Is it All Just a Big Lie? - Research and Academics

[brightoats]

---

Members do not see this ad.

What's the deal with these stats showing everybody going into private practice?

Are interviews filled with people saying "I want to go into academics" who are just BS'ing?

What about basic science research? So many people take a year off to do basic science research, but how many actually end up working in the field? Are there all these applicants out there claiming to want to work in basic science, but never actually do?

And then, if this is the case, how would one really show a true interest in academics and/or basic science (of course i'm talking about a non-phd) without looking like a BS artist?

Discuss.....

 

[gimmederm]

What's the deal with these stats showing everybody going into private practice?

Are interviews filled with people saying "I want to go into academics" who are just BS'ing?

What about basic science research? So many people take a year off to do basic science research, but how many actually end up working in the field? Are there all these applicants out there claiming to want to work in basic science, but never actually do?

And then, if this is the case, how would one really show a true interest in academics and/or basic science (of course i'm talking about a non-phd) without looking like a BS artist?

Discuss.....

i think there's a difference between someone just saying they want to go into academics compared to someone who actually has a lot of publications or has done basic science research to prove it

everyone can just lie, but i think looking at that applicant's dedication to the field would be a better indicator than going by what someone says during the interview

 

[bananamed]

Your CV will shed light on this.

One summer of research and you're going on and on about academics and research? Liar.

One year of research? Okay, maybe I might buy it. The interview will flesh out the rest of this thinking.

 

[MOHS_01]

Lies, more lies, and then more lies.... it's the same as everyone saying that they wanted to do primary care in an underserved area to get into medical school several years ago... we all know this and don't think much of it (actually many of us tune it out and it can prove detrimental if taken too far).... candidates seem to be the only ones shocked to hear this fact.

 

[N-Surge]

Some of us actually have lives so entrenched in academics... To say that we are going into Dermatology for any other reason than academics, with the goal of living the 80/20 life, would actually be the lie. Sure, we would like 50/50. But 70/30 is probably the limit.

 

[dermathalon]

/

 

[Long Dong]

"Using the percentage from the 2004-2007 study to extrapolate to the 35 year interval of 1970-2004, if 5.83 percent of these 8797 graduates were MD/PhDs, then roughly 513 MD/PhDs had graduated from dermatology residency over the last 35 years. Of these 513 MD/PhDs, 72 (14.0%) were full-time academic dermatologists as of December 2004."

"8284 MDs, 710 (8.6%) were full-time academic dermatologists as of December 2004."

"MD/PhDs were 1.63 times (p ≤0.001) or 62.8 percent more likely to go into academics compared to MDs. "

http://dermatology.cdlib.org/141/commentary/academic/wu.html

I guess it's not all a lie, but what happend to the other 86% of mudphuds who didn't go into academics?

 

[Doublecortin]

Lies, more lies, and then more lies.... it's the same as everyone saying that they wanted to do primary care in an underserved area to get into medical school several years ago... we all know this and don't think much of it (actually many of us tune it out and it can prove detrimental if taken too far).... candidates seem to be the only ones shocked to hear this fact.

well said, sir, well said.

I just wish everyone had the cajones to be honest

 

[Aptamer]

"Using the percentage from the 2004-2007 study to extrapolate to the 35 year interval of 1970-2004, if 5.83 percent of these 8797 graduates were MD/PhDs, then roughly 513 MD/PhDs had graduated from dermatology residency over the last 35 years. Of these 513 MD/PhDs, 72 (14.0%) were full-time academic dermatologists as of December 2004."

"8284 MDs, 710 (8.6%) were full-time academic dermatologists as of December 2004."

"MD/PhDs were 1.63 times (p ≤0.001) or 62.8 percent more likely to go into academics compared to MDs. "

http://dermatology.cdlib.org/141/commentary/academic/wu.html

I guess it's not all a lie, but what happend to the other 86% of mudphuds who didn't go into academics?

I think a lot of it comes from the rigors of academia e.g. funding and bureaucracy. One notion that is being tossed around in the MD/PhD forum is that a lot of academic MD/PhDs are being pressured to focus on their clinical duties, which brings in more money than does research grants. I think that alone pushes a lot of mudphuds out of academic centers and be their own boss in private practice. It seems that most MD/PhDs eventually choose either or in the long run. For myself, I hope that never happens to me, but I can see myself coming to that decision at some point.

But the numbers you present is rather surprising. IIRC, the numbers were the exact opposite if you polled MD/PhDs in all specialties i.e. ~85% academia, and ~15% PP/industry. Interesting.

 

[Long Dong]

well said, sir, well said.

I just wish everyone had the cajones to be honest

But if everyone did they wouldn't get in. It's like going to the club and telling the hot chick you just want to have meaningless sex/one night stand with her and afterwards you'll never see her again. Keep that up and you'll never get any nookie.

But the numbers you present is rather surprising. IIRC, the numbers were the exact opposite if you polled MD/PhDs in all specialties i.e. ~85% academia, and ~15% PP/industry. Interesting.

Hey I didn't know that so according to the IIRC ~85% of mudphuds go into academia, but with derm the opposite is true ~85% go into PP/Industry. Guess it is just a big lie even for those who have a track record.

 

[Doublecortin]

But if everyone did they wouldn't get in. It's like going to the club and telling the hot chick you just want to have meaningless sex/one night stand with her and afterwards you'll never see her again. Keep that up and you'll never get any nookie.
.

yeah, I hear ya, bro. You just have to play the game.
but if you think about it, if EVERYONE told the truth, there would be no need to lie about your true intentions. But of course that would never happen in the real world.

 

[dermie09]

Seems to me that not everyone is lying - then no one would stay in academics.. And obviously some do. I think a fair amount would like to stay in academics but it aint easy to...poor mentorship in programs and politics make many stay away (and $$ of course)

 

[cancerman51]

Lying about intentions aside, I can tell you based on present experience that the current financial climate is making research nearly untenable. There is very little support for the post-doc stage of training after residency and prior to extramural funding. I am continuing to explore research tracks, but have begun circulating my resume to private practices because I find the door to research to be closing rapidly