I am starting a DO-PHD program at MSU this summer and I was wondering if anyone had any clue/feeling/thought/opinions/ideas OR current DO/PHD's students thoughts about which PHD program compliments the Medical training best?
I really want a balanced experience, where my PHD is improving or building upon the medical training in a significant way.
I am open to all areas and flexible.
Programs you can select from are:
Biochem and Molecular Genetics
Cell and Molecular Biology
Environmental and Integrative Toxicology
Genetics
Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Physiology
I'm leaning towards Physiology or Pharmacology and Toxicology.
I think any of those programs would complement the D.O./be applicable to medical practice. It mainly comes down to which you're most interested in and what specialties you're most interested in. If you're interested in ID, do the Micro one. Medical genetics? Do genetics, etc. These fields are all broadly applicable, though.
I think pharmacology & toxicology would be most applicable to clinical practice, followed by the other toxicology and by physiology. The others seem more suited to a research career.
Here are the current research focuses of the physiology department, microbio/molecular genetics department, and biochem department. You should check out the faculty profiles of each (as well as most of the other departments that you listed) to see if a particular project catches your eye. I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say that there's a "best" degree to compliment your DO and would caution you to avoid using this logic when choosing your project.
The physio program looks pretty good. It looks like you can get involved with any organ system you are interested in as well as cancer. That'd be my choice unless you already have a specific speciality in mind, such as infectious disease, medical genetics, EM with a tox fellowship, pathology...
