For years, I thought that my place in medicine would be working in the clinical trenches or a mix of academia and clinical medicine. However, after finishing my PhD, I’ve discovered that research with a smattering of clinical medicine on the side is my niche. I’ve gotten a LOT of positive feedback regarding my dissertation and my school has actively encouraged me to continue this line of inquiry throughout my medical school days. I’ve also been fortunate enough to continue working with Melva Thompson-Robinson on our existing COVID and HIV work.
Recently, I had a conversation with an African American research physician here in San Antonio about his career. He is an older physician who started medical school later in life, like me, and one of the things that he said about his career is that after residency and spending a few years in solo practice to gain adequate clinical experience, he said that the career is “Easy on the bones.” He typically works office hours, has clinical patient care responsibilities that don’t require the typical 60-hour work weeks of family medicine/internal medicine docs, and has a faculty appointment at UTSA in both the internal medicine program and the PhD in Translational Research. His career is sustainable & intellectually stimulating, and he said that he feels like he can easily work well into his 70s. He went on to say that its tough for Osteopathic Physicians to get into the field due to stigma and the perception that DO’s aren’t trained well in research methodology, but because I have an existing research-based doctorate along with a masters in pharmacology, I’d have an easier time getting into the field than most MD’s AND I would come in at a higher salary because of my existing research background.
After a LOT of research and more thinking about it, I’ve decided to pursue a career as a clinical research physician (CRP). What do CRPs do? A CRP conducts research and performs clinical studies to develop improved care options for local physicians and their patients. As a CRP, I will oversee clinical trials, perform safety medical reviews, and build relationships with professionals in the pharmaceutical field. CRPs also play a critical role in developing regulatory documents for the pharmaceutical industry. Depending on the position, I may also work closely with the sales and marketing team for medical marketing and product launches. CRP salaries range from 92k to 795k, depending on whether the work is part-time or full-time, credentials that the individual has, and whether the individual is working for a small startup, academic institution, or large pharmaceutical/medical device company.
So, to prepare myself, I’ll be seeking a clinical research project while I am in medical school (and eventually residency), and I’ll be finishing a master’s in clinical & translational research concurrently with my DO (Was admitted to the MS at Arizona State University today and was awarded a full scholarship, lightning does strike twice!). I’ve identified some mentors in the field and will be preparing to take the clinical research professional certification exam before I finish medical school. I doubt that I will leave academia fully; in fact, the VA has a large clinical trials arm and its possible that I could end up with a faculty appointment and a directorship with the VA. I’m feeling rejuvenated now that I see a way that I can use my doctoral research training AND medical training but not end up burnt out like so many of the physicians that I have recently met.
#careerdecisions #osteopathicmedicine
