my sister says...

[C. Ronaldo]

that because she has a Phd in microbiology that if she wanted to go to medical school it would only take her 2 years instead of 4. i told her that i think she is wrong but she would have none of it. she also says if you have a Phd in microbiology its pretty much dead easy to get into medical school. again i was not sure if she was correct. she got her Phd from university of Florida. i was under the impression that no matter how many advanced degrees you got it still took 4 years and was still as hard to get in as if you just had an undergrad degree. so who is right?

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[OSUdoc08]

that because she has a Phd in microbiology that if she wanted to go to medical school it would only take her 2 years instead of 4. i told her that i think she is wrong but she would have none of it. she also says if you have a Phd in microbiology its pretty much dead easy to get into medical school. again i was not sure if she was correct. she got her Phd from university of Florida. i was under the impression that no matter how many advanced degrees you got it still took 4 years and was still as hard to get in as if you just had an undergrad degree. so who is right?

1. Yes she has an advantage to get into med school
2. She may be eligible to skip some classes in medical school if they transfer (i.e. microbiology/immunology)--it would not likely reduce her time in school

 

[criminallyinane]

There used to be programs for PhD's to complete MD's in two years given that they had already completed the basic science coursework; however, these programs are now closed and have been for a few decades, I think. So your sister would absolutely have to take the entire four years.

 

[Homer Doughnuts]

Remind your sister that PhD stands for Piled High and Deep, she is full of ****. It will take her 4 years just like everyone else. Besides a Micro PhD really only covers a few of the topics in 1st and 2nd year medical school, there is a lot of stuff that she still needs to learn.

 

[Kazema]

While she has a better shot to get into med schools than undergrads it's not "dead easy". And she does have to complete all 4 years of med school, though with her background she'd probably have an easier time in the first year than her classmates.

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

Like everyone else has said, your sister is wrong. Does she think that she can skip all the physiology/pathology/anatomy just because of a degree in microbiology? The days of accelerated programs are over. Most people who want both degrees do them together (MSTP) instead of seperately.

 

[~~premed82~~]

Oh, and you forgot Poor Hungry Doctor as well.

Remind your sister that PhD stands for Piled High and Deep, she is full of ****.

 

[Winged Scapula]

As others have said, your sister is wrong on both accounts.

The programs, most notably University of Miami, which offered a truncated medical degree to those with a PhD in the Basic Sciences, have been closed for decades. U of M was the last to close in 1987. There are no programs in existence that I know of that offer this anymore.

There is no guarantee for anyone, even a PhD. While some programs may prefer those with advanced degrees, others actually see this as a career change and would question her motives for leaving academic micro for medical school.

 

[C. Ronaldo]

either everyone is either pessimistic, or does not like to compliment others. i see a lot of "she is wrong" posts, but i havent seen one "you are right" posts.

 

[alhkim]

As others have stated, these 2 year MD programs following a PhD are long gone...in fact, most people are NOT exempt from taking the entire med school curriculum since the focus of graduate courses differ from medical courses (but often times, many graduate level courses can be substituted with medical school coursework).

As for PhDs having an easier time getting into medical school, this is not necessarily true. Many schools, including my own, really focus on the applicant's intentions on why they are applying to medical school. Gone are the days of someone really smart automatically getting into med school (although it always helps) or the renaissance person having the significant edge. You need to demonstrate that your desire to go into medicine is true, and not based on any false pretenses. I have seen several other friends who have their doctorate not get into medical school because during the interviews, it was revealed that for their careers, med school does not add anything more than what opportunities their PhD already provides them.

Even for MD/PhD programs, there is a great deal of emphasis on one's dedication to medicine while understanding the realities of this profession during the selection process.

 

[~~premed82~~]

You're right, I apologize. I kind of got carried away with the PhD thingy, I'm sorry. From what I know she is right as far as her maybe having an easier time (with the courses) than others with her degree and all. However, from what I know, because a friend of mine also has a PhD she will have to do the same amount of years. As someone stated earlier, if anything they will question her sudden change of plans, and sudden interest in the practice medicine.

But, I would tell her to go for it!

either everyone is either pessimistic, or does not like to compliment others. i see a lot of "she is wrong" posts, but i havent seen one "you are right" posts.

