Getting a degree from your time spent in research.

[Orange Julius]

I'm not very interested in benchwork or research at all for that matter. But I'm more than willing to do research if that's what is required of me by a suitable program. And of course, if I have to do it, I'll give it my best efforts just like I do with everything else I take on.

But if I do research, I'd like to at least get a degree out of it. I've heard of people getting MPH's but I don't know exactly how that works? Does that take more than one year? What else can you get? MBA? JD? And if so how does it work? How long does it take?

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[fishmonger69]

some programs offer PhD or MPH programs that you can participate in. for a PhD you spend two years in the lab getting data and your last few years as a resident completing your thesis. very tedious and the degree is not guaranteed if your research sucks.

MPH isn't that hard to get in a year, and might be required in the future if you want to do administrative stuff. UT-San Antonio requires 2 years of research but will pay for you to get your MPH during those two years if you stay at their program. might be something to consider.

Getting a JD while in residency is highly unlikely, since that requries law school as opposed to some dedicated research time. there might be a program willing to let you do that, but i doubt it and might even question the point. the MD/JDs i know did a combined med/law school program in 6 years, not law school during residency. besides that, they've forgotten most of the law crap (proverbial use it or lose it).

being married to a CPA and having worked previously with MBAs, those letters are absolutely worthless, with businesses/hospitals starting to figure that fact out. in the late 80s/early 90s it was 'the degree', commanding a premium salary. now with 'executive night MBA programs' and university of phoenix diplomas, the letters mean less. with degrees in business, i considered doing a year somewhere, but decided against it as i want to practice medicine, not run a hospital. whether a program will allow you to get the MBA during your research years is something i cannot answer, but i doubt most programs will.

in the end, you have to ask yourself what you want. do you want the research to make yourself a better fellowship applicant? do you just want more letters after your name than MD? are you going to use the information you'd gain during any of the above programs? good luck.

 

[surg]

You can get virtually any masters degree in ~ 2 years if you put the effort into it. The question is why do one? You should be spending the time doing something that you enjoy and ideally it would be nice if it advances your career. When you get a good idea of what you want your career to look like, it will become obvious what can help your career. This can range from basic science bench work to translational work (e.g. clinical trials work) to purely clinical outcomes work to policy work.

Things I have seen surgery residents do with 2 years of research time:

Degrees:
MBA
MPH
MPP (Masters in Public Policy)
Masters of Divinity
Masters in Clinical Trial Design (or something like it)
MHA or MHSA (Masters in Health Science Administration)

Fellowships open to people from all institutions:
NIH (Many research programs here, NCI probably recruits surgeons most heavily)
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars Program (based at UCLA, U-Michigan, Yale, Penn)
Critical Care Fellowship (Many fellowship allow you to start after your 3rd clinical year in surgery)
Surgical Innovation fellowship (based at Stanford)
Many other research positions are also available at almost every well-funded institution.
PhD (often requires 3 or more years in research)

I'm sure there are many more. Those are just off the top of my head.
As far as how the degree programs work, typically you need to apply the year before you wish to enter. From MPH and MHAs typically most public health schools will accept your MCAT, but some will require the GRE (most common) or GMAT (less common). Most will give you some credit for your med school courses, typically shortening your 4 semesters down to about 3 on average.
MBA institutions typically require the GMAT, although some institutions with programs targeted to doctors will waive that requirement or use your MCAT (rare). Again, you should be applying the year prior. Some cross-credit is often allowed, again allowing you to shave off about 1 semester if you wish.

Don't really know much about the JD programs, but you'd be looking to take the LSAT, and it typically takes 3 yrs, but not sure if they would give you any cross credit. Seems unlikely, but possible given that MD/JD programs typically run for 6 and not the 7 that it would take to do both separately.

 

[Orange Julius]

That's a lot of great information. Thanks.