What is MD/PhD in behavioral science? If you are pursuing psychiatry is this a good option?
I want to work as a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and would like to know if I need a PhD after my MD. Many colleges say they offer MD/PhD in certain categories but I don’t see psychiatry instead i see behavioral science! Help!!!!
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June 6th, 2010 at 9:29 am
Psychiatry is studied in a residency after the completion of medical school, not in a Ph.D. program.
The MD/PhD programs are oriented toward students who want a career in medical research.
However, many of these joint programs can be way to go medical school for free or by paying tuition for only some of the years as often the usual Ph.D. tuition waivers apply to at least part of the program. Of course, you will probably be working as a teaching or research assistant in the Ph.D. part of the joint program. An undergraduate major in psychology with the standard pre-med classes as electives would usually be the best way of meeting the minimum qualifications for consideration for admission to the joint program with behavioral science.
On the other hand, you would delay your entry into the practice of psychiatry by a few years if you take the joint program, so it will be a few years later in life that you will earn the income of a board certified psychiatrist. Your entry into practice may also be delayed if you take a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry after you finish your general psychiatric residency, so you have some complicated choices to make.
Best wishes.