SOURCE: Association of American Medical Colleges
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3. you need the right recommenders.
Most letters of recommendation should come for your research mentors, professors who run the labs you work in, and the postdoctoral fellows you work with. Make sure your recommenders know that you are applying to MD-PhD programs as this will affect the letters they write.
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This subreddit is for discussing academic life, and for asking questions directed towards people involved in academia, (both science and humanities).
I have a year left in my PhD. I love it, and I've always seen myself getting into academia and committed to research. However in the last few months, I've found myself drawn to an MD, largely due to feeling that the more I get into my area of research, the more I feel the issue would be better addressed/helped from a medical rather than research field.
Has anyone here done this? What are your thoughts?
If it helps, my PhD is fully funded with a living stipend meaning I haven't had to pay for it, so I wouldn't be starting the MD in a huge amount of debt (just undergraduate fees).
B-1.1 | Total Enrollment by U.S. Medical School and Gender, 2014-2015 through 2018-2019 | ||
B-1.2 | Total Enrollment by U.S. Medical School and Gender, 2019-2020 through 2023-2024 | ||
B-2.1 | Total Graduates by U.S. Medical School, Gender, and Year, 2013-2014 through 2017-2018 | ||
B-2.2 | Total Graduates by U.S. Medical School, Gender, and Year, 2018- 2019 through 2022-2023 |
B-3 | Total U.S. Medical School Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity and Gender, 2019-2020 through 2023-2024 | ||
B-4 | Total U.S. Medical School Graduates by Race/Ethnicity and Gender, 2019-2020 through 2022-2023 | ||
B-5.1 | Total Enrollment by U.S. Medical School and Race/Ethnicity (Alone), 2023-2024 | ||
B-5.2 | Total Enrollment by U.S. Medical School and Race/Ethnicity (Alone or In Combination), 2023-2024 | ||
B-6.1 | Total Graduates by U.S. Medical School and Race/Ethnicity (Alone), 2022-2023 | ||
B-6.2 | Total Graduates by U.S. Medical School and Race/Ethnicity (Alone or In Combination), 2022-2023 | ||
B-14 | Enrollment and Graduates of U.S. MD-Granting Medical Schools by Race/Ethnicity (Alone) and Gender, 2020-2021 through 2023-2024 |
B-7 | MD-PhD Applicants to U.S. Medical Schools by Race/Ethnicity and State of Legal Residence, 2023-2024 | ||
B-8 | U.S. Medical School MD-PhD Applications and Matriculants by School, In-State Status, and Gender, 2023-2024 | ||
B-9 | MD-PhD Matriculants to U.S. Medical Schools by Race/Ethnicity and State of Legal Residence, 2023-2024 | ||
B-10 | MCAT Scores and GPAs for MD-PhD Applicants and Matriculants to U.S. Medical Schools, 2019-2020 through 2023-2024 | ||
B-11.1 | Total MD-PhD Enrollment by U.S. Medical School and Gender, 2014-2015 through 2018-2019 | ||
B-11.2 | Total MD-PhD Enrollment by U.S. Medical School and Gender, 2019-2020 through 2023-2024 | ||
B-12 | First-Year, Research LOA, and Total MD-PhD Enrollment by U.S. Medical School, 2023-2024 | ||
B-13 | Race/Ethnicity Responses (Alone and In Combination) of MD-PhD Graduates of U.S. Medical Schools, 2019-2020 through 2023-2024 | ||
B-15 | Total U.S. MD-Granting Medical School Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity (Alone), Gender, and Degree Program, 2023-2024 |
Chart 4 | Applicants, Matriculants, and Enrollment to U.S. Medical Schools, 1980-1981 through 2023-2024 | ||
Chart 5 | Graduates to U.S. Medical Schools by Gender, 1980-1981 through 2022-2023 | ||
Table 1 | Applicants, Matriculants, Enrollment, and Graduates to U.S. Medical Schools, 2014-2015 through 2023-2024 | ||
Table 2 | MD Graduates who Entered Residency Training at Programs Currently Affiliated or Not Affiliated with their Medical Schools of Graduation, 2015-2016 through 2021-2022 | ||
Table 3 | MD-PhD Graduates who Entered Residency Training at Programs Currently Affiliated or Not Affiliated with their Medical Schools of Graduation, 2015-2016 through 2021-2022 |
Graduation Rates and Attrition Rates of U.S. Medical Students (PDF) This AAMC Data Snapshot provides information on the graduation and attrition rates of U.S. Medical Students.
Cybersecurity Guide
In this guide
The cybersecurity landscape is not just growing—it’s evolving at a breakneck pace. And what better way to stay ahead of the curve than by pursuing a PhD in cybersecurity?
This advanced degree is no longer confined to the realm of computer science. Today, it branches into diverse fields like law, policy, management, and strategy, reflecting the multifaceted nature of modern cyber threats.
If you’re looking to become a thought leader in this dynamic industry, a PhD in cybersecurity offers an unparalleled opportunity to deepen your expertise and broaden your horizons.
This guide is designed to give prospective cybersecurity PhD students a general overview of available cybersecurity PhD programs. It will also outline some of the factors to consider when trying to find the right PhD program fit, such as course requirements and tuition costs.
