Hello peoples. I am deciding between two t-5 med schools. One offers a near 99% MDPHD internal acceptance and the other only 50 percent meaning a sizable chance I don't get it. However the one with 50% is a better fit and I see myself being happier there. If I aim to be an academic neurosurgeon with a lab one day, how worth is it to get the PHD, or is an enfolded postdoc in the right place enough to go grant hunting. Will I be regretting the lack of PHD in 15 years when going for the elusive RO1.
Thanks
You will be fine without the pHD.
Depends on your goals. Getting R01 early means you’ll need some early career work, and early PhD makes sense. To start up an effective lab, your chair must be willing to give you .5 unfunded FTE for research. A PhD will go a long way showing you can make something happen, so your chair is more willing to take that hit for you.
On the other hand, if losing 4-6 attending income earning years would hurt you, then it becomes extremely costly to get that MD PhD. If you’re not wealthy, you have to think long and hard about how much it matters to get the PhD now instead of as an attending, if at all.
You can get a PhD as an attending?
