The Clinician, Clinical Scientist, and Medical Scientist

by: lim ju boo

These days a lot of medical advances and discoveries are taken over by the medical or the clinical scientists rather than by medical doctors who are basically clinicians whose job is primarily to diagnose and treat the patients

In this link it contrast the difference between a medical and clinical scientist

https://www.newscientist.com/nsj/article/clinical-scientist-vs-biomedical-scientist

It looks like both a clinical or a medical scientist has wider job opportunities than a clinician.

In a paper published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine in September, 2011 here:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3164255/

it says:

"Nobel Prizes in Medicine: are clinicians out of fashion?"

It is obvious that most of the Nobel Prizes in medicine over the last 4 or 5 decades goes to the medical researchers rather than to clinicians whose job is mainly retinue - to diagnose and to treat using standard procedures, rather making inroads into medical advances and new diagnostic methods, better therapeutic methods

It looks like both a clinical or a medical scientist has wider job opportunities than a clinician since medical and clinical scientists have been at the forefront of medical advances, while clinicians focus on patient care. This trend is reflected in the awarding of Nobel Prizes in Physiology or Medicine, where most recipients in recent decades have been researchers rather than practicing physicians.

Medical vs. Clinical Scientists vs. Clinicians

1. Clinicians (Medical Doctors - MDs, DOs, etc.)

The primary role of a clinician (medical doctor) is to diagnose, treat, and manage patient care. His work settings are in hospitals, clinics, and private practices.

The clinician training is an extensive medical education (MBBS, MD, or DO), followed by residency and specialization.

A clinician research involvement is very limited, mostly applied research related to patient management (e.g., clinical trials).

2. Medical Scientists primary role is to conduct biomedical research to discover new treatments, understand diseases, and develop medical innovations. His work settings are in research institutes, universities, pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology firms. His training is usually a PhD or MD-PhD, focusing on fundamental biological processes.

His research involvement is high, often leading to breakthroughs in medicine (e.g., development of new drugs, vaccines, and disease mechanisms).

Clinical Scientists (or Biomedical Scientists) primary role is work in laboratories analyzing samples, developing diagnostic tests, and supporting clinical decision-making. His working environments are in hospitals, diagnostic labs, and research facilities. His training is typically a degree in biomedical science, often followed by professional certification or further specialization (e.g., MSc, PhD). He may usually also have an MD. His research involvement is moderate to high, mainly in diagnostic and translational research (e.g., improving imaging techniques, lab tests, biomarkers).

Why Are Medical Scientists Winning More Nobel Prizes?

Fundamental Discovery vs. Clinical Application. Nobel Prizes often reward foundational discoveries that change our understanding of medicine (e.g., discovery of DNA structure, CRISPR gene editing, or mRNA vaccines).

Clinicians typically apply these discoveries rather than make them.

Nature of clinical work. Clinicians follow established guidelines and protocols in diagnosis and treatment. While some may innovate in patient management, the scope is usually within standardized care rather than groundbreaking research.

The job of the stand-alone clinician is merely to do the following:

History Taking: Gathering information about the patient's medical history, symptoms, and concerns.
Physical or Clinical Examination: A systematic assessment of the patient's body, including:
Inspection: Observing the patient's appearance and any visible signs.
Palpation: Feeling the body with fingers or hands.
Auscultation: Listening to sounds, usually with a stethoscope.
Percussion: Producing sounds by tapping on specific areas of the body.
Psychiatric Evaluation: Assessing the patient's mental state and emotional well-being.
Anthropometry: Measuring the patient's height and weight, waist circumference, skinfold thickness, body mass index, and other physical dimensions.

Examination of Vital Functions: Assessing vital signs like heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature.

All these are subjective assessments based on feelings, personal opinions or emotion which are not reliable and not objective measurements based on verifiable information from facts and data as evidence from laboratory analysis that only a medical scientist can provide to confirm a diagnosis.

In other words a clinician stand alone cannot do much without the support of his colleagues - the medical scientist working silently behind the screen in the laboratory. This is true especially for difficult cases where diseases may have similar clinical presentations (signs and symptoms) that mimic each other, or with more than one disease. In such cases the medical scientist comes in to help with his data to reveal multiple abnormalities in the biochemical, serological, haematological, microbiological, genetic and other pathological evidences that can never be shown by mere clinical or physical examinations. We call this differential diagnosis - the process of differentiating between two or more conditions which share similar signs or symptoms.

