Take a Deep Breath, It Will Al Work Out in the End

[DrArete]

I just thought I would take this chance to share a story of a friend of mine, who has done something unusual.

A lot of people on this board, and I am by no means innocent of this, are competitive people, and we get caught up in what is supposed to be "the best," instead of what is right for us as individuals.

So, on to the story.

A good friend of mine is truly brilliant. She excelled at a top five undergraduate university (science major), she went on to do a year of research in bioinformatics at an important research facility in europe, she came back to the usa and did very well in terms of $$$ at a private company for almost 3 years, then she applied for the MSTP and was accepted for MD/PHD at a top 5 medical school, and was on her way to her dream of research.

However, she discovered in her third year of med school that she really liked being around patients, and wanted to be involved in clinical medicine, specifically OB GYN. So, she felt so strongly about this, that she dropped out of the MSTP program, and is now paying for med school out of her own pocket.

I just thought this is an interesting story to hear, since many people would give their right nut (or ovary) to have the kind of opportunities she had...after MSTP MD/PhD at her med school, you could literally do anything you wanted.

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[NewmansOwn]

I'm confused. Most, if not all, MSTP programs have you do your PhD work after your first two years of the MD program. If she was in her third year, her PhD was all but done. Is it even possible to drop out of the PhD component at this point? Why didn't she just finish medical school, graduate with both degrees and choose not to engage in research?

I just thought I would take this chance to share a story of a friend of mine, who has done something unusual.

A lot of people on this board, and I am by no means innocent of this, are competitive people, and we get caught up in what is supposed to be "the best," instead of what is right for us as individuals.

So, on to the story.

A good friend of mine is truly brilliant. She excelled at a top five undergraduate university (science major), she went on to do a year of research in bioinformatics at an important research facility in europe, she came back to the usa and did very well in terms of $$$ at a private company for almost 3 years, then she applied for the MSTP and was accepted for MD/PHD at a top 5 medical school, and was on her way to her dream of research.

However, she discovered in her third year of med school that she really liked being around patients, and wanted to be involved in clinical medicine, specifically OB GYN. So, she felt so strongly about this, that she dropped out of the MSTP program, and is now paying for med school out of her own pocket.

I just thought this is an interesting story to hear, since many people would give their right nut (or ovary) to have the kind of opportunities she had...after MSTP MD/PhD at her med school, you could literally do anything you wanted.

 

[Instatewaiter]

I'm confused. Most, if not all, MSTP programs have you do your PhD work after your first two years of the MD program. If she was in her third year, her PhD was all but done. Is it even possible to drop out of the PhD component at this point? Why didn't she just finish medical school, graduate with both degrees and choose not to engage in research?

Srsly.

 

[plsfoldthx]

I'm confused. Most, if not all, MSTP programs have you do your PhD work after your first two years of the MD program. If she was in her third year, her PhD was all but done. Is it even possible to drop out of the PhD component at this point? Why didn't she just finish medical school, graduate with both degrees and choose not to engage in research?

If you do your PhD work AFTER your first 2 years, aren't you just starting your PhD work at year 3?

And OP, she didn't want to do PhD work so she dropped out...what's so amazing about that?

 

[jslo85]

The OP said third year of medical school meaning MS-3. Newmansown was pointing out that you start your PhD work in an MSTP program after your second year as a medical student therefore to be a MS-3 would mean all the PhD work is done and she has resumed back medical school

 

[drizzt3117]

The OP said third year of medical school meaning MS-3. Newmansown was pointing out that you start your PhD work in an MSTP program after your second year as a medical student therefore to be a MS-3 would mean all the PhD work is done and she has resumed back medical school

I suspect they mean their 3rd year post-matriculation, or the first mstp year. It's actually not uncommon for mstp ppl to go md only once they realize how long the time committment is.

 

[Lefty Doodle]

haha i love how this thread sort of exemplifies how people are on here--all picking the story apart for plausibility. But I like it. In previous jobs, I hated being the only detail-oriented person. I will be happy to feel like the stupid one of the bunch in medicine ;-).

 

[drizzt3117]

I have a feeling once the OP's friend gets into a Ob/Gyn residency with its associated 100 hour work weeks and sees the light at the end of the tunnel, meaning 150k/year malpractice insurance when you make ~300k a year pretax... they'll look back on their choice fondly...

 

[DrArete]

The OP said third year of medical school meaning MS-3. Newmansown was pointing out that you start your PhD work in an MSTP program after your second year as a medical student therefore to be a MS-3 would mean all the PhD work is done and she has resumed back medical school

I think I made a little bit of a mistake. She made the decision at some point in her 2nd year. It was in her third year (MS 3) that she discovered she liked OB GYN. I just thought it was interesting to see someone who is mstp caliber go for a path that is not necessarily the most difficult/prestigious, or what she wanted to do when she started, but what is now in line with her new goals.

 

[DrArete]

I have a feeling once the OP's friend gets into a Ob/Gyn residency with its associated 100 hour work weeks and sees the light at the end of the tunnel, meaning 150k/year malpractice insurance when you make ~300k a year pretax... they'll look back on their choice fondly...

Well, she has no student debt.

And, if she enjoys what she does, then how would a 150K a year gross salary be a burden? It would likely be more than that anyway.

 

[drizzt3117]

Well, she has no student debt.

And, if she enjoys what she does, then how would a 150K a year gross salary be a burden? It would likely be more than that anyway.

Well you said she was paying her own way through school. I suppose if she had the money saved up from previous work that makes it a little better. Malpractice insurance isn't your only expense either. Considering the hours they work, ob/gyns may be the least compensated physicians. That's fine if it's what she wants to do though, I'm just saying it's mostly during residency that people realize what they've signed up for.

The reason people are confused is that people at most mstp programs do preclinicals for 2 years, then the phd, then the clinical years, so if as you said she was in her 3rd year of actual med school (ms3) that suggests she's done with the phd part.