Pursuing an Master of Divinity before or after Medical School (Earning multiple degrees)

[ElijahFree]

Hello SDN,

I had a question about pursuing a Masters of Divinity degree either before or after seminary. I am an evangelical Christian (open to advice from whoever) who loves to study the Bible and theology, I'd love to be involved in church ministry. At the same time I love science and medicine and how it can help people. I would love to earn both degrees and work in the church (planting/preaching) as well as in healthcare, especially primary care.

Obviously this is a lot of school, so I'm wondering whether any of the combined programs are worth it, or if it would be easier (and I know a lot of this just depends on the state of my life) to pursue the MD first to finance the Mdiv or if I'm just biting off more than I can chew. I know that last bit is kinda subjective but i'd appreciate any wisdom on earning multiple degrees either before or after Med school religious or not.

Thanks!

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[Goro]

I suggest getting the mS in Divinity first, and then apply to LUCOM or Loma Linda. Suggest skipping Einstein and the Touros

 

[PA_dud3]

I admire your willingness to pursue this, but I think it would be best to consider which field you would be happier with in the end. I suppose you could take it before medical school (the M.Div.), but you run into the issue of adcoms asking you why you did it, keeping up EC's over two years of non pre-req coursework, and risking MCAT/pre-req expiry. Afterwards, I just don't think you would have the time, not to mention the funds. Grad school is expensive, and Medical School is even more so than other graduate education. With residency and stuff, I just think you would be slam packed with stuff to do and bills to pay. But nothing is impossible. Pursuing it while in school is also not an option.

 

[PA_dud3]

I suggest getting the mS in Divinity first, and then apply to LUCOM or Loma Linda. Suggest skipping Einstein and the Touros

Eek. But I can see why. Haha

 

[pawprint]

Vanderbilt used to have an Mdiv/Md combined residency I’d look into. Ultimately, you aren’t going to use the Mdiv while you practice medicine though.

I was initially interested in obtaining both, however, I just volunteer a ton at my church and then my MD is my job. You can do ministry things without the Mdiv, it just depends on your church. I’ve even given a few sermons as a church quest without the divinity degree.

 

[ElijahFree]

I appreciate all the replies, I suppose my desire to get the degree is mostly from a desire to appear legitimate as someone qualified to teach or serve in a pastoral capacity.

 

[LizzyM]

Read, Not All of Us Are Saints by David Hilfiker, MD. beautiful example of how a physician put his evangelical faith into action.
Also consider the role you can play as a physician leader in a health center that is sponsored by the evangelical community. e.g. Mission and Values | Lawndale Christian Health Center

 

[karayaa]

Yes, you'd have to time your MCAT so it doesn't expire, and you're have to keep up your ECs, and adcoms would be curious about your interests and goal, but those obstacles are not insurmountable

To echo Pawprint, I think it would be logistically difficult to be a primary care physician and also be a full time pastor. Lots of small churches, church plants, rotate preaching and you can preach as a lay speaker. You don't need a degree to appear legitimate.

There are some doctors who get MDivs (or sometimes just certificates) after med school, because they work with faith-based organizations or missions organizations and want to have a stronger theological basis for their work.
In addition to LizzyM's suggestion (which may be the biggest/oldest clinic), there's an established christian clinic system in Memphis (which takes med students for rotations) Christ Community Health Services | Memphis, TN and a new clinic near Atlanta ethneclinic, and probably other groups that integrate their faith with medical work in the US.

 

[ElijahFree]

Read, Not All of Us Are Saints by David Hilfiker, MD. beautiful example of how a physician put his evangelical faith into action.
Also consider the role you can play as a physician leader in a health center that is sponsored by the evangelical community. e.g. Mission and Values | Lawndale Christian Health Center

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll look into it.

 

[ElijahFree]

Yes, you'd have to time your MCAT so it doesn't expire, and you're have to keep up your ECs, and adcoms would be curious about your interests and goal, but those obstacles are not insurmountable

To echo Pawprint, I think it would be logistically difficult to be a primary care physician and also be a full time pastor. Lots of small churches, church plants, rotate preaching and you can preach as a lay speaker. You don't need a degree to appear legitimate.

There are some doctors who get MDivs (or sometimes just certificates) after med school, because they work with faith-based organizations or missions organizations and want to have a stronger theological basis for their work.
In addition to LizzyM's suggestion (which may be the biggest/oldest clinic), there's an established christian clinic system in Memphis (which takes med students for rotations) Christ Community Health Services | Memphis, TN and a new clinic near Atlanta ethneclinic, and probably other groups that integrate their faith with medical work in the US.

I understand your point, my idea was not so much being a "full-time pastor" but doing most of the preaching/teaching sunday mornings as well as working with fellow pastors to do that and visits and such. I always thought that worse case scenario I could do part time as a Family Practice doc. But maybe that's a bit naive?

Thanks for the feedback

 

[glycoprotein1]

Honestly, if you're interested in it—and it certainly seems like you are—then why not? Most people on these forums don't realize that an unrelated masters doesn't just suddenly stop being useful once you become a physician and n=1, but the M.Phil. (Master of Philosophy) I earned before medical school is easily the best decision I've made. I was like you, interested in science and medicine, but also interested in history. More specifically, I was interested in learning more about the history of reproductive health because past discussions can inform our understanding of current reproductive debates. My degree gave me necessary skills to become a better researcher and eventually a better physician, and it also gave me a year of uninterrupted research time, resulting in several presentations and a forthcoming publication (These were all helpful for application updates too).

Ask yourself this: What will you regret 10 years from now— forgoing the M.Div. for medical school, or earning the M.Div. and then going on to medical school? Who knows what will happen during medical school and residency, but I can promise you that the best time to get the M.Div. is now.

 

[Engrailed]

I suggest getting the mS in Divinity first, and then apply to LUCOM or Loma Linda. Suggest skipping Einstein and the Touros

The first time Ive seen LUCOM actually deployed in a thread in earnest.
To the OP: the road to medicine will be really long and expensive if you have to start from the basics so think about the pros/cons and how realistic it would be so you also dont drown in debt during the process. But kudos to you for taking a rather unconventional route and godspeed!

 

[ciestar]

The first time Ive seen LUCOM actually deployed in a thread in earnest.
To the OP: the road to medicine will be really long and expensive if you have to start from the basics so think about the pros/cons and how realistic it would be so you also dont drown in debt during the process. But kudos to you for taking a rather unconventional route and godspeed!

Well that makes sense, as many people around here are very against their politics and way they teach things.

 

[Engrailed]

Well that makes sense, as many people around here are very against their politics and way they teach things.

YEs Im well aware of what LUCOM values haha.. my friend took a summer class there once and was in for a surprise just based on student demographics and such..

 

[ciestar]

YEs Im well aware of what LUCOM values haha.. my friend took a summer class there once and was in for a surprise just based on student demographics and such..

I know people who have done masters and whatnot there.. it was a fitting place for them lol

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

This thread isn’t about LUCOM and its policies. Please keep the thread on topic.

 

[NITRAS]

I appreciate all the replies, I suppose my desire to get the degree is mostly from a desire to appear legitimate as someone qualified to teach or serve in a pastoral capacity.

You don’t need to go to seminary to be “legitimate” in ministry. There’s so much great content on the internet on the nuances of theology. Calvinism vs. non Calvinism. I love listening to Mike Winger. John Piper on occasion.

The opportunity cost is high. If you want to be a doctor, be a doctor.