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[BernieMac]

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[Edict]

3 hours ago, YesIcan55 said:

I have heard from some people saying that in certain specialities and/or academic centres having a PhD really helps in getting an academic position later on as staff...but what I am wondering is does the publication record matter of the PhD matter or simply just possing the PhD what matters? What if the PhD is in the social sciences and not related in any way to medicine/basic sciences?

Publication record matters strongly. a PhD in the social sciences would only be remotely helpful, likely not too helpful.

When academic centers hire, they hire you for a specific task. Most are going to hire someone for their clinical skills and then either teaching or research skills or both. If you are aiming for research ability, they are going to expect you to perform clinical research or basic science or translational research. So, while a PhD in the social science will help you understand the basic concepts of research, what they really judge you on is your ability to perform clinical or basic science or translational research. 

Possessing a PhD is nice but it will not beat someone who has a proven record and demonstrated ability to succeed at doing the task. For example, if you have a PhD in basic science but weren't too successful with getting good papers from it and you have a few clin research papers and you are applying for a job where they are hoping to get someone to do clinical research and you go up against someone who may have a masters in clin epi but has a track record of syst reviews, retrospective studies, registry studies, RCTs and grants especially if they are in the same field they will most likely get the job if all else is the same. 

Essentially what it all comes down to is, can you convince the hiring committee that you are the one that will do the best job at that specific objective for them. 

[GH0ST]

3 hours ago, YesIcan55 said:

I have heard from some people saying that in certain specialities and/or academic centres having a PhD really helps in getting an academic position later on as staff...but what I am wondering is does the publication record matter of the PhD matter or simply just possing the PhD what matters? What if the PhD is in the social sciences and not related in any way to medicine/basic sciences?

 

1 minute ago, Edict said:

Publication record matters strongly. a PhD in the social sciences would only be remotely helpful, likely not too helpful.

When academic centers hire, they hire you for a specific task. Most are going to hire someone for their clinical skills and then either teaching or research skills or both. If you are aiming for research ability, they are going to expect you to perform clinical research or basic science or translational research. So, while a PhD in the social science will help you understand the basic concepts of research, what they really judge you on is your ability to perform clinical or basic science or translational research. 

Possessing a PhD is nice but it will not beat someone who has a proven record and demonstrated ability to succeed at doing the task. For example, if you have a PhD in basic science but weren't too successful with getting good papers from it and you have a few clin research papers and you are applying for a job where they are hoping to get someone to do clinical research and you go up against someone who may have a masters in clin epi but has a track record of syst reviews, retrospective studies, registry studies, RCTs and grants they will most likely get the job if all else is the same. 

Essentially what it all comes down to is, can you convince the hiring committee that you are the one that will do the best job at that specific objective for them. 

I would add that you should expect to find a position related to what you did ... so if you did social sciences, you can get into clinical medicine but from a social sciences perspective. For example, I know of one that had a PhD in Anthropology but she does mainly qualitative research on UGME and PGME. 

- G