Unfortunately, it is the clinician who comes face-to-face with the patient get the glory with the diagnosis, and not his medical scientific colleagues who works silently in the laboratory who was the real person who made the correct diagnosis with his evidence-based data

The doctor alone is helpless without his other colleagues - the medical scientist assisting with his laboratory objective findings and also without the pharmaceutical producers supplying the medicines even for simple cases like fever, coughs and colds, or for pain. There is nothing he can do by merely taking medical history and doing a physical examination without the help of these invaluable people

However, a competent diagnostician can still make an accurate diagnosis based on history-taking, listening care fully what the patient tells and complains of his condition and clinical examination alone especially for simple clear-cut cases

Shift Toward Translational Medicine:

https://scientificlogic.blogspot.com/search?q=translational+medicine

https://scientificlogic.blogspot.com/2024/09/translational-medicine-bridging-gap.html

Modern medicine increasingly relies on molecular biology, genetics, and technology-driven diagnostics.

These areas are dominated by researchers rather than traditional doctors.

Career Opportunities: Who Has a Better Future?

Clinicians job security is high because patient care is always needed, but innovation opportunities are fewer unless they venture into research.

Medical scientists have more opportunities in research, academia, biotech, and pharma, with the potential for high-impact discoveries.

Clinical scientists have growing demand due to advances in personalized medicine, diagnostics, and lab-based testing, making them crucial in modern healthcare.

The healthcare landscape is evolving. While clinicians remain essential for patient care, medical and clinical scientists are driving innovation. If a person wants to push the boundaries of medical science, a career in research (medical or clinical science) may be more fulfilling than traditional clinical practice.

High-Demand & Lucrative Fields in Medical & Clinical Sciences:

With rapid advancements in medicine, technology, and healthcare systems, many specialized fields in medical and clinical sciences are now more lucrative and in demand than traditional clinical practice. These fields offer excellent job opportunities, competitive salaries, and high impact on global health.

1. Cutting-Edge Medical Science Fields (For Research & Development)

These fields drive new discoveries, drug development, and innovative treatments.

Biomedical Sciences & Biotechnology

1. Molecular Medicine (Gene Therapy, CRISPR, Precision Medicine)

2. Regenerative Medicine (Stem Cell Therapy, Tissue Engineering)

3. Pharmacogenomics (Personalized Drug Therapy)

4. Biopharmaceuticals & Drug Development

5. Synthetic Biology & Bioengineering

Genomics & Genetic Engineering

1. Human Genome Research & Bioinformatics

2. Genetic Counseling (for hereditary diseases)

3. Gene Editing (CRISPR Technology)

4. Epigenetics & Cancer Genomics

Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Digital Health

1. AI in Radiology & Medical Imaging

2. AI in Pathology (Automated Disease Diagnosis)

3. AI-driven Drug Discovery

4. Wearable Health Tech & Digital Medicine

Nuclear Medicine & Radiopharmaceuticals

1. Medical Physics (PET, MRI, CT Imaging)

2. Theranostics (Therapy + Diagnostics using Radiopharmaceuticals)

Translational Medicine

1. Bridging Lab Discoveries to Clinical Applications

2. Development of Novel Diagnostic Tools3. Innovative Cancer Treatments

High-Demand Clinical Science & Applied Medical Fields

These fields support clinical decision-making, diagnostics, and patient-centered innovations.

Clinical & Laboratory Sciences

Clinical Biochemistry (Blood & Metabolic Disorders)
Hematology & Blood Banking
Clinical Microbiology (Infectious Disease Diagnostics)
Pathology & Histopathology (Tissue & Disease Analysis)

Forensic & Legal Medicine

Forensic Pathology & Toxicology
Forensic DNA Analysis
Medical Examiner & Coroner Roles

Infectious Disease & Epidemiology

Virology & Emerging Diseases (e.g., Pandemics, Bioterrorism)
Public Health & Global Epidemiology
Vaccine Development & Immunology

Neuroscience & Neurotechnology

Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) Research
Neuroprosthetics & Neural Engineering
Alzheimer’s & Neurodegenerative Disease Research

Regenerative & Stem Cell Therapies

Stem Cell Therapy for Organ Repair
Artificial Organs & Bioprinting

Environmental & Occupational Medicine

Toxicology & Public Health Risks
Industrial Hygiene & Worker Safety

Lucrative Tech-Driven Medical Professions

These fields merge medicine, engineering, and IT, offering high salaries and future-proof careers.

