would you do it?

[peehdee]

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if MSTP programs didn't pay for the grad school and part of med school would you have done it?

i.e. did you get the 'PhD" part bc it was for the most part free? or did you get it bc you actually like science?

 

[b&ierstiefel]

if MSTP programs didn't pay for the grad school and part of med school would you have done it?

i.e. did you get the 'PhD" part bc it was for the most part free? or did you get it bc you actually like science?

I'll be honest and I know this will sound kinda funny.

I found out about MD/PhD programs when I was a junior in college when I was discussing my dilemma regarding whether I should go to grad school vs. med school with my premed advisor. She told me about these MSTP programs and said that was a good fit for what I wanted to do.

So I left her office thinking...oh great more tuition (thinking that med school only involved paying 4 years of tuition). I called my parents telling them that we would have to shell out money for 7-8 or more years instead of the 4 years. Surprisingly, they were very supportive; however, I still felt guilty by adding further financial burden on myself and my parents.

A few days after all of this, I went back to the premed advisor to ask questions regarding financial aid for MSTP programs. She gave me this perplexed look and said, "oh you didn't know? these are fully funded programs. they pay for tuition and give you a stipend." For me, that sealed the deal.

If that adviser told me that these were NOT fully funded programs, I would've done so anyway as my parents would have helped me pay through school as they did during college. Of course, hindsight is 20/20 but I think doing MSTP was one of the best decisions I made (we'll see about that in 5-10 years 🙂 ). Of course, when one is actually trudging through all that training, it is natural for one to have doubts...such as when that crucial experiment you're doing for the 14th time doesn't work at 2 am.

 

[freddytn]

if MSTP programs didn't pay for the grad school and part of med school would you have done it?

i.e. did you get the 'PhD" part bc it was for the most part free? or did you get it bc you actually like science?

I would have to agree with AndyMilonakis in the fact that I also only found out about MD-PhD Programs shortly before I was going to apply to medical school. Having done extensive research as an undergraduate, I was trying to figure out if there were ways to keep doing it as a medical school student. Doing an MD-PhD was definitely the right choice for me. I think if you speak to most MD-PhD student you will find that it is very rarely for the fact that medical school is paid for because you have to remember that undertaking a PhD can be quite an experience. You also have to remember that it is still a long commitment (tack on another 3+ years to your MD) to go through one of these combined programs. Another tidbit is that there are still schools where the funding on the MD side is limited (i.e. you are not fully funded the way MSTPs are).

 

[b&ierstiefel]

if MSTP programs didn't pay for the grad school and part of med school would you have done it?

i.e. did you get the 'PhD" part bc it was for the most part free? or did you get it bc you actually like science?

oh another thing peehdee, in the majority of cases, people who go to grad school to do straight PhD study also have their tuition paid for and receive a stipend. I haven't heard to too many PhD programs in the basic sciences where one DOES have to pay tuition and work on the side.

 

[ChyLn]

Well, I haven't "done it" quite yet... but I'm applying next year and I'm doing MSTP because I really like science... although the fact that its fully-funded is a VERY nice perk!

Honestly though, if you weren't interested in research, I don't see any reason to spend the extra three or four years in school, even it if did make medical school free!

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Well, I haven't "done it" quite yet... but I'm applying next year and I'm doing MSTP because I really like science... although the fact that its fully-funded is a VERY nice perk!

Honestly though, if you weren't interested in research, I don't see any reason to spend the extra three or four years in school, even it if did make medical school free!

Agreed there. PhD research is no easy thing. It is hard to predict if you will do well or not do well. Three or four extra years in school...that's a good case scenario; the PhD training could take significantly longer if you're not lucky. If things aren't going well, your love of science and research are the two things that will pull you through the hard times.

Med school is certainly not an easy thing either. It's a lot of hard work and you'll experience frustrating moments there too. Hence, if you really like research and science but not medicine, do a PhD training (there you get tuition and stipend support). If you don't like research, and I certainly know plenty of people in med school who abhor basic science and research activities, then PhD training will be hell...and you should do MD only training. Unfortunately, unless you get a scholarship, you'll have to pay lots of money but the good thing is that MD training is only 4 years and after you finish it, you'll be able to start paying off your debt. (as a tangent: does anyone else find it ironic to pay tuition to work 80+ hours a week in the hospital during M3 year? and in light of this, students feel guilty to ask their senior resident whether they can go home at a reasonable hour? i always thought this was funny )