Why obtain a combined MD-PhD degree?
Most students approach the option of MD-PhD with some uncertainty. Clearly both the practice of medicine and scientific discovery are rewarding, but difficult and challenging activities that demand one’s full attention. Many applicants ask themselves, “If I become an MD-PhD won’t I just be half as good at each as someone who does them full time?” The answer to this question lies in understanding the natures of science and medicine and how a creative synergy of two different perspectives can become greater than the sum of its parts. Medicine is not a science. Medicine is a practical endeavor whose objective is to do the best for the patient. While obtaining knowledge is frequently necessary, knowledge in itself is never the goal of medicine. In fact, the good clinician must always balance the benefits of diagnostic testing against the costs, time and risks that come with it. Because of the need to act before it is too late, uncertainty must be tolerated. The clinician must have a basic
