The PhD Portion

[BlakeC93]

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I am currently a Biochemistry major in UG, and I would like to get into an MD/PhD program. I have a few questions regarding the PhD portion of the program.

1) How does one choose which PhD to pursue? Do I follow my research interests, or do I try to pick a PhD that will coincide with my MD specialty? Could I be a Neurologist researching cancer or an Oncologist researching neurobiology? You don't pick a specialty until your third year of medical school, but by that time, I will already have my PhD. Do I pick a PhD program and hope that my clinical interests match?

2) Do my UG research interests have to be the same as my PhD interests? I am currently doing cancer research as a Biochemistry major, but I may want to pursue a Microbiology PhD or a Neuroscience PhD. Can I get a PhD in a subject in which I have no prior research experience?

3) My interests change often, but right now I think being a Forensic Psychiatrist would be cool. What PhD would be the most beneficial for a Forensics Psychiatrist? Neuroscience? Neurobiology and Behavior? Psychology? Pharmacology? Which PhD would coincide with Forensic Psychiatry the best?

Thank you in advance.

 

[Neuronix]

1) How does one choose which PhD to pursue? Do I follow my research interests, or do I try to pick a PhD that will coincide with my MD specialty? Could I be a Neurologist researching cancer or an Oncologist researching neurobiology? You don't pick a specialty until your third year of medical school, but by that time, I will already have my PhD. Do I pick a PhD program and hope that my clinical interests match?

I recommend getting a good sense of your clinical interests and choosing a PhD program based on that. But in reality that doesn't always happen and it isn't a big deal. Choose what interests you at the time.

2) Do my UG research interests have to be the same as my PhD interests? I am currently doing cancer research as a Biochemistry major, but I may want to pursue a Microbiology PhD or a Neuroscience PhD. Can I get a PhD in a subject in which I have no prior research experience?

Typically it's not a problem. You learn what you need to know to be successful in your lab and your niche. You will take grad coursework and do your own reading for more background.

3) My interests change often, but right now I think being a Forensic Psychiatrist would be cool. What PhD would be the most beneficial for a Forensics Psychiatrist? Neuroscience? Neurobiology and Behavior? Psychology? Pharmacology? Which PhD would coincide with Forensic Psychiatry the best?

Yes. No seriously, any of the above might work. It's up to you. You might want to actually find one and ask them, but you can do this much more easily when you're a med student as opposed to a pre-med.

 

[BlakeC93]

Great! Thanks for the awesome answers! So, do you choose a PhD program after being admitted to the MD/PhD program, or are you admitted to that specific PhD program initially? Is there really no PhD that is the most beneficial to a Psychiatrist? Many famous Psychiatrists were also Psychologists. Is there something to that? Maybe a PhD in Psychology aids the Psychiatry specialty?

Thanks.