Looking for a MD & JD professional

[john.crissman]

I have a friend's son who is a really bright young man getting ready to graduate HS. He tells me that his goal is to do medical school AND law school. This task is not beyond him, but I think he should get a better picture from someone who has gone that route.

So, if anyone knows someone that is accomplished in these dual fields, please ask them if they would be willing to be interviewed by an ambitious HS student and then pm me with the details. I will pass the info to him.

Thanks in advance!

 

[BarryR]

I have a friend's son who is a really bright young man getting ready to graduate HS. He tells me that his goal is to do medical school AND law school. This task is not beyond him, but I think he should get a better picture from someone who has gone that route.

So, if anyone knows someone that is accomplished in these dual fields, please ask them if they would be willing to be interviewed by an ambitious HS student and then pm me with the details. I will pass the info to him.

Thanks in advance!

I'm an MD but not JD.
I do find my self wondering why a HS student already "knows" that he wants to be an MD/JD. Is there something particular he wants to do with those combined degrees? It's a pretty rare combination.

At any rate, I'd think he's got a while to decide (like until almost his last year of medical school).

 

[rth97601]

My wife's father (now deceased) was an MD/JD, but it wasn't exactly intentional, per se. He started off as a doctor, and then became a lawyer in his spare time (I know ... it's a hard act to live up to, I tell you ...) when he became a bit more experienced and wanted to get involved in issues regarding patients rights, malpractice, and the like. He died young (at age 52, in '99) but was becoming increasingly involved in both fields as a military doctor--he was focused primarily on medical ethics, and, had he lived, he would have been appalled (to say the least) at some of the recent Walter Reed scandals, as he was stationed there for some years before his death.

I agree with the previous poster--he's got plenty of time to sort it out.

It might not be a bad idea, however, to double-major in English and pre-med--you get both argument/research and biology under your belt right off.

 

[sstuckey25]

I am currently working on a joint JD and MBA from a very prestigious university- both programs in the top 15 in the nation. I was a very good undergrad student at a state school and decided I needed more education. I chose the joint degree because the interconnectivity between the fields (law firms are nothing more than professional businesses). My only concern for this prospective student is the question of cost for return. When I am finished in 18 months, I will have almost 180k dollars in student debt. Substituting a MD for an MBA will probably add an additional 50k. If he is from a wealthy family and money is not an issue, this may not be a concern. Additionally, while a few schools offer this program, I don’t see the advantage of doing both. The only two career paths that would use both degrees are malpractice defense or hospital administration. The potential earning from these career paths are comparable to what they would be individually. I do know a few people that have both, but all of them got out of one field and subsequently changed professions. Best of luck.

 

[richmondesi]

There are a couple of possible paths that I could see with this joint degree. One interesting path is political office. There have been several doctors come to prominence in the political arena lately... Sounds like someone on the right side of the ambitious guy/bum scale

 

[john.crissman]

Thanks for the responses guys.

Other than some type of specialized law I have no clue why he would wnat to do this.

I suspect that since he is just an overachiever and thinks these additional degrees will garner him some additional prestige, but not considering the practicality of having both. That is why I want to find someone for him to talk to, so he can understand the reality of what he is saying and just not create an expensive, elusive goal for himself.

Still looking if anyone knows someone he can contact...

 

[Austin]

I worked with a couple of physicians that had MBA's. They were sharp and understood the business aspect of their professions unlike most of their colleagues. I have seen ads from a practicing attorney that has an MD. He mainly specializes in malpractice law.

 

[stobes21]

JD here, but not an MD. As others have stated there really aren't any truly unique career paths opened up by this particular combination, so I too wonder what he hopes to gain. Certainly a medical background would help an attorney who practices med mal, toxic torts, or the like, but an MD is far from necessary. I know a few former nurses who have gone to law school and have done quite well with medical related legal fields. As for hospital administration: the school where I earned my JD offers a joint J.D. and MHA (Masters in Health Administration) that is similar to an MBA program but focused on the health care industry.

Now, there is demand and a whole lot of $ for those with specialized science backgrounds and law degrees in patent law. I have a buddy who had his masters in bio-engineering who passed the patent bar and is now working in patent law doing real complicated pharmaceutical and other specialized patent law stuff. If that sounds interesting perhaps this young man should look into a masters or even PhD in a science field and his JD.

