Skip residency go straight to work

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Madhatter

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I currently work for a biopharm. company that does clinical trials and a lot of research and development. I was wondering how common is it for medical students to graduate with an MD and go straight to work for a company like this, instead of doing a residency. Is this a bad career move?
 
currently work for a biopharm. company that does clinical trials and a lot of research and development. I was wondering how common is it for medical students to graduate with an MD and go straight to work for a company like this, instead of doing a residency. Is this a bad career move?


I know people who work for pharm companies, but they all got board certified in their specialty and practiced for a couple of years first.
The problem in that industry are the constant mergers and takeovers. Once you are in one of the higher salary brackets, you can loose your job during one of these mergers in an instant. If you are BC, you can allways fall back on a 6figure job in clinical medicine. So, right after medschool I don't think it is such a great career move. That said, one of my attendings opened a GP practice and ran it for a couple of years before he went for a residency. That way he could afford it, you know back in the days when you only got room and board as a resident. So, if it pays well, it might be an idea to build some capital before residency.
 
it's a bad career move. you will have no legitimacy when dealing with clinicians. more important is the issue of job security.
 
f_w said:
I know people who work for pharm companies, but they all got board certified in their specialty first.
The problem in that industry are the constant mergers and takeovers. Once you are in one of the higher salary brackets, you can loose your job during one of these in an instant. If you are BC, you can allways fall back on a 6figure job in clinical medicine. So, right after medschool I don't think it is such a great career move. That said, one of my attendings opened a GP practice and ran it for a couple of years before he went for a residency. That way he could afford it, you know back in the days when you only got room and board as a resident. So, if it pays well, it might be an idea to build some capital before residency.

🙄

Oh brother.... There is just... there's just so much wrong with these statements, I don't even know where to begin.

Stop offering advice/information on topics you know little to nothing about. Please.

-Skip
 
f_w said:
That said, one of my attendings opened a GP practice and ran it for a couple of years before he went for a residency. That way he could afford it, you know back in the days when you only got room and board as a resident. So, if it pays well, it might be an idea to build some capital before residency.

So he didn't have to do a residency to "run" a GP practice???
 
I just watched an episode of Doogie Howser, M.D. today where he had the chance to leave his residency to join a private pediatric practice. Luckily his father and a little boy named Hector Gonzales with an inflammatory mass steered him back to the path of a rewarding, educational residency at Eastman hospital.
 
MB in SD said:
So he didn't have to do a residency to "run" a GP practice???


A "GP" has had an internship, but no further residency training.
 
Agent Splat said:
I just watched an episode of Doogie Howser, M.D. today where he had the chance to leave his residency to join a private pediatric practice. Luckily his father and a little boy named Hector Gonzales with an inflammatory mass steered him back to the path of a rewarding, educational residency at Eastman hospital.

awesome :laugh:
 
> So he didn't have to do a residency to "run" a GP practice???

That was in the pre-medicare days. In order to open an office as GP, all you needed was an internship, a medical license two exam rooms and a friendly front-desk girl. Today, while it is entirely legal to do so, it is close to impossible to survive financially. Most HMOs and PPOs require you to be BE in order to get on their roster. Also, there aren't too many markets left were you wouldn't compete with BC/BE colleagues.
A guy I did residency with did a transitional year and worked as an employed GP for a hospital in Alaska for 3 years before he came back for residency. He got some loan forgivenes out of it and had a bit of a financial cushion to get through residency.

This was just to illustrate that while it might be a good idea to go directly into an industry job for a couple of years before residency to make some money, I don't think it is a good career move to forego a residency in the long run.
 
f_w said:
> So he didn't have to do a residency to "run" a GP practice???

That was in the pre-medicare days. In order to open an office as GP, all you needed was an internship, a medical license two exam rooms and a friendly front-desk girl. Today, while it is entirely legal to do so, it is close to impossible to survive financially. Most HMOs and PPOs require you to be BE in order to get on their roster. Also, there aren't too many markets left were you wouldn't compete with BC/BE colleagues.
A guy I did residency with did a transitional year and worked as an employed GP for a hospital in Alaska for 3 years before he came back for residency. He got some loan forgivenes out of it and had a bit of a financial cushion to get through residency.

This was just to illustrate that while it might be a good idea to go directly into an industry job for a couple of years before residency to make some money, I don't think it is a good career move to forego a residency in the long run.
If you're willing to work in an underserved area, you'll get away with just an intern yr just fine. I would personally be concerned about the welfare of my patients WRT my lack of training.
 
If you're willing to work in an underserved area, you'll get away with just an intern yr just fine.

Thats what I meant with: 'Also, there aren't too many markets left were you wouldn't compete with BC/BE colleagues.'. If your professional ambition is limited to treating migrant workers for cash or 'diverted' field crops, you can make a living without a residency even today. (The other area where a residency is just a waste of time is low end cosmetic surgery. All you need to lawfully inject botox is a medical license and an 'office' in the back of a beauty parlor.)
 
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