What is the main difference between an MD and an MD/PhD?

[screwedpremed88]

---

Members don't see this ad.

What is the main difference between an MD and an MD/PhD?

Does an M.D./PhD perform significantly less clinical work?

 

[Jolie South]

MD/Phd programs are typically longer (8 years?) and involve the same amount of clinical work as regular MD programs. if i understand it correctly, you complete a full MD program and then go on to complete a PhD.

 

[Begaster]

^
You do MS1/2, then your PhD, then MS3/4 at most schools.


MD/PhDs who end up in academic medicine will do less clinical and more research. That being said, straight MDs can also become academic physicians and run labs.

 

[zpiff]

At most programs you do your first 2 years of med school first. Then you do your PhD for 3-6 years usually, coming back for 3rd and 4th year rotations for another 2 years.

 

[JHopRevisit]

What is the main difference between an MD and an MD/PhD?

MD's generally do significantly less laboratory work, especially in the basic sciences, because they have stronger clinical interests and medical school does little to no training in research. MD/PhDs get the full clinical training (should they choose to pursue residency), but typically only spend an afternoon per week and some weekends, or just a few full-time weeks of the year, doing clinical work (these are examples, many options exist). However, this is not a rule, MD/PhDs can choose to do 100% research or 100% clinical, and MDs can too, although it is harder for MDs to do 100% research in today's climate.

Does an M.D./PhD perform significantly less clinical work?

On average, yes (see above). However, they don't have to. There are many surgeon MD/PhDs who do purely clinical (surgical) work, and you'll run into MD/PhDs in other, more patient care oriented fields like medicine doing full time clinical work as well, though its rare.

 

[IHeartNerds]

About $100,000 / year. Oh, the joys of going to school for eight+ years then making 90k doing research...

Or, looked at in a more positive light, $150,000+ less in debt...