Like other cutting-edge technology fields, until recently, cybersecurity PhD programs were often training grounds for niche positions and specialized research, often for government agencies (like the CIA, NSA, and FBI), or closely adjacent research organizations or institutions.
Today, however, as the cybersecurity field grows to become more pervasive and consumer-oriented, there are opportunities for cybersecurity PhDs to work at public-facing companies like startups and name-brand financial, software, infrastructure, and digital service firms.
One trend that is emerging in the cybersecurity field is that cybersecurity experts need to be well-versed in a variety of growing threats. If recent headlines about cybersecurity breaches are any indication, there are a number of new attack vectors and opportunities for cybercrime and related issues. Historically, committing cybercrime took resources and a level of sophistication that required specialized training or skill.
But now, because of the pervasiveness of the internet, committing cybercrime is becoming more commonplace. So training in a cybersecurity PhD program allows students to become an experts in one part of a growing and multi-layered field.
In fact, this trend of needing well-trained, but adaptable cybersecurity professionals is reflected by the move by cybersecurity graduate schools to offer specialized master’s degrees , and many companies and professional organizations offer certifications in cybersecurity that focus on particular issues related to cybersecurity technology, cybersecurity law , digital forensics , policy, or related topics.
That said, traditional research-oriented cybersecurity positions continue to be in demand in academia and elsewhere — a trend that will likely continue.
One interesting facet of the cybersecurity field is trying to predict what future cybersecurity threats might look like and then develop tools and systems to protect against those threats.
As new technologies and services are developed and as more of the global population begins using Internet services for everything from healthcare to banking — new ways of protecting those services will be required. Often, it’s up to academic researchers to think ahead and examine various threats and opportunities to insulate against those threats.
Another key trend coming out of academic circles is that cybersecurity students are becoming increasingly multidisciplinary.
As cybersecurity hacks impact more parts of people’s everyday lives, so too do the academic programs that are designed to prepare the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. This emerging trend creates an enormous amount of opportunity for students who have a variety of interests and who are looking to create a non-traditional career path.
Capella university, georgia institute of technology, northeastern university, marymount university, school of technology and innovation, nova southeastern university, college of computing & engineering, purdue university, stevens institute of technology, worcester polytechnic institute, university of illinois at urbana-champaign, mississippi state university, new york institute of technology.
These rankings were compiled from data accessed in November 2023 from the Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and College Navigator (both services National Center for Education Statistics). Tuition data was pulled from individual university websites and is current as of November 2023.
Good news first: Obtaining a PhD in a field related to cybersecurity will likely create tremendous employment opportunities and lead to interesting and dynamic career options.
Bad news: Getting a PhD requires a lot of investment of time and energy, and comes with a big opportunity cost (meaning you have to invest four to five years, or longer, or pursue other opportunities to obtain a doctoral degree.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what is required to get a PhD in cybersecurity. Of course, specific degree requirements will vary by program. One growing trend in the field is that students can now obtain degrees in a variety of formats, including traditional on-campus programs, online degree programs , and hybrid graduate degree programs that combine both on-campus learning with online learning.
Cybersecurity is a relatively new formalized technology field, nonetheless, there are several ways that students or prospective PhD candidates can get involved or explore the field before and during a graduate school program. A few examples of ways to start networking and finding opportunities include:
Join cybersecurity organizations with professional networks
Specialized professional organizations are a good place to find the latest in career advice and guidance. Often they publish newsletters or other kinds of information that provide insights into the emerging trends and issues facing cybersecurity professionals. A couple of examples include:
The Center for Internet Security (CIS) is a non-profit dedicated to training cybersecurity professionals and fostering a sense of collaboration. The organization also publishes information and analysis of the latest cybersecurity threats and issues facing the professional community.
The SANS Institute runs several different kinds of courses for students (including certification programs) as well as ongoing professional cybersecurity education and training for people working in the field. The organization has several options including webinars, online training, and live in-person seminars. Additionally, SANS also publishes newsletters and maintains forums for cybersecurity professionals to interact and share information.
Leverage your social network
Places like LinkedIn and Twitter are good places to start to find news and information about what is happening in the field, who the main leaders and influencers are, and what kinds of jobs and opportunities are available.
Starting a professional network early is also a great opportunity. Often professionals and members of the industry are willing to provide guidance and help to students who are genuinely interested in the field and looking for career opportunities.
Cybersecurity competitions
Cybersecurity competitions are a great way to get hands-on experience working on real cybersecurity problems and issues. As a PhD student or prospective student, cybersecurity competitions that are sponsored by industry groups are a great way to meet other cybersecurity professionals while getting working on projects that will help flesh out a resume or become talking points in later job interviews.
The US Cyber Challenge , for example, is a series of competitions and hackathon-style events hosted by the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate and the Center for Internet Security to prepare the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.
Internships
Internships also continue to be a tried and true way to gain professional experience. Internships in technical fields like cybersecurity can also pay well. Like the industry itself, cybersecurity internships are available across a wide range of industries and can range from academic research-oriented to more corporate kinds of work.
