Having both M.D. and M.S.

[ItsB]

Hi guys! I know this is the med student forum, but I wanted to get advice from current med students. I am applying to med schools this June and thinking about doing a master's program next year while I wait to hear back (I would finish it before entering med school).

IYO, how beneficial is it as a physician/future physician to have another advanced degree in your pocket? Would it help in getting residencies? Or jobs later? In my case, it would be M.S. global med. I am truly interested in the program and know it would be intellectually and personally stimulating, but I want to get a better idea of how useful the investment might be before I commit.

Thank you!
B

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[yeee]

Only do it if you are interested in the program. It won't help getting accepted to med school but if it's something you're passionate about, go for it.

 

[ItsB]

Only do it if you are interested in the program. It won't help getting accepted to med school but if it's something you're passionate about, go for it.

Why do you think that is? Although I'm not looking at it so much as an app-booster for medical school anyway (except maybe at the med school where this grad program is). I am very interested in it, but I'm also trying to look further down the road and decide if it will add to my "resume" as a physician.

 

[FriendOfTheCupcake]

Hi guys! I know this is the med student forum, but I wanted to get advice from current med students. I am applying to med schools this June and thinking about doing a master's program next year while I wait to hear back (I would finish it before entering med school).

IYO, how beneficial is it as a physician/future physician to have another advanced degree in your pocket? Would it help in getting residencies? Or jobs later? In my case, it would be M.S. global med. I am truly interested in the program and know it would be intellectually and personally stimulating, but I want to get a better idea of how useful the investment might be before I commit.

Thank you!
B

Not sure if it would help with medical school applications, but I've had admission directors encourage doing MS before med school or doing dual degree MD/MS MD/MBA etc because they believe that residencies take interest in seeing additional degrees.

 

[PatsyStone]

An additional degree is really only useful if it gives you a unique skill set. If one wanted to get an MPH (especially in epi), MBA, JD, or PhD, these degrees are logical and could be used to augment one's professional career/research.

In general, an MS is useless (unless in biostats), and an MS in "global health" sounds like a half-assed MPH. I would not waste money doing this. If you want to do something useful, volunteer abroad, do research, or get a full-time job.

 

[Psai]

It's nice for if you want your name tag to look like it belongs to a nurse

 

[ItsB]

Thank you everyone for your responses!

 

[cbrons]

Not sure if it would help with medical school applications, but I've had admission directors encourage doing MS before med school or doing dual degree MD/MS MD/MBA etc because they believe that residencies take interest in seeing additional degrees.

Come let us exam the truth of that statement:

This is not important at all. But schools would like you to think it is important, because more degrees means more $ for them.

 

[FriendOfTheCupcake]

Come let us exam the truth of that statement:

View attachment 190262

This is not important at all. But schools would like you to think it is important, because more degrees means more $ for them.

Haha I'd have been inclined to agree with you without the data, but this only confirms.

 

[MajorBubblez]

An additional degree is really only useful if it gives you a unique skill set. If one wanted to get an MPH (especially in epi), MBA, JD, or PhD, these degrees are logical and could be used to augment one's professional career/research.

In general, an MS is useless (unless in biostats), and an MS in "global health" sounds like a half-assed MPH. I would not waste money doing this. If you want to do something useful, volunteer abroad, do research, or get a full-time job.

Ditto. It's a pretty worthless degree OP. Had a friend do it, and he didn't put any effort into it at all. Nobody gave a damn about it afterwards either.

 

[MajorBubblez]

It's nice for if you want your name tag to look like it belongs to a nurse

Dr. So and So MD BS BA MS CRT-C ANI XYZ.

No thanks.

 

[ItsB]

You're saying residency programs/med schools get more funding for accepting students with multiple degrees? Or that schools say its important because you pay to get that degree? Those stats are super interesting...maybe phd/multiple degree people chose to do research after med school instead of practicing haha

 

[ItsB]

FTR, I've also been getting advice from a few academic docs, one who is on a committee for choosing residents at a pretty large hospital in Los angeles and another ex-admissions doc. They both say it could be beneficial for applying to med school but especially for shaping my career choices post-med school. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

 

[MajorBubblez]

You're saying residency programs/med schools get more funding for accepting students with multiple degrees? Or that schools say its important because you pay to get that degree? Those stats are super interesting...maybe phd/multiple degree people chose to do research after med school instead of practicing haha

He/She was implying that the school encourages it because it will result in additional tuition money from you.

