High school student looking for needed feedback =|

[andrewwk]

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I am a current high school student attempting to plot my career path.

I have researched information on clinical trials, medical research scientists. etc. and do not feel as if I have a complete understanding yet. I have read this board, the OOH, and several other physician scientists md-phd websites as well.

I originally wanted to go to medical school and practice for sometime as a doctor. After reading how vested one's effort becomes when ensuing a research project ... I soon realized that may not be a possibility.

Regardless of my research efforts, I have not been able to ask someone in the field or a student of such an educational path the questions that have been left unanswered.

Is a Ph.D and MD possibly going to be the 'law of the land' in terms of credentials needed to land a research opportunity?

Can an individual start up their own research efforts with the necessary funds and potentially without a Phd in a life science?

(I understand this may seem foolish to some...I just do not like the idea of spending 12~ years in school. In all fairness, I understand research programs are competitive etc.)

Does the FDA or is it generally required that any 'new' drug,medical treatment,etc be presented to the public by someone with a Phd in a life science?

Are there many accelerated programs for MD-Phd?

Any information is much appreciated 🙂.

 

[ratherberocking]

You cannot know for certain that you want to pursue an MD, MD/PhD, or PhD unless you have shadowed a medical doctor and worked in a research lab for a substantial period of time. What you should focus on now is getting a high SAT score, volunteer service hours, and getting into the best school you possibly can get into (it truly matters what undergrad you go to in terms of applying to MD/PhD because of research quality).

People usually make the decision of doing an MD/PhD or not after about 1.5 - 2 years of research. So, start working in a lab ASAP once you start freshman year of college. Also, there are summer research programs for high school students if you're interested. I know for certain Harvard School of Public Health has one. It's abbreviated RAP. There are others as well so just google "high school summer research program." I'm sure you'll find the rest there.

Also, you can definitely start volunteering at a hospital and even shadow a medical doctor in high school (if you have the right connections and know a family friend or family members who is an MD.

Hope this helps!

 

[GliaGirl]

Is a Ph.D and MD possibly going to be the 'law of the land' in terms of credentials needed to land a research opportunity?

Its easier for an MD/PhD to do research, but its not impossible for an MD and certainly not impossible for a PhD. There are positions in academic medicine that have protected research time, but if you have an MD/PhD, it might be easier to get one of those positions. In medical school, there are opportunities for MD students to take time off for research or do summer research, so you can still do research in medical school without being part of an MD/PhD program.

Can an individual start up their own research efforts with the necessary funds and potentially without a Phd in a life science?

Yes, MDs do research all the time. They just don't receive the same extensive formal training on how to do research effectively, which is fine for some and possibly detrimental for others.

Does the FDA or is it generally required that any 'new' drug,medical treatment,etc be presented to the public by someone with a Phd in a life science?

No, there is no such requirement that I am aware of.

Are there many accelerated programs for MD-Phd?

It depends how you define "accelerated". All formal MD/PhD programs (and there are a LOT of formal programs, look into the difference between MSTP and MD/PhD programs) have it in their best interest to get students out in 7-8 years, which is definitely accelerated over the usual 4 years for MD + 5 years for PhD = 9 years (depends on the field in which you get your PhD). But some MD/PhD students get out in 6 years, and some get out in 9-10 years. It just depends on a combination of how lucky you are with your project and how hard you work. MD/PhD programs in general are the best way to go if you want to get both degrees, but if you don't want both, don't waste your time. Keep in mind that many MD/PhD programs will pay for medical school and provide you with a stipend throughout the program, which will save your hundreds of thousands of dollars. At the same time, you'll be spending a few years on a PhD, which a regular MD wouldn't do, so in the end you lose out on a few years of MD paychecks.

I agree that you should seek out shadowing and research oppotunities ASAP to help you decide what is the right track for you. There are a lot of schools that offer undergrad pre-MD/PhD summer programs, as well as plenty of schools that offer REUs (research experience for undergraduates) over the summer. Look into your options and good luck making an informed decision.