There are many considerations to evaluate when considering any kind of graduate degree, but proper planning is essential to be able to obtain a doctoral degree. It’s also important to note that these are just guidelines and that each graduate program will have specific requirements, so be sure to double-check.
Obtaining a PhD is a massive investment, both in terms of time and money. Cybersecurity PhD students are weighing the cost of becoming an expert in the field with the payoff of having interesting and potentially lucrative career opportunities on the other side.
Degree requirements are usually satisfied in 60-75 hours, so the cost of a doctoral degree can be well into the six-figure range. Here’s a more specific breakdown:
The Cybersecurity Guide research team looked at 26 programs that offer a cybersecurity-related PhD degree. Here’s a breakdown of tuition rates (all figures are based on out-of-state tuition).
$17,580 is the most affordable PhD program option and it is available at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
$86,833 is the average cost of a cybersecurity PhD and is based on tuition rates from all 26 schools.
$197,820 is the most expensive cybersecurity PhD program and is available at Indiana University Bloomington.
The good news is that by the time students get to the PhD level there are a lot of funding options — including some graduate programs that are completely funded by the university or academic departments themselves.
Additionally, funding in the form of research grants and other kinds of scholarships is available for students interested in pursuing cybersecurity studies.
One example is the CyberCorps: Scholarships for Service program. Administered by the National Science Foundation, PhD students studying cybersecurity are eligible for a $34,000 a year scholarship, along with a professional stipend of $6,000 to attend conferences in exchange for agreeing to work for a government agency in the cybersecurity space after the PhD program.
Most traditional and online cybersecurity graduate programs require a minimum number of credits that need to be completed to obtain a degree. On average, it takes 71 credits to graduate with a PhD in cybersecurity — far longer (almost double) than traditional master’s degree programs. In addition to coursework, most PhD students also have research and teaching responsibilities that can be simultaneously demanding and great career preparation.
At the core of a cybersecurity doctoral program is a data science doctoral program, you’ll be expected to learn many skills and also how to apply them across domains and disciplines. Core curriculums will vary from program to program, but almost all will have a core foundation of statistics.
All PhD candidates will have to take a series of exams that act as checkpoints during the lengthy PhD process. The actual exam process and timing can vary depending on the university and the program, but the basic idea is that cybersecurity PhD candidates generally have to sit for a qualifying exam, which comes earlier in the program (usually the winter or spring of the second year of study), a preliminary exam, which a candidate takes to show they are ready to start the dissertation or research portion of the PhD program, and a final exam where PhD students present and defend their research and complete their degree requirements.
A cybersecurity PhD dissertation is the capstone of a doctoral program. The dissertation is the name of a formal paper that presents the findings of original research that the PhD candidate conducted during the program under the guidance of faculty advisors. Some example cybersecurity research topics that could potentially be turned into dissertation ideas include: * Policies and best practices around passwords * Ways to defend against the rise of bots * Policies around encryption and privacy * Corporate responsibility for employee security * Internet advertising targeting and privacy * The new frontier of social engineering attacks * Operation security (OpSec) strategy and policy * Network infrastructure and defense * Cybersecurity law and policy * The vulnerabilities of biometrics * The role of ethical hacking * Cybersecurity forensics and enforcement
The following is a list of cybersecurity PhD programs. The listing is intended to work as a high-level index that provides enough basic information to make quick side-by-side comparisons easy.
You should find basic data about what each school requires (such as a GRE score or prior academic work) as well as the number of credits required, estimated costs, and a link to the program.
Doctoral degrees.
The University of Idaho awards the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in recognition of high achievement in scholarly and research activity. The degree of Doctor of Education is granted for high scholarly attainment and in recognition of the completion of academic preparation for professional practice. See the "Ph.D. and Ed.D. Procedures" tab for more details. The Doctor of Athletic Training is offered through the College of Education and the Department of Movement Sciences (see the "DAT Procedures" tab for more details).
The major professor and program offering a particular doctoral program indicate the general philosophy of the degree program, the objectives of courses and seminars, the research specialties available, and requirements unique to the department. Admission to the doctoral program is granted only to those who have a recognized potential for completing the degree.
Credit requirements.
For the Ph.D. and Ed.D., a minimum of 78 credits beyond the bachelor's degree is required.; At least 52 credits must be at the 500 level or above and at least 33 of the 78 credits must be in courses other than 600 (Doctoral Research and Dissertation). A maximum of 45 research credits in 600 (Doctoral Research and Dissertation) including 6 credits of 599 (Non-thesis Research) or 500 (Master's Research and Thesis) may be in the 45 research credits used toward the degree. For the D.A.T., a minimum of 66 credits is required and follows a prescribed set of courses set by the program.
Courses numbered below 300 may not be used to fulfill the requirements for a doctoral degree; courses numbered 300-399 may be used only in supporting areas and are not to be used to make up deficiencies. Individual programs may require additional course work. Applicants having a doctoral degree may obtain a second doctoral degree subject to the approval of the Graduate Council. The Graduate Council will establish the requirements for the second degree.
