Regulatory to Immunology Research?

[RTI]

I work in Regulatory Affairs. After I went to public health school, I thought that this would be an interesting field and it pays well. However, I am bored out of my mind working in regulatory. The only thing that excites me is the science behind each of the clinical trials. I rather spend my time thinking about how I would design protocol or how these investigational work than the compliance aspect. I love going to the immunology research talks at my local university. Anyways, I love learning the science and the clinical aspect of the clinical trials. However, I am bored with regulatory.

I am thinking of either getting an MS in Immunology or doing an NP/PharmD/MD with a focus in oncology. I am really interested in tumor biology and immunotherapies. I do have the basic premed classes completed. However, I want to move closer to the science. Should I start working or volunteering in a lab? Even though, this doesnt make a lot of money. Should I just focus on getting back into school without getting lab or clinical experience? I don't want to lose too much money making this career switch but I do want to be happy with my day to day work.

[D.X.]

Hi RTI, if additional schooling is not a barrier for you, I would recommend you go for the MD degree in light of your interests - which to put it more clearly is Clinical Research.

,Your experience, if you Position it right in your applications should sufficiently qualify with clinically relaveant rational to pursue this course.

With the NP or PharmD, you will have limitations to how you can get engaged in Clincal Research, which is really what you're talkiing too. The NP, or Nursing, any Research there would be limited to the practice of Nursing or Nursing interventions on Patient outcomes - I think you're more interested in Medicinal Intervention no? As a PharmD, you maybe able to get involved in Clinical Research but can be a bit harder so if you have the choice, why not go for the MD?

The MS in Immunology won't serve you much here. That will give you nothing really - other than a degree on a Piece of paper. It will not entitle you to any clinically relevant positions, you will have no authority, no powers of signature, and thus basicically zero credentials. So don't waste your time there unless you're really compeled to understand the finer academic Details of Immunology for your own intellectual Stimulation - and of Little career relevance. To be blunt.

DX

[Dave Walker]

If you want to work in oncology, getting an MD would be the best route into that. You can see patients as an oncologist or work developing trials and doing research. It opens a lot of doors in cancer/immunotherapy research.

I don't know what country you are in or if you are out of college for some time...but speaking from the experience of colleagues, I can say that getting in to a medical school program in the US for a non-college senior can be incredibly challenging -- and costly. (Besides taking the MCATs and paying application fees for each institution, you often have to pay to visit them on your own dime.)

Of course it's been done before, and non-traditional applicants are accepted every year! And you have an interesting background. But I have seen the difficulties in my peers. The application system seems like a total crapshoot sometimes.

And then at the end of medical school, you get to residency matching...