Medical scientists are the unsung heroes behind each new medical innovation. They tirelessly strive to better understand the nature of human disease, its root cause and ways to both cure and prevent conditions from worsening. Although these researchers are important to medical breakthroughs, these aren't the only tasks they handle.
What is a Medical Scientist?
A medical scientist is a researcher who conducts experiments to test the efficacy and safety of new medications and medical devices. They can also explore the root causes of diseases to further understand and improve human health. While they can conduct general research, they may also specialize in areas like:
- Dermatology
- Emergency Medicine
- Pathology
- Pediatrics
- Psychiatry and more
Medical scientists may hold a Doctor of Medicine (MD), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or an MD-PhD. Those with an MD may prefer to be called a physician scientist rather than a medical scientist. Regardless of the name, their impact on healthcare remains the same. These medical professionals strive to create new breakthroughs in medicine and understand disease to improve human health.
What Does a Medical Scientist Do?
The exact responsibilities of a medical scientist can vary depending on their specialty.
Medical scientists, who focus on creating medical devices or new medication, design and test their product in clinical trials. Those who work in academia may work alongside students, faculty and other research personnel to handle research projects. They can collaborate with other physicians and scientists to evaluate the efficacy of their clinical trials. If the trials go well, they can work alongside these professionals and public officials to further develop, implement and promote public health programs and healthy practices.
During their clinical trials, they make note of any potential side effects and test the strength of medications. Medical laboratory scientists examine medical samples, sterilize workspaces, write grant proposals to secure funding, write articles for publications and present their findings.
What Skills Does a Medical Scientist Need?
Curiosity, attention to detail, critical thinking, communication and analytical skills are some of the skills great medical scientists possess. Since they strive to create breakthroughs in medicine, they can't wait around for someone else to identify a problem for them to solve. Medical scientists should be self-starters with a passion for finding an answer to existing spoken and unspoken questions.
Since they're pursuing answers yet to be discovered, they have to create new procedures and processes for their experiment. Creating a significant breakthrough can take time and multiple experiments, so they should pay close attention to what has and hasn't been tried before. Understanding what has and hasn't worked in the past can give them a new starting point for their next hypothesis. Additionally, it can save them time by reducing repetition in future experiments.
Once medical scientists have samples, it's important for them to be able to understand what they're seeing, analyze what it means for their initial hypothesis and communicate these findings to healthcare and non-healthcare professionals alike. Should these findings lead to a breakthrough, they may publish these findings in a scholarly journal or even share them with the public.
How to Become a Medical Scientist
The steps to become a medical scientist are a little different from those required to become a licensed physician.
Medical scientists must first earn a bachelor's degree in biology, medical lab science or a physical science-related major. Those who know they want to become a medical scientist during their undergraduate studies should ask about volunteer research projects they can assist with to begin gaining experience prior to pursuing higher education. This can help them stay a step ahead of the competition as well as improve their research skills in a practical setting.
Next, they have the option to pursue an MD, PhD or both. Those pursuing a PhD focus heavily on research in a medical specialty of their choice. Those who choose to pursue an MD or an MD/PhD and earn licensure are equipped to treat patients as a healthcare provider and conduct research as a scientist, which can help increase employability.
Regardless of which degree they choose to pursue, aspiring medical scientists should seek out medical research internships to begin gaining vital experience as a student. They should use this time to network with other professionals in their industry to begin finding mentors, learn more about different medical specialties and gain future references.
Depending on their specialty, medical scientists may not need to hold medical licensure or certification. However, if a medical scientist plans to administer medication to participants in their clinical trials, they'll need to earn board certification.
Is Becoming a Medical Scientist Worth It?
Medical scientists are the pioneers who drive medical advancements forward in the hopes of finding a cure to human illnesses. Their efforts could help prevent illnesses like cancer from occurring, combat mutations, create more effective medication with fewer negative side effects and much more. Becoming a medical scientist is an excellent way to make a difference in the lives of thousands across the nation and create a better future for those these professionals hold dear.
Our students learn directly from faculty with diverse experiences, including research in a variety of fields, who work with students interested in research, giving them opportunities to participate in various activities on campus.
“The primary mission of the Scholarly Activities and Research Committee (SARC) is to promote research at AUC. SARC achieves this by maintaining the AUC research laboratory, training students in laboratory techniques, reviewing and approving research proposals, promoting research at AUC through faculty grants, providing travel grants to students to present research at conferences, and maintaining a list of all faculty and student publications. As former SARC chair, I tried to make all this happen, with the help of dedicated faculty and a great lab manager.” Dr. Raymond Colello, professor of physiology and neuroscience
With so many professional and personal benefits, we at the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC) believe becoming a medical scientist is worth it.
Ready to start your journey as a medical scientist? Submit this form for more information or apply to our MD program today!
Still Have Questions? We Can Help
We're happy to answer any questions you might have during the application process