For the Ph.D. and Ed.D. degrees, a student must complete at least 39 of the 78 required credits at the University of Idaho (U of I) while matriculated in the College of Graduate Studies. Credits can be transferred to U of I with the consent of the student's major professor, the committee (if required by the program), the program's administrator, and the dean of the College of Graduate Studies. Credits can be transferred only if the institution from which the credits are being transferred has a graduate program in the course's discipline. All credits used toward graduate degrees must be from regionally accredited American institutions or from non-US institutions recognized by the appropriate authorities in their respective countries. Transfer credits are subject to all other College of Graduate Studies rules and regulations. Correspondence study courses may be applied to the degree only with the prior written approval of the College of Graduate Studies. Courses used toward an undergraduate degree, professional development courses, and courses on a professional development transcript are not available to be used toward a doctoral degree.
Of the credits submitted to satisfy the requirements for a Ph.D. or Ed.D. degree, a maximum of 30 may be more than eight years old when the degree is conferred, provided the student's committee and program administrator determine that the student has kept current in the subjects concerned. Graduation must occur no later than five years after the date on which the candidate passed their preliminary or general examination. These time limitations can be extended only on recommendation of the committee and approval by the Graduate Council.
Regulations are outlined in Section 4920 of the Faculty-Staff Handbook.
A period of professional practice is required for the Doctor of Education degree; the period involved is determined by the student's supervisory committee. While the Ed.D. is a College of Education degree, you should consult with the departments in the College of Education to learn of specific emphasis requirements.
Appointment of major professor and committee.
Refer to " Appointment of Major Professor and Committee for All Degree Seeking Graduate Students " in the preceding General Graduate Regulations section. In addition, a doctoral supervisory committee consists of at least four people: the major professor as chair and at least one additional UI faculty member from the program, the balance of the committee may be made up of faculty members from a minor or supporting area, and faculty members from a discipline outside the major. If the committee has a co-chair, the minimum number of committee members is five.
The qualifying examination is a program option and serves to assess the background of the student in both the major and supporting fields and to provide partially the basis for preparation of the student's study program. A particular program may or may not require a master's degree as a prerequisite for the qualifying evaluation. As soon as the program's qualifications are met, a supervisory committee is appointed.
Refer to " Preparation and Submission of Study Plan " in the preceding General Graduate Regulations section.
The preliminary examination should be scheduled only after the student has completed the majority of the courses on their study plan. The student is required to be registered during the semester the preliminary examination is taken. The student's committee certifies to the College of Graduate Studies the results of the preliminary examination and if passed, the student is advanced to candidacy. Graduation must occur no later than five years after the date on which the candidate passed their examination. If the preliminary examination is failed, it may be repeated only once; the repeat examination must be taken within a period of not less than three months or more than one year following the first attempt. If a student fails the preliminary examination a second time, or the program does not allow the student to repeat the examination after the first failure or the student does not retake the examination within one year, the student is automatically moved to unclassified enrollment status and is no longer in the degree program.
When the student approaches the end of their course work, has completed the professional experience requirement, and has outlined the dissertation subject in detail, the supervisory committee approves the holding of the general examination. The student is required to be registered during the semester the general examination is taken. The examination is both written and oral and is intended to assess progress toward degree objectives. The student's committee certifies to the College of Graduate Studies the results of the general examination and if passed, the student is advanced to candidacy. Graduation must occur no later than five years after the date on which the candidate passed their examination. If the general examination is failed, it may be repeated only once; the repeat examination must be taken within a period of not less than three months or more than one year following the first attempt. If a student fails the general examination a second time, or the program does not allow the student to repeat the examination after the first failure or the student does not retake the examination within one year, the student is automatically moved to unclassified status and is no longer in the degree program.
See the General Graduate Regulations section regarding application for advanced degree, registration requirements, final defense and dissertation requirements.
The culminating clinical project.
Students enrolled in the Doctor of Athletic Training (D.A.T.) will engage in research projects during the curricular phase of the program. These project(s) will lead to at least two publication ready manuscripts, and all students must meet professional authorship requirements (regardless of order). See the Department of Movement Sciences and Doctor of Athletic Training webpages for more information.
All D.A.T. project team committees will have at least four committee members: two members of the athletic training faculty (all with graduate faculty status), the student's attending clinician (who is the student's on-site mentor during the student's residency), and an expert in the student's chosen area of clinical research. The athletic training faculty members will always chair the CCP, provide research guidance, and serve as the experts in the development of advanced practice in Athletic Training. A situation may arise in which one or both of the members of the committee that are outside of the AT program faculty may have a degree less than that of which the student is seeking; however, the intent of the third and fourth D.A.T. committee membership is to provide outside validation of the student's progress toward advanced practice and clinical utility of action research studies.
These dissertation hours may be used in instances when the CCP has not been successfully completed and the curricular phase of program has been completed.
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New section.
Two medical students answer questions about what it's like to do an MD-PhD program.
