What are the advantages/disadvantages of the MD/PhD program versus research post-doctoral fellowships after medical school and residency?
This is probably the most commonly asked question from students considering research or academic medicine careers. The answers are fraught with opinion and rhetoric. Nevertheless, the comparison can be simplified into a comparison of two different training environments. The MD/PhD programs attempts to provide a relatively efficient scenario for training of students with broad expertise in both medicine and basic sciences. The PhD degree provides a complete training in research through both course work and thesis activities. Thus, in general, dual degree recipients tend to have a broader scientific knowledge base. The PhD degree for these students is a training degree, just as the MD degree is, and prepares them for advanced training. In addition, the dual degree is often seen as attractive by residency programs looking for mature housestaff with investigative interests. This has been especially true in Neurology, Psychiatry, Surgery, Therapeutic Radiology and Internal Medicine subspeci
