MD/JD Program...thoughts?

[big - fat - box]

If the primary focus is medicine, I'd probably skip the JD. The extra stress/time/debt isn't worth it. Law school doesn't teach you real policymaking skills anyway. That is true even at the top law schools. Most of the policy discussions in law school are half-baked or just plain hot air. I'd agree that if you must do some sort of dual degree, the MPH would seem to make more sense.

While there are a few ex-doctors out there who became med-mal lawyers (many years after doing medicine) and racked up big $$$, they are unable to serve as experts for their own cases and still have to hire expert witnesses.

[futurectdoc]

If your med school offers it and it's either T1 or T2 do it. I'm in a similar boat I'm in a dual admit med program, I wish my school offered combined JD programs. Go for it but also do your residency.

[Matthies]

If your med school offers it and it's either T1 or T2 do it. I'm in a similar boat I'm in a dual admit med program, I wish my school offered combined JD programs. Go for it but also do your residency.

Does your school have a law school? Just becuase they don't offically list a joint degree program on thier website it does not mean you can't do it. I had several classmates approach two schools and get the deans to allow them to do joint degrees even though we had no offical program for it.

[Alchemy Prep]

I generally don't suggest joint degrees unless you have money to burn.  They are expensive and don't add much value. 

On the legal end, most employers could care less if you have a joint JD/MBA let alone a JD/MD.  But, if you have a specific target employer in mind that you are nearly certain you can/will get hired by, you may fit the exception.

Just note that while joint degrees sound glamorous, they may not help earnings power at all on the legal end.  On the busines/medical end, perhaps, but the marginal difference likely makes the extra cost not worth it.

Best,

Kris
www.alchemyprep.com

[futurectdoc]

I'm in a BS/DO program going to do UG. Take a leave of absence, do an accelerated JD probably at the University of Kansas (2 year program). Grab my DO, do a residency in ophtho or ortho. Then I may do health law as an attorney doing chart reviews/malpractice defense.

[Trinity1]

hello
New to this forum.Age 42
Immigrated to States 15 years ago
After 12 years of being in private practice and seen the in's and out's of Medical/Hospital practice want to pursue JD.How much time will it take full time and or part time? Could I get exemption from LSAT?
Also after going thru a few litigations I have seen the legal aspect of medical practice and think I could do some good service to the community.Money may be an issue but may make it up in JD practice
DOes anybody have any thoughts
thanks

[MeganEW]

I'm in a BS/DO program going to do UG. Take a leave of absence, do an accelerated JD probably at the University of Kansas (2 year program). Grab my DO, do a residency in ophtho or ortho. Then I may do health law as an attorney doing chart reviews/malpractice defense.

Ophtho and Ortho are both surgical specialties.  While I have a lot of respect for DOs and understand that many come to decide they would prefer a surgical specialty halfway through, I don't really understand why you would plan to get a Doctor of Osteopathy with the goal of doing a residency in one of two of the most competitive specialties that don't really even use much (if any) of the uniquely osteopathic practice.  Why are you not hoping to get an MD?  Or, why would you chose 5 years of residency over 3 when you ultimately just want to practice law?

As for the question in the OP...
Here's my background: I've been working at a BigLaw firm for the past few years and will apply to law school for Fall 2011.  My husband is a 4th year medical student.
Even though I haven't taken a science class since my junior year of high school, I know about the whole medical education part, and I am familiar with legal education because I spend a lot of time with lawyers.  MS3 and MS4 are totally different from MS1 and MS2, so I don't think it would be a big deal to split them up.  You would just need to take Step 1 before starting the law part and would need to brush up on the medical part before starting your medicine or pediatrics rotation.  Obviously if you want to practice medicine, you will need to do your residency as well.
Now, is it worth it?  I really doubt it.  Assuming you start right out of college and do a 3 year residency, you will be 31 when you finish with your training.  That's 6 years of accumulating student loan debt and 3 years of making ~$40k/year after college.  And what will you have gained?  Yeah, an MD/JD looks impressive because who's insane enough to get two professional degrees?  But I don't really see much benefit from either side.
Now, if you wanted to practice law and you have an interest in science, a masters or PhD in a science field is very useful for IP attorneys because they deal with a lot of patents and technical science terms.  But I don't really see much benefit in an MD/JD other than bragging rights.

[StonewallJacksonFan]

I heard with MD/JD you could be an expert witness and make 100K for showing up in court a half a dozen times a year...I am going for JD/CPA combo, most peope on here will not understand the benefit, but combos are useful for unique niche positions that pay 800 an hour...

No too many MD/JD's out there... so you might just be ok and have the last laugh at 2100 billable hours simple JD's work for the same wage as yours as you are chilling on your boat.