• Best of luck to the class of 2024 for their HSC exams. You got this!
    Let us know your thoughts on the HSC exams here
  • YOU can help the next generation of students in the community!
    Share your trial papers and notes on our Notes & Resources page
MedVision ad

Phd in medicine? (1 Viewer)

Mdzabakly

Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2012
Messages
458
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
so i always woundered can you actually get a phd in mbbs? or does that not work like that ?
 

enoilgam

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Feb 11, 2011
Messages
11,904
Location
Mare Crisium
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
2010
Many doctors often get PhD's (I remember reading somewhere that they often do PhD studies prior to specialisation for some reason - Dr Fresh may know why). In the US they are known as mudphuds (MD, PhD).
 

Dr_Fresh

U MAD??
Joined
Sep 30, 2008
Messages
1,524
Location
Adrenal Cortex
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
research is looked upon very favourably when you apply for fellowships at the respective colleges which then allows you to specialise. however, it is by no means necessary except for the competitive ones (surgical ones mainly).
also, once you do become a specialist, it is very hard to get a job at a major public metropolitan hospital without a PhD as they are usually attached to a research/tertiary institutions and want you to be able to participate in clinical research.
 

Mdzabakly

Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2012
Messages
458
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
Isnt your specialization the phd?^ still not grasping it fully
 

iSplicer

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2008
Messages
1,809
Location
Strathfield
Gender
Male
HSC
2010
Uni Grad
2017
Isnt your specialization the phd?^ still not grasping it fully
Excellent reply by Dr. Fresh. He/She is further down the med path than I, but I'll still try and answer your question: No, your PhD is not your specialisation. A PhD is a research degree awarded by an academic institution (i.e. a university). Your specialisation leads to a different set of initials, such as FRACGP (Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners).

As Dr. Fresh said, a PhD really helps for the more competitive surgical specialities. Although the days are early for me right now, I'm aiming to go towards ER, and my dream is to get a PhD before this. So if all goes to plan: BMedSc, MBBS (Hons.), PhD (...), FACEM.
 

Dr_Fresh

U MAD??
Joined
Sep 30, 2008
Messages
1,524
Location
Adrenal Cortex
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
Oh damn... I guess It'll be a long time before I can become a psyschiatrist.
Psychiatry is one of the least competitive specialties along with GP. You definitely don't need a phd to get in or get a job after specialising. But yeah, it will take at least 10+ years (including med school) for you to become one (pretty short compared to other specialties)
 

Dr_Fresh

U MAD??
Joined
Sep 30, 2008
Messages
1,524
Location
Adrenal Cortex
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
Know dat f33l im a wannabe neurosurgeon haha
you will be at least 40 lol.
i commend you for wanting to do it cuz its one of the lowest paying surgical specialities and you will rarely get a good nights rest as you are on-call 24/7. you really have to be passionate about it.
 
Last edited:

mirakon

nigga
Joined
Sep 18, 2009
Messages
4,221
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
you will be at least 40 lol.
i commend you for wanting to do it cuz its one of the lowest paying surgical specialities and you will rarely get a good nights rest as you are on-call 24/7. you really have to be passionate about it.
Yep :) I mean of course through the course of my degree and as I get more exposure to the different aspects of medicine I might change my mind, but for now its the specialty that most interests me
 

russ3l

Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2011
Messages
258
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2014
Psychiatry is one of the least competitive specialties along with GP. You definitely don't need a phd to get in or get a job after specialising. But yeah, it will take at least 10+ years (including med school) for you to become one (pretty short compared to other specialties)
What specialties are the most/least competitive? :) I would presume neurosurgeons are more inclined to be amongst the competitive lot?...

[edit] and also to add, what are the highest paying specialties?
 
Last edited:

starshine02

Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2012
Messages
436
Location
Newfoundland
Gender
Female
HSC
2013
What specialties are the most/least competitive? :) I would presume neurosurgeons are more inclined to be amongst the competitive lot?...

[edit] and also to add, what are the highest paying specialties?
I heard one of the lowest paying were psychiatry or paediatrics but I'm not sure
 

Ryan_T90

Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2011
Messages
200
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2012
I heard one of the lowest paying were psychiatry or paediatrics but I'm not sure
I wouldn't imagine psychiatry to be one of the lowest paying due to the rising rates of mental health in Australia. I could be wrong though.
 

Dr_Fresh

U MAD??
Joined
Sep 30, 2008
Messages
1,524
Location
Adrenal Cortex
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
lowest: psychiatry, paediatrics, gp
highest: ophthalmology, dermatology, radiology, urology, anaesthesia, O&G, most surgical specialities (except paediatric surgery and neurosurgery)
 

enoilgam

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Feb 11, 2011
Messages
11,904
Location
Mare Crisium
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
2010
Just out of curiosity Dr Fresh, why dont neurosurgeons earn that much? I was under the impression that it was a top earning speciality?
 

Dr_Fresh

U MAD??
Joined
Sep 30, 2008
Messages
1,524
Location
Adrenal Cortex
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
Just out of curiosity Dr Fresh, why dont neurosurgeons earn that much? I was under the impression that it was a top earning speciality?
In the US a neurosurgeon earns seven figures, but for whatever reason they aren't paid well here in Australia. Most likely the result of the different health systems. It's a top specialty in terms of prestige, but certainly not the highest paid surgical specialty.
 
Last edited:

Siddy123

Active Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2011
Messages
672
Location
Compton
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
how about a specialty in Orthopedics( bones etc...)-
How long would that take??
also, could someone provide a timeline of somesort of the stages of becoming a doctor.
(starting from graduating yr 12 till actually working in a clinic)
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top