I would generalize that any other higher degree by itself is pretty unimportant. What you do with that degree (i.e. pubs etc.) can make an impact. The Global Health degree tends to be useless because it doesn't provide any real opportunities, at least from my humble and limited perspective.

 

[PatsyStone]

FTR, I've also been getting advice from a few academic docs, one who is on a committee for choosing residents at a pretty large hospital in Los angeles and another ex-admissions doc. They both say it could be beneficial for applying to med school but especially for shaping my career choices post-med school. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

I am also sharing with you what I have been told by faculty members at different schools: an extra degree is worthless unless it gives you a unique skill set, which this masters will not

 

[W19]

FTR, I've also been getting advice from a few academic docs, one who is on a committee for choosing residents at a pretty large hospital in Los angeles and another ex-admissions doc. They both say it could be beneficial for applying to med school but especially for shaping my career choices post-med school. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

If it's free, do it. If it will cost you a dime, don't do it unless you plan to use it...

 

[cbrons]

If it's free, do it. If it will cost you a dime, don't do it unless you plan to use it...

But thats the problem. Use it for what? Theres literally nothing you can use it for lol

 

[W19]

But thats the problem. Use it for what? Theres literally nothing you can use it for lol

I don't know what OP plan is... Sometimes people want to get other degree(s) for strange reason. I remember there was a poster back then who wanted to get a MS in physiology. I don't know what someone can do with a MS degree in physiology that you can't use your MD/DO degree to do...

 

[gumdrops]

If you're female, you can call yourself "MS MD." Pretttty cool, huh?

 

[W19]

Hi guys! I know this is the med student forum, but I wanted to get advice from current med students. I am applying to med schools this June and thinking about doing a master's program next year while I wait to hear back (I would finish it before entering med school).

IYO, how beneficial is it as a physician/future physician to have another advanced degree in your pocket? Would it help in getting residencies? Or jobs later? In my case, it would be M.S. global med. I am truly interested in the program and know it would be intellectually and personally stimulating, but I want to get a better idea of how useful the investment might be before I commit.

Thank you!
B

Degree like this is what school administrators invent so can bring more money into the school...

 

[darklabel]

Do it for yourself, but it won't help with matching at all. Also that degree probably won't really boost your chances of MD admissions either tbh.

 

[ItsB]

Thank you for your advice! I do respect your opinions since you are all in it more than I am and I don't want to feel like I've wasted money in the end. But I just find it strange that so many doctors I've ask about it have been saying otherwise. They have either been incredibly enthusiastic or supportive as long as it won't postpone my med school plans.

I would like to do some sort of international/global healthcare in the future, so that's really where I find it to be useful in terms of my goals. Classes are both clinical and management oriented and very unique. There's tons of opportunities for research and volunteering abroad within the program and the first semester is all science core taken with the first year med students. So not a complete waste by any means. I'd rather get an M.S. in a unique program that interests me than in something that bores me solely to boost my med school/match chances.

 

[ItsB]

If anyone already has an M.S. or is doing a dual degree could post in the discussion (if they haven't already), I'd love to get that perspective too.

 

[Whats up Doc!]

Definitly go for it man, it boost your application substantially and it shows a great commitment but only if you do exceptionally well.

 

[Wordead]

Thank you for your advice! I do respect your opinions since you are all in it more than I am and I don't want to feel like I've wasted money in the end. But I just find it strange that so many doctors I've ask about it have been saying otherwise. They have either been incredibly enthusiastic or supportive as long as it won't postpone my med school plans.

I would like to do some sort of international/global healthcare in the future, so that's really where I find it to be useful in terms of my goals. Classes are both clinical and management oriented and very unique. There's tons of opportunities for research and volunteering abroad within the program and the first semester is all science core taken with the first year med students. So not a complete waste by any means. I'd rather get an M.S. in a unique program that interests me than in something that bores me solely to boost my med school/match chances.

How many physicians in docs without borders / operation smile / etc have a masters in global health?
You dont need the degree to do global health. You just need a useful skillset.

