I would need a third hand (maybe a fourth) to have enough fingers to count off the number of times some smug old jerk of a doctor has made a comment that the reason I am in research pursuing a Ph.D. is because I am clearly not intelligent enough to be a “real” doctor. Of course, we all know that this is utter BS – but I also know that there is no point in trying to change the opinion of a old, ignorant, pompous man, so I just let it all go in one and ear and out the other. Interestingly, my PI, who is an MD (aka, a “real” doctor), has mentioned on multiple occasions how he believes the Ph.D. process is exceedingly more difficult than medical school (and has unofficially mentioned to a few undergrads that if they are interested in a clinically based research field, like oncology, where physician-scientists are far more respected than in a truly basic science… they will have a much easier time just going through medical school and doing research afterward, even if they never intend to practice clinical medicine).
While medical school may be more intense as far as the number of hours (while I have spent many a night working overnight in the lab… it pales in comparison to Husband’s call nights as a medical student), obtaining the Ph.D. is the marathon in comparison to the sprint, and the truly difficult part is not knowing when (or if?) the race will ever end. It’s not just showing up everyday, studying, and working hard – it’s having to discover something brand new in your field, which is then important enough to warrant publication in a decent journal; often, multiple times before you are permitted to even start writing. So while medical school and graduate school are entirely different beasts, I’ve always thought it was absurd for anyone to consider one entire population – MDs versus PhDs – to be more intelligent than the other.
Until now. It recently dawned on me that had I attended medical school, I would have graduated this past weekend. As in, over. Finished. Done. Dr. Disgruntled Julie. Four years and out. The day my husband started his first year medical school orientation, he also knew his graduation date. But… instead, I went the research route, via a Ph.D. I could have graduated this weekend, but I did not. Instead, I have another 2? 3? 12? years to go.
Degree FAIL. I have seen the light. MDs are FAR wiser than PhDs. Lucky bastards. Oh wait, excuse me. Lucky INTELLIGENT bastards.
I see the same thing with Vets. They have their specific set time of four years to get their DVM but if you come back with your DVM to get your PhD they really struggle for a while as they begin to realize that it could take 6 years.
ReplyDeleteIt sure would be nice if just once the public was educated a bit on how hard and weird the PhD and masters programs really can be, especially in Science. Sometimes I think they really pictures you just go to a few classes and then write a paper and that's it.
Oh Julie. I'm far enough away from the biomed thing that I never made that direct comparison, but I hated running into hs and college friends that were really "grown-up" while I was "just a student still." But in the end, if you like what you do (and you clearly do) and you are making a difference, then it is totally worth it. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteThis is funny -- in Germany, we have a bit of the opposite, as some (natural) scientists look down on the medical students, because it usually takes them a year or less to complete the thesis that gives them their "Doctor" title.
ReplyDeleteThe whole system is completely different, so it's hard to compare, though. Until they're done with all the required practical years and specialization it takes a long time, comparable to what we need to finish a PhD. I don't know if there is a fixed graduation date -- don't think so because that's unusual in Germany anyway.
I'm a bit surprised by your PI though. Doesn't he want to recruit students for the lab?
Not to mention that one can put hours and hours into a particular project only to yield nonpublishable results! My nursing friends complain and complain about their 12 hours shifts, but 1. they know that they can go home after 12 hours and 2. they do something like four days on three days off. Ooo...rough! :-)
ReplyDeleteHey-just wanted to reply to your comment on my blog. I was really scared, but curious to try the diving. Obviously it was not as safe as it could have been and I don't approve of the wildlife touching. We weren't very deep though and the only really dangerous part was when we went into the cave. I am PADI certified now. I can't believe your course was 12 weeks! Did you get any certifications other than open water? That seems so long! I would think you'd need to wear a dry suit to dive in a snow quarry..sounds like an interesting experience that maybe deserves a blog post.
ReplyDeleteGah, as I finish my 6th (!) year of grad school, I can easily say I've labored just as much as someone who went through medical school.
Oh Julie, man. The not knowing is the hardest part. I hope you make major progress soon and can feel better about not being a Dr. (of any sort) yet ;).
ReplyDeleteBlablover - My favorite are all the non-science/medicine people who truly have NO concept of what I do. I have had 7 or 8 friends who have indicated that they think that graduate school is still like high school chemistry lab, where every student works on the exact same lab, but the labs are just harder, and you can't graduate until you calculate a pure enough product with 100% yield. My jaw dropped!
ReplyDeleteScienceWoman - I've actually been meaning to post about it, but being 4-5 years out of college, all my friends are at the point in their careers when they're getting promotions, or leaving for a new firm, etc... i.e., making real advancements. So while it seems like everyone else is progressing and moving forward and doing real world things, it's getting increasingly frustrating, because I feel like I'm moving backwards as far as "growing up" goes, what with my husband moving away and all. I guess sometimes the question that I can't answer is even if I like what I'm doing in the lab, is it worth sacrificing the happiness in my personal life?
Amelie - My PI wouldn't be recruiting graduate students for the lab from the undergraduate population; chances are that undergrads would go to a different institution for graduate school, and even if they stayed, to get a wider laboratory experience, they would not complete their Ph.D. in the same lab in which they did undergraduate research. As far as short-term recruitment while they are still undergrads, whether they are looking to go into medical school or graduate school, they still need research experience, so they remain committed to the lab.
UR - Plus, with nursing, and my husband once he finished his first two years of medical school, with the exception of the occasional in-depth H&P writeup, once they are done with the long shift, they are DONE for the day. None of this working a 12 hour day doing experiments, and then coming home and having to analyze all the data and read papers. As a fourth-year medical student, Husband NEVER brought work home, because there wasn't really anything required of him for his AIs or electives that could be done outside the hospital. But when I am writing manuscripts and start working on my dissertation, I'll still be expected to put in full days in the lab... and then write on "my time" at home.
PD - I just wish I could have some concept of planning my life. I guess it wouldn't be frustrating if I was planning on staying in this area for a post-doc because it's not such a rush, but with Husband gone, we'd like to have some idea of how long it will take, when is a good time to start looking for a house (as opposed to me finishing up, moving up there, and then having to rent an apartment for a few months before we can move into a house, just because I didn't know early enough when I would finish, etc). Just some generic 1, 1.5, 2, 3-year ballpark figure would be nice!
I totally understand what you are saying, and I agree that perhaps MDs are wiser in choosing a field in which they can be done earlier. As a PhD student myself, I find it is always hard to love what I'm doing. Especially because it takes so long and few people seem to really appreciate the kind of work I have to put in. Well, I'm sure you will think differently when you do get your Ph.D.. That's what I look forward to.
ReplyDeleteEtBr -- that's interesting. Here grad students are often recruited from their undergrad times. The idea of "grad schools" into which you get via an official application procedure is still rather new. There was a related article in a German newspaper about this (and the dangers of the old system), maybe I'll post about it.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I so agree that not knowing when you're done (somedays: if you'll ever be done) is one of the worst parts.
When I was in grad. school we would get med. students in the lab during the summer. I think that they were between their first and second year. You would not believe the look of utter disbelief on their face when they found out that not one of us applied for medical school or even took the MCAT.
ReplyDelete