how much will a PhD help me

[Guest chenzy]

I've asked a similar question in a different thread, but thought I would ask it here as it is more general. I was recently accepted my the U of C and would like to start seriously thinking about residency ahead of time. I was wondering if there are certain residencies for which having a PhD in molecular biology would make you significantly more competitive and which ones may be relatively indifferent. My research has focused on mammalian embryonic development using various imaging technologies. It seems that having this experience may help for radiology or pathology, but what about surgical specialties? Would having a general aptitude for research even in an unrelated field enhance my application?

 

Thanks

[Guest Kirsteen]

Hi there;

 

If you have a PhD already, then I don't think it can hurt your CaRMS application at all; especially if you're applying to a school and/or program that emphasizes research within their selection objectives. However, I've also heard from two of my clinical mentors that, in terms of CaRMS competitiveness, (again for schools and/or programs who have a research focus), research activity during the medical school years--particularly publications--counts for quite a bit.

 

In terms of basic science research, hopefully someone else can pitch in some opinions as that's really not my area of expertise.

 

Cheers,

Kirsteen

[Guest moo]

Well as you said yourself, it will help in specialties that emphasize basic sciences. If you want to do something competitive like urology, it can only help (as it shows you've got valuable research skills). However, as Kirsteen pointed out, you will probably need to do research during your med school years, especially clinical research related to that specialty.

[Guest Valani9]

I hear what you're all saying about the timing of the research - I mean, it's good to show continued interest while you're in med school. But realistically, I would think that research done before med school would count for just as much. And also - if you do a project the year before you enter med school - it would probably be published a year or two later anyways -- when you're in med school!

 

When a selection committee looks at the list of publications beside your name, they're not going to start trying to figure out when you actually did the work. They're gonna look at the content of the publication, the journal it was published in, etc.

 

That said, I guess anyone who has a list of publications beside their name is probably doing alright anyways....

[Guest Kirsteen]

Hey there,

 

Just to reiterate, when I mentioned the increased value of research productivity during medical school years, above, the comment did not originate from my own, uneducated opinion. It was derived from the independent opinions of two of my clinical mentors (one of whom is involved in the resident selection process), who mentioned this as a definite strength in a CaRMS application.

 

Cheers,

Kirsteen