About how long does a BME PhD take? (PhD only)

[Stroganoff]

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I'm juggling my options here, and this seems relevant to this forum. If I were to go straight into a traditional graduate program in Biomedical Engineering, about how long would that take?

Neuronix, Gradient Echo, anyone?

I know you guys are MSTP, but perhaps you might have some insight. I'm thinking about applying to both PhD programs and research positions straight out of college, since I don't think I'll get in enough research in undergrad to be competitive.

Basically:

Route 1: Finish college, earn PhD, take MCAT toward the end of grad school, apply after degree is awarded (limbo year).
Route 2: Finish college, 2 years research somewhere, take MCAT and apply during the 2nd year of research to MSTP.

 

[pseudoknot]

I'm juggling my options here, and this seems relevant to this forum. If I were to go straight into a traditional graduate program in Biomedical Engineering, about how long would that take?

Five years. Four if you're very lucky & talented. Maybe six. Engineering PhDs are generally shorter than biology.

 

[vwhan]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you need to earn a masters first in engineering before pursuing a PHD. I know that is NOT the case with bio related fields. I graduated with bachelors in mech engineering, then went and got a PhD in cell bio. I did a 1.5 yr post bac before doing that.

 

[Mr Reddly]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you need to earn a masters first in engineering before pursuing a PHD. I know that is NOT the case with bio related fields. I graduated with bachelors in mech engineering, then went and got a PhD in cell bio. I did a 1.5 yr post bac before doing that.

UCLA required an MS before PhD, but UCI, UCD, USC, and UPenn did not when I was accepted into their programs (~3 years ago)... And some of them, just gave it to you on the way (as I remember it)...

As for time, seemed like 5. Some people said more (some even said 7), some people said less.
Also, BME is all over the map from basic science to mech to ee to cs. Where are your interests?

 

[Stroganoff]

Also, BME is all over the map from basic science to mech to ee to cs. Where are your interests?

Imaging/drug delivery. Maybe some tissue stuff. Haven't narrowed it down more than that.

 

[Neuronix]

Graduation time is unpredictable. That's the thing with PhD programs, including MD/PhD programs. I'd say 5 - 7 years for a straight PhD is a good estimate, and 4 if you're really lucky. Most MD/PhDs take 4-5 years for their thesis here (remember, 3 years or a little over of med school), but remember that they're taking less time for all the reasons I've stated elsewhere.

I would say that imaging studies have notoriously short graduation times. So the 4 year PhD or the 6 - 7 year MD/PhD is uncommon, but not unheard of like in molecular studies. I also think, at the risk of inflaming certain people, that the BE department here is much more focused on getting you done than some of the molecular departments (i.e. Neuroscience).

As for what you should do, it's a tough call. You don't have any research and you don't have any prospects of doing research while in undergrad? If this is so, you know that you lose any saved time by doing the MD/PhD program, and possibly a year or more in the long run. One thing to consider is that it is not a certainty that you will get into a MD program when you are done. I've seen the MCAT act as a barrier to graduating PhD students. You might want to take the MCAT and GRE first and decide based on those scores. Maybe doing the MD first would be better for you?

 

[albertgalois]

I agree with Neuronix. Somehow, I have the feeling that applying to medical school after having the Ph.D is somewhat harder than applying to graduate school when you are in medical school (or after finishing medical school). If you choose the first route, then you have to convince the adcom why you want to go to med school after getting your Ph.D degree.