Parsitology

[Plasmodium]

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Hi there! I'm Alex, a 17-year-old living in Washington State. I'm a senior in high school this year. I love science- always have. I love studying space shuttle components, but I have developed a new love.
Parasitology. 😍
It's just so amazing! You have eukaryotes and prokaryotes alike that can fool the immune system by more ways than I could list in an hour, organisms that reconstruct the body part they are living to fit their needs (I.E. Trichinella and Plasmodium). Plasmodium is clever enough to use red corpuscles, rather than a true cell, and the way they simply use hemozoin to neutralize the toxic parts of the molecule it wants to eat and- voila! problem solved. And the way parasites can manipulate their hosts! Sometimes they make me shiver. 😱 And humans aren't the only ones that suffer because of Plasmodium (the parasite that causes Malaria)- it interferes with the chemicals mosquitoes use to stop blood from clotting, making it so they have to go to two people a night for a blood meal instead of one. And that means, of course, Plasmodium gets inside twice as many people.
My favorite parasite is, in case you hadn't guessed, Plasmodium. Trypanosomes (Trypanosoma Brucei, the cause of African Sleeping Sickness, and Trypanosoma Cruzi, the cause of Chagas Disease) are my next favorite. I think it's kind of funny how all my favorites use insects as their vectors. But eh, what can I say? They're awesome. And, as perverse as it may sound, pretty. Especially T. Cruzi.

I'm going to stop rambling about my love for parasites now and get to my main point. I have a huge problem! Most parasitolgists seem to specialize in zoonotic parasites. I want to learn about the ones found in humans! (Especially those that prefer humans, but I won't say no to organisms that only end up in humans on accident and it's a catastrophe for human and parasite alike.) I want to learn about malaria and Dracunculus Medinensis (Guinea worm, can be very gruesome) much more than rinderpest or sacculina. (Not to say I don't like zoonotic parasites, because I do- I just prefer the human ones). I want to find a universal cure for malaria and thwart the resistance they are rapidly building up to our medicines.
So, how do I get the best of both worlds? How do I become a doctor and a parasitologist? I think the best answer might be to get a microbiology or immunology major, and go from there. Or is there a better approach? Any advice (whether it's in respect to this question or not ) would be greatly appreciated!
Peace!
-Alex
P.S. Sorry for the smiley abuse. I can be a little too enthusiastic sometimes...
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[Phlame217]

MD/Ph.D. or DO/Ph.D. would be your best route.

Get your Bachelors in anything really, immunology if you wish, etc.
Get into a Dual degree program, choose Immunology/Cell Biology for your Ph.D.
Go into Pathology for your MD or DO.

 

[Lil Mick]

MD/PhD is definitely an option, as is an MPH and a PhD in parasitology. Send me a PM if you want to know more about the MD/PhD route.

 

[Valadi]

I thought dracunculus medinensis was eradicated?

Anyway, as an MD in the US you're unlikely to have a high-parasite volume practice.. Doing tropical med in South American, Africa, or India is an option. I know a few PhD's in parasitology and they love their career choice. MPH will generally train you in managing disease at a population level, but you probably won't get immersion into parasitology.

Hopkins has a summer tropical medicine course that I know is open to MD students, and may or may not be open to ugrads. That's another opportunity to look into.

Parasitology in college was one of my most favorite classes, and I can understand the enthusiasm. Best of luck.

 

[Starlightembers]

I have nothing more to add - as others have pointed out, I would think a combined MD/PhD program would be your best option - but wanted to jump in and say that I love and am highly fascinated by Plasmodium. Though, unlike you, I don't have a particular interest in Parasitology; however, I have, as a much broader topic, been heavily interested in the role insects play in the spread of disease, with a particular focus on mosquitoes and ticks (so you get virology in there, too), and an interest in the actual diseases and their impact on the body (short term and long term). Absolutely frickin' love it. If nothing else, know that you're certainly not alone in these specialized interests/passions.

 

[Tots]

If you don't already know about this: http://www.microbeworld.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=99&Itemid=259

As a college student your best bet to get exposed to parasitology would be a major in Microbiology or Immunology just like you said. I am a microbiology & immunology major and took a parasitology course and loved it 😍

I don't really have anything else constructive to add since I am still a college student but have you seen these brazilian bank notes? Pretty nerdtastic imho.

Chagas on the top with the T. Cruzi life cycle on the left and Cruz on the bottom.

I have nothing more to add - as others have pointed out, I would think a combined MD/PhD program would be your best option - but wanted to jump in and say that I love and am highly fascinated by Plasmodium. Though, unlike you, I don't have a particular interest in Parasitology; however, I have, as a much broader topic, been heavily interested in the role insects play in the spread of disease, with a particular focus on mosquitoes and ticks (so you get virology in there, too), and an interest in the actual diseases and their impact on the body (short term and long term). Absolutely frickin' love it. If nothing else, know that you're certainly not alone in these specialized interests/passions.

Both of you are not alone. 🙂