transfer md/phd programs

[dolphingirl]

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Has anyone chosen to or had to transfer between different universities while in an MD/PhD program? Why did you transfer (personal reasons? because you had to move to a new university to finish your research when your mentor took a new job, and you wanted to stay on there rather than return to your original institution to finish the program? other reasons?) at what point did you transfer (during PhD? after PhD, before 3rd year? during 3rd or 4th year?)? How did it work out for you financially? emotionally? beaurocracy-wise? etc? Did you have to pay back all of your stipend/tuition to the original program? Did you have to pay for the remaining years? Were both programs MSTP or was one (or both) institutionally financed programs? I might be facing this situation, and i'm just wondering how it's worked out for anyone else, or if it's even possible. Thanks!

 

[ecoli]

IS that even possible?

 

[GliaGirl]

I was under the impression that transferring is not allowed, so please keep us updated about whether or not it is. I'm curious now...

 

[OddNath]

There's one guy in our program who transferred here b/c his mentor moved to MD Anderson during his grad years. He's finished his PhD and is now in MS3. It doesn't look like he had to pay anything back, and he's been paid this whole time.

 

[fairalexfield]

When I interviewed last year I stayed with someone at UTSW who had transferred. I guess he was at one program and his fiance was at UTSW and when they ended up getting married, they allowed him to transfer down there. From what I remember, he had completed 3 years of his PhD at Case and then moved to UTSW and had to start his PhD work all over (if that's not dedication, I don't know what is). In the end, it looks like it's possible, but you have to have a pretty extreme circumstance and be willing to catch up in a new place.

 

[dolphingirl]

so Case was totally fine with him going to a new institution? that's nice of them. do you know if they made him pay back any money? do you know if UTSW is now going to cover his 3rd & 4th year of medical school?

 

[dolphingirl]

OddNath, do you know what his original institution was?

 

[fairalexfield]

I'm not exactly sure about the details, but I think he didn't pay anything back and he was completely transferred to UTSW, so he had to restart his thesis work and I believe the institution will pay for his MS3/4.

 

[OddNath]

OddNath, do you know what his original institution was?

SUNY Buffalo

 

[Neuronix]

It happens. I remember a guy in my program who transferred from CWRU after his lab moved and he spent a few years working on his PhD. He finished his PhD there and the MSTP paid for 3rd/4th year. I'm pretty sure he didn't have to pay CWRU back.