A joint M.D.-Ph.D. program combines the training of a medical degree, to become a practicing physician, along with the doctorate of philosophy training to become a scientist. This results in physician-scientists, or doctors who can lead research teams.
Most physician-scientists split their time between conducting research 70% of the time and caring for patients 30% of the time.
From matriculation to final graduation, the combined program typically takes eight to nine years. Most graduates go on to complete a medical residency, typically three or four more years.
Before taking on this time-intensive commitment, it’s important to assess whether the investment will personally be worth the reward to you.
How To Know if an M.D.-Ph.D. Is for You
Career Aspirations
The most important factor in your decision to pursue an M.D.-Ph.D. is your career aspirations.
Physician-scientists typically spend more time in the lab, conducting research and writing grants, than with patients in the clinic. Most view their career as a fusion of their clinical experience inspiring their research questions, and their scientific knowledge generation to improve patient care.
Students often pursue extensive research experience as a volunteer in a lab as an undergraduate, or work experience as a research assistant, to assess if their love for research matches their passion for patient care.
Notably, medical students and doctors alike can participate in research teams and often do. However, the difference between a physician conducting research and a physician-scientist is the level of leadership and time commitment.
[Read: How to Find A Medical School That Leads to a Research Career]
Those equipped with a Ph.D. are well-suited to lead a research team, develop research questions and design experiments. Those with solely M.D. training may be limited in the type of data analysis they can conduct and the time they will be able to devote to a research project. Doctors without a Ph.D. may partner with other researchers to lend their unique expertise.
In short, if you’re interested in answering in-depth research questions that may relate to improving patient care and would prefer to devote the majority of your time to research while spending 20% to 30% of your time with patients, the M.D.-Ph.D. pathway may be a good fit for your career aspirations.
Program Availability and Match
Once you have decided that your career aspirations align with the training pathway, it’s important to assess whether the medical schools you’re interested in offer a joint M.D.-Ph.D. program, if the Ph.D. department matches your interests and if there are faculty currently doing research in your area of interest.
While it’s obvious that you can’t apply for a program that isn’t offered, what students can overlook is that it’s equally crucial to identify faculty whose line of work is closely related to the type of research question you would like to investigate.
When applying for M.D.-Ph.D. programs, schools may ask you to indicate faculty members who could be a good fit for you to work with. Although it’s typically not binding, selecting a good-fit faculty member should be taken seriously, since being accepted into a program and then having limited support to conduct the type of research you’re interested in could lead to a negative experience and poor training.
Overall, pay attention to your school list, apply only to programs that will be a good fit for your career aspirations and research interests, and have strong mentorship.
Application Strategy
Before applying to medical school, your application strategy could be the difference between gaining multiple acceptances or none. M.D.-Ph.D. programs are more competitive than medical school alone. There are fewer programs, each typically admits only around five to 10 students and the requirement for research hours is higher.
Some schools will still consider you for their M.D. program even if rejected from the M.D.-Ph.D. program.
[Related:How to Decide Between an M.D. and M.D.-Ph.D.]
Another critical caveat is that even if you’re still considered for med school, your application may be at a disadvantage. As applications are assessed on a rolling basis, your application will be viewed later in the cycle, when fewer spots are available. As such, applying only to M.D.-Ph.D. programs could lower your chances of getting into medical school at all.
If you decide to apply to joint programs, you can indicate on the application which schools you would like to apply for M.D.-Ph.D. and which you are applying for M.D. only.
For a strong application strategy, it’s suggested that at least 20 schools on your list have your desired Ph.D. focus, with some of those schools considering your application for M.D. if you’re rejected from the joint program. Otherwise, it’s best to apply M.D. only to some schools to boost your chances of admission.
Certain schools may allow you to transfer into the joint program once you have matriculated into the medical school. For school-specific information on how their application process works, it’s best to call the admissions office of the schools you’re interested in.
Program Length
Before committing to the road to becoming a physician-scientist, consider the program’s length. Traditional medical school is four years plus an additional three to four years for residency training, and an optional two to three years of fellowship training to further specialize before becoming a full attending physician.
The combined M.D.-Ph.D. program adds another four to five years to this training pathway for the Ph.D. portion. How long it takes to complete the Ph.D. depends on the progress you make and your adviser’s evaluation and recommendation for you.
Most M.D.-Ph.D. programs follow a structure that involves first completing the initial two years of medical school. These are typically the preclinical years, followed by putting medical school on pause while you transition to completing your Ph.D. Students then complete the final two years of medical school, which involve the clinical rotations.
An additional four to five years of training, plus being in school instead of working in your career, is a significant commitment and sacrifice. Before pursuing this pathway, consider how you will feel when you see your M.D. counterparts graduating while you’re only halfway through your program. Think about whether the benefit of having the additional degree will outweigh the cost of delaying making a physician’s salary for half a decade.
[READ: Showing Commitment Is Key When Applying to Medical School.]
Funding
When considering delaying the start of a high-paying job, such as a doctor, for four to five years, the financial aspect becomes relevant.
Some M.D.-Ph.D. programs are funded by the National Institutes of Health and designated Medical Scientist Training Programs. These MSTPs offer full tuition and stipend coverage to their students, meaning graduates will receive both degrees without additional student debt. Other joint programs that are not designated MSTP may offer full or partial funding.
While it may be compelling to choose an option that comes with a full-ride scholarship, consider the opportunity cost. Delaying a career with a salary ranging from $150,000 to $500,000 annually, depending on the specialty, equates to $600,000 to $2 million in forfeited wages. This far outpaces the average medical school debt of about $200,000.
While finances are always an important consideration, your career aspirations should come first when choosing the trajectory of your future.
Schools That Offer M.D.-Ph.D. Programs
Currently, 122 med schools in the U.S. offer M.D.-Ph.D. programs, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, and more than 50 are designated MSTP. About 3% of all medical students are enrolled in an M.D.-Ph.D. program.
Here are some med schools with M.D.-Ph.D. programs:
— Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York
— Baylor College of Medicine in Texas
— Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine in Massachusetts
— Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Ohio
— University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
— Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York
— Wayne State University School of Medicine in Michigan
— Drexel University College of Medicine in Pennsylvania
— Duke University School of Medicine in North Carolina
— Emory University School of Medicine in Georgia
— Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire
— Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine
The M.D.-Ph.D. path can be rewarding and lead to a fulfilling career at the intersection of science and medicine. However, before committing to such a long and demanding journey, it’s essential to carefully consider all the factors, from the time investment to your career goals, to ensure it’s the right fit for you.
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M.D.-Ph.D. Programs: Key Factors to Consider originally appeared on usnews.com
