Do I need to pay back my living stipend if I drop from MD/PhD to MD?

[working_hard1]

I am in a non-MSTP MD/PhD program. If I were to drop from MD/PhD to MD-only, I would need to pay back the medical school tuition. I don't see information on the policy regarding pay back of the living stipend. Would I need to pay back the living stipend? I don't think solo-PhD students who drop out of their programs pay back their living stipend (but they do have to pay back their semester tuition), so I'm wondering whether I would need to pay back the stipend.

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[operaman]

No idea and this probably varies somewhat between schools. Your administration should know, and it should be spelled out somewhere in writing if there is such a clause. It would have to be on some document you actually signed too. Just reach out to your financial aid office and other administrative folks and find out.

I kind of doubt it simply because you would have had to sign something saying you were taking the stipend and tuition coverage as some kind of conditional loan pending successful progress in the program. They would have had to specify how much and when it was due, penalties for failure to repay, etc. I’ve known some people who dropped the PhD and they did have to pay full freight for the last two years of school but that was it.

 

[ChordaEpiphany]

This varies by school. You likely signed an agreement at the start of your program. You can probably either find that agreement or ask for the details from an administrator.

Either way your decision should be independent of the loans unless you're a year from graduating or something. Don't finish a PhD unless you want to. It costs you millions in lifetime earnings.

Also, basically any reputable PhD program would let students drop/master out without paying back tuition. Make an assessment as to whether your PhD will be a worthwhile investment of your time. You may be better off taking loans and trying to do a physician-scientist track post-MD. Many NIH programs offer loan assistance, and you'll be much more likely to be able to join a high quality lab where you can publish in journals that are likely to get you independent funding. An MD/PhD really isn't worth it unless you can publish a paper in top tier journals. You may never have a chance to be a scientist with that latter route (if you don't land a research fellowship), but at least you'll be weeded out before wasting 4-5 years of your time and not after.

 

[deleted1138596]

I did a PhD (without an MD) and I've never heard of stipends (and tuition remissions) having to be paid back. PhD programs admit you as an investment; sometimes investments work out and sometimes they don't but the onus is on the department that admitted you.

 

[GadRads]

I did a PhD (without an MD) and I've never heard of stipends (and tuition remissions) having to be paid back. PhD programs admit you as an investment; sometimes investments work out and sometimes they don't but the onus is on the department that admitted you.

Investment to write papers.

 

[SooConfused]

I did a PhD (without an MD) and I've never heard of stipends (and tuition remissions) having to be paid back. PhD programs admit you as an investment; sometimes investments work out and sometimes they don't but the onus is on the department that admitted you.

Right, but MD/PhD is a different animal entirely, and schools do not want to be gamed by people taking free tuition for a few years and then bailing when it's time to get real with the PhD and just go on their merry way with the MD. Leaving school with no degree at all because the PhD didn't work out is a very different thing from leaving with a valuable MD and not paying for it.

I think MSTP programs are funded by NIH, which means schools aren't out any money, and I don't think the federal government goes after people for past funding. As everyone else has said, OP will have to check directly with their school, since there is no general rule here. If the school explicitly wants their back tuition, which isn't even a cash expense to them, I wouldn't take it for granted that they won't also want back the money that went out the door to cover living expenses.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

We have a MSTP director in the Research Scientists forum. You can ask there.

 

[wondervisions]

I am in a non-MSTP MD/PhD program. If I were to drop from MD/PhD to MD-only, I would need to pay back the medical school tuition. I don't see information on the policy regarding pay back of the living stipend. Would I need to pay back the living stipend? I don't think solo-PhD students who drop out of their programs pay back their living stipend (but they do have to pay back their semester tuition), so I'm wondering whether I would need to pay back the stipend.

It depends on the program \thread

 

[eabs0711]

All of this is institution and program dependent. You need to review the contract you signed.

Reputable phd programs do not require those who take the terminal masters to pay anything back. As another poster noted, phd students are investments.

I do know several Md/PhD to MD only candidates who were pursued by reputable institutions for all of the money back. Check your contact.