Engineering MD/PhD Programs

[EngineerMedic]

I'm looking for some help in finding more schools that offer MD/PhD programs that I would be interested in.

My career goal is research in aerospace medical engineering, and, since it is such a niche field, there are very few schools that offer PhD research on related topics. I am aware of exactly 1 program that fits my interests really closely, but it happens to be through that medical school that starts with H, so I'm on the hunt for other options to think about for the contingency where that one doesn't work out.

I know of the following 3, but I'm asking for recommendations: are there any other MD/PhD programs that I should know about? (i.e: that would allow me to do my PhD research in Electrical/Medical/Aerospace/Systems engineering)

1. MIT/Harvard HST (Bioastronautics Training Program)
2. University of Colorado - Boulder (Bioastronautics) [Side note: I'm not actually sure if MD/PhD students at this school can do their PhD through this program; I found mention of this guy that did his MD/PhD in Chemical Engineering, so it may be possible, but I will need to get more concrete confirmation on this.... If you happen to know about this, your input would be welcome.]
3. Texas A&M University (Space Life Sciences)

Even places that would let me do research in the medical engineering that involves properly macro-scale biophysics and hardware (as opposed to the imaging, chemistry, etc. that most MD/PhD BME programs are focused on) might be interesting. Broaden my perspective. 🙂

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[wholeheartedly]

I'm looking for some help in finding more schools that offer MD/PhD programs that I would be interested in.

My career goal is research in aerospace medical engineering, and, since it is such a niche field, there are very few schools that offer PhD research on related topics. I am aware of exactly 1 program that fits my interests really closely, but it happens to be through that medical school that starts with H, so I'm on the hunt for other options to think about for the contingency where that one doesn't work out.

I know of the following 3, but I'm asking for recommendations: are there any other MD/PhD programs that I should know about? (i.e: that would allow me to do my PhD research in Electrical/Medical/Aerospace/Systems engineering)

1. MIT/Harvard HST (Bioastronautics Training Program)
2. University of Colorado - Boulder (Bioastronautics) [Side note: I'm not actually sure if MD/PhD students at this school can do their PhD through this program; I found mention of this guy that did his MD/PhD in Chemical Engineering, so it may be possible, but I will need to get more concrete confirmation on this.... If you happen to know about this, your input would be welcome.]
3. Texas A&M University (Space Life Sciences)

Even places that would let me do research in the medical engineering that involves properly macro-scale biophysics and hardware (as opposed to the imaging, chemistry, etc. that most MD/PhD BME programs are focused on) might be interesting. Broaden my perspective. 🙂

Do you really need the MD for what you want to do?

 

[EngineerMedic]

Do you really need the MD for what you want to do?

I'm working on that decision. But I'm operating under the assumption that I will, because it's a lot easier to drop pre-med at the last minute than to pick it up at the last minute.

 

[wholeheartedly]

I'm working on that decision. But I'm operating under the assumption that I will, because it's a lot easier to drop pre-med at the last minute than to pick it up at the last minute.

ok that's not a bad plan.

what year are you? can you arrange to do research with someone at one of these places during a summer? that might be your best bet to get your foot in the door and make contacts or find out who else is doing this kind of stuff at other places.

another option would be to forgo the PhD and do your research training post residency at one of these places. Probably easier to get your foot in the door at that point. You can probably do an away research year during med school at one of these places as well.

another thought might be to look up aerospace fellowships, see which of those have med schools with MD/PhD programs with a biomed engineering PhD and contact them to see if it might be feasible to collaborate with someone in aerospace on your project, either within or outside your institution on your project.

Also, note there are MD/PhD programs that don't explicitly say you can do your PhD in certain other fields that will still let you. You might just have to ask places.

and lastly a few people have worked out arrangements to do med school at one institution and take a leave of absence to do their PhD at another, but its pretty rare. then again trying to do something this niche might justify it. a place like Mayo might be amenable to this. but you screw yourself out of the MD/PhD funding this way.

 

[EngineerMedic]

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