I was wondering if there was a situation where you had to pull out of pathology residency after several years. Would research in pathology be an avenue to pursue? Keeping in mind you have the MD and the loans to go with it. Is this an ok move? Can you pay off those loans and still make a decent living? Can you get employment places that would let you do research, or would you have to work under a PI? Or is this just a bad idea and toughing out the final stretch to finish a better idea?
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Pathology and Research
Started by Rouleaux
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Tough it out.
It will be very difficult to pursue a research career without the proper training. You may get paid at a research assistant level, but will almost certainly take a pay cut. There is not much you really have to offer with only a couple of years of pathology training. You would not be in a position to bring in any independent grant support.
Dunno about the politics of grant funding so I certainly defer, but frankly I don't see why beginning pathology training, much less finishing it, with or without board certification, has any bearing on whether a given grant proposal is worthwhile. Sure, some research is geared towards needing a qualified pathologist on board, and some has nothing to do with pathology. Depends on what you want to do. Plenty of people call themselves "pathologists" and do research in "pathology" without having an MD, much less without being board certified in AP &/or CP -- you probably met a few in medical school. This is all in comparison to getting a PhD -- probably no more useful as a degree in the simplest sense, but in reality most people think it means you have research cred and those interested -purely- in research I think should consider that over something like an MD.
As far as loans go, that depends on your personal financial situation. If all you want to do is "research" and have no interest in clinical practice, well, do that...but realize that most people will probably make more money in clinical practice, and for those paying attention it never really looks good to drop out of training/residency. (For those of you who know going in that -all- you want to do is research, why spend the time and money on an MD you're not interested in and might not be able to afford?)
As far as loans go, that depends on your personal financial situation. If all you want to do is "research" and have no interest in clinical practice, well, do that...but realize that most people will probably make more money in clinical practice, and for those paying attention it never really looks good to drop out of training/residency. (For those of you who know going in that -all- you want to do is research, why spend the time and money on an MD you're not interested in and might not be able to afford?)
