# How do I go about becoming a doctor? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 13, 2007, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-go-about-becoming-a-doctor/392041 "2007-02-13T18:03:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![spazurek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@spazurek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spazurek)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2007, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-go-about-becoming-a-doctor/392041/41 "2007-02-16T02:56:48Z")
[QUOTE=threemae] …I question the wisdom of most MD/PhD programs. I thought the division of labor was one of the hallmarks of the modern age. Why does anyone need 30 years of school? [/QUOTE] Synergy and all that. Also avoidance of adult responsibilities for as long as possible. Perhaps a little inertia (or a lot – 11 years in my case…). ---
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2007, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-go-about-becoming-a-doctor/392041/42 "2007-02-16T04:04:08Z")
[QUOTE=spazurek] Also avoidance of adult responsibilities for as long as possible. Perhaps a little inertia (or a lot – 11 years in my case…). [/QUOTE] You know, it’s funny you mention that… When I was interviewing for an MD program last month, they were concurrently interviewing the MD/PhD candidates. On the bus ride I got to talking with one of them and I asked them why they were pursuing and MD/PhD. The first words out of his mouth? “To avoid the real world for as long as possible.” I tried my best to nod politely and not smirk as I thought to myself: “I know that nobody wants to actually enter the ‘real world’ after four short years of undergrad, but maybe you should give yourself _another_ four years of school to see if you might be interested in the real world yet before signing on the dotted line.” I mean, you could always finish your MD and then get a PhD, right? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-go-about-becoming-a-doctor/392041.md?page=2)