Questions on MD/PHD

[ramz18]

Hi everyone,
I am currently taking a writing course in college and was required to do some research on the professional communities and Document genres in the field that I am interested in. Since I am interesed in doing MD/PHD, I was wondering if any of you might be able to help me with this: -

1) once a person becomes an MD/PHD graduate what is the typical heirarchial order once has to work up? Eg. for PHD alone, this would be asociate professor, full professor dept chair etc.

2) What style guide is used for documents produced in the field? MLA, APA, etc

3) What is the major practitioner journal in the field. This is something that people would subscibe to regularly and read and not just a journal where the latest scientific findings are reported.

Thank you all for reading this and trying to help me.

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[Naphtali]

1. Depends of what you're doing career wise.

2. Depends on the journal.

3. See question 1.

I know these answers aren't particularly helpful. But, you have to understand that MD/PhD is less a career and more a degree. MD/PhDer's who are considered "working in their field" (as opposed to giving up and getting an MBA) run the gamut of possible MD and PhD careers. Private practice, academic medicine, research, industry. There's a lot of flexibility, which is what attracts many to the programs. (Either that, or the desire to be in school forever.)

There isn't a practitioner journal, but there should be.

Naphtali

 

[Stroganoff]

I agree. A practitioner journal would be pretty sweet. (Or at least some kind of general MudPhud magazine with articles about exciting research being done by MudderPhudders)

 

[coldchemist]

In response to Question 2, scientific writing is notorious for going against the normal rules for writing (i.e., those you would observe in a typical English class). For example, English instructors generally frown on the use of passive voice, while most research publications use passive voice almost exclusively. You will usually not see an MLA handbook in your biochemistry professor's office...

 

[ramz18]

Thanks for replying. I have tried talking to my professor and explain to him that MD PHD is different from other degrees, but he still wants me to answer teh questions in the same format. I will just have to come up with something. As far as an area of research I am interested, i was thinking about neurobiology.

PS: Coldchemist, I live in Montgomery county as well!

 

[Vader]

I can give you an example:

Say you are an MD, PhD neurologist.

1. After graduating from an MD/PhD program, you may have done a residency in neurology, postdoctoral fellowship in neurobiology, and have been hired as a faculty member in a clinical neurology department. Assuming a tenure-track position, you would start as an assistant professor, become an associate professor, then finally a full professor. There are even career advancements after that, including becoming an endowed professor and a distinguished professor.

2 & 3. The style guide depends largely on the particular journal of interest. As a neurologist, you might subscribe to Neurology, which uses numbered references.

Good luck!