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<p>why not just get a PhD then? The vast majority of people doing medical research are PhD’s. However, if you feld the need to get an MD as well… most states require you to at least complete an internship (one year) after graduating to become licensed as a physician. I guess you wouldn’t have to do this if you didn’t want to - but you wouldn’t have a license, ability to get/prescribe meds, represent yourself as a physician, etc. You would just have the MD degree.</p>