MD to MD/PhD?

[Goofy Goober]

Recently accepted MD student here. Is it plausible to transfer into an MD/PhD program at the place where I'll be starting my M1 next year. The dean I asked made it sound like there was a fair chance that I may not end up being able to transfer, but 1 to 2 students do each year.

After going through the publishing process I learned I want research to be a big part of my career. For reference, I have submitted a 1st authored manuscript for publication and am high stats.

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[ShinySephiroth]

Recently accepted MD student here. Is it plausible to transfer into an MD/PhD program at the place where I'll be starting my M1 next year. The dean I asked made it sound like there was a fair chance that I may not end up being able to transfer, but 1 to 2 students do each year.

After going through the publishing process I learned I want research to be a big part of my career. For reference, I have submitted a 1st authored manuscript for publication and am high stats.

Push comes to shove and things don't work out in your favor you can do a leave of absence to do a PhD separately. DIY MD/PhD with no tuition benefit.

 

[SurfingDoctor]

I have seen a handful of MD go back and get a PhD. Its pretty rare though. One could just as easily seek out programs with R38, T32, or write and F and get a similar exposure.

 

[wondervisions]

Recently accepted MD student here. Is it plausible to transfer into an MD/PhD program at the place where I'll be starting my M1 next year. The dean I asked made it sound like there was a fair chance that I may not end up being able to transfer, but 1 to 2 students do each year.

After going through the publishing process I learned I want research to be a big part of my career. For reference, I have submitted a 1st authored manuscript for publication and am high stats.

"The dean I asked made it sound like there was a fair chance that I may not end up being able to transfer, but 1 to 2 students do each year."

Uhhh, there's your answer?

 

[stinkycheeseperson]

plausible? nothing about this whole process is plausible

is there a lab/program at your school you're interested in? have you talked to them? ooh i like publicating is not a good rationale. what else is there? why not just one or the other? you don't need the phd

 

[Goofy Goober]

plausible? nothing about this whole process is plausible

is there a lab/program at your school you're interested in? have you talked to them? ooh i like publicating is not a good rationale. what else is there? why not just one or the other? you don't need the phd

I want the dedicated research time a PhD provides to learn the techniques for a future in a given field of research. There are also tuition benefits.

 

[stinkycheeseperson]

so why not a research year? a masters?

 

[SurfingDoctor]

I want the dedicated research time a PhD provides to learn the techniques for a future in a given field of research. There are also tuition benefits.

Learning techniques is not what a PhD is generally for if you are going to be a physician scientist. By the time you complete medical school and have done a residency, the techniques you learned are already 3+ years obsolete. Science moves pretty fast these days and people are becoming more and more siloed and developing expertise in niche areas.

The PhD will give you practice in techniques sure, but the most important things it gives you is general exposure to science, practice in writing and learning to deal with failure. Especially that last one, that’s what you carry with you.

 

[Goofy Goober]

so why not a research year? a masters?

I'm considering that as well

 

[deleted1065184]

Recently accepted MD student here. Is it plausible to transfer into an MD/PhD program at the place where I'll be starting my M1 next year. The dean I asked made it sound like there was a fair chance that I may not end up being able to transfer, but 1 to 2 students do each year.

After going through the publishing process I learned I want research to be a big part of my career. For reference, I have submitted a 1st authored manuscript for publication and am high stats.

It depends on the school, but most schools with an MD/PhD program absolutely accept MD-to-MD/PhD transfer students. My MSTP accepts 1-2 transfers each year. It seems that you have very strong research experience, so I'd wager you have a strong chance of transferring. Contact the MSTP and see if there are any transfer forms and/or additional interviews you must complete in order to transfer.

 

[deleted1065184]

Learning techniques is not what a PhD is generally for if you are going to be a physician scientist. By the time you complete medical school and have done a residency, the techniques you learned are already 3+ years obsolete. Science moves pretty fast these days and people are becoming more and more siloed and developing expertise in niche areas.

The PhD will give you practice in techniques sure, but the most important things it gives you is general exposure to science, practice in writing and learning to deal with failure. Especially that last one, that’s what you carry with you.

And most importantly, learning to think like a scientist. It's a complete paradigm shift where you go from ingesting, digesting, and regurgitating info to learning how to *create* new knowledge. This way of thinking and problem solving is the true value of the PhD imo.

 

[mudfud26]

I want the dedicated research time a PhD provides to learn the techniques for a future in a given field of research. There are also tuition benefits.

As others have said, it’s not so much techniques. It’s how to think and conduct research for your career. What will you DO with a PhD?

The tuition benefits should never be among your top reasons for choosing this pathway. Physician-scientists typically have to struggle for many years working to get their own grants and be pioneers compared to peers that are clinicians alone.

Consider shadowing a physician scientist and/or MD-PhD during your M1 and 2 to learn more about the career.