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Fellow Nontrads,
Here's the situation (not Jersey shore related):
- My goal is to become a physician-scientist - I am open to fields where this is most integrated, but I love the idea of seeing any piece of research translate into my care for patients and vice versa (however rare that may be); I love connecting with people, as I've noticed in hating my "virtual shadowing" experiences vs. seeing patients in person this year
- despite some of the frustrations, admin hoops, and reduced pay, I am pretty drawn to academia but wouldn't cry about it otherwise
- Plan to matriculate fall 2023
- Debt-free as of last year
- 2 semesters of pre-reqs (Orgo and Biochem) and the MCAT left.
- Tons of shadowing. Starting non-profit as main EC but also lots of food shelter volunteering.
- Over 5k hours of research (started PhD in epidemiology - left due to some extenuating circumstances), but these varied from the bench (neuro/cell bio lab) to epidemiological/population level
- Several first author pubs, second author and a couple conference presentations/posters etc.; Hold an MSPH
- Working currently and will have worked for three years as a biostatistician at biotech firm
I am really committed to debt minimization, and would trade that for the additional years that go along with MD/PhD. Yes, I acknowledge the argument some make on here about "oh you can just pay it back in a couple years as an attending" but I also want to start a family and I feel like not many eligible bachelorettes will be too fired up about straddling my enormous debt as we start out.
My advisor and I go back and forth on this, but I am mainly curious that, assuming remaining stats were decent (MCAT mainly), I would be competitive with my somewhat scattered research background. It's extensive but definitely broad. She also wants me to consider that I can become a physician-scientist just with the MD because I have an existing MSPH. I just don't want to willingly take on 250-500k in debt as I am already 28 and just went debt-free last year.
My perception of Mudphud is that folks seem to be quite pointed in what they are looking to do. I have about 2-3 ideas that seem really neat to me and I could do for a lifetime, but no more specificity beyond this.
What would you all do?
TL;DR: have an MS and tons of research experience, just not as directed in one area. MD/PhD advisable?
Here's the situation (not Jersey shore related):
- My goal is to become a physician-scientist - I am open to fields where this is most integrated, but I love the idea of seeing any piece of research translate into my care for patients and vice versa (however rare that may be); I love connecting with people, as I've noticed in hating my "virtual shadowing" experiences vs. seeing patients in person this year
- despite some of the frustrations, admin hoops, and reduced pay, I am pretty drawn to academia but wouldn't cry about it otherwise
- Plan to matriculate fall 2023
- Debt-free as of last year
- 2 semesters of pre-reqs (Orgo and Biochem) and the MCAT left.
- Tons of shadowing. Starting non-profit as main EC but also lots of food shelter volunteering.
- Over 5k hours of research (started PhD in epidemiology - left due to some extenuating circumstances), but these varied from the bench (neuro/cell bio lab) to epidemiological/population level
- Several first author pubs, second author and a couple conference presentations/posters etc.; Hold an MSPH
- Working currently and will have worked for three years as a biostatistician at biotech firm
I am really committed to debt minimization, and would trade that for the additional years that go along with MD/PhD. Yes, I acknowledge the argument some make on here about "oh you can just pay it back in a couple years as an attending" but I also want to start a family and I feel like not many eligible bachelorettes will be too fired up about straddling my enormous debt as we start out.
My advisor and I go back and forth on this, but I am mainly curious that, assuming remaining stats were decent (MCAT mainly), I would be competitive with my somewhat scattered research background. It's extensive but definitely broad. She also wants me to consider that I can become a physician-scientist just with the MD because I have an existing MSPH. I just don't want to willingly take on 250-500k in debt as I am already 28 and just went debt-free last year.
My perception of Mudphud is that folks seem to be quite pointed in what they are looking to do. I have about 2-3 ideas that seem really neat to me and I could do for a lifetime, but no more specificity beyond this.
What would you all do?
TL;DR: have an MS and tons of research experience, just not as directed in one area. MD/PhD advisable?