Anyway, these degrees are across the board useless - we all know your MPH required minimal effort, if you want to actually do global health and not be a joke go join the peace corp and you'll get placed in a crappy third world country and maybe do something actually useful.

 

[W19]

I guess 'Global Medicine' sounds sexy... It would be a better decision to use that money to play 'Power Ball' every week; you know how that will turn out...

 

[Doctor Bob]

It's nice for if you want your name tag to look like it belongs to a nurse

My ID badge reads "Dr. Bob, DO, MPH, BS, ACLS, ATLS, PALS, BLS, EMT-CT, B+, NRP, SSP, Online Certified in ICD-10, AOA, Maj USAF

The badge is 3 feet long.



I regret nothing.

 

[Psai]

My ID badge reads "Dr. Bob, DO, MPH, BS, ACLS, ATLS, PALS, BLS, EMT-CT, B+, NRP, SSP, Online Certified in ICD-10, AOA, Maj USAF

The badge is 3 feet long.



I regret nothing.

If you had an A+ you wouldn't need half of those letters

 

[Stagg737]

Everyone here is telling you the same thing, it's not about the degree, it's about your skill set. If you think the program is going to give you skills that you can use in your future career, then you have to decide if the ROI on that degree is worth the initial investment.

I've been pretty involved with global med in the past, and wanted to enter the global med track at my med school. I understand that while a degree isn't necessary, there are plenty of cultural differences and practices that would be extremely useful to know before working abroad. I know there are family med residency programs that focus more heavily on international work, and a degree in global health could definitely play a role in you getting a spot. However, most residencies probably won't care, and they definitely won't care if they ask you about it and you can't give them a unique set of skills that's relevant.

Here's a list of some residencies with global med tracks/programs. Outside of these I doubt the MS in global med would matter:http://www.amsa.org/AMSA/Homepage/About/Committees/Global/IHResPrograms.aspx

 

[Doctor Bob]

If you had an A+ you wouldn't need half of those letters

(B+ is my blood type)

 

[ItsB]

Please state your reasoning, evidence, and experience to back up this statement.

I've had 3 docs tell me this actually...lol. 2 who train residents and 1 who used to work as an admissions dean for med school, all at large research based hospitals. None of them work at the med school that offers the program I am currently considering, so they don't have any incentive. I'm struggling to mend all of the anti-extra degree opinions I hear on this thread with those I am getting from long time physicians 🙁.

 

[ItsB]

didn't expect the overwhelming response to be so consistently "NO" from med students haha

 

[ItsB]

Everyone here is telling you the same thing, it's not about the degree, it's about your skill set. If you think the program is going to give you skills that you can use in your future career, then you have to decide if the ROI on that degree is worth the initial investment.

thanks for this! good point

 

[cbrons]

I've had 3 docs tell me this actually...lol. 2 who train residents and 1 who used to work as an admissions dean for med school, all at large research based hospitals. None of them work at the med school that offers the program I am currently considering, so they don't have any incentive. I'm struggling to mend all of the anti-extra degree opinions I hear on this thread with those I am getting from long time physicians 🙁.

I just posted you what it says from Charting the Outcomes. It's called objective data. Are you going to believe numbers or what someone says?

 

[Stagg737]

I just posted you what it says from Charting the Outcomes. It's called objective data. Are you going to believe numbers or what someone says?

I'd be curious to know what the 'other graduate degree' actually is and whether certain degrees have better statistics than others. I'm guessing not, but it would still be interesting to see if there is a degree that actually makes a difference. Also, not sure what the PhD stat shows other than barely anyone gets a PhD and an MD and that out of the ~622 applicants with a PhD 590 matched. That would tell me that getting a PhD does make a difference...

 

[Wordead]

I'd be curious to know what the 'other graduate degree' actually is and whether certain degrees have better statistics than others. I'm guessing not, but it would still be interesting to see if there is a degree that actually makes a difference. Also, not sure what the PhD stat shows other than barely anyone gets a PhD and an MD and that out of the ~622 applicants with a PhD 590 matched. That would tell me that getting a PhD does make a difference...

Is it the PhD or the many publications that result from the PhD, would be the question. In any case, an additional 3 years for a possible and marginal increase in match chance is not gonna be worth it.

