MD/PhD in HISTORY???

[banannie]

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I majored in History & Science in college, and am considering doing a joint degree in medicine and history (either MA or PhD). So far, Duke is the only school I've seen with a formal program. Does anyone know of any other formal programs out there? Has anyone done (or know of someone who's done) one of these programs? Is anyone considering doing an informal joint program (eg, taking a leave of absence btwn 2nd and 3rd year to get a degree in history)?

thanks! 🙂

 

[pathdr2b]

Try UI- Urbanna-Champaign or Harvard

Good luck!!

 

[MedApp2003]

The UCSF joint program with Berkley also looks really good for stuff like that.
Good luck!

 

[doepug]

Come to Hopkins.

There's an awesome history of medicine program here, and over the years, several people have done an MD/PhD, studying medical history. I believe there's actually a formal pathway for this.

Cheers,

doepug
MS III, Johns Hopkins

 

[jot]

penn,yale,duke,hopkins have programs. i was seriously considering this option, and had done a lot of research abotu it -- its a great degree btu the funding becomes an issue. these schools help you out for the most part, but its a different sort of issue. ask your history profs - they are connected and can help you out greatly. if you have anymore specific Q's let me know

-jot

 

[none]

The UCSF/Berkeley program does not offer a PhD. It offers a Masters and, as long as your historical interest is in biomedicine, it should fit well to your goals. There's no funding support there, of course. The NIH isn't all that interested in this as you might guess.

 

[banannie]

Wow, thanks for all the suggestions. 🙂

Too bad these schools are all so hard to get into! The great irony is that because I spent a little too much time in dusty medical library archives during college, and too little time doing orgo practice problems, my science GPA is on the low side, hence my prospects at Duke, Harvard, Hopkins, Penn, Yale, UCSF, etc are quite dim.

 

[USeF]

well it's not TOO much easier to get into, but peruse down a couple notches on the good 'ol USN&WR and you can try
U of Chicago for that. THere is not a formal one that I know of, but they LOVE their students to do 2nd degrees, the more unique, the better 😉

 

[paean]

Sometimes some of the "hard to get into" schools are actually easier for people with unusual interests (like yourself). Because they feel they have no problem filling their classes with "top" students, they but more focus on diversity of background and creating an interesting class than the mean GPA/MCAT might suggest. Don't write it off.

And UCSF (outside of the Joint Medical Program) has students who get PhDs at Berkeley, I know that there is a tradition of that with the Berkeley Anthro Department, and would imagine that other social sciences might also be receptive. While you are unlikely to get full funding (never say never), you could certainly get funded for your time persuing the PhD part of your education.

 

[atsai3]

banannie,

Everyone has made pretty good suggestions so far. In terms of giving you examples, I know somebody who attended CWRU School of Medicine and took time off during the middle to get a PhD in anthropology. The key is to find a school that values this sort of interdisciplinary work (and demonstrates it concretely with their flexibility and willingness to work with you).

Cheers
-a.