MD and PhD at different schools?

[laxgirl04]

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Do MSTPs (or other MD/PhDs) ever allow you to do your PhD at a different school than your MD? If so, how does this happen, and is it more ad hoc (like, you come into a program, change research interests, and now need to go to a different school to find an appropriate mentor) or formal (agreed upon even before coming in, etc)?

Any anecdotes would be helpful!

 

[gbwillner]

Do MSTPs (or other MD/PhDs) ever allow you to do your PhD at a different school than your MD? If so, how does this happen, and is it more ad hoc (like, you come into a program, change research interests, and now need to go to a different school to find an appropriate mentor) or formal (agreed upon even before coming in, etc)?

Any anecdotes would be helpful!

It does happen. By far, the most likely scenario that results in MD and PhDs coming from different institutions is when you start a PhD at your MD program, and your PI up and leaves for another institution. Depending upon how far along you are, you may choose (if asked) to go with your mentor to help establish a new lab. You will then be admitted to the PhD program at your new school. Often you cannot transfer the MD part, so when you finish the PhD you come back to your original program.

 

[Lil Mick]

Harvard/MIT and USC/CalTech come to mind as programs designed for this. I've known of a few people who have done the PhD at other institutions because of circumstances (PI moved, program didn't offer that PhD anymore...). It is not the norm, though.

 

[Neuronix]

One program for this does exist:

http://oxcam.gpp.nih.gov/prospectiveStudents/MD_PhD_ProgDesc.asp

It is uncommon and many programs do not support it. Essentially, if a school is paying towards your MD, they expect you to do the PhD there or at a close affiliate such as the ones Lil Mick mentioned.

If your research interests change and you cannot find an appropriate mentor at your school, that's not going to be a strong enough reason to do a PhD elsewhere. The only time you ever hear it happening is if the PI moves during graduate school, which honestly is not something you want to set yourself up for.

 

[mudphud hero]

What is the main advantage of the NIH OxCam program?

 

[MrNeuro]

What is the main advantage of the NIH OxCam program?

i wanna know too...they're pretty vague and some of their links dont work..

 

[Neuronix]

Search this forum for "oxcam".

 

[bd4727]

I'm in the Ox/Cam program---

The advantages are relative just like anything else. The differences between it and a traditional MSTP:

1. You are not at one institution for both Med School and Grad School
2. You have 2 labs (one at NIH and one at Ox or Cam) and split the PhD time evenly in each lab (a collaborative project that overlaps both)
3. It is based on the British PhD system, so no classes are required
4. Because of #3, the average time to obtain a PhD for the program is 4yrs
5. Both NIH and Ox/Cam are a bit different in terms of atmosphere from US medical schools

So for some people, like myself, these things are advantageous. For many people they are not. But overall it is a well-run program, in my opinion, if it is something you are interested in.