PhD for Alzheimer's Disease research

[Ella Shepherd]

I'd like to research on dementia, especially Alzheimer's disease sooner or later. I'd like to help find a cure for it, etc. etc.

Do I need to get a PhD aside from an MD for this? I'm planning to apply for MD/MPH but would an MD/PhD be better?

P.S. And just wondering...is it possible to get the MPH and the PhD with the MD?

Thanks!

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[Captain Fantastic]

I think it comes down to if you want to see patients or not. Do you?

 

[tiedyeddog]

I believe as a neurologist with a MD/PhD you could see patients 10-20 of your time and spend 90-80 of the rest of our time on research. However, this is hard to do and you probably won't be able to produce data like a pure PhD.

Also, why would you get a MPH and a PhD? Seems the two don't have overlap.

 

[futuredo32]

I'd like to research on dementia, especially Alzheimer's disease sooner or later. I'd like to help find a cure for it, etc. etc.

Do I need to get a PhD aside from an MD for this? I'm planning to apply for MD/MPH but would an MD/PhD be better?

P.S. And just wondering...is it possible to get the MPH and the PhD with the MD?

Thanks!

I think it'd be better to get an MD/PhD instead of the MD/MPH.
By the way, I think it's awesome that you want to research Alzheimer's. I hope you do find a cure/ better treatment for such a devastating disease. Best of luck to you.

 

[Hyperstudyosis]

I don't have an answer to your question, but I would like to recommend a great book to you (and every other pre-med or med student). It's called Health and Nutrition Secrets That Can Save Your Life and it's by a neurosurgeon named Russell Blaylock. He writes a great deal about neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and dementia as well as other topics. In addition to being a neurosurgeon, he ran a nutritional practice and taught neurosurgery at the University of Mississippi Medical School. He is now retired and does full-time research.

 

[QofQuimica]

I'd like to research on dementia, especially Alzheimer's disease sooner or later. I'd like to help find a cure for it, etc. etc.

Do I need to get a PhD aside from an MD for this? I'm planning to apply for MD/MPH but would an MD/PhD be better?

P.S. And just wondering...is it possible to get the MPH and the PhD with the MD?

Thanks!

It really depends on what kind of research you're wanting to do. If you want to do basic science research, a PhD is very helpful, with or without an MD. If you want to do clinical research, you'd be fine with just getting an MD alone. The MPH might be a better way to go if you plan to look at AD from a public health perspective. Getting all three degrees is definitely not necessary, and probably not particularly advisable if you want to actually start running your lab in this lifetime.

You can also find some useful info about different types of programs (MD/PhD, MD/MS, and research MD) in the Physician Scientist forum. Best of luck to you.

 

[Ella Shepherd]

Thanks everyone!

I think it comes down to if you want to see patients or not. Do you?

Yes, I definitely want to see patients!

I believe as a neurologist with a MD/PhD you could see patients 10-20 of your time and spend 90-80 of the rest of our time on research. However, this is hard to do and you probably won't be able to produce data like a pure PhD.

Also, why would you get a MPH and a PhD? Seems the two don't have overlap.

I see, thanks. Oh and I was just wondering if getting an MPH and a PhD would help in any way. Or if it's even possible. But I don't think I will get them both though. That's just too heavy.

I think it'd be better to get an MD/PhD instead of the MD/MPH.
By the way, I think it's awesome that you want to research Alzheimer's. I hope you do find a cure/ better treatment for such a devastating disease. Best of luck to you.

Thank you very much. I'm hoping to participate in a research like that before med school. Chances are slim though. Oh well. Thanks again!

I don't have an answer to your question, but I would like to recommend a great book to you (and every other pre-med or med student). It's called Health and Nutrition Secrets That Can Save Your Life and it's by a neurosurgeon named Russell Blaylock. He writes a great deal about neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and dementia as well as other topics. In addition to being a neurosurgeon, he ran a nutritional practice and taught neurosurgery at the University of Mississippi Medical School. He is now retired and does full-time research.

Wow! Thanks! This supports not only my want to research Alzheimer's but also my wish to maybe get into neurosurgery one day.

It really depends on what kind of research you're wanting to do. If you want to do basic science research, a PhD is very helpful, with or without an MD. If you want to do clinical research, you'd be fine with just getting an MD alone. The MPH might be a better way to go if you plan to look at AD from a public health perspective. Getting all three degrees is definitely not necessary, and probably not particularly advisable if you want to actually start running your lab in this lifetime.

You can also find some useful info about different types of programs (MD/PhD, MD/MS, and research MD) in the Physician Scientist forum. Best of luck to you.

I think I'm leaning more on clinical research. Btw, what does "AD" mean? lol Sorry.

Thanks! I'll look into that forum asap.

 

[Gut Shot]

Btw, what does "AD" mean?

Alzheimer's disease. No worries, we all have brain farts when adjusting to medical abbreviations. I still laugh at "MPDPS."

 

[Ella Shepherd]

Alzheimer's disease. No worries, we all have brain farts when adjusting to medical abbreviations. I still laugh at "MPDPS."

LOL Right. Reading the sentence again makes it clearer to me. Haha!

Thanks.