>I’m genuinely curious how others view the purpose of a biomedical PhD, especially those not aiming for a traditional academic career and know they want to work on developing translational approaches. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

I think the main point of a PhD is preparation for independent research. I know people say that a lot, but they don't often stop and think about what that actually means. Independent research means that *you* need to come up with your own ideas, plan projects, troubleshoot when things inevitably go wrong, and be the one responsible for pushing a project forward from start to finish. Most people can't do that. Doing a PhD builds skills and confidence, and (ideally) gives you a safe place to learn from your mistakes. I would expect someone with a PhD to be able to lead research in a way that someone with Master's or Bachelor's degree couldn't.