I have been told that some labs do not want MD/PhD students because of a lack of time commitment they can provide in comparison with PhD students. As I contemplate which type of programs to apply to (MSTP or PhD-only), I want to know if this is the case in a lot of institutions. I think it would more important to be able to select from a bunch of labs at an institution that I like. I don't want to get into an institution as an MD/PhD student, and not be able to pursue the labs I'm interested in, because I'm MD/PhD and not PhD. What do you guys think???
MD/PhD - Disadvantaged in selecting labs???
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Yeah, that's an interesting question. I haven't given it any thought, but I think it depends which school you're talking about. At some schools, I feel like the MD/PhDs were in "high demand" by labs as compared to the straight PhD students. However, there are some schools were I kind of felt that the opposite might be true. Although, in the end, I'm sure it really only depends on your relationship with the PI. Anyone else have any thoughts?
B
b&ierstiefel
An interesting question I agree. Fortunately, in my experience, many PI's would kill to have an MD/PhD student work in their lab. I don't mean to sound egotistical or high & mighty but I will say that typically the average MD/PhD student has more research experience and is more qualified than the average PhD student. Again, note the use of the word "average." This is indicative of the competitiveness surrounding the process to become admitted into a PhD program vs. MD/PhD program. I think people will agree in that admission into the latter is much tougher than the former and selects for the some of the best candidates.
MD/PhD students, in addition to being very qualified, also have time pressures motivating them to be productive. The MD/PhD student's modus operandi is to get the work done, graduate, and GTFO quickly. In the long run, the PI really cares about productivity in the lab. A high level of productivity allows the PI to obtain more grant funding, get previous grants renewed, advance along the tenure track, etc. Hence, these motivations from the perspective of the PI as well as the student converge quite nicely.
Regardless, there are a few bosses out there who really take advantage of the fact that graduate students (MD/PhD or PhD) are cheap labor; they will want to keep the student as long as possible even if the student is super-productive. It is your job to avoid these mentors at all costs
. OK maybe that's an overstatement but you get my gist. In a perfect world, you will choose a lab that does interesting work, that is headed by a supportive PI who provides good mentorship, and most importantly where you will learn how to do GOOD SCIENCE...and will get you back into the clinic/wards in a optimal # of years 🙂
In summary, my experience tells me that MD/PhD students are in high demand. When I visited my top choice schools for a second visit after being admitted, I met with many PI's. Many of them were very eager to have me as a student--including PI's that typically hire only postdocs in their lab! As an MD/PhD student, I am confident that you will be highly sought after and that there will be mechanisms to help you succeed in your endeavors.
Happy Thanksgiving!
MD/PhD students, in addition to being very qualified, also have time pressures motivating them to be productive. The MD/PhD student's modus operandi is to get the work done, graduate, and GTFO quickly. In the long run, the PI really cares about productivity in the lab. A high level of productivity allows the PI to obtain more grant funding, get previous grants renewed, advance along the tenure track, etc. Hence, these motivations from the perspective of the PI as well as the student converge quite nicely.
Regardless, there are a few bosses out there who really take advantage of the fact that graduate students (MD/PhD or PhD) are cheap labor; they will want to keep the student as long as possible even if the student is super-productive. It is your job to avoid these mentors at all costs
. OK maybe that's an overstatement but you get my gist. In a perfect world, you will choose a lab that does interesting work, that is headed by a supportive PI who provides good mentorship, and most importantly where you will learn how to do GOOD SCIENCE...and will get you back into the clinic/wards in a optimal # of years 🙂In summary, my experience tells me that MD/PhD students are in high demand. When I visited my top choice schools for a second visit after being admitted, I met with many PI's. Many of them were very eager to have me as a student--including PI's that typically hire only postdocs in their lab! As an MD/PhD student, I am confident that you will be highly sought after and that there will be mechanisms to help you succeed in your endeavors.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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My experience at UAB was similar to Andy's. Let me also say that our graduate tuition/stipend is mostly funded by the MSTP, meaning that your PhD mentor only has to pay a small fraction. This additional financial incentive is also a factor as to why MSTP students are welcomed into virtually every lab. It's like getting a high-quality graduate student for 1/3 of the price.
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Mitro said:
I think your comments reflect the true diversity of thinking in research academia. There are labs which would obviously love to have both MD/PhD and PhD students working, and others where the focus is primarily on PhD students (maybe due to an anticipation of a longer graduate student experience.....sometimes 6-7 years). Obviously, the best thing to do is to check out several labs at the institution you wish to attend and talk to the PI in those labs. Pick their brains about their viewpoint on having an MD/PhD student, how many have they had previously, and what is the "average" time PhD students spend under their mentorship. Also, look at the PIs CV and/or publications.....this will give you a good feel for their contributions to the field of study. I believe that the majority of PIs will be responsive to having you in their labs, especially given that your MSTP programs will be providing considerable support for you already.
