Phd in physiology

[Fundersam]

As a future FMG I am considering things to make me more competitive for residency. Getting a phd is high on the list.

A phd in neuroscience would be nice, since I'm interested in neuro, but I am not entirely sure neurology or neurosurgery is what I will want to do in the end. I am guessing a phd in neuro would be a waste, competitively, if I decide to apply to something like ortho or gen surg?

Physiology covers everything, so... how is a phd in physiology looked upon when applying for neurology, neurosurgery, general surgery, or ortho?

At the moment, second year of med school, I am more interested in neuroscience, but my main goal with the phd is to, when the time comes, get the residency spot that I want. What would you have picked?

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[Gozar]

the following is my perspective as an md/phd working on a dissertation in a neurosurgery lab.

My PI (who is a neurosurgeon) talked to me extensively about what you are planning to do before I made the transition to being a graduate student in the lab. He told me repeatedly that getting a PhD for the sole purpose of matching is a waste of time and is not worth the sacrifice in the match. I can't say that my experience translates directly to you b/c of your IMG status, but I can say that if the only reason you want to get a PhD is to match in the US then you're wasting your time. Getting a PhD does not significantly improve your chances of matching (this is a fact, go look at the NRMP statistics and you'll see that I am correct). What it does is take an applicant that would have matched at a decent program and places them into a top tier program. Again, my mentor told me that "it won't change IF you match, it will change WHERE you match." As a grad student the tone of your post makes me wary of advising on grad school. The decision to get a PhD isn't, "Hmmmm, maybe I'll choose this field b/c it covers more things related to medicine... But neuro is nice...." Get a burning desire to do research, then do the PhD. Don't delude yourself into thinking that this will help you match. You'll just be miserable for the years your in the lab.

 

[Excelsius]

I don't know about FMGs, but I have heard some different information about research and NS. It seems that all NS programs consider research to be very important. I think it was in the residency subforum where I read that NS students usually dedicate 1-2 years to research before they start residency. Given that PhD can be less than 3 years when combined with MD AND that your medschool education is free + stipend on top, doesn't an MD/PhD program make a lot of sense? Yeah, sure, you should like research (though who can like NS and not like research involving the study of the brain?). Plus, if you're trying to keep your options open geographically - let's say you're trying to stay in CA - then it is not such a small thing to be able to match at top programs. When I look at the list of NS residents at UCSF, almost all of them have a PhD. Let me know if I am missing something.

 

[Encephalectomy]

I read that NS students usually dedicate 1-2 years to research before they start residency

This definitely is not true. While taking time off for research and/or getting a PhD is definitely not rare among people applying for neurosurgery, it isn't a majority.