MSTP vs Regular MD

[CMul13]

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I'm currently trying to decide if I want to do an MSTP or just regular MD. I'm accepted at Case MSTP. I really like the program and people there, and I'm originally from Ohio, so Cleveland doesn't scare me. I'm also accepted to Penn regular MD (I didn't apply the to MD/PhD Program). I consider myself lucky to have such great options, but I'm having trouble deciding which to do. I like research, and can easily see myself having a career in academic medicine, but I'm scared of an 8 year commitment, and I'm not 100% sure if its really necessary. I would appreciate any thoughts anyone would have about this. Thanks, guys.

 

[jjmack]

This is always a hard choice. I agree with you that MD.PhD training it's 100% necessary, but it can be extremely helpful. However, no matter which route you go you will still need to spend time in the lab doing a post doc or residency-postdoc combo. Go with where you will be happy especially if you the money isn't a factor.

I'm currently trying to decide if I want to do an MSTP or just regular MD. I'm accepted at Case MSTP. I really like the program and people there, and I'm originally from Ohio, so Cleveland doesn't scare me. I'm also accepted to Penn regular MD (I didn't apply the to MD/PhD Program). I consider myself lucky to have such great options, but I'm having trouble deciding which to do. I like research, and can easily see myself having a career in academic medicine, but I'm scared of an 8 year commitment, and I'm not 100% sure if its really necessary. I would appreciate any thoughts anyone would have about this. Thanks, guys.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

If the inner voices in your mind are making you question your commitment to doing MD/PhD training (I'm not talking about your devotion to do academic medicine, I'm only talking about the MD/PhD training itself), I would seriously listen to them. You should pat yourself on the back for having two wonderful options.

Be mindful of your doubts...there is a reason why you're having them. You don't necessarily HAVE to do MD/PhD to pursue a career in academic medicine. If you feel that MD training, for whatever reason, best suits your training needs for pursuing a career in academic medicine, don't do MD/PhD.

Money is an important issue. Sure, if you do MD/PhD, you don't pay tuition and you get a stipend. Also, don't set your heart on just spending 8 years in MD/PhD training...it is definitely possible for one to go well over 8 years to finish the whole program. If you do MD only, you graduate with debt in 4 years but residency pay is twice the MD/PhD stipend and your subsequent salary which will be 6-digits. The fact that you will make good salary sooner than if you did MD/PhD should compensate for initial financial setback of doing MD only training. So don't do MD/PhD for the money.

And who knows...you may change your mind. You may decide that you want to go into private practice rather than academics in 4 years.

 

[spinman]

From my own experience if you have doubts, do not get both degrees. Sure it's prestigious and yes you are trained to be both a scientist and physician, but the reality is that you will likely have to decide which path to choose when you finish your training as very few MD PhD's can manage a top notch lab and be a great regularly practicing physician - they exist but it is rare. Do not fall into the pitfall of wanting to get both degrees to have more options - that is a bad mistake and frankly an unacceptable one given how much the US Government is prepared to invest in you to become a medical scientist. It's ok to have doubts, but ask yourself - what do you want to do? See patients or study/MAYBE help cure/treat a disease? They are quite different careers and while there are MD's who run compeditive research labs, they have done so after extensive postdoctoral training as medical schools, sorry to break it to you, do not teach much science these days, let alone how to test a hypothesis 🙂

Do some soul searching as you have another 3 weeks to decide 🙂

Best wishes