do some research on the side. Can you not do that? Do you have to pick mainly research or mainly clinic work?

I don't think it is as common anymore, and it is probably more difficult now than in the past. As a previous poster suggested, if you are serious about doing basic research as a physician (ie spend the majority of your time doing basic research), you should look into an MD/PhD program. It will train you to do translational or medically-relevant basic research. You may also want to check out the MD/PhD forum for more information.

 

[besmart]

I don't want to do research most of the time. I want to be a clinician mainly and do some research on the side. Can you not do that? Do you have to pick mainly research or mainly clinic work?

Yes. But not likely as a new hire. You can get a contract that gives you protected research time (20 or 50 percent)

 

[WeAreNotRobots]

Is this true? The research I am doing now is attached to a med school and I wanted to continue it if I go to med school there. Do you guys recommend against continuing my basic science research?

i'm in a basic science research lab at a private institute. in my lab and the two others we collaborate with i'd say about 2/3 of the PI's and supporting researchers are PhD's. the remaining 1/3 are either MD or MD/PhD's.

it is less common for MD's to pursue basic science research, but i don't think you are in any way limiting yourself by wanting to go that route.