What is academic medicine, anyway?

[gentlebalogna]

I've always been confused about this. Is it being a physician who also does bench research, or clinical research? Is it a physician who also happens to teach at the local med school? Is it a physician who is also a dean, say, of admissions or some special program?

Cause if it's physicians who teach at the med school, then I'm interested academic medicine. If it's physicians who precent students, then I'm definitely interested in academic medicine. But if it's physicians who spend a ton of time on clinical trials or bench research, I guess I'm less interested.

Thanks for your thoughts!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[aSagacious]

The analogy that gets thrown around is that an academic faculty job is like a 4-legged table; you need 3 legs to stay upright.

- Clinical medicine (obviously). Some places have minimum productivity expectations. Some have productivity bonuses. Some don't care too much.

- Research. Depends on your position. The names vary slightly but there's usually some variation of:
--- Professor in residence. Few days per week off clinical service dedicated towards research. You're expected to publish 2-3 papers per year as first or senior author, as well as obtain extramural grants. Be involved in national societies. These folks tend to do basic or transnational research, but this is definitely not a requirement.
--- Clinical professor. Zero or one academic day per week. Publishing expectations vary from same as above to "just stay busy." Not expected to obtain grants.
--- Clinical X (aka academic lite). Professor in name only. No real publishing or grant expectations.
--- Volunteer faculty. Private practice attending who volunteers occasionally (~once per month) to get their teaching fix and maintain a fancy title.

- Teaching. Give lectures and precept trainees.

- Administration. Serve on departmental/hospital committees. Be a program director.

 

[armybound]

The analogy that gets thrown around is that an academic faculty job is like a 4-legged table; you need 3 legs to stay upright.

- Clinical medicine (obviously). Some places have minimum productivity expectations. Some have productivity bonuses. Some don't care too much.

- Research. Depends on your position. The names vary slightly but there's usually some variation of:
--- Professor in residence. Few days per week off clinical service dedicated towards research. You're expected to publish 2-3 papers per year as first or senior author, as well as obtain extramural grants. Be involved in national societies. These folks tend to do basic or transnational research, but this is definitely not a requirement.
--- Clinical professor. Zero or one academic day per week. Publishing expectations vary from same as above to "just stay busy." Not expected to obtain grants.
--- Clinical X (aka academic lite). Professor in name only. No real publishing or grant expectations.
--- Volunteer faculty. Private practice attending who volunteers occasionally (~once per month) to get their teaching fix and maintain a fancy title.

- Teaching. Give lectures and precept trainees.

- Administration. Serve on departmental/hospital committees. Be a program director.

I think this is a great description.

Academic medicine is what you want to make of it. But you're usually associated with medical education or research.

 

[LizzyM]

Many medical school faculty do not engage in research. Their roles are clinical care (where the money comes from), supervision of trainees, maybe administration (mentoring junior faculty, budgeting, recruiting new faculty). It is pretty typical to lecture for only one or two hours per year and to supervise residents and other trainees for a few months per year (called "being on servicce"). There are also opportunities to be a small group leader of PBL and other small group discussion or hands on training.

 

[deleted1044561]

Many medical school faculty do not engage in research. Their roles are clinical care (where the money comes from), supervision of trainees, maybe administration (mentoring junior faculty, budgeting, recruiting new faculty). It is pretty typical to lecture for only one or two hours per year and to supervise residents and other trainees for a few months per year (called "being on servicce"). There are also opportunities to be a small group leader of PBL and other small group discussion or hands on training.

Is there any way to discern schools that dont do research but still have it on their website?

I feel like mission statements are all pretty much the same and while it's clear some schools favor service more than others, all schools seem to have a 'tab' on their site for research. If someone were to mention research on a secondary and the school is just listing it to look good, couldn't it turn around to bite the applicant

 

[LizzyM]

Is there any way to discern schools that dont do research but still have it on their website?

I feel like mission statements are all pretty much the same and while it's clear some schools favor service more than others, all schools seem to have a 'tab' on their site for research. If someone were to mention research on a secondary and the school is just listing it to look good, couldn't it turn around to bite the applicant

All schools have faculty who do some research, but not all faculty members do research. Some schools place a higher value on research and some require it of all students as a requirement for graduation (thesis or other written documentation of an original project).

If a school puts a big emphasis on primary care and on training doctors to care for the people of xyz, it may be placing less of a focus on bench research but even in those settings there will be health services research, for example, which strategy is most effective in getting patients to quit smoking?

 

[sw99]

I've always been confused about this. Is it being a physician who also does bench research, or clinical research? Is it a physician who also happens to teach at the local med school? Is it a physician who is also a dean, say, of admissions or some special program?

Cause if it's physicians who teach at the med school, then I'm interested academic medicine. If it's physicians who precent students, then I'm definitely interested in academic medicine. But if it's physicians who spend a ton of time on clinical trials or bench research, I guess I'm less interested.

Thanks for your thoughts!

Both--"academic" medicine implies an emphasis on research. Be prepared to make a big commitment to research if you go the academic medicine route. At community-based hospitals you'll get a lot more hands-on exp. bc there are less higher-ups there to say "No, you can't do that; I need to supervise blah blah blah..." This is the biggest difference between community hospitals and academic medicine.