MD/PhD income

[STi555]

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As you may have guessed from the title I was simply wondering how much a person can expect to make as an M.D./Ph.D. I have been accepted to a mstp program and am trying to decide if I want to go or just do straight md. I realize that income is variable as an md/phd has many career choices. I was curious as to the income of an md/phd that goes into research.

Before anyone jumps on me and says that how much you make shouldn't determine your career path, I agree, but I still want to know. Afterall, I shouldn't go to school for seven more years (plus residency) and then find out how much earning power I have.

 

[aretegeras]

If you school/work at a public university, the salaries of faculty are public information (or perhaps this is only the case at Michigan?) It is just a matter of going to the library and asking for the book... ours posts the salaries of every tenured faculty or permanent job position, starting from the president on down (and, of course, including MD-PhD faculty). Our president makes about 475k/yr... whereas an MD-PhD I know makes around 180k (research only--no clinical obligation). Hope this helps.

 

[Neuronix]

The problem is that it's way too variable depending on your success and your exact career track. If you go into research exclusively, expect to make peanuts in your post-doc, then make a pretty low salary (rough estimate... ~50k/year?) through assistant professor. If you can pull in the grant money and get promoted to assoc. prof. somewhere, I see no problems with making 100k+/year, and increasing with time. Just remember that's not guaranteed and you probably won't see that kind of money until you are at least 35.

If you go into clinical, especially private practice, you can probably expect at least double those numbers. If you go MD-only, you will see that kind of money much sooner (subtract 3-4 PhD years and a few years for post-doc).

This all adds up to the fact that generally MD/PhD researchers make much less than clinicians. Don't go into it for the money. After all, that's why MSTP exists. How can they expect you to start a career in research under an enormous MD program debt-load?

 

[STi555]

Thanks for the answers. I know that i probably won't make as much money as a medical researcher but I was just hoping to get a general idea of what to expect. I have pretty much decided to do mstp. I think the biggest thing holding me back is that I don't have as clear of a picture of what I will do after I finish school compared to doing straight md.

 

[Simon]

Aretegeras - I've always wanted to look up the salaries of umich professors (since its public info and all). Which library and which book?

Thanks.

 

[aretegeras]

Simon,

I am not sure of the exact title, but it is called something like Faculty and Staff Salary Reference Guide. It is located in the 2nd floor (Reference section) of the grad library.