<p>Recently, I received a letter from my family and it says: CONGRATS on your acceptances! PhD is Great! Research is Fun! But You Should Go for an MD-PhD program...</p>
<p>I really don't feel like justifying my choice to them, but I want to know what you guys think about PhD vs. MD/PhD.</p>
<p>My field of interest is in the comp bio/systems bio/biomedical engr fields.</p>
<p>This is what I come up from a quick research (directed more toward my field):</p>
<p>MD/PhD (dual program)</p>
<p>PRO:
1. Clinical Surgery on HUMAN
2. Easier to get research grants/funding in the future
3. Stipend (unlike MD alone)
4. May Practice if residency is completed</p>
<p>CON:
1. Higher admission's requirement / standard
2. 7-8 yrs
3. A waste of time if research in the future does not require human surgery + if I never actually practiced as a doctor</p>
<h2>4. Difficult to add in engineering/computational courses to the already compacted schedule</h2>
<p>PhD</p>
<p>PRO:
1. Focus on computational and experimental work
2. In the biomedical field: very generous stipend
3. Opportunity to interact with human patients as long as it is not a surgery
4. Collaborations with MD in the future
5. 5 yrs</p>
<p>CON:
1. Cannot perform surgery on human (not that I want to)
2. Not a dual degree</p>
<p>I work in a lab with a lot of MDs, PhDs, and MD/PhDs. To be honest, I have never heard of MDs or MD/PhDs complaining about not having a straight PhD. All the PhDs though tried to tell me to go get MD or MD/PhD. I think it’s mainly due to funding issues - physician scientists definitely have it MUCH EASIER when it comes to finding and fighting for grants. But then I’m at Harvard Medical and that might just be the culture here. Can anyone else chime in?</p>
<p>As someone going for a straight PhD, I think it’s more of a personal choice. I cannot imagine sitting down and memorizing every single one of 200 something muscles you have in your body. If I had the interest to do that AND all the numbers required for admissions (I think it’s probably 4.0 GPA / 38 MCAT or something at least…) I would definitely go for it. Now, I’m going for PhD in immunology so MD/PhD may be more appropriate, I’m not sure about comp/sys bio.</p>
<p>My father (PhD in organic chem) also wanted me to do MD/PhD!!!</p>
<p>You should only do a MD/PhD if you are certain that you wish to practice medicine down the road. If you only think some medical training might be beneficial (if you plan to focus in heavily translational research, for example), many PhD programs these days allow students the possibility of taking some number of core medical courses. I reiterate, the MD degree is only necessary if you are sure you wish to actually practice medicine. From your post, it does not seem like this is the case.</p>
<p>You are also correct in that MD/PhD programs are very intense and have very compact schedules. You will have less dedicated time to focus solely on research and you will have a ton of heavy preclinical coursework to complete. You will have to do hospital rotations - and clinical stuff like that takes a ton of time and energy. You will have to prepare for and take the USMLE, and you will need to apply for and complete a residency.</p>
<p>Again, MD/PhD programs are a ton of work, and should only be undertaken by those who wish to practice medicine. An MD degree is not necessary at all to do even heavily translational research.</p>
<p>Finally, doing an MD/PhD just because your family wants you to do that seems to be possibly the worst reason ever for doing a MD/PhD.</p>
<p>In response to PatchesNBrownie: I don’t think an MD degree necessarily makes it easier to get grants - unless you’re doing clinical research involving human patients, which HMS definitely does a lot of.</p>
<p>MD/PhD programs also look for other factors that grad school admissions committees don’t look for. As I mentioned earlier today in another thread, MD and MD/PhD admissions committees look for ECs, volunteering, shadowing, life experiences, etc. - a whole ton of stuff that people don’t generally have unless they’ve anticipated years back that they’re going to apply. A last-minute switch from pure PhD to MD/PhD is hence unlikely to be successful.</p>
<p>“Finally, doing an MD/PhD just because your family wants you to do that seems to be possibly the worst reason ever for doing a MD/PhD.”</p>
<p>very true! you would not believe how many people go to med school and law school because of their parents’ wishes.</p>
<p>I know. It’s really sad how often that happens.</p>
<p>PS - Also see the addendum I added to my previous post.</p>
<p>Sweeeet. Thanks Everyone!</p>
<p>I’m 150% sure now (was 101.1% confident with my choice).</p>
<p>Kind of sad (I mean hilarious) how they mentioned this after I applied / received all my acceptances, don’t you think? I definitely had a grin on my face when I opened the letter.</p>