<p>I have seen in numerous places that geneticists make only (comparatively) around $85k typically a year, while the average wage for all MDs is close to $200k? Don’t get me wrong, I am not interested in genetics for the money or being a doctor for money at that, but the low salary may be a problem when paying back all the loans. Psychiatrist make around twice the amount geneticist make. Is the residency shorter than the typical 4 years? Less respect than other doctors?</p>
<p>A quick google search shows different, although still low, estimates in the $125-$150K range. Are you sure you are looking at M.D. geneticists?</p>
<p>MD geneticists make around what their IM or peds counterparts make, which is around 100-150k. There’s not a huge market out there for geneticists and most of them are not in private practice but rather in academics or hospitals and spend a lot of their time researching, which depresses their salary even more. It’s your typical low stress, low income specialty.</p>
<p>Oh I think it was research geneticist I got the stats for. Opps. Clinical geneticist also gives the same stats though at payscale, ehow, and buzzle. But yeah it may be the fact that they spend less time practicing and more researching. The residency is short as well, which means it may be a field that doesn’t require as much effort as other MDs.</p>
<p>I’m not sure that shorter residency applies – almost all the genetics folks I know are combined trainees. Most of them have completed at least 2 years of Peds (the majority are fully certified Peds and have finished 3 years), then complete a second residency in Medical Genetics. </p>
<p>Different programs seem to call this a residency or fellowship.</p>
<p>Several of the programs are listed as 2 years of training specifically in Med Genetics most with at least an optional 3rd year of Research. Almost all the one’s I looked at require at least a couple years of residency – IM and Peds make the most sense though OB/GYN could easily be combined. Several 5 year program combine a Peds and Genetics program though.</p>
<p>I can;t find any program that would allow full certification with only 2 years Post Med School training.</p>
<p>^2 year residence and 1 year research fellowship is most common…which is short compared to 7 years for a neurosurgeon or 4 years and a fellowship with psychiatrist
I haven’t heard of the combined trainee with ped yet, that interesting. I’m going to look into that. Thanks</p>
<p>But can you even do the Clinical/Med Genetics residency without first completing at least 24 months of a Primary Residency? The 6 programs I looked at all require at least 24 months of some residency prior to accepting an application into the Clinical Genetics residency/Fellowship?</p>
<p>It appears that to be Board Certified in Clinical Genetics requires at least 48 months post graduate training. It does appear there are several Laboratory Genetics certifications that are 24 months, but this would seem to severely limit direct patient contact. </p>
<p>[Requirements</a> - 2011 Certification | ABMG](<a href=“http://www.abmg.org/2011/requirements.shtml]Requirements”>http://www.abmg.org/2011/requirements.shtml)</p>
<p>[genome.gov</a> | Genomic Career: Clinical Cytogeneticist ($80,000-$200,000)](<a href=“http://www.genome.gov/GenomicCareers/career.cfm?id=11]genome.gov”>http://www.genome.gov/GenomicCareers/career.cfm?id=11)</p>
<p>this shows that if you specialize you can make even more than some doctors</p>
<p>The only clinical geneticists I’ve ever met have all been pediatricians, and genetics is far more relevant to pediatrics than any other specialty, though OB could be beneficial in certain situations. </p>
<p>As for why they may not make a huge amount of money, the reason is that there’s not a lot of procedural work and most of it is counseling. There are some therapeutic regiments with various supplements and such, but beyond the diagnostics (expensive), there’s not much to bill. Throw in the fact that many syndromes lack an identified genetic mutation, as well as a number of identified genetic duplications or deletions are of unknown significance and the compensation picture is further diminished…</p>
<p>Private practice is rarely an option, because it falls into the trap that afflicts many other pediatric specialties - if you’re not attached to a major referral center, you don’t have the large enough patient base to make it feasible financially unless you’re in the largest metro areas…all of which have multiple children’s hospitals you’d be competing against…</p>