Undergraduate: Pacific University, Oregon Major: BS, Biology Medical school: Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Anticipated Graduation Year: 2028 Bio: Eli Wisdom is an MD-PhD student at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) studying the molecular mechanisms of Parkinson’s Disease. He grew up in the small rural town of La Grande, Oregon, where he gained a deep appreciation for community and service and a fascination with the natural world. At Pacific University, he completed his degree in Biology while also playing varsity baseball. After graduating, he was as an Associate in Neuroscience at Yale School of Medicine for two years before starting an MD-PhD program. Outside of school, he enjoys competing in triathlons, camping, and spending time with family.
Undergraduate: New Jersey Institute of Technology Major: Biology & History Double Major Medical school: Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Anticipated Graduation Year: 2031 Bio: Sreya Sanyal is a MD-PhD student at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Princeton University. She is Bengali, and she aspires to become a laboratory principal investigator in the field of oncology. Outside of academia, she enjoys singing, cooking, going to museums, and lifting at the gym.
Eli: As an undergraduate student, I found my first biomedical research experience to be quite thrilling, and seriously considered pursuing a career in research. Medical school had surfaced as an opportunity, too, as I was deeply passionate about serving others and caring for the sick, but I felt that basic science research was the backbone of advancing clinical care. I first learned about combined MD-PhD programs during my senior year when I was taking part in a summer research program at another academic institute. I learned that in a dual-degree program, I could become rigorously trained as a research scientist and as a physician — and could do both in my future career. To learn more, I reached out to a few physician-scientists who shared how much they loved their careers. In the clinic, their patients and associated medical problems provided new ideas for exploration in the laboratory. And in the laboratory, the insights they gained could inform the way they treated their patients. Sreya: I’ve wanted to become an oncologist ever since I was 11 and my mother died from gastric cancer. When I shadowed hematologist oncologists in academic settings, I became more interested in their work in clinical trials and research. Entering college, I explored translational research through my undergraduate biomedical engineering lab experiences. As I met more people in the field of drug development and oncology, I realized that I wanted to be at the cutting edge of this work, but I still had the desire to see patients. Through a lot of soul searching and luck, I was able to embark on a career in medical research by pursuing an MD-PhD. Using my training as a physician-scientist, I plan to establish my own lab or work in other ways to improve translational research in the oncological space.
Eli: From my experience, rigorous training in medicine and scientific research prepares you best for a career in academic medicine. This often means working at a large teaching hospital, where you have an opportunity to conduct independent scientific research, care for patients, and teach students. While it can differ depending on the medical specialty or the individual, a typical physician-scientist may spend 80% of their time conducting research and 20% caring for patients. However, there are many other career paths available to MD-PhD graduates. Students may also pursue careers working for private research organizations, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, or government agencies. Sreya: In my experience as an MD-PhD student interested in oncology, I have a wide array of career options to explore. As a clinician-scientist, I can lead research teams and conduct studies in cancer biology, treatment approaches, and translational medicine. In these roles, I can also mentor students interested in my field, allowing me to advance scientific knowledge while shaping the next generation of researchers. Alternatively, I could directly impact patients' lives by increasing my clinical time spent as an oncologist, developing personalized treatment plans, and contributing to clinical trials. The pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries also present exciting opportunities for me where I would be able to work on drug development, clinical research, or medical affairs, playing an essential role in bringing innovative therapies to market. With my combined medical and research expertise, I am well-equipped to make a meaningful difference in oncology through various rewarding career paths.
Eli: I attended a liberal arts college where students engaged in scientific research through 2- to 4-month long classes, which were combined lecture and laboratory experiences. Building on excitement from these courses, I pursued a summer research internship at a large biomedical research institute the summer prior to my senior year. I loved this initial exposure to working in a high-powered scientific research center. From working in state-of-the-art reach laboratories, to solving scientific problems in creative ways, and watching physicians bounce between research and patient care — I was hooked. Sreya: Before starting my current program, I had two significant research experiences. First, I worked in a lab that focused on creating materials for drug delivery in the field of biomedical engineering. We used special gels to deliver important substances to specific parts of the body, which had significant effects on the surrounding tissues, such as promoting blood vessel growth and blocking certain enzymes. I spent about ten hours a week for three years in this lab and contributed to three published papers.
Secondly, I worked at a research institute where I studied mice that were genetically modified to show signs of anthrax toxin exposure. These modified toxins could be controlled to specifically target tumor cells in the body. I dedicated forty hours a week to this research, and as a result, we have two research papers in progress for publication
Eli: Since I had played varsity baseball throughout college (which was impactful training in its own right), I had limited time for research as an undergraduate. So, I decided to pursue an extended research position before applying to MD-PhD programs. After sending several emails to laboratories across the U.S. and applying to many formal postbacc research programs, I took a two-year job as a postgraduate researcher at an academic research institute. During my time working on a project in a laboratory, I also volunteered at the connected hospital. This allowed me to experience what it was like to conduct independent research during the first part of my day, then care for patients in the afternoon. This experience only confirmed my deeply held passions for both medicine and science, but also exposed me to the challenges that both careers entailed. I felt much more confident in my decision to pursue a dual-degree knowing these insights.
