Starting MD once in a PhD program

[calimaven]

Hey you guys,
I just wanted to know if any of you had heard of a PhD student applying for MD so that they would end up doing a combined degree program. I just found out that at Yale, a PhD student may apply to the MD/PhD program by October 15 of their second year if the student completes all predissertation requirements before matriculation. Have any of you heard of this or know anyone that has accomplished it? Do you know of any other schools where this is allowed?

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[b&ierstiefel]

Hey you guys,
I just wanted to know if any of you had heard of a PhD student applying for MD so that they would end up doing a combined degree program. I just found out that at Yale, a PhD student may apply to the MD/PhD program by October 15 of their second year if the student completes all predissertation requirements before matriculation. Have any of you heard of this or know anyone that has accomplished it? Do you know of any other schools where this is allowed?

One of my MSTP classmates was in a PhD program here at Michigan for 3 years before matriculating in the MSTP program. He just put his thesis research on hold for 2 years during first and second year of med school. Off and on he would go back to the lab and do some work on the side even during these two years.

Another student in the class one year below mine was also in his 1st year of grad school when he applied and was accepted to MSTP.

It's not common but it can be done.

 

[Habari]

it depends on your institutional rules. some schools, such as ucsf, explicitly do not allow transfer from the phd to mdphd programs (at least as of 2 years ago), however, it maybe possible to apply to another mstp program while you are in the phd program. the details can be sticky and program specific. it would be best to know exactly what you want, and where you want to do it prior to letting the 'transfer' cat out of the bag.

 

[QofQuimica]

I tried to do that and wasn't able to. They told me to finish my PhD first and then reapply for medical school. I am graduating this year, so I'm going to apply for the following year.

 

[calimaven]

What school did you attempt to do this at? Did their policies specifically prohibit a current grad student to apply to the MD/PhD program? What year of grad school were you in when you attempted to transfer to MD/PhD? I recently talked to a member of the MSTP admissions committee at the school where I'm conducting my post-bac and he said that a lot of schools allow a grad student to transfer to MD/PhD if they apply within two years of starting grad school (chances are better if after one year). Late transfers are not encouraged because someone who applies when they are well into their PhD program is so close to finishing that they might as well apply to med school after obtaining their degree. Other reasons for avoiding a late transfer is that it would defeat the original intent of the MD/PhD program to provide an education that tightly integrates basic scence and medicine; additionally, they fear that the student may be trying to obtain a "free MD degree". Just curious but did you acquire the desire to go to med school before you started grad school or did it develop and solidify as you neared completion of your grad degree? If the latter what "triggered" it?

 

[Neuronix]

I know people who have considered it here. While Penn doesn't specifically forbid people from doing it, it's very rare. Usually the grad students who come to ask about it get talked out of it by the office. The one I know who I asked about it told me there would be little chance she would be accepted since she had already started the PhD.

 

[QofQuimica]

What school did you attempt to do this at? Did their policies specifically prohibit a current grad student to apply to the MD/PhD program? What year of grad school were you in when you attempted to transfer to MD/PhD? I recently talked to a member of the MSTP admissions committee at the school where I'm conducting my post-bac and he said that a lot of schools allow a grad student to transfer to MD/PhD if they apply within two years of starting grad school (chances are better if after one year). Late transfers are not encouraged because someone who applies when they are well into their PhD program is so close to finishing that they might as well apply to med school after obtaining their degree. Other reasons for avoiding a late transfer is that it would defeat the original intent of the MD/PhD program to provide an education that tightly integrates basic scence and medicine; additionally, they fear that the student may be trying to obtain a "free MD degree". Just curious but did you acquire the desire to go to med school before you started grad school or did it develop and solidify as you neared completion of your grad degree? If the latter what "triggered" it?

I was at UAB, and had completed my first year of grad school. I had applied to both medical and graduate schools, and ended up going to graduate school. I should have applied for a MSTP in the first place, but I didn't find out about them until after I had already started the PhD. The committee allowed me to apply, and they even interviewed me, but the medical school dean told me at the end of the day that they felt it would be best if I finished the entire PhD first since I was already in that program. He said if I was still interested in med school after finishing, they'd be glad to take me then. I guess there had been some problems before with people dropping their PhD part after joining the MSTP, and also some concerns in the med school and grad school about stealing each other's students.