MD - (non-science) PhD Program?

[prasinos]

Does anyone know of schools that have MD-PhD dual enrollment program where the PhD portion is not a science-related field (say, humanities or social science)?

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[Picklesali]

There are many. It is less common to be sure. Just start checking websites.

 

[Depakote]

Just out of curiosity, what would you plan to do with such a doctorate?

 

[Law2Doc]

Just out of curiosity, what would you plan to do with such a doctorate?

Agreed. You sort of need to have a game plan when you are going to spend a lot of years and loans on dual degrees that don't lend logically to a particular job on the other end. Otherwise it tends to often hurt your future career progression as it gives you the label of "unfocused", "degree collecter", or "career student". If you can conceive of a logical career progression that requires both degrees, then it will be an asset. If it looks like you are pulling in two different directions, rather than a logical progression, it becomes an obstacle to explain away.

 

[Inuranic]

It's less common to find MD-PhD programs that offer the PhD in a non-science field, but they definitely exist. Unfortunately (and correct me if I'm wrong), it seems like many of the top institutions are the ones that are more likely to offer this combination. I applied all MD-PhD this cycle, and attempted to stay away from the highest ranked programs (at least according to US News). Few, if any, of the schools on my list offer this option.

 

[SigurRos]

Just out of curiosity, what would you plan to do with such a doctorate?

medical ethics?

 

[TarHeel55]

The University of Chicago has a joint MD/PhD program in the social sciences and humanities.

A number of schools have joint MD/MA programs in bioethics. Case Western and Pittsburgh come to mind, but I am sure there are others. If bioethics is your interest, I imagine you could arrange a joint MD/PhD program at one of these schools pretty easily.

I suspect that you could individually arrange a joint MD-humanities/social science PhD at many schools that do not have formal joint degree programs. You would need the help of the faculty advisors in your MD program to arrange time off for the PhD, and you would need to apply separately to the PhD-granting department at the school you are interested in. As others have suggested, I suspect you would need to have a relatively well-worked out idea of your research program going into this process, in order to convince your med school that it would be a constructive use of your time. When I was doing a PhD (in the humanities) there was an MD student who enrolled in our department's PhD program. I'm pretty sure he worked out something with the med school and our department on an individual basis, because the med school does not "advertise" a formal MD/humanities PhD program in its admissions literature.

There are certainly a lot of fascinating and important problems at the intersection of medical science and the social sciences/humanities. Assent, decision-making, the uptake of medical knowledge in local cultural contexts... You might be able to get the skills you need to do the kind of research you are interested in with an MA in the humanities/social science field of your choice. Still, there is nothing like the creativity and challenge of a PhD... in the humanities/social sciences, it prepares you like nothing else to design and conduct your own independent research.

I wish you the best of luck!

 

[prasinos]

There are certainly a lot of fascinating and important problems at the intersection of medical science and the social sciences/humanities. Assent, decision-making, the uptake of medical knowledge in local cultural contexts... You might be able to get the skills you need to do the kind of research you are interested in with an MA in the humanities/social science field of your choice. Still, there is nothing like the creativity and challenge of a PhD... in the humanities/social sciences, it prepares you like nothing else to design and conduct your own independent research.

I wish you the best of luck!

I definitely agree with you and thank you for the information; it is exactly what I needed. Medicine for medicine's sake is fascinating but incorporating it into the bigger picture of the development of the world is beyond human fascination.

 

[vector07]

WashU's MSTP would allow you to pursue a non-science PhD as long as your thesis is related to medicine in some way. Also, UCSF accepts 1 person a year into an MD/PhD medical anthropology program, as I recall... it's an option on their application.

 

[nosugrefneb]

I know of people doing PhDs in the history of science and another in something English-y (I think) at the UChicago, epidemiology at UPenn, and bioengineering with an anthropology bent at UWashington. Just as an example.

I'm not sure if these are MSTP-proper routes, but they almost definitely have some sort of funding associated with them.

 

[GWD]

SIU offers an MD/JD program.

But Law2Doc is right, pursuing something like this w/o a tangible objective is pretty much a waste of time.

 

[RxnMan]

Albany Medical College has a MD/MA program in Bioethics.

Last time I looked, University of Colorado's MD/PhD allowed you to get the PhD in any field they offered, which included non-science degrees.

 

[meowkat444]

harvard and chicago both offer NIH-funded md/phd in humanities.

Lots of non-MSTP options, though, such as UIliinois Urbana. I'm looking at cognitive science, which is certainly related to neurology but not within the net of traditional science.

 

[philosopherdoc]

Look around, they are out there. My advice to you is to find a school that has a highly reputable program in what you are looking for, that also has a medical school which you are interested in. It can be quite a challenge, but worth it if you find the right place. PM me if you have more questions.

A lot of other previous posters have expressed concerns about the dual degree in a nontrad field, make sure you can answer this with a well laid out plan (at least as much as can be expected at this point). This will benefit you in your graduate career and also will give the school a good reason why they should take a chance on you.

Good luck!

 

[DogFaceMedic]

Look around, they are out there. My advice to you is to find a school that has a highly reputable program in what you are looking for, that also has a medical school which you are interested in. It can be quite a challenge, but worth it if you find the right place. PM me if you have more questions.

A lot of other previous posters have expressed concerns about the dual degree in a nontrad field, make sure you can answer this with a well laid out plan (at least as much as can be expected at this point). This will benefit you in your graduate career and also will give the school a good reason why they should take a chance on you.

Good luck!

What kind of philosopher do you portend to be? Your avatar looks like Socrates before he is about to have some "tea." Socrates and I were friends in kindergarten.

 

[philosopherdoc]

What kind of philosopher do you portend to be? Your avatar looks like Socrates before he is about to have some "tea." Socrates and I were friends in kindergarten.

Is that a serious question or not?

 

[DogFaceMedic]

Is that a serious question or not?

yes, or more generally, your philosophic interests? Moral philosophy, marxist, utilitarian, darwinian, hobbesian, bioethics, cartesian, existentialist. I am exaggerating: I was one year too young to be in Socrates' class.

 

[fantasty]

harvard and chicago both offer NIH-funded md/phd in humanities.

Lots of non-MSTP options, though, such as UIliinois Urbana. I'm looking at cognitive science, which is certainly related to neurology but not within the net of traditional science.

You might check out Iowa too - there is a cognitive/behavioral track within neurosciences that several MSTPers took.

 

[OncDoc19]

You might check out Iowa too - there is a cognitive/behavioral track within neurosciences that several MSTPers took.

This all depends on how non-science you want to be. Iowa is actually not very friendly to non-trads. They still consider epidemiology to be non-trad.

 

[fantasty]

This all depends on how non-science you want to be. Iowa is actually not very friendly to non-trads. They still consider epidemiology to be non-trad.

I'm one of the two epi students here. They weren't super-comfortable with it when I applied, but it seems like they are more open to it now. We also have students go biomed engineering, which was relatively new development. And, there is plenty of experience in cognitive neuroscience (one of our MSTP students got a Science paper out while in that program).

EDIT: Also I meant that for meowcat - true, anything astray from biomedical science would be tough. I have had friends interested in Community and Behavioral health, and health policy, who didn't feel that they would be able to swing it in the MSTP. But, if you have any questions, our program administrator is very nice.

 

[OncDoc19]

But, if you have any questions, our program administrator is very nice.

Very true - Leslie rocks! (I am an undergrad at Iowa actually. Maybe we have met - I was in the SUMR program this summer)