PhD vs MD/PhD

[NukeAge]

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I was just wondering what the difference is between what you can do with a PhD versus an MD/PhD. I am aiming towards PhD because I really love molecular biology/biochemistry. I did crystallography research this last summer and found it very exciting. I would have done it for free but fortunatly they paid me. I am doing bioinorganic chemistry this semester and I really do like it, altough it is too chemistry for me to end up in. What I would really like to do is some genetics research. I just finished taking Genetics, and I found the class, and more specifically, the problems we had, to be games . If you have't interpeted a southern blot into a restriction map you really should try it. I think I'm going to email my professor for some more of those games. Its interesting, my brother can't get over how much I love studying. But anyway, do MD/PhDs do more of this kind of stuff or more people stuff? I must admit, I'm not really a people person and this was what first turned me off to clinical work.

 

[Sonya]

MD PhDs can do either. You will be faced with no objections if you want to, and MANY MD PhDs do, just bench work, like what you described.

However, except for a few fields, there isn't that much need for the MD, if you are sure that's all you want. Granted, it would (marginally, very marginally) help, but I highly doubt it's worth 4 yrs. In medical school, you will have to do clinical work.

The additional MD will give you:
The liscence to interact with patients in your study (however, you could also just hire a nurse-researcher if you just did PhD).

The knowledge of disease processes that relate to your science.

The flexibilty of practicing also (however you would need residency)

A wee bit of more reputation when a grant is written by xxx, MD PhD

sonya

 

[MacGyver]

sonya,

A phd-only researcher desiring to work with patients needs more than a nurse, they would need to work with an MD/DO.

 

[Neuronix]

I'd tell you to stick with a PhD. The MD part really does give you more experience in people stuff, and through those 2 years of med school (3rd and 4th year) and residency your primary focus will not be on research, but on the care of patients. Many MD/PhDs do go off from that and do basic science research with their careers, however, if your goal is to go do science from the get-go, why waste time in extended education?

So I guess what I'm trying to say is if you have a real good reason for wanting to go MD/PhD, go for it. If you're looking for reasons to dissuade you out of just PhD, you probably won't find any good ones.

 

[NukeAge]

Is the effect of applying for a faculty position with an MD/PhD and for grants with the same worth the extra 4 years you would spend in school if you didn't want to deal with patients? I have nothing against patients only I think I would see them as science projects and not as people.

 

[anot]

Hi,

I don't think it is always a 4-year difference: it can be as little as 1 or 2 (I've known plenty of graduate students who took 5.5-6 years, as well as MD/PhDs who took 7-8). It is not simply 4 years of med school appended onto a regular Ph.D. program. Also, some Ph.D. graduates are now having to do 2 postdocs before getting any job offers, which doesn't make residency seem so long, either.

Also, I think the MD training will give you a broader understanding of human biology than many Ph.D.s have. I just read a quote from the crystallographer Stephen Burley who, after getting a D. Phil and postdoctoral training, decided to go to medical school: "'I decided that I didn't know enough biology to be useful." Of course you could make it a goal to learn human biology over the course of a regular Ph.D. program - it's just that no one is going to force you to do it, and it may be tempting to over-specialize.

Plus, many Ph.D. graduates end up working in industry, whereas MD/PhDs have little trouble getting faculty positions at medical schools. I prefer academia to industry (more freedom and job security, at least after a few years), but this may be a personal preference not applicable to others.