To PhD or not PhD - that is the question

[SLO]

Hello All-

Just wondering if I could ask you all for advice/opinons. I must decide soon whether to take a 2-3 year break from medical school to follow through with the PhD portion of my program. I can complete it that quickly because I've worked in research for very long and the project is an ongoing one I've been working on for some time. Its ground breaking stuff - I think at least - and if I can prove all of it should shed new light on the *possible* causes/causal factors of AMD and many other types of retinal diseases (my first paper on the early work so far was accepted last week in IOVS). So, the question is do I bow out of the lab now and let someone else grab the glory or do I continue with it possibly making a name for myself in the field?

Problem is I feel old (I'm 29) and I still have 2 years of medical school left, 4 years residency and 2 years retinal fellowship to look forward to - and that's if I get accepted into ophthalmology and on the first try. I know medicine is my career but not my life. Naturally I would like time for other (perhaps more important) things such as wife and kids, hobbies, etc...

I will have good letters of rec from big names and 7-10 publications by the end of medical school regardless of the PhD. I do not want to run my own lab in the future but do plan on a career in academic medicine and research collaborations. I do enjoy research (when things are working) but at other times (when things are not working) I hate it and just want to move on. I'm so 50-50 on this matter its ridiculous.

So... PhD or not? Your opinions are very welcomed.

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[Andrew_Doan]

Do you want to pursue academics and research, i.e., run a lab? If not, then don't do a PhD.

You can do all that you desire above with a MD and strong research/fellowship background.

 

[Gnarley]

I thought I would chime in, as an MD/PhD student rounding the last bend. I have a wife and three kids and I'm not convinced that life is going to be that much better for family, etc. following my training. I certainly had dark days during my PhD, which made me wonder how much I really wanted it. However, I stuck with it, and I'm glad I did. I'm convinced I would have regretted it if I didn't. I have enjoyed the journey, and I expect to during residency and fellowship (if I do one). Dr. Doan is right that if you don't have plans for continuing research or academics in the future there is really no need to do a PhD...and indeed you could even do academics without the PhD. I think you need to ask yourself how much you like research and how much you want to stay involved in it in the future. One other thought...PhD's almost always seem to take at least a year longer than expected. I wouldn't expect completing a substantial PhD in 2 years unless your advisor has a long track history of doing that with other students. Ask around...you will be amazed how almost everyone ends up taking longer than expected. I can't complain though...I have enjoyed the journey...and I'm sure life will be good when I finally get done with my training around 40. Besides, maybe it will keep me from having a mid-life crisis.

 

[Visioncam]

If you want to be the most successful possible in getting research grants, a PhD is worthwhile, even if you only see patients and do clinical research.

I met a few people at the Academy that finished ophthalmology residency at age 40 or more. The Academy meeting is a great place to visit! There are good lectures, one on one discussion about clinical matters with long distance colleagues, lots of gossip, meeting friends and others, product exhibits, etc.