What MSTP schools allow for non-med related PhDs?

[Chrishel]

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I am looking to get a PhD in either bioinformatics, computational chemistry, or perhaps just computer science. It seems like a lot of MSTP curricula don't allow PhDs outside of the realm of "normal" bio or chem related fields (like biochem, genetics, neuroscience, etc). Specifically, I don't see bioinformatics offered very many places. I know UIUC will let you pick any PhD you want, and I am in the process of researching other schools to see what they allow, but I thought if people had already crossed this bridge, and knew the answer (nearly) off the top of their head, it would be worth asking to save some time.

Even if schools don't allow just any PhD, but have bioinformatics, please let me know that as well.

Thanks a lot 🙂

 

[QofQuimica]

I am looking to get a PhD in either bioinformatics, computational chemistry, or perhaps just computer science. It seems like a lot of MSTP curricula don't allow PhDs outside of the realm of "normal" bio or chem related fields (like biochem, genetics, neuroscience, etc). Specifically, I don't see bioinformatics offered very many places. I know UIUC will let you pick any PhD you want, and I am in the process of researching other schools to see what they allow, but I thought if people had already crossed this bridge, and knew the answer (nearly) off the top of their head, it would be worth asking to save some time.

Even if schools don't allow just any PhD, but have bioinformatics, please let me know that as well.

Thanks a lot 🙂

I suggest that you look at U Chicago (Pritzker). I don't know whether they have bioinformatics specifically, but they definitely have some pretty unusual MD/PhDs there. Not only are there people doing their PhDs in the physical sciences, but also in the social sciences and even humanities. It's a great school that's very strong in the physical sciences. 🙂

 

[Hard24Get]

I am looking to get a PhD in either bioinformatics, computational chemistry, or perhaps just computer science. It seems like a lot of MSTP curricula don't allow PhDs outside of the realm of "normal" bio or chem related fields (like biochem, genetics, neuroscience, etc). Specifically, I don't see bioinformatics offered very many places. I know UIUC will let you pick any PhD you want, and I am in the process of researching other schools to see what they allow, but I thought if people had already crossed this bridge, and knew the answer (nearly) off the top of their head, it would be worth asking to save some time.

Even if schools don't allow just any PhD, but have bioinformatics, please let me know that as well.

Thanks a lot 🙂

UPenn has bioinformatics and also takes a small number of non-science PhDs.

 

[physicsnerd42]

Dartmouth will allow you to do computational biology (and other random things like physics and environmental science).

 

[tbo]

Columbia P&S has an MD/PhD in Biomedical Informatics which could be applied to all 3 of those specialties that you list.

 

[Chrishel]

Thank you all very much for your replies! They've saved me a good deal of time.

To a mod: If I wanted to do a "what are my chances?" post specifically for MSTP, should I post in the existing thread in the Pre-MD forum, or can I start a new one here?

 

[gutonc]

Definitely look at places that have good coordination b/w their "main" and medical campuses if you want to go this route. For instance, U Chicago and Dartmouth (as mentioned above), UW-Madison, WashU and U of W are all places I went on my residency interviews (Medicine Research Pathway) where people talked about MD/PhDs doing thesis work that wasn't directly biomed related. I think as long as you can put together a coherent argument as to why your thesis research would make you a better physician or inform your practice, a good program will help you find a way to make it work.

BE (now PE)

 

[DaBeav]

I think Stanford might offer some opportunities. UC-Irvine and UNC-Chapel Hill have computer science. Iowa, Washington and Vanderbilt have biostatistics. Johns Hopkins, Michigan, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, and UCSD have bioinformatics. WashU and NYU have computational bio. Columbia has biomed informatics and computational bio. OHSU has biomed informatics. Carnegie Mellon offers a lot of stuff. Wisconsin has some computational stuff.

Sorry its so jumbled...I was just jotting some schools down as I was looking. Hope it helps.

 

[Neuronix]

To a mod: If I wanted to do a "what are my chances?" post specifically for MSTP, should I post in the existing thread in the Pre-MD forum, or can I start a new one here?

You could start a new one in this forum or just post a new post in this thread. I won't ding you for the double post.

 

[hawkeey]

Even if schools don't allow just any PhD, but have bioinformatics, please let me know that as well.

Thanks a lot 🙂

If you are really interested in Bioinformatics I would take a close look at UC San Diego. They have excellent Bioinformatics programs happening there. I even know of several Professors who have taken sabbaticals there to learn how to integrate Bioinformatics into their approaches.

I'm not so sure about UChicago for Bioinformatics. While their computer science and mathematics departments are some of the best in the country, they are also regarded as being highly theoretical.

UIUC has NCSA which would be an excellent resource for someone looking to pursue Bioinformatics research.

I would be a bit weary about limited your scope to Bioinformatics though. I think a lot of people are attracted to it because of their propensity for computing, but these skills can be applied to almost any field. The application of these skills to these other fields is where the really cool science starts happening.

Good luck.

 

[Newquagmire]

If you are really interested in Bioinformatics I would take a close look at UC San Diego. They have excellent Bioinformatics programs happening there. I even know of several Professors who have taken sabbaticals there to learn how to integrate Bioinformatics into their approaches.

I don't know very much about the local bioinformatics field, but I'm told there are strong engineering (in general) programs at UCSD. At least one person in the program's recent past has done a computer-heavy PhD.

I would also encourage you to check out WashU, UW, UCLA-Caltech, Harvard-MIT, Pitt-Carnegie, Baylor-Rice.