Is this for me?

[MGBgrad22]

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And some other general questions...

Newbie here! I just have some questions and thoughts in general. This may get kind of long.

I am currently a Master's student at Georgia State University. I am in the Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry program. Before you question whether or not I should do an MS before med school, hear my story out.

I started my undergrad at The University of West Ga, a very small, rural university. After my first semester, I became a TA for one of the classes I took, Biological Diversity. I fell in love with the microorganisms, and watching them under a scope. I knew at that point I wanted to start research, so I did. For one semester I was a "slave" doing very basic chores in an aquatic evolution lab working with Daphnia. The next semester, I did my own project and collected enough data to write a paper for publication, and I did. I knew though, that I wanted to work with something more pathogenic, some work that was more medical. I then pursued and got a research position in an immunology/virology lab. I loved it. I helped a grad student finish her thesis, working with HSV-1 effects on the cornea. That publication will be out soon as well. I knew AI wanted to go to grad school for research, to become a scientist, a person who sits in a lab all day long. I graduated cum laude with a GPA of 3.7. It was enough to get into grad school.

I then started graduate school in a lab (where I am currently) focused on virulence gene expression and pathogenesis of Bacillus anthracis (causative agent of Anthrax.) I absolutely HATED the first few months. Boring, all genetics, molecular bio, blah! So I started looking at my options. I came across pathology. I absolutely fell in love with the idea of becoming a pathologist. It has just the right amount of indirect patient interaction, disease, microorganisms, cancer, everything I love (sorry that sounds kind of bad.)

So I started looking into it. I met with a pathologist I know through my sister who is a med tech at a local hp. We spent about five hours together looking at slides and talking about med school and a day in the life of her. My main concerns are about medical school itself. Since I don't really want to be any type of GP, how difficult would clinicals be for me until we get to our specialties? Is it something I could push through to get to the good part? Barfing makes me queasy, blood is fine. I have decided also, since I am graduating next spring it will be best for me to try and apply for 2017. It will give me plenty of time to ramp up my application in weak spots (clinical experience, shadowing, etc.) And also plenty of time to study for the MCAT. I plan on applying to all schools in Ga.

So with that being said, I know it isn't much to go on, but I have:
3.74 cumulative, 4.0 bio undergrad, cum laude, honors college
2 scholarships
2 publications, pending
3 semesters of TA, 1 semester lab coordinator
4 semesters of Research (aquatic evolution, Virology/immunology, Bacteriology/molecular genetics.)
1+ year volunteer work at the humane society,, still doing it
After graduation next spring I will have my thesis (publication) and likely a high 3. GPA. And hopefully varying hours at different hospitals around Atl (Grady, St. Jospehs, maybe a community hp close to me.) I am also currently taking physics and Ochem2 since I didn't take those as an undergrad.

Does this really make for a unique story? What are my chances of getting in? Could I survive clinical when bedside care isn't really my thing? Any other thoughts, comments, suggestions?

Thanks in advance! Sorry so long.

 

[frochocinco]

How do you know you want to be a doctor with no clinical experience? You just seem to like research. If you're looking to "survive clinical", then medicine definitely appears to not be for you. Medicine IS clinical.

And no, that's not unique. Sorry, but all you described was liking bench research that relates to pathology. Nothing in what you said shows any semblance of a desire to care for others.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Get a PhD. Even if you managed to get into med school and survived doing all the stuff you hate, it is entirely possible not to match into the specialty of your choice.

 

[Monika12]

Wait, why do you want to be a doctor?

 

[MGBgrad22]

I think because I haven't found the thing that I love most in research. I'm passionate about how disease is affecting humans, seeing diseased tissue or cells and trying to find out what it is, why, etc. I'm thinking of going into pathology with the CDC. That's where I was going for research, but I'm just not happy with it, maybe I didn't make that clear. It's the same thing day in and day out, trial, error, fix it, try again- which is okay but it isn't ideal. I thrive in a challenging environment, and I don't think research will give me what I need to be happy. As a pathologist, at least from the two I have shadowed, one has only some contact with patients, which is fine. The only thing I worry about in med school is people throwing up, that's it. Maybe it is something I can get over, but even if I were not able to land in the specific rotations I'd like, the aspect of trying to find the cause of disease is still fascinating and fuels my fire.

