Medical Doctor Versus Medical Researcher: Which is Right for You?

When most people think of medical careers, an MD (or DO) degree and the life of a practicing physician immediately come to mind. However, a very different option in the medical field involves an alternative pathway: pursuing a PhD toward a career as a medical researcher. Here's a closer look at these two possibilities for the medically minded, including three perks for each.

The Perks of Being a Practicing Physician

There are two types of practicing physicians: allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO). Your first question may pertain to what they have in common and where they deviate. Everyday Health says, "The simple answer is that both an MD (Doctor of Medicine) and a DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) are doctors licensed to practice in the United States. They are similarly educated and certified, but there are differences in their training and philosophy of patient care."

According to the Mayo Clinic, "The major difference between osteopathic and allopathic doctors is that some osteopathic doctors provide manual medicine therapies, such as spinal manipulation or massage therapy, as part of their treatment."

Regardless of their differences, both types of practicing physicians share overlapping perks, including the following:

1. They can work closely with patients and maybe even save lives every day.

Hospitals, clinics, and doctor's offices are very different environments than research labs. Not only are practicing physicians constantly surrounded by people, but they also have the opportunity to help patients face-to-face. The hours may be long and the work challenging, but the ability to improve or even save someone's life makes it all worthwhile for most doctors.

2. Jobs for practicing physicians are both stable and lucrative.

As long as there are people in need of medical care, there will be a need for doctors. In other words, career opportunities for practicing physicians aren't going away anytime soon.

In giving physicians and surgeons a spot on a recent roundup of the "10 Professions with the Best Job Security," MarketWatch said, "Less than 0.5% of physicians and surgeons were unemployed last year, a lower rate than for the vast majority of occupations. The BLS also forecasts that the number of physicians and surgeons will grow by 17.8% by 2022, one of the faster growth rates reviewed. The requirements for physicians and surgeons typically include education and training spanning more than a decade. Still, the extensive years of learning are worth it since those employed are well compensated, with a median pay of more than $187,000 in 2012"

3. Physicians are among the most respected of professions.

For many people, recognition is a critical part of job satisfaction. If you fall into this category, the practice of medicine may be a perfect fit. Why? Houston Chronicle explains that "Doctors are viewed as lifesavers and get a lot of respect in the community, especially from individuals they have provided health care to. Doctors build bonds with families in the community as they help to deliver babies and treat sick loved ones. Sometimes, a doctor is so admired that she becomes the family doctor and treats family members for generations."

The Perks of Being a Medical Researcher

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Medical scientists often use clinical trials and other investigative methods to reach their findings. Many medical scientists form hypotheses and develop experiments, with little supervision. They often lead teams of technicians, and sometimes students, who perform support tasks.

Aside from the tremendous diversity of their work, what are the upsides of being a medical researcher? Read on for three.

1. Monotony is not part of the job description.

If you're driven by the quest for discovery, the job of a medical researcher offers near-endless potential for contributing to science. They go about this in many different ways, including:

• Designing and conducting studies that investigate human diseases and their prevention and treatments
• Preparing and analyzing medical samples and data
• Standardizing drug potency, doses, and methods for manufacturing and distribution
• Creating and testing medical devices
• Developing programs aimed at improving health outcomes by working alongside partners such as physicians, health departments, and industry personal
• Writing research proposals and applying for grants and other funding.

The takeaway? With such a long list of roles and responsibilities, medical researchers rarely have to worry about boredom or burnout from doing the same thing day after day.

2. Their work has serious, world-changing potential.

Just because face-to-face time with patients is limited for medical researchers doesn't mean it's not just as impactful, if not more. In fact, if you come up with a particular treatment or make a major drug discovery, your work could ultimately save thousands, if not millions, of lives.

Take Canadian medical scientist Sir Frederick Grant Banting, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for his co-discovery of the therapeutic potential of insulin. If not for his work, diabetics all over the world might still be dying slow and painful deaths as opposed to living normal lives.

3. Medical researchers directly contribute to the buildup of medical knowledge.

In his book, The Demon Haunted World, Carl Sagan wrote, "Every time a scientific paper presents a bit of data, an error bar - a quiet but insistent reminder that no knowledge is complete or perfect, accompanies it. The most each generation can hope for is to reduce the error bars a little, and to add to the body of data to which error bars apply."

In other words, even if you don't make a groundbreaking discovery, your work may become a building block for someone else who does, meaning you'll still leave behind a pretty amazing legacy.

Both sound interesting?

But what do you do if both careers sound equally enticing? You're not alone. Says Science, "For those captivated by this dance of medicine and science, there is a third career path: the physician-scientist." If you're attracted to both clinical practice and medical research and you don't mind spending a few extra years in school, then an MD/PhD may be right for you.

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• 7 movies for medical students
• 4 reasons to study nursing instead of medicine