Eli: Thus far, my favorite part of my training has been directly experiencing the intersection of clinical care and research. During the first two years of the MD-PhD, I was mainly focused on medical school courses and preparing for the first board exam. But now, as I am beginning my PhD, I am realizing how medical school has broadened my perspective. When I read research papers or craft a plan to tackle a hypothesis, I feel empowered with the knowledge I learned in my didactic medical school courses. For example, during one of my PhD research rotations, a scientist was having difficulty delivering a therapeutic to the brains of the mice they were studying. Immediately I recalled from my medical school courses how mannitol could be co-infused to transiently open the blood-brain barrier for drug delivery. It could easily be translated to this scenario. Similarly, my experiences with clinic patients have benefited from my MD-PhD training. Often, it can be as simple as the ability to explain to a patient or their family, the exact mechanism of a drug and the reason it could be effective for their ailment. Or, informing them about current basic science efforts in the field or current clinical trials they might be eligible for. As I advance further into my training, I am eager to see how clinical care and laboratory research can become even more intertwined. Sreya: I am very excited to learn new techniques and approaches to my field of interest. I am also glad that for MD-PhD students in my program, there is a huge emphasis on lifestyle and work/life balance. Many students in my program have become engaged, or married, and are starting families, while many medical students may feel pressure to push these milestones off. Being an MD-PhD student is a huge commitment, so I am especially grateful for all of the personal and professional support my program has to offer.
Eli: I wish I had known how important it would be to keep an open mind about the research topics that interested me most. I began the MD-PhD program with a rigid focus on a certain topic, thinking that it was the only topic that gave me real excitement. It was also the topic I was most versed in and comfortable in. But during my medical school courses, I was suddenly overwhelmed with several fascinating questions and problems that all seemed equally thrilling. It took a fair bit of mental wrestling with myself to broaden my own research interests and muster up the courage to explore a field I was fascinated with even if I didn’t have the most experience in it quite yet. Luckily, MD-PhD programs are usually quite supportive of students exploring new topics of interest and are eager to see you follow your motivations.
Sreya: One of the most important aspects to consider for MD-PhD students is the idea that this path is a marathon, not a sprint. There is a lot of temptation to overload on clubs, leadership, research, etc., to keep pace with MD colleagues, but in the long run, an MD-PhD is about the quality and depth of training. It’s important to build healthy habits, strong social relationships, and enjoy activities in a sustainable manner, since MD-PhD students have to do another graduate degree on top of medical training.
Eli: My advice is to accrue as many experiences as you can in medicine and research before applying. Through these, you can understand if pursuing both an MD and a PhD is the best fit for you, or, if you’d be completely satisfied pursuing a career with only training in one discipline. If you can, shadow physicians at both large academic hospitals and private practices. This can teach you if you’d enjoy treating patients daily and give you insight into how your experience will vary based on the setting. Seek out research experiences as early as possible. This may be difficult to procure, but having a longitudinal research experience that encompasses the successes and failures of science will inform you if this should be your future career. If you can, ask for opportunities to experience what it’s like to write a grant or an academic research article. These are not easy to write, yet they encompass a significant amount of time for professional physician-scientists, so, it is important to learn if you’d enjoy (or at least tolerate) the academic writing load. Lastly, don’t be intimidated by the amount time it takes to complete an MD-PhD. Yes, it is longer than most post-graduate training and takes up a significant portion of your early life. But it is a unique and worthy career path that is much needed in service to society. Sreya: My advice to anyone considering an MD-PhD would be to get both a variety and depth of research experiences. As a student, it’s very easy to continue down a path you already started, but you must try to explore before you commit to any one approach. MD-PhD programs appreciate students who know what they would like to research and the only way to discover this is to pursue broad research experiences. That said, once you find what drives and excites you, it’s important to stick with it and maintain good relationships with your PIs and mentors. It’s a small world among physician-scientists, so depth of work and networking will help you achieve and further your goals. Above all, remember that an MD-PhD is not necessary to do research as a physician. The goal of an MD-PhD is to provide the specific training needed to conduct research above and beyond what a physician alone can do. In this case, you must really be sure that research is fulfilling and allows you to achieve your career goals when applying to programs, as they will ask you about your aspirations.
Michael Foster | May 3, 2023
Your time before medical school is golden. It is a unique time to explore where your passions lie (both within and beyond medicine) and lay a strong foundation of the inter- and intrapersonal skills needed for you to be the best physician you can be. The best advice is simple: challenge yourself, be honest, and have fun! […]
The AAMC offers trusted resources and services to help you navigate the journey from premed to residency and beyond.
Samantha Dewalt is managing director of the Lehigh@NasdaqCenter, an exclusive education-industry partnership between Lehigh University in Pennsylvania and the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center in San Francisco .
Traditionally, a doctoral degree is regarded almost exclusively as a passport to scholarly distinction and academic tenure. Any person who committed the time, energy, and expense to attain a PhD appeared inevitably destined for the academy, free to pursue knowledge without commercial intent.
So goes the standard rationale—and training—for a doctorate. Candidates are groomed for careers in academia, where they will research, teach, and publish. That tradition, though well-intentioned, is overdue for a drastic expansion.
Such an expansion has already begun. In December, the National Science Foundation awarded $100 million to 18 academic institutions all across the U.S. to “speed and scale research into products and services that benefit the nation.” The first-ever Accelerating Research Translation awards are designed to enable university scholars to convert academic innovation into commercial value and societal purpose. Each school awarded will partner with a mentoring institution of higher education already equipped with “a robust ecosystem for translational research.”
