How competitive are PhD Programs In Medicine?

[IWant2BeADoctor]

How competitive are PhD programs in Medicine? I mean PhD by itself not the join MD/PhD programs.

How do they calculate GPA? What kind of GPA are they looking for? And what are acceptable GRE scores like?

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[gbwillner]

How competitive are PhD programs in Medicine? I mean PhD by itself not the join MD/PhD programs.

How do they calculate GPA? What kind of GPA are they looking for? And what are acceptable GRE scores like?

PhD in medicine? I've never ever heard of that. You're going to have to be more specific. For example, there is no PhD in neurology, but there is in Neurocience. There is no PhD in clinical genetics, but there is in human genetics.

The term "medicine" implies clinical medicine. A PhD does not have a clinical component.

 

[Auraraptor]

PhD in medicine? I've never ever heard of that. You're going to have to be more specific. For example, there is no PhD in neurology, but there is in Neurocience. There is no PhD in clinical genetics, but there is in human genetics.

The term "medicine" implies clinical medicine. A PhD does not have a clinical component.

I think he means PhD from a Medical institution versus a traditional university. For example, from the Dept of (Molecul.) Biology at JHU versus the Dept of Cell/Mol Biology at JHMI.

 

[1Path]

For example, there is no PhD in neurology, but there is in Neurocience. There is no PhD in clinical genetics, but there is in human genetics.

When I entered college in 1984, there were PhD programs in Neurology so it look's like over time, the semantics have changed. Programs that once offered PhD's in Neurology now offer the PhD in neurobiology. What's the real difference between Neurology, Neurobiology, and Neuroscience?

As for the PhD in clinical genetics I worked with a woman 3 years ago at NCI who one from a US college although the name escapes me.

 

[IWant2BeADoctor]

Allow me to clarify I meant to say Phd in a Medically related field that usually is taught in Med Schools like Pharmacology, physiology, anatomy.

 

[gbwillner]

Allow me to clarify I meant to say Phd in a Medically related field that usually is taught in Med Schools like Pharmacology, physiology, anatomy.

There is probably little if any difference in competitiveness between medically-related PhDs and non-medically related PhDs.

Overall, and compared to medical school, these programs are not competitive at all. That's because we are a nation of money-grubbing short-attention-span monkeys. Use it to your advantage! No, really, what I mean to say is that there is a deficit of US grad students. Many of these positions are filled with students from other countries. While most of them are extremely qualified, they are essentially taking spots no American wants to fill.

 

[jjmack]

There is probably little if any difference in competitiveness between medically-related PhDs and non-medically related PhDs.

Overall, and compared to medical school, these programs are not competitive at all. That's because we are a nation of money-grubbing short-attention-span monkeys. Use it to your advantage! No, really, what I mean to say is that there is a deficit of US grad students. Many of these positions are filled with students from other countries. While most of them are extremely qualified, they are essentially taking spots no American wants to fill.

what is wrong with money?

 

[gbwillner]

what is wrong with money?

Hehe...

It's too green.

 

[IWant2BeADoctor]

There is probably little if any difference in competitiveness between medically-related PhDs and non-medically related PhDs.

Overall, and compared to medical school, these programs are not competitive at all. That's because we are a nation of money-grubbing short-attention-span monkeys. Use it to your advantage! No, really, what I mean to say is that there is a deficit of US grad students. Many of these positions are filled with students from other countries. While most of them are extremely qualified, they are essentially taking spots no American wants to fill.

Even the Phd's taught in Med school?

 

[gbwillner]

Even the Phd's taught in Med school?

I think you have a misconseption of what a med school is.

 

[IWant2BeADoctor]

I think you have a misconseption of what a med school is.

What's my misconception?

 

[gbwillner]

What's my misconception?

Medical schools are often within a university. A PhD from, let's say, University of Pennsylvania in Genetics will always come from the "medical school" simply because that is the relevant field for that PhD.
Let's say you wanted a Business degree from Penn. There is no difference in getting the degree from Penn than from the Wharton School of Business- they are the same. The business school is the department from which you obtain your degree.

There may be exceptions to this somewhere. but I can't see there being any difference whatsoever in terms of competitveness. Why should there be? Just because you attend "Harvard medical School" for your PhD in cell biology doesn't mean you'll see a single patient. That's just the relevant location of the cell biology department.

Please correct me if I'm wrong here.

 

[Dr.Watson]

nevermind

 

[Circumflex]

What's my misconception?

Med schools don't offer PhDs. They are given by the School of Graduate Studies, or some title like that. However, both use the same physical facilities and faculty - that's the difference between a PhD given at a medical institution vs. a undergrad campus.

Depending on the department, you may take 1-2 classes with medical students. At my school, the physiology PhD students take the medical student physiology course (then other more specialized courses separately).

Once you become a PhD, there is a difference in being a faculty member at a medical institution vs. an undergrad campus - things like salary, teaching load, research time.

But, it is not difficult to get into a PhD program at a medical institution (except at the big name schools like Harvard, Johns Hopkins, etc.).

 

[IWant2BeADoctor]

Thanks for clarifying that guys. I'm looking to get a PhD in a Medically related Science as a backup plan to Med School and perhaps a backdoor to Med School. My friend told me his dad got into Med School after completing a PhD in Pharmacology.

And if I don't get in I wouldn't mind teaching at Med School or doing research for bio-tech.

 

[gbwillner]

... perhaps a backdoor to Med School. My friend told me his dad got into Med School after completing a PhD in Pharmacology.

It doesn't work that way. Having a PhD may make you a more competitive applicant for med school, but there is NO "back door".

I wouldn't do a PhD unless you really love science and want to make it a career. You don't need the PhD to teach.