Why MD/PhD?

[RedWhiteAndWho]

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Hi everyone!

I'm new to making an account but I've been a lurker for a long time.

I've always known I wanted to attain an MD, but only recently has the prospect of an MD/PhD been on my radar. For me, this has been due to having an incredible and supportive PI who has introduced me to the field of developmental biology (I always wanted to work in Peds, so this ended up being pretty applicable).

What I'm wondering is how everyone knew they wanted to acquire an MD/PhD. When did you know this? What are your reasons for wanting both degrees? And what are you planning to do career-wise that necessitates both degrees? As in, if I get both, would my career need to be more research- than clinical-based? Like 60/40 research?

 

[grizzly1093]

http://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2...ucial-questions-when-applying-md-phd-programs

From Skip Brass, Penn's MSTP director. He doesn't mention this, but people often talk about a split that's 80/20 research. That split also seems to be what adcoms want to hear.

 

[mega_]

for me its idea of doing basic research in medicine by going off the clinical manifestation of the disease rather than scientific curiosity