MD/PhD transfers

[kingrumak]

Hey guys,

I know that there are several programs that allow MD applicants to transfer into the MD/PhD program at their university but what about PhD to MD/PhD transfers. I have only found a few places (Emory, and Stony Brook) that allow students to transfer from their graduate program to the MD/PhD program provided they are not too far into the graduate program.

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[Neuronix]

This almost never happens even at schools that allow them. Their biggest question would be whether they would have accepted you had you applied MD/PhD to begin with.

If you're thinking about MD/PhD, apply MD/PhD. Don't expect to start a PhD program and change your mind or backdoor your way into a program.

 

[jjmack]

I knew one vandy student who did that over a decade ago. I think offers have tried and weren't successful.

 

[Maebea]

I am late to weigh in on this, but I thought I would add the perspective from the administration side of the fence. Neuronix and jjmack are correct: this rarely happens. Aside from the problem with the timing of the application, the biggest stumbling block is the MCAT. Nearly all individuals that have applied to our program over the past thirty years have had sub-30 MCATs.

 

[Fencer]

In some schools, there is one spot for internal applicants once they proven they can handle the medical school curriculum. In a recent poll, about half of the programs allow them (not that they happen often), and the overwhelming majority do not pay back for those 1-2 years of medical school tuition.

 

[mercaptovizadeh]

I know of one Penn student who went from PhD to MD/PhD. Reportedly it was very hard and she had to meet with a lot of people and defend her interest in clinical medicine.

 

[QofQuimica]

I attempted to transfer into my school's MSTP with competitive stats and was not able to, although I did get interviewed. Basically, I was told that there were political concerns with the med school "poaching" the grad school's students. They advised me to complete the PhD and then reapply to the med school, as my app was very competitive. I did do this and was accepted to both med schools at the institutions where I went to grad school (I have separate MS and PhD degrees), but wound up attending a third school on scholarship.

As the others have said, if you know up front that you want both degrees, the best plan is to do a combined program from the getgo. In my case, I did not find out about the existence of MSTPs until after I was already in grad school, and I wound up having to do separate degrees. This is a much longer and harder path to getting a combined degree, and the only people who should be contemplating it are people who don't decide on med school until after beginning their graduate training.

 

[BMC11]

I attempted to transfer into my school's MSTP with competitive stats and was not able to, although I did get interviewed. Basically, I was told that there were political concerns with the med school "poaching" the grad school's students. They advised me to complete the PhD and then reapply to the med school, as my app was very competitive. I did do this and was accepted to both med schools at the institutions where I went to grad school (I have separate MS and PhD degrees), but wound up attending a third school on scholarship.

As the others have said, if you know up front that you want both degrees, the best plan is to do a combined program from the getgo. In my case, I did not find out about the existence of MSTPs until after I was already in grad school, and I wound up having to do separate degrees. This is a much longer and harder path to getting a combined degree, and the only people who should be contemplating it are people who don't decide on med school until after beginning their graduate training.

I also attempted to do this in my second year of PhD training and was turned down for similar reasons (politics). I was unaware that I wanted to go to medical school until well into graduate school, so I agree. If you know from the get go, apply MSTP. I wish I had known so I could have done that too. It would have made my life a lot easier. I am finishing up my PhD now and I am in this application cycle. So glad to hear about someone else who did this, QofQuimica!

 

[URHere]

One student at my school transferred from the PhD program to the MD/PhD program last year. However, I would agree that this isn't a common path and it really isn't something that anyone should attempt if they have their heart set on MD/PhD from the beginning.

 

[bd4727]

One student at my school transferred from the PhD program to the MD/PhD program last year. However, I would agree that this isn't a common path and it really isn't something that anyone should attempt if they have their heart set on MD/PhD from the beginning.

Agreed. I know of one person going PhD --> MD/PhD, but I know of many more going MD only --> MD/PhD

 

[QofQuimica]

I also attempted to do this in my second year of PhD training and was turned down for similar reasons (politics). I was unaware that I wanted to go to medical school until well into graduate school, so I agree. If you know from the get go, apply MSTP. I wish I had known so I could have done that too. It would have made my life a lot easier. I am finishing up my PhD now and I am in this application cycle. So glad to hear about someone else who did this, QofQuimica!

It's much more common than you might think. There were two of us with PhDs in my med school class, and that's pretty typical these days. You won't be alone.

Best of luck with your apps.

 

[Student's T]

I can think immediately of at least 5 people I know that did PhD and then MD. Not uncommon.

 

[SBR249]

I can think immediately of at least 5 people I know that did PhD and then MD. Not uncommon.

I think the point is to transfer into and MD/PhD program in the middle of a PhD and completing your degree as an MD/PhD rather than a PhD grad student. That is a rare track and subject to lots of politicking. If you complete a PhD and then apply to med school then you are just another med school applicant who happens to have a PhD. Plenty of people do that.

 

[Student's T]

I think the point is to transfer into and MD/PhD program in the middle of a PhD and completing your degree as an MD/PhD rather than a PhD grad student. That is a rare track and subject to lots of politicking. If you complete a PhD and then apply to med school then you are just another med school applicant who happens to have a PhD. Plenty of people do that.

I was agreeing with the above post. Obviously transferring from PhD to MD/PhD is very rare.