To become a medical scientist, you earn a bachelor’s degree in biology, chemistry or a related science, then a Ph.D. in a biomedical field, a medical degree, or both through a combined M.D.-Ph.D. program. Most Ph.D. holders then spend time in postdoctoral research before leading their own studies. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry-level education for the job.
The path is long, but it starts in high school. Strong science and math classes, early research projects and time in real clinical settings all help a student find out whether they want to study disease in the lab, treat patients, or do both. Hands-on options such as medical internships for high school students in Kenya and Peru show how the questions scientists study play out in hospitals and communities. If you are still comparing careers, our guide to choosing a medical specialty in high school lays out the physician paths side by side.
What Does a Medical Scientist Do?
A medical scientist designs and runs studies on human diseases and on ways to prevent and treat them. The work includes analyzing medical samples and data, testing drugs and medical devices, writing grant proposals to fund research, and publishing results. Most medical scientists work in laboratories and offices rather than in patient care, according to the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Day to day, that can look very different from one scientist to the next. One researcher may grow cancer cells and test how they respond to a new compound. Another may analyze data from thousands of patients to find early signs of heart disease. A third may run a clinical trial that tests a vaccine in volunteers. The BLS lists these core duties:
- Designing and conducting studies that investigate human diseases and methods of prevention and treatment
- Preparing and analyzing medical samples and data, including research on toxicity, pathogens and chronic disease
- Standardizing drug potency, doses and methods of administration for manufacturing
- Creating and testing medical devices
- Following safety procedures, such as decontaminating workspaces
- Writing grant proposals and applying for research funding
- Publishing articles and presenting findings to scientific and general audiences
Where Do Medical Scientists Work?
Most medical scientists work for research and development companies, hospitals and universities. In the BLS employment data, research and development in the physical, engineering and life sciences employs 32 percent, hospitals 22 percent, state colleges and universities 12 percent, private colleges and universities 9 percent, and medical and diagnostic laboratories 6 percent.
The setting shapes the job. University scientists often teach and mentor students alongside their research. Scientists in drug and biotechnology companies focus on developing and testing products. Hospital-based researchers often study patients directly, sometimes as physicians who split their time between clinic and lab. Government agencies such as the National Institutes of Health run their own research programs and fund studies at universities across the country.
How Do You Become a Medical Scientist? Step by Step
The route has four stages: college, a doctoral or medical degree, postdoctoral or residency training, and an independent research position. A Ph.D. is the most common doctoral degree, usually in biology or a related life science, while some scientists earn an M.D. or D.O. instead of, or in addition to, a Ph.D. Researchers who also treat patients must be licensed as physicians.
| Stage | What happens | What it prepares you for |
|---|---|---|
| High school | Biology, chemistry, physics, math and statistics; science fairs or summer research; clinical exposure | A strong college application and a clear sense of whether research fits you |
| Bachelor’s degree (about 4 years) | A major in biology, chemistry, biochemistry or a related science, plus undergraduate lab research | Admission to a Ph.D., M.D. or M.D.-Ph.D. program |
| Ph.D. in a biomedical science | Courses, then years of original research ending in a dissertation, often in a field such as immunology, neurology or cancer biology | Laboratory and academic research careers |
| M.D.-Ph.D. (about 8 years) | Medical school combined with a full research Ph.D. | Careers as a physician-scientist who sees patients and leads research |
| Postdoctoral research or residency | Postdoctoral positions after a Ph.D.; residency for those with a medical degree | Independent research positions and, for physicians, licensure and board certification |
The eight-year figure for M.D.-Ph.D. programs is the average time to finish both degrees reported in a 50-year review of Medical Scientist Training Programs published in Academic Medicine in 2017. Some candidates also qualify for research roles with a master’s degree plus experience, according to the BLS.
Ph.D., M.D. or M.D.-Ph.D.: Which Should You Choose?
Choose a Ph.D. if you want to spend nearly all your time on research, an M.D. if you want to treat patients and do some clinical research, and an M.D.-Ph.D. if you want both in roughly equal measure. The AAMC notes that most M.D.-Ph.D. programs support trainees with a stipend and tuition scholarship, and that many graduates become faculty at medical schools, universities and research institutes.
The same Academic Medicine review estimated that about 65 percent of Medical Scientist Training Program graduates hold medical school faculty positions, and that up to about 80 percent pursue careers as physician-scientists or in research-related roles. For a closer comparison of the two degree paths, see our guides to M.D. vs. M.D.-Ph.D. differences and how M.D. and M.D.-Ph.D. training and careers compare.
How Can You Start Preparing in High School?
