* MD: A professional doctorate focused on the practice of medicine. The training is heavily clinical, emphasizing hands-on patient care, diagnosis, and treatment.
* PhD: A research doctorate focused on advanced study and original research within a specific academic discipline. The training emphasizes research methodology, critical thinking, and the creation of new knowledge.
While both are doctoral degrees requiring significant time and dedication, they lead to very different career paths. An MD typically leads to a career as a physician, while a PhD typically leads to a career in academia, research, or other fields requiring advanced scholarly expertise. There's some overlap, of course (e.g., MD/PhDs are common), but the core training and career goals are distinct.