why do an MD too?

[3Xhelix]

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I have been thinking seriously about a career choice lately. i applied to med school this year, but didn't get in for reasons that i think are easily resolvable over the next year. I did research my last year of undergrad, now i'm working full time as a tech in a molecular biology lab. I'm really enjoying research, but i know i would like more contact with people in my ultimate career choice. This leads me to a dilemma, and I thought getting the MD and PhD degrees might help satisfy all the needs that I have.

my question, however, is this - i've been reading up on medical scientists and what they do all day. it seems like the vast majority (> 85%) of their time is devoted to bench research. What is the point of the MD degree if one sees patients so little?

is the degree supposed to make one a better researcher? it seems that since what scientists study is often so focused, one wouldn't need a medical degree to know the relevant anatomy, pathology, etc of an area - it would be relatively easy to learn this information while researching.
Is it really worth getting a medical degree to only see patients 15% of the time? (or less) Am i missing anything here?
any input would be appreciated, especially form current/training medical scientists.
thanks

 

[dl2dp2]

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Disclaimer: "a waste of time" is a bit of an overdramatic hyperbole. I'm not really saying that it's ALWAYS a waste of time. I'm just saying, under certain circumstances, it's a waste of time....but under other circumstances, you ought to do things that waste time anyway.

 

[3Xhelix]

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Disclaimer: "a waste of time" is a bit of an overdramatic hyperbole. I'm not really saying that it's ALWAYS a waste of time. I'm just saying, under certain circumstances, it's a waste of time....but under other circumstances, you ought to do things that waste time anyway.

Thanks, that was good info. From what I can gather form this passage, I guess the MD/PhD is really a research degree, not a clinical degree. The MD just makes the postdoc period shorter and makes it easier to get grants and a PI position.
if anyone has any extra input i'd appreciate it.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Thanks, that was good info. From what I can gather form this passage, I guess the MD/PhD is really a research degree, not a clinical degree. The MD just makes the postdoc period shorter and makes it easier to get grants and a PI position.
if anyone has any extra input i'd appreciate it.

You got it!

The NIH prefers that MD/PhD graduates go onto do some kind of research activity as a component of their careers (whether it be basic, translational, or clinical). I was told when I was an upstart in my MSTP program that MD/PhD graduates who do only clinical work and no research are kinda frowned upon.

 

[Kristene9]

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Disclaimer: "a waste of time" is a bit of an overdramatic hyperbole. I'm not really saying that it's ALWAYS a waste of time. I'm just saying, under certain circumstances, it's a waste of time....but under other circumstances, you ought to do things that waste time anyway.

Thanks for that article!