Medical Robotics & Bionics

Surgical Robotics (Da Vinci System, AI-assisted surgery)
Exoskeletons & Prosthetic Limb Innovations

Biomedical Engineering & Medical Device Innovation

3D Printing of Organs & Prosthetics
Wearable Medical Devices (Smartwatches, Glucose Monitors)

Medical Informatics & Big Data Analytics

Healthcare Data Science & Predictive Medicine
AI-driven Diagnostics & Clinical Decision Support Systems

Specialized Medical Careers with Rising Demand

These fields offer stable, high-paying, and globally relevant job opportunities.

Ophthalmic Technology & Vision Science

Bionic Eye Research & Retinal Implants
Myopia Control & Ocular Genetics

Craniofacial & Maxillofacial Surgery

3D Facial Reconstruction Surgery
AI-assisted Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery

Dental & Oral Health Innovations

Implant Dentistry & 3D Printed Teeth
Oral Microbiome Research (Link to Heart Disease & Diabetes)

Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Research

Artificial Heart & Lung Development
Cardiogenetics & Personalized Cardiology

Sports Science & Rehabilitation

High-Tech Prosthetics & Performance Enhancement
AI-powered Rehabilitation for Stroke & Injury Recovery

Which Fields Should Young Students Pursue for Better Prospects?

If a student wants higher earning potential, job security, and future-proof careers, these are the best fields:

AI in Healthcare & Digital Medicine (High demand, high salary)
Genomics & Personalized Medicine (Future of disease treatment)
Medical Robotics & Surgical AI (Next-gen surgery)
Regenerative Medicine & Stem Cell Therapy (Tissue/organ repair)
Biomedical Engineering & Medical Device Innovation (Wearables, prosthetics)
Neuroscience & Neurotechnology (Brain-Computer Interfaces)
Medical Informatics & Healthcare Data Science (Big data & AI)
Clinical Laboratory Sciences & Pathology (Essential for diagnostics)
Forensic Medicine & Toxicology (Growing due to crime & legal cases)
Nuclear Medicine & Radiopharmaceuticals (Advanced imaging & therapy).

I think the future of medicine is shifting beyond traditional clinical practice into tech-driven, data-powered, and personalized healthcare. Students should consider careers in areas that integrate biology, engineering, AI, and data science, as these fields offer higher salaries, better job security, and opportunities for groundbreaking discoveries.

A doctor's job is limited only to treat a patient as clinicians are not trained to diversify into any other jobs or other professions like engineers, lawyers, accountants, surveyors, airline pilots, business, etc, etc, should there be too many doctors competing with each other for patients. Here in Malaysia there are already far too many GP clinics around with hardly any patients inside the clinic. The maintenance for each private GP clinic is around RM 30,000 per month (RM 1,000 per day). It is not cost effective to maintain a private clinic with just 10 patients a day.

Why Diversifying Beyond Traditional Clinical Practice is Crucial

Oversupply of Clinicians – Too many doctors, especially GPs, competing for limited patients especially in cities and towns in Malaysia.
High Operational Costs – Running a private clinic is expensive with rental, staff salaries, equipment, and licensing fees as told to me by my former boss from the Instutute of Medical Research where I was working and also by my former doctor's collegues now in private practice in Kuala Lumpur
Limited Career Flexibility – Unlike engineers or IT professionals who can work across industries, clinicians have fewer alternative career options unless they upskill.
Emerging Medical Technologies – AI-driven diagnostics, telemedicine, and digital health solutions are reducing the need for in-person consultations, further limiting the demand for traditional clinics.

Better Alternatives for Young Medical Students

Instead of following the traditional clinical path, young students should consider specialized and interdisciplinary medical sciences that offer:

1. Higher job security
2. Diverse career options (not limited to patient care)
3. Global demand with higher salaries

Strategic Advice for Young Medical Students in Malaysia

Avoid pursuing general practice unless absolutely passionate about patient care.
Consider interdisciplinary medical careers in AI-healthcare, biotech, genomics, and medical informatics.
Explore opportunities outside Malaysia in high-demand medical fields (e.g., UAE, Singapore, UK, Australia).
Combine medicine with technology or business (e.g., MBA in Healthcare, AI in Radiology).
Develop skills in research, biotech, or pharmaceuticals to transition into non-clinical medical careers with better growth.

It looks like both a clinical or a medical scientist has wider job opportunities than a clinician these days. Trends in education and job opportunities are changing very fast.

Monday, April 7, 2025

The Clinician vs Clinical Scientist vs Medical Scientist