MS contributing to PhD

[achamess]

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Hello all,
I am considering doing an MS in Biochemistry/Chemical Biology after my undergraduate career, and I was wondering if MD/PhD programs frequently allow the courses and work completed during an MS program at another institution to contribute to the completion of a PhD degree at theirs?

Also, I was wondering if it is common practice to apply both to Medical School and Graduate School simulataneously, the idea being, that if I don't get into an attractive MD/PhD program, but I am accepted into a Masters program, I can get some valuable experience with my MS while reapplying to medical school.

Thanks,
Alex

 

[achamess]

So I guess this is not as popular a route as I once thought...
Back to the drawing board.😀

-Alex

 

[MSTPbound]

Hello all,
I am considering doing an MS in Biochemistry/Chemical Biology after my undergraduate career, and I was wondering if MD/PhD programs frequently allow the courses and work completed during an MS program at another institution to contribute to the completion of a PhD degree at theirs?

Also, I was wondering if it is common practice to apply both to Medical School and Graduate School simulataneously, the idea being, that if I don't get into an attractive MD/PhD program, but I am accepted into a Masters program, I can get some valuable experience with my MS while reapplying to medical school.

Thanks,
Alex

Hi Alex,

I'm not the best qualified individual in this forum to address your question, so don't put more weight into my opinion than *anyone else's*, but FWIW, I would not count on being able to apply those coursework credits if I were you - and I wouldn't even see that saving you much time anyway. You'll still be completing two years of medical school before your PhD years, and most of your time during the PhD years will be spent doing research, not taking graduate coursework. At best, the research you do during your MS will help you in the admissions process if you don't already have significant research experience from your undergrad years.

As for your second question, I don't know it to be common practice, and I would say from all the great advice I've picked up from others in this forum that you should focus on applying to MD/PhD programs, with MD-only as a back up rather than grad school - it's usually tougher to go the other way around.

A side note: if you got into *any* MD/PhD program, regardless of its attractiveness, you would be making a HUGE mistake passing up the opportunity, thinking you'll just pursue a medical degree later. You should consider yourself lucky if you have the opportunity even once.

Good Luck,

-MSTPbound

 

[Neuronix]

I was wondering if MD/PhD programs frequently allow the courses and work completed during an MS program at another institution to contribute to the completion of a PhD degree at theirs?

Typically, it depends on the graduate program, not the MD/PhD program. I would say usually not.

Also, I was wondering if it is common practice to apply both to Medical School and Graduate School simulataneously, the idea being, that if I don't get into an attractive MD/PhD program, but I am accepted into a Masters program, I can get some valuable experience with my MS while reapplying to medical school.

It's not a particularly common practice, as most people apply to MD programs as backups to MD/PhD programs if they apply to backups at all. It's a fine idea, though you have to consider that MS programs tend to be 2 years to get funding and you'll end up repeating much of it in a PhD program. It's more common for people to work as research techs the time between undergrad and MD/PhD programs, probably just because it's easier to focus on the research and get paid.

 

[mdphd2b]

Hello all,
I am considering doing an MS in Biochemistry/Chemical Biology after my undergraduate career, and I was wondering if MD/PhD programs frequently allow the courses and work completed during an MS program at another institution to contribute to the completion of a PhD degree at theirs?

This is VERY specific to individual graduate programs WITHIN the MD/PhD programs. I think at Pitt/CMU the only Dept that considers this is Bioengineering, b/c many students do come in with Master's.

Also there are some pre-doctoral fellowship programs that consider MS students ineligible to apply for funding as a PhD student. Once again, bioengineering comes to mind. Perhaps others can chime in?