 

[frochocinco]

I think because I haven't found the thing that I love most in research. I'm passionate about how disease is affecting humans, seeing diseased tissue or cells and trying to find out what it is, why, etc. I'm thinking of going into pathology with the CDC. That's where I was going for research, but I'm just not happy with it, maybe I didn't make that clear. It's the same thing day in and day out, trial, error, fix it, try again- which is okay but it isn't ideal. I thrive in a challenging environment, and I don't think research will give me what I need to be happy. As a pathologist, at least from the two I have shadowed, one has only some contact with patients, which is fine. The only thing I worry about in med school is people throwing up, that's it. Maybe it is something I can get over, but even if I were not able to land in the specific rotations I'd like, the aspect of trying to find the cause of disease is still fascinating and fuels my fire.

Exactly. You seem to want to work with disease, not people.

 

[frochocinco]

P

 

[frochocinco]

h

 

[frochocinco]

D

 

[MGBgrad22]

I would have applied PhD if RESEARCH or academia is what I wanted to do, maybe you missed that again. You're being very rude, FYI and not helpful at all which is the whole point of this forum. What do you think a pathologist does? Honestly...maybe do your research before being snarky and rude.

 

[frochocinco]

I would have applied PhD if RESEARCH or academia is what I wanted to do, maybe you missed that again. You're being very rude, FYI and not helpful at all which is the whole point of this forum. What do you think a pathologist does? Honestly...maybe do your research before being snarky and rude.

I am trolling a bit but it's because its offensive to most of the people on this forum who want to go into medicine for the right reasons. You don't seem to have a firm grasp on what it means to be a doctor. After MS1 and MS2, everything you will do as a med student, resident, and attending will be clinically-based. If you want to study pathology and diseases, working towards a PhD will allow you to truly explore your passion and allow yourself to think in the way you enjoy. While you may have not explicitly said you don't want to do research/academia, its what you are showing us that you're interested in doing.

 

[MGBgrad22]

Awesome, thank you for your well thought out and professional reply. I honestly appreciate it. I also understand what you mean, as pathologists are often deemed not "real" doctors since the profession is laboratory based with minimal patient contact. My passion for pathology isn't a passion for the same type of medicine as with others, but sadly the only way to become a pathologist is by completing MD, followed by residency and fellowship. So I am in quite a pickle, which is why I posted here. A PhD cannot help me reach where I want to be, they work very long and inconsistent hours much like most MD's, but with a lot less pay depending on the field of course. I know this because I work closely with so many. I think I haven't even had time to really consider my feelings toward medical school or becoming an MD because I only started considering it several months ago. I just never considered it because I was so sure that research was where I want to be, but boy was I wrong! After shadowing some doctors in different depts, I think I'll really know how I feel about it.

 

[PlasticBag]

It seems that you're just having a bad experience in your Master's program but deep down you love the intellectual challenges that research can offer. Maybe it's about finding the right program? Not all PhDs are the same. I can imagine very productive and busy labs where you wouldn't feel bored. I would investigate this route a little more if I were you. Or maybe MD-PhD is something that would be a good fit?

 

[Thoroughbred_Med]

Awesome, thank you for your well thought out and professional reply. I honestly appreciate it. I also understand what you mean, as pathologists are often deemed not "real" doctors since the profession is laboratory based with minimal patient contact. My passion for pathology isn't a passion for the same type of medicine as with others, but sadly the only way to become a pathologist is by completing MD, followed by residency and fellowship. So I am in quite a pickle, which is why I posted here. A PhD cannot help me reach where I want to be, they work very long and inconsistent hours much like most MD's, but with a lot less pay depending on the field of course. I know this because I work closely with so many. I think I haven't even had time to really consider my feelings toward medical school or becoming an MD because I only started considering it several months ago. I just never considered it because I was so sure that research was where I want to be, but boy was I wrong! After shadowing some doctors in different depts, I think I'll really know how I feel about it.