Start with the science and math classes that every research path needs: biology, chemistry, physics, algebra through precalculus or calculus, and statistics if your school offers it. The AAMC encourages high school students to explore math and science subjects early. Add one research experience and one clinical experience before you graduate.
Classes. Advanced biology and chemistry build the base for college lab courses. Statistics matters more than many students expect, because the BLS lists data analysis among the most important skills for medical scientists. Strong writing helps too: grant proposals and published papers are a large part of the job.
Research. Look for a science fair project, a summer research program or a local university lab that accepts high school volunteers. The Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR), for example, is an eight-week program in which high school students perform basic research on a medically oriented project with Stanford faculty and researchers. Our guides to what clinical research looks like for minors, research roles for teens in brain health and citizen science projects for high schoolers cover more options, and building a research-ready high school profile shows how to present that work on applications.
Clinical exposure. Medical research exists to improve patient care, so it helps to see the problems up close. Time in a hospital or clinic shows which diseases fill the wards, why some treatments fail, and where better tools are needed. Specialty guides such as oncology internships for high school students show what a teen can see in fields where research moves especially fast.
What Skills Does a Medical Scientist Need?
The BLS names five important qualities: communication skills, critical thinking, data-analysis skills, decision-making and observation skills. Scientists explain complex results in plain language, choose the best approach to a research question, apply statistics to trial data, and watch samples and patient data closely for changes during an experiment.
Students can build each of these early. Debate and science writing build communication. Designing your own science fair experiment builds critical thinking and decision-making. A statistics class or coding project builds data analysis. Careful lab notebooks build observation. None of these require access to a professional lab, which makes them a practical place to start in ninth or tenth grade.
How Much Do Medical Scientists Earn, and Is the Field Growing?
Medical scientists earned a median annual wage of $103,410 in May 2025, according to the BLS. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $64,800 and the highest 10 percent more than $177,780. Employment is projected to grow 13 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations, with about 10,500 openings each year.
Pay varies by employer, experience and region. Our medical research scientist salary guide breaks the numbers down further, and the clinical laboratory scientist salary guide covers a related laboratory career that requires a bachelor’s degree rather than a doctorate.
Medical Scientist vs. Physician: What Is the Difference?
A physician diagnoses and treats individual patients; a medical scientist studies diseases and treatments to produce knowledge that helps many patients at once. Physicians must complete medical school, residency and licensing. Medical scientists usually hold a Ph.D. and generally do not need a license unless they also practice medicine, according to the BLS.
The two careers overlap in the physician-scientist, who holds a medical degree (often with a Ph.D.) and divides time between patients and research. If you are drawn to patients first, our overview of how to become a doctor covers the full clinical route. If you are drawn to the questions behind the diagnoses, a research path may fit better, and a combined program lets you keep both doors open.
Gaining Clinical Experience Abroad in High School
Seeing medicine in a different health system is one way to sharpen research interests early. In our high school program in Kenya and Peru, students 15 and older rotate under supervision through general medicine, pediatrics, emergency care, surgery and women’s health, and join community health outreach. Interns work alongside clinicians within their training level and assist with noninvasive tasks; they do not diagnose, prescribe or perform invasive procedures.
Many future scientists find their research question in moments like these: a common infection that is hard to treat with the medicines on hand, or a chronic disease that shows up younger than expected. Session options are listed on the program dates page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to become a medical scientist?
Plan on a four-year bachelor’s degree followed by a doctoral program, and often postdoctoral research after that. Combined M.D.-Ph.D. programs take about eight years on average after college, according to a 2017 review in Academic Medicine, and physician-scientists then complete residency.
Do you need a medical degree to be a medical scientist?
No. A Ph.D. in biology or a related life science is the most common route, according to the BLS. Some medical scientists earn an M.D. or D.O. instead of, or in addition to, a Ph.D., and those who treat patients must be licensed as physicians.
What should I major in to become a medical scientist?
Most applicants to biomedical Ph.D. programs hold a bachelor’s degree in biology or a physical science such as chemistry, according to the BLS. Biochemistry, neuroscience and related majors also work well, especially when paired with undergraduate lab research.
Can high school students do medical research?
Yes. High school students can join summer research programs such as Stanford’s SIMR, volunteer in university labs that accept minors, enter science fairs, or contribute to citizen science projects. These experiences show colleges a sustained interest in research.
What is the difference between a medical scientist and a clinical laboratory scientist?
A medical scientist designs and leads research studies and usually holds a doctorate. A clinical laboratory scientist runs diagnostic tests on patient samples in hospital and reference labs and typically enters the field with a bachelor’s degree.
