Med schools that allow LOA for PhD?

[Green-Eyed Girl]

Applying MD-PhD in a non traditional field with strong stats. Thinking strategically about how to broaden school list by applying MD-only to schools that do not seem to support intended field for PhD in the MSTP but have strong departments in that field (typically smaller MSTP programs). Down the road taking a LOA for the PhD…. Totally suboptimal way to accomplish primary goal of MD/PhD but need to be realistic about tiny number of schools that support MSTP in a non-trad field. Any experience surveying schools who do (or don't) allow a LOA for a PhD? Other thoughts?

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[ShinySephiroth]

I've been thinking of doing the same for quite a while. Glad to know I'm not the only one! What is the field you're looking into? I'm planning for Health Systems Research or Population Health Science. I'd originally been considering exercise science as well, but I'm going to focus on the former now.

I've spoken with schools in the past who said that it isn't too difficult to get permission from the admin office to attain a LoA for a DIY MD/PhD as long as you can articulate why you're going down this path.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I was looking up the Medical Scholars Program at U Illinois, but they are saying they're not taking students. Their website said it was due to the formation of the Carle SOM program, so that's off the board. (I appreciate you forcing me to recheck my homework and links to this program.)

AAMC does have a page on this question: MD-PhD in the Social Sciences or Humanities: Is it Right for Me? and it appears there is a directory MD-PhD in Social Sciences or Humanities and Other Non-Traditional Fields of Graduate Study . Hopefully that directory is up-to-date.

Now to actually try to make suggestions to the question...

Every MSTP program should have a policy on taking LOA. I also think every medical school will have a policy on taking LOA for research though not sure for PhD (that really disrupts your timeline to graduate).

I would also check whether there are faculty that have appointments both in the medical school and in the desired non-med school department. The more there are, the more likely you may be successful. Reach out to them to set up a chat to talk about your plans and whether they think their school is the right place for you to fulfill them. The smaller the medical school faculty size, the more likely that the person you talk to may be involved somehow in admissions (interviewing at least), but chances are they don't really participate much in file discussions so they can really give you honest advice.

I will also encourage you: it's okay to get your Ph.D. first and do it the "old-fashioned way."