PhD to MD/PhD Transfer?

[Foreigner]

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Has anyone ever done this? Is it even possible?

Any thoughts?

🙂

 

[tigress]

It is possible. When I was in grad school I was considering this option, but I decided to just leave grad school and apply MD. I can't speak for all schools, but most programs have the option for first year PhD students to apply to be in the joint MD/PhD program, just like they do for the first year MD students. Usually you can find the person who directs the combined degree program and talk to them about it.

 

[Foreigner]

It is possible. When I was in grad school I was considering this option, but I decided to just leave grad school and apply MD. I can't speak for all schools, but most programs have the option for first year PhD students to apply to be in the joint MD/PhD program, just like they do for the first year MD students. Usually you can find the person who directs the combined degree program and talk to them about it.

Thanks! I haven't even thought about it until today 😕 I will try to find the right person to talk to here. One thing that could be a problem is the fact that I am finishing my fourth year of PhD right now, so I have no idea how I would "fit" in the MD/PhD schedule 🙂

 

[dajimmers]

Ahh, trying to get medschool paid for, are we? While most (all?) MD/PhD programs I know of are more integrated (2 med, 3 PhD, 2 clinical, residency/fellowship, etc…), you should have a shot at getting something custom-made for you if you can justify how the MD degree will help in your goals, and more importantly, in the goals of research that can earn $$.

So, I’d just ask as many people as you can. If you are finishing your PhD anyways, you can probably look at getting the MD from other schools as well, if yours isn't cooperating...

Good luck!

 

[YzIa]

Thanks! I haven't even thought about it until today 😕 I will try to find the right person to talk to here. One thing that could be a problem is the fact that I am finishing my fourth year of PhD right now, so I have no idea how I would "fit" in the MD/PhD schedule 🙂

Having already finished your class portion of the PhD, you really couldn't get the benefit of doing a combined degree and would also have go back and take many of the didactic courses that you missed.

 

[gwang]

most programs have the option for first year PhD students to apply to be in the joint MD/PhD program, just like they do for the first year MD students.

I wouldn't say "most" program allow the PhD to MD/PhD transfer. My understanding is that the first year MD to MD/PhD (i.e. in-house applicants) transfer is possible at almost all schools, and even favored at some; the PhD to MD/PhD transfer is much more difficult, and not possible at some schools (particulary NIH-funded MSTPs). In addition to contacting schools of your interest, you might consider searching this topic in the MSTP forum.

 

[tigress]

I wouldn't say "most" program allow the PhD to MD/PhD transfer. My understanding is that the first year MD to MD/PhD (i.e. in-house applicants) transfer is possible at almost all schools, and even favored at some; the PhD to MD/PhD transfer is much more difficult, and not possible at some schools (particulary NIH-funded MSTPs). In addition to contacting schools of your interest, you might consider searching this topic in the MSTP forum.

I know for sure it's possible at both Penn and Einstein. Take from that what you will.

 

[Scottish Chap]

Has anyone ever done this? Is it even possible?

Any thoughts?

🙂

I don't know a single person who has done this successfully, but I know several who took the MCAT (which you'll definitely owe them) while in the first year of a Ph.D. program and they reapplied from the start to M.D./Ph.D. programs. I also know a couple of folks who tranferred from the M.D. to the M.D./Ph.D. program without issue. I think the MCAT and the cost of the M.D. program are the two determinants so Ph.D. --> M.D./Ph.D. through the 'back door' is tough. Also, if you're not a U.S. citizen of PR, I'd say the Ph.D. --> M.D./Ph.D. transfer is too tough. You might want to refer back to your previous thread also: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=2531741#post2531741.

 

[laxgirl9]

I know that it is possible at Stanford. However, I think that it is much more likely to get into the combined MD/PhD program if you are earlier on in the PhD part. Also, if you have a spouse in the MD program, that is a huge bonus (from what I hear from some of my grad student friends over there).

 

[Foreigner]

Thank you for all the suggestions. Just to clarify - I am at The Rockefeller University, so the MD/PhD program is run by Cornell/MSK/RU, and at least some funding is private money. And that is pretty much the only benefit, and the only reason I would stay in the area - to get the MD paid for. Otherwise, I could just wrap up here and move on.

Anyways, I talked to my PI, and she suggested this option, and although she thought it was THEORETICALLY possible, we were both wondering if anyone has ever done it (PRACTICALLY).

Thanks again for the advice - SDNers are most helpful!

👍

 

[pseudoknot]

My advisor did this at Stanford, in his first year there, but he's the only one I've heard of. If you're in your fourth year of grad school you're going to need to just apply to regular MD programs--I'm doing this now and a few others on this board are as well. Search especially for QofQuimica's posts.

 

[tigress]

Yeah I just want to chime in again here. I think it's not possible if you're already in your fourth year in the PhD program. They'll just tell you to finish your PhD and then apply, and won't give you funding. I know of a few people who decided that late in the program to also get an MD, but they had to do it after completing the PhD.

So I just found out about the possibility of a grant you can apply to from the NIH, maybe an F30 or F31, which will contribute to med school if you already have a PhD. (?) I'll try to look that up, but you may want to look into it yourself.

 

[Mitro]

I don't know if this is true any more - but there are two MD/PhDs in my lab who got their PhDs first and then their MDs. They both did med school in just three years. Some schools may accomodate you in this way, I know Duke will and I'm sure there must be other schools out there that will also take your PhD into consideration.

 

[pseudoknot]

Duke's curriculum is unusual in that the preclinical courses are done in 11 months, which frees up a year that is normally used for a research project. If you have a PhD in something bio-related they will waive that year. (This isn't a rumor or something I heard; it's documented in their student handbook, available on the web.)

I'm not aware of anything similar at other schools, but it's a somewhat rare situation and you'd probably want to ask each school. It might be more appropriate to wait until the interview stage to do that.

NIH has a loan repayment program for MDs doing clinical research, which may be what tigress was thinking of.
http://www.lrp.nih.gov/

 

[Foreigner]

Yeah I just want to chime in again here. I think it's not possible if you're already in your fourth year in the PhD program. They'll just tell you to finish your PhD and then apply, and won't give you funding. I know of a few people who decided that late in the program to also get an MD, but they had to do it after completing the PhD.

So I just found out about the possibility of a grant you can apply to from the NIH, maybe an F30 or F31, which will contribute to med school if you already have a PhD. (?) I'll try to look that up, but you may want to look into it yourself.

Thanks Tigress,

I am a non-US citizen - so i am no sure that I could get any NIH grants at this point, but I will definitely look into this.