 

[JP2740]

I've had 3 docs tell me this actually...lol. 2 who train residents and 1 who used to work as an admissions dean for med school, all at large research based hospitals. None of them work at the med school that offers the program I am currently considering, so they don't have any incentive. I'm struggling to mend all of the anti-extra degree opinions I hear on this thread with those I am getting from long time physicians 🙁.

OK please don't clutter the board if you're not going to listen to advice when asking for it.

 

[Psai]

Is it the PhD or the many publications that result from the PhD, would be the question. In any case, an additional 3 years for a possible and marginal increase in match chance is not gonna be worth it.

Plus average step 1 keeps going up so your score will look worse due to inflation

 

[ItsB]

OK please don't clutter the board if you're not going to listen to advice when asking for it.

OK...one reason I've never been a huge fan of SDN. People get harsh unnecessarily.

Thank you for everyone's opinions though. I am taking them into consideration. That's it for me. Bye.

 

[clausewitz2]

I just posted you what it says from Charting the Outcomes. It's called objective data. Are you going to believe numbers or what someone says?

I wonder how much the PhD numbers are influenced by neurosurgery, where a) PhDs are a lot more common and b) failing to match is a lot more common.

 

[PikminOC]

Thank you for your advice! I do respect your opinions since you are all in it more than I am and I don't want to feel like I've wasted money in the end. But I just find it strange that so many doctors I've ask about it have been saying otherwise. They have either been incredibly enthusiastic or supportive as long as it won't postpone my med school plans.

I would like to do some sort of international/global healthcare in the future, so that's really where I find it to be useful in terms of my goals. Classes are both clinical and management oriented and very unique. There's tons of opportunities for research and volunteering abroad within the program and the first semester is all science core taken with the first year med students. So not a complete waste by any means. I'd rather get an M.S. in a unique program that interests me than in something that bores me solely to boost my med school/match chances.

Why not try to go to medical school abroad?

 

[PikminOC]

OK...one reason I've never been a huge fan of SDN. People get harsh unnecessarily.

Thank you for everyone's opinions though. I am taking them into consideration. That's it for me. Bye.

If you get this hurt so easily youll love med school.

 

[PikminOC]

I've had 3 docs tell me this actually...lol. 2 who train residents and 1 who used to work as an admissions dean for med school, all at large research based hospitals. None of them work at the med school that offers the program I am currently considering, so they don't have any incentive. I'm struggling to mend all of the anti-extra degree opinions I hear on this thread with those I am getting from long time physicians 🙁.

Long time docs arent in tune with current admissions..

 

[URHere]

I got an MS before starting medical school, and I got my PhD last year. This is what I'll tell you about getting an MS if your goal is an MD:

Only do it if you legitimately want to without any expectation of outside gain. Don't do it to improve your application - it's well accepted that graduate GPAs are inflated, so the coursework won't do anything except sate your curiosity and take time away from what could otherwise be full-time research/exposure to global health (read: you could get as much of an application boost from finding a research position...and that would actually pay you). Don't do it to look good to residencies - your career interests will likely change over the next half decade and programs will care more about what you do with your MS1-MS4 years anyway. Don't do it just because it's tempting to have more letters after your name - those degrees cost money and time, after all (and more people have this as a motive than they like to admit).

That being said, I don't think it's necessarily a bad investment. If there is a particular skill set you want to build, it could be useful to you as a person. The program could also be a more gentle introduction to certain types of research than full immersion in fellowship would be. Ultimately, that's why I entered an MS program (to figure if I liked graduate school, grant-writing, and other administrative goodies before committing to a PhD). The MS was for my own personal benefit and that's about it. A PhD can give you more of a leg up in certain specialties down the road (Rad Onc and Child Neuro come to mind), but I wouldn't bet that the MS would help much.

In summary: do it if you want, but don't expect too many fringe benefits.

 

[HumbleMD]

I got an MS during med school in epidemiology. No help whatsoever in residency. Maybe even hurt me because it made me look too cerebral/research heavy when at the end of the day programs want efficient no drama worker bees. My master's will help me in the research years of my fellowship program (buy probably not much for applications) and down the line as I begin my career as an academic physician, but I haven't reaped any benefits as a senior resident.

 

[gumdrops]

didn't expect the overwhelming response to be so consistently "NO" from med students haha

The answer from those who are currently in medical school to more school is usually "No"