Wanting to do clinical work with a Ph.D

[Czarnowski]

I'm currently working toward a PhD in stem cell and cancer biology. I've worked in a hospital for almost a decade, and although I absolutely adore my research, it's really setting in that I'm going to miss having patient contact. I know I can do clinical trials once I have enough experience, but is there anything more I can do with a PhD that will directly involve me with patient care? I don't want to go to medical school, but I would love to work with a team of physicians to help treat patients. Sorry if this isn't the correct place to ask the question; I don't use the forum too frequently. Thanks everyone and have a great day.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[TurtleGnome]

I am but a lowly undergraduate, but I have seen one situation which might be sort of what you’re describing.

At an academic hospital/research center I worked at for a bit, once every week doctors would meet up and go through 6-7 more difficult/less obvious patient files and deliberate how to best treat the patient. Basically tumor board, but for non cancer disease. I was lucky enough to attend several with my PI which is what ultimately put me on the physician scientist path in the first place. There was probably about 20 people who showed up every week: radiologists, plastic surgeons, gen surgeons, hem oncs, pathologists, anesthesiologist, etc would show up and work towards a solution. And there were scientists too. Most of them, like my PI, held an MD (in addition to a PhD and/or running a lab). However, I do remember one PhD scientist who would be there every so often and was consulted on the impacts of more molecular/basic scientific knowledge of the patients’ conditions. The clinicians liked having that perspective there, and although no direct patient contact occurred, I do believe the PhD scientist had an impact on the care plans.

 

[evo]

Depending where you are. If you are at for example the NIH you are bringing patients routinely for clinical trials as a PhD. You would consult your MD colleagues for health clearance but the trial itself like scans and stuff you have direct contact with patients

 

[wholeheartedly]

you could do a clinical fellowship in something like clinical chemistry or molecular genetics and then be a clinical lab director. you'd be working on patient stuff and collaborating with clinicians and could still do oncology research.

 

[SurfingDoctor]

Depends what you mean by "patient contact". Like you want to enroll them in a study? Anyone can do that. You mean like comb through their chart and talk about their disease? Yeah, no, not unless your PhD is in Psychology.

Your best bet is to get hired in a clinical division, like Hematology/Oncology and then get involved in patient-based research where you can put your stem cell/cancer biology PhD skill set to work.

 

[Czarnowski]

Thank you so much everyone, I appreciate the replies. So it does sound like there's hope out there, I'll just need a lot of hard work and a little bit of luck to get there.