Research vs medicine

[Shredder]

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Were any of you at one time considering pursuing medicine as a vocation? If so, what was it that made you decide on research instead? I suppose this question applies even if you never considered medicine--what shortcomings did you see in a medical career?

This stems from a book I am reading called The Genome War, where Craig Venter said a doctor can save a hundred lives, but a researcher can save the world. It made me think about things. Thoughts?

 

[DrMojorisin]

Thats certainly a big draw for research, the lure of changing the world as we know it. It was for me when I decided to do a ph.D. instead of medschool. Its worth noting, that I'll be going to medschool when I'm done with the ph.d.

The game has changed and taken away that important lure... its not like you're an inventor tinkering in his garage anymore, creating great inventions that will revolutionize the world . You're more like an administrator in a large bureaucracy... the people who are getting the credit for the breakthroughs are the people who are securing the money for the research... not the ones performing it. Success has become very dependent on political capability. Research is slowly becoming just like any other job in business IMO. Lots of drudgery and monotony, very little visible progress, political dependent success, increasing financial considerations, not much autonomy....

Then again, medicine hasn't been going in a very different direction either.

I feel like Marvin off Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

 

[anteneh]

👍 😎 Exactly same feeling I'm having on my last days of medical training, Internship. Well I think you (the book you are reading) are quite right but a researcher may not do anything.Just pursuing something new may finish his times. I beleive luck has some place in breakthroughs. But I still agree with your Idea...I may be wrong but willing to be tutored...

Were any of you at one time considering pursuing medicine as a vocation? If so, what was it that made you decide on research instead? I suppose this question applies even if you never considered medicine--what shortcomings did you see in a medical career?

This stems from a book I am reading called The Genome War, where Craig Venter said a doctor can save a hundred lives, but a researcher can save the world. It made me think about things. Thoughts?

 

[Shredder]

I've been thinking about it and conjectured that clinical medicine is what makes a better today, but research makes a better tomorrow. People place different emphasis on these two in their choice of direction I guess. A better today is guaranteed, but a better tomorrow is a toss up. Perhaps compromise is the best route.

 

[Sher9mm]

Research has so many advantages:
Set your own hours
Pays well
Many different positions available (not locked into one job title)
Still get that good feeling that you're helping people

I considered various fields of medicine (PA, MD, DPM, PT, DDS, etc), but nothing ever seemed like it would be "right". I know I'm in the right career now. FYI, I work in clinical trials management (testing of investigational drugs). 🙂

 

[LADoc00]

Research has so many advantages:
Set your own hours
Pays well
Many different positions available (not locked into one job title)
Still get that good feeling that you're helping people

I considered various fields of medicine (PA, MD, DPM, PT, DDS, etc), but nothing ever seemed like it would be "right". I know I'm in the right career now. FYI, I work in clinical trials management (testing of investigational drugs). 🙂

Pays well? PAYS well?! Are you smoking crazy Caribbean triple strength ganja?

Yeah pays well compared to selling hubcaps in the bad part of Detroit maybe.

I guess its all relative so if you are coming a ghetto outside Rio in Brazil and used to making 2 bucks a week, a research career would seem like a fortune.

 

[Shredder]

Pays well? PAYS well?! Are you smoking crazy Caribbean triple strength ganja?

Yeah pays well compared to selling hubcaps in the bad part of Detroit maybe.

I guess its all relative so if you are coming a ghetto outside Rio in Brazil and used to making 2 bucks a week, a research career would seem like a fortune.

haha...that line did stand out in the context of medicine

 

[banana k]

for what it's worth (or really really not worth as the case may be) all the profs at my uni here in australia make less than high school teachers... bugger!

seriously though, philosophies aside, anyone have any life-changing hit-by-a-truck sort of revelations that made them choose research... i have to make the same stinkin decision in about a month and a half... eurgh!

 

[Shredder]

you have to wonder why students are paid to attend grad school while med students have to pay like none other

 

[fearlessphoenix]

My decision to turn to research is two-fold. I've witnessed first hand doctor's frustration on cleaning up what's left from illness and trauma and would prefer a pre-emptive strike of sorts against disease. And secondly-I have hated the last year of patient contact for the most part and couldn't imagine dedicating my entire life to that . . . with the exception of pathology-that still looks like fun.

 

[LADoc00]

Research is cool because when you patent something not only will the government get their 30-40%, but your university has dibs and you are obliged to split anything left over with your prinicpal investigator even if all he did was grope female grad students while you slaved until 1am everynight. Then once you sell your one brilliant idea off for next to nothing and buy a used beater Honda with the money, some MBA will snap it up, market it and make himself millions. Overall a true brilliantly idea, kinda like how the Soviets told all those people without guns to just run across the minefields in WWII ahead of the main army.