 

[Sterling Cooper]

If he's still in high school, tell him not to get too far ahead of himself.

The first step would be to get into a good undergrad university and do a double major in a science and a humanities or social science (say physics/history or chemistry/philosophy). This will provide both the analytic and reasoning skills necessary for both advanced degree programs.

Kids' interests and career goals are highly likely to change during college. With a sound liberal arts degree from a respected university, he's set for any type of graduate school that might interest him four years down the road. BTW, I agree with the above poster that the combination of an engineering degree and a law degree would open up a lot more career avenues.

 

[dchasef]

JD here, but not an MD. As others have stated there really aren't any truly unique career paths opened up by this particular combination, so I too wonder what he hopes to gain. Certainly a medical background would help an attorney who practices med mal, toxic torts, or the like, but an MD is far from necessary. I know a few former nurses who have gone to law school and have done quite well with medical related legal fields. As for hospital administration: the school where I earned my JD offers a joint J.D. and MHA (Masters in Health Administration) that is similar to an MBA program but focused on the health care industry.

Now, there is demand and a whole lot of $ for those with specialized science backgrounds and law degrees in patent law. I have a buddy who had his masters in bio-engineering who passed the patent bar and is now working in patent law doing real complicated pharmaceutical and other specialized patent law stuff. If that sounds interesting perhaps this young man should look into a masters or even PhD in a science field and his JD.

JD candidate here (3L), and I would agree with the above. Even lawyers who specialize in torts or medical malpractice can get by without an MD. Besides the enormous amount of tuition that would be involved, I cannot imagine being in school for approximately 13 years (4 years undergrad, 3 years law, and approximately 6 years medical school and residency). I understand the ambition, but it is probably more practical to combine a JD or and MD with an MBA. Nonetheless, I hope that he accomplishes everything he is striving for. It would definitely be quite impressive.

Regards,
Chase

 

[The Knize]

I am not going to be of much help either in that I do not think I would be comfortable trying to hook your friends son up with anyone I know that has both an MD and JD. I do not think I am "close" enough to anyone in that situation to be very effective at doing that.

But I will say that the only individuals I know that have had both an MD and a JD were either professors--both I am thinking of taught at both law school and medicial school, and it was along the lines of medical ethics, and clearly not, for instance, insanity defense--or engaged in these professions seriatim--in each case I can think of, law first and then medicine. In each case as to the folks I am thinking of, they went to excellent law schools and excellent medical schools.

Your friend and/or his son might want to look around to see whether any universities have joint medical/law programs. If there are any, whatever they have to say about them would probably provide lots of insight into what the possible career paths are for a joint degree.

 

[sombra]

My only concern for this prospective student is the question of cost for return. When I am finished in 18 months, I will have almost 180k dollars in student debt. Substituting a MD for an MBA will probably add an additional 50k. If he is from a wealthy family and money is not an issue, this may not be a concern. Additionally, while a few schools offer this program, I don’t see the advantage of doing both.

While there is a lot of truth to the cost-reward issue, see here, I don't think that this prospective student should be discouraged at all in pursuing this goal.

I believe strongly in encouraging bright, ambitious minds to do what they want in college. At this point in this young man's life, he should be looking at the world as one of endless possibilities. To do a dual JD/MD, he'll need exceptional discipline and an incredible work ethic to get the grades necessary. I'm sure he knows that. He should be encouraged to assume that challenge as he goes to college.

Once in school, let him decide for himself whether this dream is, in fact, the right course. I find too many parents try to "oversteer" their kids in the spirit of offering guidance. Instead, they end up mildly coercing their kids in unhealthy ways. Kids who aren't living up to their potential or who lack ambition of course need much more guidance. But a HS student who is eager to do a JD/MD should be given nothing but positive reinforcement and support.

My 2 cents as someone who was told in high school what I should and shouldn't do, rejected the advice I was given, blazed my own trail, and am happier (and more successful) for it.

 

[azmark]

My brother is a JD/MD from Harvard. I can tell you that he has accomplished many things on paper but has yet to get his life started. He's now 37, works for a large firm with Paul Phifer from the Wonder Years in NY as a Intellectual Properties attorney for the medical field and made $270K out of the chutes. If you ask him he wishes he had a family now and would leave the money behind.