DO...then PhD?

[Mattinthehat250]

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So I know some schools that offer a PhD in between the pre-clinical and clinical years. So you do years 1 and 2, then do your PhD, then come back for years 3 through 4. I will be matriculating at a school that doesn't offer a PhD and was wondering if it is hypothetically possible to take time off after second year, go do a PhD somewhere, and then come back for years 3 and 4? Or would it make more sense to just wait until after residency to do a PhD? This is all purely hypothetical for me as I have not had enough exposure to research to know if I would want a PhD, but I'm just curious.

 

[TriagePreMed]

Neither scenario makes any sense, especially the first where probably no lab would take you. You'll be accruing way too much debt to do a PhD this way. Unless you want to be a basic science researcher, it's a complete waste of time to a do a PhD, and even then, you'd be better off doing PhD before starting DO school, going to a DO/PhD program or just doing a 2-3 year research fellowship.

 

[NeuroLAX]

What school will allow you to take off 4+ years to get a PhD before advancing to clerkships?

 

[gmcguitar4]

When would you start your life? When you are 45-50??

 

[Goro]

Either get a combined DO/PhD (such as offered by TCOM) or dispense with the PhD entirely by doing a research fellowship at a place like NIH, Wash U, or Sloan-Kettering?

So I know some schools that offer a PhD in between the pre-clinical and clinical years. So you do years 1 and 2, then do your PhD, then come back for years 3 through 4. I will be matriculating at a school that doesn't offer a PhD and was wondering if it is hypothetically possible to take time off after second year, go do a PhD somewhere, and then come back for years 3 and 4? Or would it make more sense to just wait until after residency to do a PhD? This is all purely hypothetical for me as I have not had enough exposure to research to know if I would want a PhD, but I'm just curious.

 

[hallowmann]

So I know some schools that offer a PhD in between the pre-clinical and clinical years. So you do years 1 and 2, then do your PhD, then come back for years 3 through 4. I will be matriculating at a school that doesn't offer a PhD and was wondering if it is hypothetically possible to take time off after second year, go do a PhD somewhere, and then come back for years 3 and 4? Or would it make more sense to just wait until after residency to do a PhD? This is all purely hypothetical for me as I have not had enough exposure to research to know if I would want a PhD, but I'm just curious.

Wait, so you don't have much experience in research, yet you are seriously thinking about leaving school to pursue a Ph.D.? That seems like a terrible idea. Doing a PhD is a long and grueling process that could easily take 5-7 yrs. Its not for the faint of heart, and definitely not for people who haven't really had research experience.

If I were you, I would work hard and do well in your DO school. If after all of that, you want to do a PhD, either do research in residency or get into a PhD program after residency. In all honesty though, I doubt you'd really be interested at that point (if you are then at least you'd know you really want it).

 

[whatbout2morrow]

Either get a combined DO/PhD (such as offered by TCOM) or dispense with the PhD entirely by doing a research fellowship at a place like NIH, Wash U, or Sloan-Kettering?

👍

DOs (and MDs, PharmDs etc) can apply to postdoctoral research fellowships without doing a PhD.

 

[Mattinthehat250]

Wait, so you don't have much experience in research, yet you are seriously thinking about leaving school to pursue a Ph.D.? That seems like a terrible idea. Doing a PhD is a long and grueling process that could easily take 5-7 yrs. Its not for the faint of heart, and definitely not for people who haven't really had research experience.

If I were you, I would work hard and do well in your DO school. If after all of that, you want to do a PhD, either do research in residency or get into a PhD program after residency. In all honesty though, I doubt you'd really be interested at that point (if you are then at least you'd know you really want it).

No I'm not seriously thinking about it, just curious. I agree though, it seems like there are plenty of opportunities to participate in research as part of residency or fellowship, without getting a PhD.