I'm an undergraduate at GSU. Hello!

Look, from what I've read from your posts you have a passion for bench research that tops more than 90% of premeds. You really shine when you talk about it.
If the money is the only thing steering you towards MD then forget about it. What I would do is get out ASAP and shadow a pathologist or specialty doctor of your choice. I understand your lack of zeal in GPs. See if you even find an interest in the clinical side of medicine at all. If you do, then by golly apply for MD/PhD in 2017! You're track record in research is outstanding

 

[MGBgrad22]

It is a possibility. I have tried to talk to several PhDs and advisors, the advice I have been given is that this is how research in academia is. If I go to biopharm or CDC with my MS, I will basically function as a robot, doing assays on am assembly line and things of that nature. If I go into biopharm, CDC, private industry etc. as PhD, I will be expected to conduct experimental design, oversee the lab, and things like that. As an undergrad I did very basic lab work and did what I was told. I didn't have to consider the unknown, not the - it's been discovered already its just going to require some thinking on your part to make connections and find out how to treat/fix it- The info is just not there! I could literally care less about discovering something new in research, and that is the entire point.The thing I like most about pathology is that you aspirate samples, look at samples, determine what the disease/cancer type, etc is and collab with clinicians on Tx. You know what you're looking at, and you know how to help the patient, there's no guesswork.

 

[MGBgrad22]

I'm an undergraduate at GSU. Hello!

Look, from what I've read from your posts you have a passion for bench research that tops more than 90% of premeds. You really shine when you talk about it.
If the money is the only thing steering you towards MD then forget about it. What I would do is get out ASAP and shadow a pathologist or specialty doctor of your choice. I understand your lack of zeal in GPs. See if you even find an interest in the clinical side of medicine at all. If you do, then by golly apply for MD/PhD in 2017! You're track record in research is outstanding

Thanks Thoroughbred! Money is definitely not what I am looking at in Pathology. Making diagnoses is what excites me about it. In research, it seems like you can only work with humans, tissue, cells, etc. to an extent but in my opinion, it just isn't enough. I feel like I am so far down the line of making a difference as a researcher. I thought that I could be saving someone in an indirect way via research and it would satisfy, but it isn't the case!

 

[PlasticBag]

Thanks Thoroughbred! Money is definitely not what I am looking at in Pathology. Making diagnoses is what excites me about it. In research, it seems like you can only work with humans, tissue, cells, etc. to an extent but in my opinion, it just isn't enough. I feel like I am so far down the line of making a difference as a researcher. I thought that I could be saving someone in an indirect way via research and it would satisfy, but it isn't the case!

You know, the grass is always greener. As a pathologist, you'll be making an immediate difference in someone's diagnosis/life, which will probably be very rewarding, but you might also feel like a lot of people can do what you do. With research, once you're not a lowly PhD student but actually run your own thing, you have the potential to truly be an expert in your niche. But then, you say you don't need to make any breakthroughs... Are you sure? Or are you just discouraged and are adjusting your expectations accordingly?
It still seems to me like MD/PhD would be ideal for you. You'd have the direct impact you want, plus a busy environment, but you could also do substantial research.

 

[MGBgrad22]

I defi itely could care less about breakthroughs, I'm sure if I made one I would feel differently, but honestly researchers aren't making the real impact, Docs are. Sure, one breakthrough could lead to more research and then maybe clinical trials and then maybe it could make a difference. My area of interest is also microbiology, which I would like to make my subspecialty...and honestly the only research going on that involves both is vaccine research, and again, that just wouldn't fulfill the purpose I think I was put on this Earth for. It isn't direct enough. I need to see that I've made a difference, that I caught someone's cancer, virus, ilness, whatever it may be and gave my opinion on proper tx, hopefully saving that person's life! The only real downside is that you never really get to see the progress and outcome of pt X.

 

[MGBgrad22]

With that being said however, I think an MD/PhD may be best for me. I'll definitely have to look into it!