Hi, I am considering a career as a clinical pharmcologist and I have seen some varying information about the plan of stufy. I know medical school is a huge investment in time and money, so is it necessary for this career? I would at least like to obtain a PhD in this field, but would a medical degree be worth it if I want to be the top in my field? Also, can you get a medical degree without getting a license (like doing a residency and all that)? Thank you!
An MD is not necessary, but it’s an option some people take. It depends on how involved you want to be with actually treating patients. If you don’t want or need patient contact then it’s probably a waste of time. If you do decide you want an MD in addition to your PhD, you really should consider an MSTP. You will still invest the time but the money will no longer be a concern. As for not doing a residency, I know of people who did this. Some will only do one year (min. necessary to get a license) an focus mainly on research.
There are a number of different pathways into clinical pharmacology. A PhD program is one; a PharmD (doctor of pharmacy) is another; a MD is still another. And there are MD/PhD programs which are 7-8 year joint degree programs leading to both degrees. Note that with a MD or MD/PhD, you would still need to complete a medical residency (another 3-10 years depending on the specialty and whether or not you decide to do a fellowship) in order to practice medicine. There are some research-intensive residencies, but for all residencies the focus is on learning patient care & management.
As for which pathway you should take, it depends on what your end goals are. You only need a MD if you want to treat patients in a clinical setting. If you’re more interested in drug development, then a PhD or PharmD would make more sense. Also consider that no single pharmacologist follows a drug through all stages of its development and testing. Drug development is a team-based approach with different individuals/groups handling different portions of the process. (I worked for a research institute for a number of years that ran all phases of clinical drug trials for pharmaceutical and drug development companies–from initial animal studies to final human trials for FDA approval. My company also develops new drug delivery systems–like dry powder inhalers for asthma–so I’m familiar with how the process works.)
A place to start reading about clinical pharmacy as a career and its career pathways:
http://www.ascpt.org/Knowledge-Center/What-is-Clinical-Pharmacology
http://www.ascpt.org/Knowledge-Center/Student-Resources
You can certainly earn a medical degree and then not do a residency, but you won’t be able to practice medicine or treat patients in any capacity (including supervising clinical drug trials or gathering hands on human research). And once you pass on the chance to match into a residency as a MS4, it is extraordinarily-difficult-to-impossible to match into residency later.
Currently many states will license a US-educated physician after only 1 year of residency; however, some states now require 2 or even 3 years of residency for licensing. Additionally without board certification (which requires the completion of a board-certified residency plus passing all required standardized exams) insurance companies and federal funders will not reimburse your employer for your medical services.