MS before your MD/PhD

[Sigmon Froid]

I am currently an undergrad majoring in Biology and I am thinking about applying for a Masters in a field outside of Molecular Biology (such as biophysics, chemistry, or statistics) before I apply for the MD/PhD programs. As a future PI, I think having a broader window of working with various experimental procedures and concepts from fields outside my circle of familiarity will give me a chance to think about and identify many biological phenomena in a different way and allow me to approach these problems more creatively. I also worry that cross-disciplinary training will make me the "jack of all trades" and that I can never excel in a single field. What do you guys think?

Also, what do you guys think about doing SMP programs, such as masters in physiology, prior to MD/PhD?

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[K31]

I don't think it would make a difference one way or another. Experience in another related field won't hurt, but it also it isn't something you couldn't pick up during grad school if you took the initiative. A wide base of knowledge doesn't preclude you from being the expert in one specific area either.

If you are sure about MD/PhD though and have the stats to get in straight from undergrad, I'd encourage you to do that instead of pursuing a masters. The programs take long enough without doing a year or two of schoolwork that isn't going to make a difference in your career.

 

[agp4]

I'm with K31 on this. You're going to end up spending a year or two getting a redundant degree. You'll get plenty of opportunities to work outside of your field during your PhD. If it's a genuine concern for you, be sure to ask about it at your interviews. I had a similar situation when I applied for MD/PhD (I wanted to transition from BME to molecular biology). I interviewed at some programs that were very hostile to the idea, and I ended up either getting rejected from them or withdrawing. And a few were very receptive to the idea (I ended up going to the most receptive of those programs). In the end, you're going to get plenty of chances to build on your scientific foundation during your training (PhD, postdoc, junior faculty, etc...).

If you have the stats and background to get into a MD/PhD program, I'd suggest you go for it directly.