Physician-Scientist Compatibility

[Adedoyinpi]

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Hi all!

Do you think being a physician-scientists works with HPSP (specifically for the Air Force Medical Corps)? Do any of you have experience as a physician-scientist who funded their education with HPSP?

I wanted to be an MD-PhD student, but I did not get into a program. Instead, I will start my MD and become an internal applicant for my school's MSTP program (or alternatively, apply to a PhD separately). The PhD would be funded by my institution. Also, I did not get off the waitlist for USUHS.

I'm scared of debt, but the recruiter I spoke to said I wouldn't be allowed to pursue my PhD until after residency. He does not know anyone who's gone through HPSP and done a PhD.

Thank you so much!

 

[DrMetal]

Hi all!

Do you think being a physician-scientists works with HPSP (specifically for the Air Force Medical Corps)? Do any of you have experience as a physician-scientist who funded their education with HPSP?

I wanted to be an MD-PhD student, but I did not get into a program. Instead, I will start my MD and become an internal applicant for my school's MSTP program (or alternatively, apply to a PhD separately). The PhD would be funded by my institution. Also, I did not get off the waitlist for USUHS.

I'm scared of debt, but the recruiter I spoke to said I wouldn't be allowed to pursue my PhD until after residency. He does not know anyone who's gone through HPSP and done a PhD.

Thank you so much!

No. (I got a PhD before med school, haven't really used it since).

Yes people do some research in military medicine . . . but its no where the caliber of research you'd find at large academic centers, done by well-trained MD/PhDs. Research is not the main function of military medicine. So if that's what you desire, stay in the civilian space.

 

[comp1]

The PhD is not necessary for research in general, particularly the sort an MD benefits from. If you aren't getting the full MD funding benefit directly through a MSTP, please avoid the PhD. Of course the PhD is funded by the institution, it generates income for the institution. You only care about the MD funding. You would be taking the pain with no benefit otherwise. I get being allergic to debt (it is how all these systems trap you). Please look into the VA HPSP. It is much more likely you could translate that into something research adjacent than anything with the DoD. Honestly the PhD idea is bad, but the DoD is straight up non-sensical. If you can take some Claritin, it is super easy to get jobs with loan payoff built in post residency graduation. I totally understand if that falls on deaf ears, again, that's how they get you.

 

[Adedoyinpi]

No. (I got a PhD before med school, haven't really used it since).

Yes people do some research in military medicine . . . but its no where the caliber of research you'd find at large academic centers, done by well-trained MD/PhDs. Research is not the main function of military medicine. So if that's what you desire, stay in the civilian space.

Thank you!

 

[Adedoyinpi]

The PhD is not necessary for research in general, particularly the sort an MD benefits from. If you aren't getting the full MD funding benefit directly through a MSTP, please avoid the PhD. Of course the PhD is funded by the institution, it generates income for the institution. You only care about the MD funding. You would be taking the pain with no benefit otherwise. I get being allergic to debt (it is how all these systems trap you). Please look into the VA HPSP. It is much more likely you could translate that into something research adjacent than anything with the DoD. Honestly the PhD idea is bad, but the DoD is straight up non-sensical. If you can take some Claritin, it is super easy to get jobs with loan payoff built in post residency graduation. I totally understand if that falls on deaf ears, again, that's how they get you.

Thank you! I didn't know that there were post residency jobs that offer loan repayment. What are some of the more popular ones? Where can I learn more about them?

 

[DrMetal]

The PhD is not necessary for research in general, particularly the sort an MD benefits from.

I'd argue it the other way around. If research is really what you want to do, the PhD is more important (you get better training in graduate school, in learning the basic sciences, math, techniques, instrumentation, etc, all better applicable to research). A PhD epidemiologist or statistician is far more adept in analyzing data than most MDs.

You need the MD (+ residency) to touch a patient.

If you have no desire to touch a patient, go to grad school.

 

[comp1]

I am not saying a PhD, in the abstract, is unhelpful for research. The issue is the specific situation that the OP is in. They are already accepted to medical school and were bizarrely thinking of applying to a combined graduate program that would not fund their MD. This tradeoff is unacceptable regardless of aspirations. They are giving up 4-5 years of attending salary. This is unacceptable even at the dramatically lower non-clinical research salary. Heck, to say nothing of finances, they are giving up 4-5 years of research that could actually build a long term career. I am not saying that an MD is enough education (although it plus residency is VERY much enough formal education). I am certainly not saying MDs are better at biostats. They are not. I am saying the specifics of the OP's PhD are very unlikely to translate into a skill set for their future research career. Just time wise, assuming they do in fact drop the very bad idea of the DoD, they are still looking at 5-7 years AFTER their PhD before they returned to anything like full time research. Even if they somehow returned to the same lab 7 years later (which does not happen), you think their instrumentation knowledge would still be useful? I do not. What the OP needs to do is focus on med school for now. It is very much enough. If they still feel interested in research at the end of MS1, look for lab work that summer and then try to build some electives around that for MS4. Then they can use that experience to find a formal or informal research track residency. They are less competitive than people imagine. In terms of post residency loan repayment, the VA has it. So do most non profits, just look for jobs where you want to live.