MD/PhD at USUHS

[Re3iRtH]

Hello,

For anyone that is in or has been in the MD/PhD program
at USUHS I need some thoughts. How organized was the
program, did everything go smoothly? Also did you enjoy
it and was the education of high quality? Any thoughts
about the different paths to take? Does it typically take
7 years? How was the life as civilian/then mil, everything
go smoothly?

Any input is much appreciated.

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[Re3iRtH]

Wow.

45 views and not a single response?
I thought there would be few MD/PhD students
at USUHS but I didnt think not a single one would
be browsing the forums. It would be difficult finding
out the lifestyle, unless I plan to find telephone
numbers somehow and call current students
in the program.

 

[Croooz]

You don't want to be a PhD in the military much less an MD/PhD. If you think your residency opportunities are limited in the military take a good look at the science opportunities.

 

[Re3iRtH]

Any personal experiences and/or anecdotal evidence?
Thanks.

 

[NavyFP]

Any personal experiences and/or anecdotal evidence?
Thanks.

I don't know of anyone who has obtained an PhD/MD from USU. They may have had the PhD before, but to my knowledge there is no combined program.

 

[Dr. Dukes]

I don't know of anyone who has obtained an PhD/MD from USU. They may have had the PhD before, but to my knowledge there is no combined program.

When you apply they ask if you want to do MD/PhD. Because of the military commitment of the MD program, students do their PhD work (3-4 years) first, and then go through the entire MD program.

No annecdotal stories though.

http://cim.usuhs.mil/geo/mdphd.htm

 

[Croooz]

Any personal experiences and/or anecdotal evidence?
Thanks.

I support military & contracted scientists. The views expressed on this forum about mil med fail in comparison to what mil scientists undergo. Unless you are involved in the science of a new weapon system or BW detection you have funding today and none tomorrow. Look into the fields that USU offers and if you're interested in one of those then so be it. If you have to choose between Army and Navy I would say Army. I can't speak on the AF because I don't have any experience working with them.

It has been suggested to me that if accepted to USU that I should not take the MD/PhD route. You can always go into research without it. Heck we have directorate heads who are MD's so not only can you go into research but you can run the show.

Send me a PM if you'd like.

 

[st0rmin]

I don't know of anyone who has obtained an PhD/MD from USU. They may have had the PhD before, but to my knowledge there is no combined program.

I knew of one person while I was in school who was in the MD/PhD program. She was working on her PhD portion while I was at USUHS, then was going through the MD portion. It is possible, but it sounds like a crazy amount of work for not much benefit.

 

[freelancer]

Here's my opinion for MD/PhD at USU. It mainly depends on what you are going to do your research in. If you are interested in Infection disease or something that the military has to offer that is unlike any other place, it may be a place to go. If anything else... I'd say stick w/ another program b/c the program here is kind of small. There are about 5 MD/PhD students here and the numbers are slowly growing.

 

[DCM]

The MD/PhD program takes 7 to 8 years. The Neuroscience and Infectious Disease departments at USU are great; not sure how that translates to quality of PhD experience.

An MD/PhD in the military will make you more competitive for an academic track, which would mean working at one of the major medical centers and/or teaching + research at USU. A fair number of our military attendings are MD/PhDs. You will almost certainly still have to do some kind of operational tour or at least deployment at some point.

 

[Gastrapathy]

The MD/PhD program takes 7 to 8 years. The Neuroscience and Infectious Disease departments at USU are great; not sure how that translates to quality of PhD experience.

An MD/PhD in the military will make you more competitive for an academic track, which would mean working at one of the major medical centers and/or teaching + research at USU. A fair number of our military attendings are MD/PhDs. You will almost certainly still have to do some kind of operational tour or at least deployment at some point.

Thats quite a claim and not one I've seen backed up by any evidence on the Navy side. The only neuroscience MD/PhD from USU that I knew didn't get selected for neurosurg and has decided to become a radiologist after a fair time waiting in GMO land.

Within the ID staff at my MEDCEN, the only MD/PhD's that I know are civilian. Frankly, I think you'd compete for the same billets as everybody else. There is no such thing as an "academic track" in Navy IM that I'm aware of.

 

[Croooz]

There is no such thing as an "academic track" in Navy IM that I'm aware of.

Your correct. If one gets USU as a duty station then that's what they get. That in itself does not guarantee any sort of academic track. The military scientist I work with are adjuncts as USU but that is mostly a requirement by USU in order that we may do "business" with USU. There is no academic track in the military.