MD/Ph.D-Must have?

[tahitian3]

Are pre-med students interested in pathology ENCOURAGED to apply to MD/Ph.D programs or is it a definite requirement?
If it is a choice, are the students who graduate from MD/Ph.D programs looked upon more favorably when applying for residencies?

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[Primate]

Most premeds are advised not to get too set on one area of medicine - good advice generally as clinical areas of interest tend to change with experience. Students who want to be physician-scientists (go to the pre MD/PhD forum to read about just what that may mean being discussed, ahem, at length) are encouraged to go into MD/PhD programs. Certainly not all (or even most) pathologists are or need to be combined degrees (CDs - easier to type than MD/PhD - try them both).

Many CDs do gravitate toward pathology as it lends itself well to both basic research and because it is addressing the root causes of disease. That's the kind of combo that makes many CDs simply giddy.

Part 2 - Yes, most academic residencies (Path and others) look favorably on the CD - some more than others, depending on the school's aims (more research heavy, more interested in CDs).

In sum - CD if you want to do research, then decide on Path later only if you like it.

 

[Doctor B.]

It is definately not a requirement to have an MD and a PhD to go into path. Most of our residents don't and I don't think a great deal elsewhere do either. Primate's advice is good. If you're interested in research, MD/PhD is a good route. If you then decide to go into path, so be it.

 

[governaitor]

I am just an MD, and I have been invited to visit every program I applied to and I think I have a good chance at matching at any of the programs.

Programs, even the most basic science oriented programs, strive for a balance with their residents.

However, an MD/PhD might open some doors for you, if that is what you really want to do.

Lastly, it is important to know that pathology has gotten immensely more popular with US med students. I have asked three PDs about changes they have noticed. One said that 5 years ago they would get 30 US applicants and could only get 20 to interview, but this year they have 300 US applicants and now are only interviewing 40 of them. Another said they used to interview all US applicants and now they are cutting down to only 30 as last year they matched 5 of their top 6 candidates. I think it might fill this year for the first time in a long time.

The same thing has happened in anest, rads, and rad onc over the last ten years. Back when Primary Care/surgery/surgical subs were high in demand, Path, Rads, Anest would not even match 50% of their positions. It seems to be shifting. I don't think it is all due to "lifestyle"- a word I truly despise, I think it has to do with the fact that things cycle and now the job market in Path will be outstanding for the next few years. Path has always had the same "lifestyle", so why wasn't it popular five years ago? Lastly, I think you work hard in path, surgical path that is, and that is where a lot of the jobs are in path. Private practice pathologists work their asses off. If they want to make good money, they have to.

 

[yaah]

I second what the governaitor says. I have done no real research aside from college projects in my chem major (nothing heavy or outside of requirements). I received interviews from everywhere, and have practically completed all of my interviews and have received wonderful treatment at all of them. Every program has had at least one person who has told me either "you're our kind of candidate" or "it's up to you to decide where you want to go." And this includes many of the "big names" who traditionally have many MD/PHDs. The last thing I would suggest to someone entering med school is to add on 3-5 years of study in a lab for the sole purpose of making yourself a competitive candidate in the match. I considered a combined degree after college because I enjoy science and the prospect of studying things in great detail, but passed on it. I felt I would rather wait and see where my career was heading before I pursued in PHD in something that I would never consider doing in my career, as well as because I did not want my future career defined by experience in a lab before I experienced other branches of medicine. Now, as I look towards residency, I still have the opportunity to do lots of research if I choose, and it will be in an area that I will be more informed about.

So, if any of these things that did not apply to me in fact apply to you, consider it. But you have to want it. Path departments do like to attract candidates who are heavy into research, but don't forget that academic centers will always need people who focus on diagnostics and translational-type research because those are the folks who make a lot of the diagnoses. Most programs will have some balance and very few will fill their programs with hard-core research individuals.