 

[Winged Scapula]

either everyone is either pessimistic, or does not like to compliment others. i see a lot of "she is wrong" posts, but i havent seen one "you are right" posts.

We are not being pessimistic, we are telling you (and, therefore your sister) she is wrong.

But here you go (and you can show her this):

C.Ronaldo: YOU ARE RIGHT. YOUR SISTER IS WRONG.

 

[patzan]

And she still would have to take the MCAT and do well enough on it. PhD = out of undergrad for a long time. She'd need a good refresher course in a lot of topics (i.e. chemistry and physics)

 

[jvphd]

Just to add my 2 cents...I will soon have my phd in microbiology. The only classes that may be easier for me as a med student would be anything having to with cell biology, genetics, immunology and of course micro. However, I would never consider by passing these classes as med student because my grad school courses lacked the clinical correlations that are a significant part of the medical education. BTW, phd really does = poor hungry doctor.

 

[criminallyinane]

either everyone is either pessimistic, or does not like to compliment others. i see a lot of "she is wrong" posts, but i havent seen one "you are right" posts.

Aw, I'm sorry, honey. You are right. Would you like a cookie?

 

[C. Ronaldo]

no.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Just to add my 2 cents...I will soon have my phd in microbiology. The only classes that may be easier for me as a med student would be anything having to with cell biology, genetics, immunology and of course micro. However, I would never consider by passing these classes as med student because my grad school courses lacked the clinical correlations that are a significant part of the medical education. BTW, phd really does = poor hungry doctor.

The Biomedical Sciences PhD students at our school take the courses with us--in the same classroom with us, meaning that not only is the course not lacking in clinical correlation for them, but it will count for credit if they decided to enter the medical school.

 

[dr.z]

I'll soon have my Ph.D in Micro and Immunology, but I don't think it will cut me time from med school.

 

[tigress]

The Biomedical Sciences PhD students at our school take the courses with us--in the same classroom with us, meaning that not only is the course not lacking in clinical correlation for them, but it will count for credit if they decided to enter the medical school.

That's interesting. I don't know of any other schools that do it like this. PhD courses are quite different from medical school courses, with completely different emphases. Even though I could probably get out of some med school courses with my grad school coursework, I wouldn't do it for these very reasons. I was in grad school for immunology, but even after 1.5 semesters of intensive immunology courses I didn't know much, if anything, about important medical aspects of the subject such as hypersensitivity or the symptoms of autoimmune diseases. I can tell you more about the molecular and cellular aspects of immunology than you probably ever want to know, but I probably wouldn't pass a med school immunology final. It's funny, on our first day of class the course director actually said, "This is a course in immunology. Mouse immunology."

 

[OSUdoc08]

That's interesting. I don't know of any other schools that do it like this. PhD courses are quite different from medical school courses, with completely different emphases. Even though I could probably get out of some med school courses with my grad school coursework, I wouldn't do it for these very reasons. I was in grad school for immunology, but even after 1.5 semesters of intensive immunology courses I didn't know much, if anything, about important medical aspects of the subject such as hypersensitivity or the symptoms of autoimmune diseases. I can tell you more about the molecular and cellular aspects of immunology than you probably ever want to know, but I probably wouldn't pass a med school immunology final. It's funny, on our first day of class the course director actually said, "This is a course in immunology. Mouse immunology."

Most PhD's from health science centers connected with medical schools in both Oklahoma and Texas do it like this. The PhD degrees at our school are:

* Anatomy
* Biochemistry
* Cell Biology
* Microbiology
* Pathology
* Pharmacology
* Physiology

 

[tigress]

Most PhD's from health science centers connected with medical schools in both Oklahoma and Texas do it like this. The PhD degrees at our school are:

* Anatomy
* Biochemistry
* Cell Biology
* Microbiology
* Pathology
* Pharmacology
* Physiology

Hmm, I wonder if it's regional? Schools in New York and here in Philly have completely separate classes.

I've always wondered what a PhD in anatomy does. How do you do anatomy research? (I'm serious, I really am curious)

 

[OSUdoc08]

Hmm, I wonder if it's regional? Schools in New York and here in Philly have completely separate classes.

I've always wondered what a PhD in anatomy does. How do you do anatomy research? (I'm serious, I really am curious)

Keep in mind that most of these are clinical research.

 

[priyanka]

Aw, I'm sorry, honey. You are right. Would you like a cookie?