 

[Shredder]

that line of thinking is exactly why i decided to do an mb/mba instead of an md/phd

 

[fearlessphoenix]

Already have my business degree with honor's, not entirely niave or stupid about such things . . . been there done that 😎

 

[Sher9mm]

Pays well? PAYS well?! Are you smoking crazy Caribbean triple strength ganja?

Yeah pays well compared to selling hubcaps in the bad part of Detroit maybe.

I guess its all relative so if you are coming a ghetto outside Rio in Brazil and used to making 2 bucks a week, a research career would seem like a fortune.

Considering I'm only 22 with a bachelors degree in sports medicine and make roughly $50k + amazing benefits in rural Virginia, I think it pays well.

 

[TeethVader]

Research has so many advantages:
Set your own hours
Pays well
Many different positions available (not locked into one job title)
Still get that good feeling that you're helping people

I considered various fields of medicine (PA, MD, DPM, PT, DDS, etc), but nothing ever seemed like it would be "right". I know I'm in the right career now. FYI, I work in clinical trials management (testing of investigational drugs). 🙂

My two cents,
PAYS WELL???? I beg to differ. I am currently a Senior Biomedical Research Associate and let me tell you, I do not have the commodity of making my own ours, my cells, experiments and pissed off PI set my hours. I have been doing this research crap for almost two years and my decision to pursue another profession has been reinforced by the amount of work, stress, and very little money Phds in the lab I work experience. That is why I chose dentistry, its not only a more social profession, but also pays well, you have more schedule flexibility and at the end of the day, you have the satisfaction that enough money is in your pocket to support your family, pay that mortgage, and scubadive 'till you drop. This is what everybody in the lab says: "You better do research because you have a passion for; do not expect to become a millionare doing this." And this comes from my mentorrr. If there is something I thank this lab for is for having openning my eyes that research is definitely not the way to go.

 

[Sher9mm]

Listen, I'm sorry you guys haven't enjoyed this. However, I'm not crazy for liking my job. I can only speak from my own experience, which has been very rewarding. I'm happy. I wish you the best of luck in your new endeavors.

 

[Sanman]

I think the problem with the disparity of opinion differs due to the difference in education and pay. $50,000 after a bachelors is good money, however that same salary after a doctorate is not. And I'm sure many here can tell you that if you work in academia it is comparable.

 

[TeethVader]

I think the problem with the disparity of opinion differs due to the difference in education and pay. $50,000 after a bachelors is good money, however that same salary after a doctorate is not. And I'm sure many here can tell you that if you work in academia it is comparable.

Totally agree with you. 👍

 

[TeethVader]

Pays well? PAYS well?! Are you smoking crazy Caribbean triple strength ganja?

Yeah pays well compared to selling hubcaps in the bad part of Detroit maybe.

I guess its all relative so if you are coming a ghetto outside Rio in Brazil and used to making 2 bucks a week, a research career would seem like a fortune.

I was wondering, do you do stand-up improv and where can i see you? You're really funny!! And by the way you speak the truth about research
👍

 

[LizzyM]

Get out of academics and get into a pharmaceutical company. My cousin in sitting in what he calls "the house that Viagra built" thanks to Pfiezer stock options (MS in chemistry). Another relative is pulling down $400,000 with a pharmaceutical company (started in a lab, got a doctorate & moved to clinical trials & then got a MBA).

 

[j8131]

Get out of academics and get into a pharmaceutical company. My cousin in sitting in what he calls "the house that Viagra built" thanks to Pfiezer stock options (MS in chemistry). Another relative is pulling down $400,000 with a pharmaceutical company (started in a lab, got a doctorate & moved to clinical trials & then got a MBA).

400,000 is very unusual unless you're at the very top of the ladder. Many CEOs don't make that much.

 

[Science_Guy]

400,000 is very unusual unless you're at the very top of the ladder. Many CEOs don't make that much.

I would agree.....even with someone like Pfizer, you would need to be at least at an associate VP level, or higher to get that those kinds of bucks. Folks in Clinical R&D do well usually (MDs and PhDs), but 400K is TOO good.

Perhaps that poster can clarify those numbers.

 

[medical biotechnology]

Hello to everybody.
I am a medical biotechnology student in Ms degree. I have read all your messages about research and medical. Now there's a big mess up in my mind, do you think I have come the wrong way in my educational path?