Seeking Advice about Graduate Schools

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Hi all,

I will be entering into my fourth year as a Microbiology undergraduate student in August, and have been having a lot of back-and-forth deliberation between what sort of career I want to pursue in the future.

When I entered into the bulk of my upper-division classes about two semesters ago and joined a research lab, I began to take on new interests in having a career in research. Until that point, my sole interest had been in pursuing a career as a doctor.

At this point, I am a bit lost in terms of what I would like to do after I graduate. I am not sure if I am still interested in pursuing medical school, or if I am now interested in pursuing a PhD program. I am seeking advice because my introspective thought process is likened to that of a pinball machine at the moment.

The short of it:
- I love the field of Microbiology and want to pursue a career in this field
- I am meticulous with my work and am detail-oriented
- I do not want to simply be doing "chore" work all day long or simple diagnostic tests
- I want to be involved in the nitty-gritty of science
- I appreciate the ability to mentor and teach
- I want to conduct biomedical research
- I want to be in a field where I will contribute the most
- Personal patient interaction is not of great importance to me

In terms of the medical field, it seems like the only thing I would be suited for is pathology. But is this the best fit? Would I be better suited for academic with research?

Thanks for your help!

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If you dont want to see patients, skip the MD and go straight PhD is my advice. Far less job security, obviously, but if you dont want to be a physician, don't become one, is my view. I dont know anything about microbiology as a field so I dont know where you could go if academia doesnt work out so I can understand wanting a safer route to go than just straight life-science PhD.
 
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my $0.02: the MD/PhD path is too long for being "unsure." If you're ok never seeing a patient, don't do MD. If you're ok not being the first person in the world to know/discover something, don't do research.

the only thing I can tell from your list is: don't become a lab tech/med lab scientist

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- I want to be involved in the nitty-gritty of science
this point makes me think more PhD than MD. There are lot of MD's do amazing research, but the PhD training will really push you to think about things that no one has thought about before.
 
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sounds like you are more PhD oriented.

Take a look at the field of clinical microbiology (2 year post PhD fellowship) medical field. see if thats something you might be interested in. level of nitty gritty research can vary from very basic sciency to more clinical translation to broad epidemiology to none at all depending on your interests. can teach and mentor as well.
 
Keep in mind that an MD/PhD is a PhD plus at least 7 years of clinical training. I like to think of those extra 7 years as a 7 year post doc. Can you get a faculty position in micro with a PhD and 7 years of post doc? Do you want to be faculty (i.e., do you like being a manager writing grants)?

Also consider:
MD = job security + $, but mostly memorization + not creative
PhD = fun + creative, but no job security + poor
MD/PhD = middle ground of the above two

Btw, the pathology job market sucks (check out the pathology residency forums). You might want to consider internal medicine-infectious diseases
 
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