Lehigh University is among the recipients of the abovementioned National Science Foundation awards, with Carnegie Mellon University acting as its peer mentor. The $6 million award will be earmarked specifically to increase the translation of scientific discoveries in engineering, science, health, humanities, business, education, and other disciplines—by faculty, graduate students and postdoctoral researchers into prototypes, products, and programs that will benefit society.
Meanwhile, as the supply of jobs in academia struggles to keep up with the demand, more PhDs are turning to careers in industry. In 2020, The Princeton Review warned, “If it’s your ambition to become a professor, you should be aware that the PhD. track is no guarantee of a life in academia .” As such, candidates will need to be prepared differently.
Make no mistake: Some college graduates bearing PhDs have proven highly enterprising. It is estimated that the private sector now employs about as many PhD graduates as educational institutions.
Most research finds that between one-third and one-half of all PhD graduates globally stay in academia , while others may migrate to the private sector. Almost daily, some entrepreneurial PhDs launch new ventures that eventually hit the jackpot. Indeed, Forbes has reported that “at least” 35 U.S. billionaires obtained a PhD before plunging into business.
But let’s face it: Academics are rarely trained to be entrepreneurs. They typically focus on conducting research, publishing manuscripts, and at times, developing intellectual property, but without cultivating the business knowledge or resources to turn innovations into viable market solutions. And it’s a shame when university research languishes on the shelf, never reaching the market—the so-called “valley of death”.
Universities are amping up efforts to educate PhD students about how to better capitalize on a doctoral degree. At Lehigh University, we have conducted a competitive analysis of what other higher education institutions, particularly those highly regarded for entrepreneurial activity, are doing to engage PhD students in entrepreneurial courses and programs. Among the schools we studied were Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Princeton, Dartmouth, and UC Berkeley. Overall, our analysis identified a need—and opportunity—to transform PhD education.
More particularly, we found that although most of these top-tier universities offer entrepreneurship education for graduate and undergraduate students alike, few target PhD students. We also learned that because most of the graduate courses in entrepreneurship originate in business or engineering schools, few are truly interdisciplinary. We also found that PhD students are more likely to participate in entrepreneurial activity if they have faculty advisors who are themselves entrepreneurs or at least entrepreneurial-minded.
Stanford University particularly stands out as an exemplary entrepreneurial environment for students. It benefits from education-industry partnerships that provide access to the most innovative companies in Silicon Valley. UC Berkeley distinguishes itself, too, for its emphasis on interdisciplinary entrepreneurial development and close collaboration with nearby startup incubators.
Dartmouth College pioneered the first engineering PhD innovation program that provides entrepreneurial training to turn research discoveries into market solutions. The PhD fellows take additional coursework in business, innovation, and entrepreneurship, and spend up to six months at an industry internship.
Entrepreneurship education should be democratized. Other universities should follow the examples set by the top-tiers. All students—even those on a budget—should have access to the equivalent of an Ivy League experience.
Our university is taking a step in this new direction, to better expose our PhD students to entrepreneurial experiences and career pathways. Last fall, we introduced a hands-on, real-world, interdisciplinary course on entrepreneurship for PhD students. Built on a model designed by the National Science Foundation, the course is offered for credit and available to graduate students across disciplines through Lehigh@NasdaqCenter, partnering with the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Lehigh’s Office of Technology Transfer.
It’s time for doctorates to get down to business. More PhDs should treat the ideas that emerge from scholarship as entrepreneurial opportunities. But first, they must know how to harness all that valuable education in the service of both our society and our economy.
The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune .
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By Jason Vernon
French-Australian playwright Olivia Clement graduated in 2023 from the Iowa Playwrights Workshop MFA program, earning the coveted University of Iowa Dee Silver Postgraduate Writing Fellowship. As the Dee Silver Fellow, Clement was commissioned to write the play Iris, which had its first reading in the Alan MacVey Theatre at Iowa in spring 2024. As part of the fellowship, Olivia and her play then went on to San Diego, where Iris was given a three-day workshop concluding in a public reading at Cygnet Theatre.
In collaboration with Dee Silver, M.D. (a graduate of the UI Carver College of Medicine and neurologist practicing in southern California), Cygnet Theatre, and the Iowa Playwrights Workshop, this commission supports and uplifts new playwrights as they graduate from the MFA playwriting program at Iowa.
In Cygnet’s press release celebrating the project, Cygnet Theatre Artistic Director Sean Murray said, “I am thrilled to once again have the Dee Silver M.D. Commission at Cygnet Theatre, this year in partnership with Iowa Playwrights Workshop , one of the oldest MFA playwriting programs in the country. Iowa graduates join the ranks of alumni like Tennessee Williams and Samuel Hunter as artists who will lead the next generation of great American theatre.”
In addition to her work at Iowa and post-graduation, Olivia Clement is a celebrated playwright, published writer, and educator. Her play The Arrogance (2024 O'Neill Semi-Finalist) will have its world premiere at KXT Broadway in Sydney, Australia, this summer.
