{"id":3388,"date":"2020-08-03T18:11:00","date_gmt":"2020-08-03T18:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/?p=3388"},"modified":"2025-05-08T10:35:29","modified_gmt":"2025-05-08T18:35:29","slug":"transitioning-from-a-phd-to-medical-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/transitioning-from-a-phd-to-medical-school","title":{"rendered":"Transitioning from a PhD to Medical School"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">In This Article<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/transitioning-from-a-phd-to-medical-school\/#Graduate_school\" >Graduate school<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/transitioning-from-a-phd-to-medical-school\/#Re-defining_yourself\" >Re-defining yourself<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/transitioning-from-a-phd-to-medical-school\/#Adapting_to_new_situations\" >Adapting to new situations<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Pursuing an advanced degree is challenging and comes with its risk of burnout. Aiming to pursue two doctoral degrees is a huge undertaking that will test your mental toughness and push you beyond your limits. In today\u2019s blog, OMEF Brian Ogendi shares his experiences so far on his journey towards the finish line.&nbsp;<br><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Traditionally, if one wants to pursue dual doctorate degrees, such as an MD-PhD, you apply to programs that have already streamlined the process. In these programs, every class is intentional and directed towards maximizing your time, allowing you to expeditiously complete the program. The difficulty of gaining admission into such prestigious programs speaks volumes to the excellence and intellect of those accepted.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In contrast, individuals who pursue two doctoral degrees independently, especially from different institutions, face some unique challenges.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Graduate_school\"><\/span>Graduate school<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Applying to PhD programs involves taking the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) and then completing applications to institutions of interest a year prior to your intended matriculation. Several months later, you interview at the schools you applied to and interview with several members of the faculty to discuss your interests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once accepted, you spend the first year taking various basic science classes all while rotating in various laboratories as you seek to find a good fit. After selecting a laboratory, you begin your second year with advanced electives to help you streamline your knowledge base in order to help you maximize your efforts. The goal is to master the knowledge in your chosen field,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/2020\/06\/27\/tips-for-making-the-most-of-your-summer-research-time\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">conduct successful experiments<\/a>, and push the envelope of knowledge by contributing to new scientific findings.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This process, on average, takes around 5.5 years, but can last as long as 7 years for some. I was able to write and defend my dissertation after three years. By the end of my tenure, I was completely broken and burned out from the culmination of working long hours in the lab and writing manuscripts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/student-feeling-burnout.png\" alt=\"A PhD student feeling burnt-out in a lab.\" class=\"wp-image-3392\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/student-feeling-burnout.png 700w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/student-feeling-burnout.png?resize=300,200 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Re-defining_yourself\"><\/span>Re-defining yourself<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ordinarily, once you near the end of your PhD, you begin looking for postdoctoral positions where you pursue more training before finally beginning your career. I, however, chose to apply to medical school after my second year because it had been a passion of mine to pursue medicine. After a grueling application process with primary and secondary applications, interviews, and graduate school responsibilities, I successfully received admission to my current medical program.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the beginning, medical school was both exciting and scary. After going through a program where I had risen through the ranks, here I was again at the very beginning. It was so interesting how I could, in one moment, feel that the content we were learning was too shallow, and in the next minute, feel completely out of my depth.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/2020\/05\/18\/overcoming-impostor-syndrome-in-medical-school\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Impostor syndrome<\/a>&nbsp;was very real, and in my first year, I often&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/2020\/05\/29\/at-least-humor-is-a-mature-defense-mechanism-an-unqualified-guide-to-usmle-step-1-anxiety\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">had nightmares<\/a>&nbsp;about missing my dissertation defense.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This new journey came with its own set of rules about learning and viewing the world. My objective with medical school was about learning and mastering voluminous knowledge in a way that allowed you to apply it to save lives. Whereas, my predoctoral tenure was more about mastering knowledge then forming investigative questions in hopes of contributing new knowledge.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/brian-having-nightmare.png\" alt=\"Brian having dissertation nightmares.\" class=\"wp-image-3391\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/brian-having-nightmare.png 700w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/brian-having-nightmare.png?resize=300,200 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Adapting_to_new_situations\"><\/span>Adapting to new situations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My first year-and-a-half of medical school was tumultuous because I struggled with figuring out how to apply my previous training. Eventually, I began to realize that I needed to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/2020\/07\/08\/will-my-study-style-work-in-medical-school\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">completely switch my way of thinking, learning, and approaching knowledge<\/a>. Surely, the two roads would eventually meet.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I had to work through feeling burnt out because I was inefficiently applying my efforts and I did not take any breaks between the two programs. I sought help from others who had walked the PhD to MD route and their insight began to shed light for the path that I was trying to pursue. Additionally, I reached out to academic achievement, an inhouse program for helping students become better learners, and began exploring different learning styles that would help me maximize understanding and retention.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ultimately, I am still learning, but I have a profound appreciation for both disciplines and the fortitude required to see the journey through. To anyone who is contemplating pursuing this road, don\u2019t be afraid to ask for help in navigating it; having a mentor who has done this before is invaluable and makes all the difference.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/brian-experiencing-mentorshio.png\" alt=\"Brian experiencing successful mentorship.\" class=\"wp-image-3390\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/brian-experiencing-mentorshio.png 700w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/brian-experiencing-mentorshio.png?resize=300,200 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>About Brian<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Brian Ogendi is a rising third year medical student at\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/humanmedicine.msu.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Michigan State University College of Human Medicine<\/a>\u00a0in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was born in Kenya and immigrated to the U.S. at the age of nine. He was awarded his Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences: Chlamydial Immunology from the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.uab.edu\/home\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">University of Alabama at Birmingham<\/a>\u00a0in August of 2017. Brian hopes to pursue either Internal Medicine or Gynecology after completing medical school. Brian enjoys mentoring minority students, is a newlywed, and has two small dogs.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/plans\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/image_dab7df.png?w=700\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3340\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/image_dab7df.png 700w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/image_dab7df.png?resize=300,107 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/plans\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><strong><em>Try Osmosis today! Access your\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/login?type=create\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">free trial<\/a>\u00a0and find out why millions of clinicians and caregivers love learning with us.<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pursuing an advanced degree is challenging and comes with its risk of burnout. Aiming to pursue two doctoral degrees is a huge undertaking that will test your mental toughness and push you beyond your limits. In today\u2019s blog, OMEF Brian Ogendi shares his experiences so far on his journey towards the finish line.&nbsp; Traditionally, if [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":109,"featured_media":3389,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27,35,46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3388","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-medicine","category-osmosis-health-leadership-initiative-ohli","category-student-stories"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Transitioning from a PhD to Medical School - Osmosis Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/transitioning-from-a-phd-to-medical-school\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Transitioning from a PhD to Medical School - Osmosis Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Pursuing an advanced degree is challenging and comes with its risk of burnout. Aiming to pursue two doctoral degrees is a huge undertaking that will test your mental toughness and push you beyond your limits. In today\u2019s blog, OMEF Brian Ogendi shares his experiences so far on his journey towards the finish line.&nbsp; Traditionally, if [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/transitioning-from-a-phd-to-medical-school\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Osmosis Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-08-03T18:11:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-05-08T18:35:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/phd-to-medical-school.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1081\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Brian M. 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