An intimate portrayal of a woman’s search for connection and comprehension in the wake and grief of miscarriage, Iris follows Nicole, an artist, and their partner Harper as they struggle to connect in the weeks after a miscarriage. In the woods, Nicole meets a mysterious young girl. Iris is a play about creation, loss, and learning to live with uncertainty.
Sponsor and commissioner Dee Silver, M.D., explained, “I wanted a play to be able to express the complexity of the human condition and demonstrate hope and joy. A play with a message that the audience can in some way identify with, and gain understanding about themselves and others, and also be beneficial to their lives. Iris does just that."
In an interview with KUSI-TV in San Diego, Clement described the creation of this play as something close to her heart, saying “[Miscarriage] is something that affects so many families, but we talk about it in private a lot. So, for me, it meant a lot to be able to share a story that, I think, a lot of women, but also men, will be able to connect with.”
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Considering that there are significantly fewer spots, MD-PhD program applicants are likely going to need to apply to more programs. Now in the first year of his PhD research—after completing two years of medical school—at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Drayton Harvey applied to 30 MD-PhD programs.
Matriculated students in our MD/PhD program can apply to the three-year MD pathway after the completion of their PhD. The basic elements of our three-year degree are nearly identical to those of our four-year MD curriculum. You spend the summer between years one and two doing a project in the department of your intended residency.
The MD-PhD Committee is responsible for program oversight, admissions, and student mentorship . Students complete MD-PhD training on average in eight years. Johns Hopkins interdisciplinary organizational structure means each faculty member may be affiliated with several clinical departments, research sections, and graduate programs. Formal ...
The career of each MD-PhD graduate is uniquely based upon research and clinical interests, but follows the general path: MD-PhD training: 7-8 years (See Education and Training for more information). Specialty and subspecialty clinical and research training (residency/fellowship): 3-7 Years.
Curriculum and Timeline. The usual 4-year curriculum of the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (See Academics) is modified to the following 3-year curriculum for the PhD-to-MD Program: Preclinical courses: 18 Months. Major clinical year (MCY): 12 Months. Subinternship and electives: 6 Months.
About Brian. Brian Ogendi is a rising third year medical student at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was born in Kenya and immigrated to the U.S. at the age of nine. He was awarded his Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences: Chlamydial Immunology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in August of 2017.
Now there are ∼90 active MD/PhD programs that admit anywhere from a few students per year to 25 or more. The average size of an MD/PhD program in 2017 was ∼90 students in all stages of training. Compared with the many thousands who apply to medical school in each year, only 1900 (∼3%) apply to MD/PhD programs.
MD-PhD programs provide training for the dual degree by integrating research and clinical training experiences where students learn to conduct hypothesis driven research in a mentored environment. There are over 100 MD-PhD programs affiliated with U.S. medical schools, and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences partially supports ...
MD-PhD Application Timeline. AMCAS application opens: May preceding the year of expected entry. Applicants interviewed: October-March. Final decisions sent to applicants: December-March. Applicants revisit program (s) to decide where to matriculate: March-April. MD-PhD programs start: June-August. Are you considering a MD-PhD program?
Funding. The Harvard/MIT MD-PhD Program at Harvard Medical School (HMS) has been sponsored in part by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through its Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) since 1974. All MD-PhD student applicants to our program compete on equal footing for MSTP support, regardless of scientific interest.
As an MD/PhD, not only do you know how to provide medical care to people (practical skills), but you also have savvy with modern science, technical communication, big data, signal vs noise, and a clear sense of what each the MDs and PhDs, alone, lack. You will be sought after for employment, competitive for residency programs, and able to move ...
Before You Apply. The MD-PhD Program seeks students with a deep passion and commitment to a dual physician-scientist career. Our admissions process assesses the potential of our applicants to become physician-scientist leaders who are committed to both providing compassionate, cutting-edge patient care and expanding the boundaries of biomedical knowledge in order to make research breakthroughs ...
The best way is an MD-PhD program, which is 2-4-2 (PhD sandwich). Also some residencies rarely allow a PhD at that stage. And PhD isnt typically a part of clinically specializing at all. It's a research degree, not a medical practice degree. ... OP is asking about an MD after a PhD. In the US this isn't so uncommon because, well, a career as a ...
4 Benefits of Becoming an MD-PhD. Earning dual degrees in medicine and research is an ambitious endeavor, but the impacts you can make on patient care and scientific research are significant and valuable to public health. An MD-PhD degree comes with some great benefits. 1. Interdisciplinary Perspective.
1. You need strong MCAT scores and a high GPA. If your grades and scores aren't where they need to be, address it before you apply! Check out these admissions stats for MD-PhD matriculants to U.S. medical schools from 2016-2017: Average MCAT Scores and GPAs for MD-PhDs. MCAT CPBS.
If an MD-PhD chooses a primarily research driven practice rather than clinical (eg, 80% research and 20% clinical), it is widely known that this involves a significant salary decrease compared to the reverse or especially 100% clinical. ... Small programs like summer classes don't seem egregious to me, but a whole ass MD sounds like a lot of ...
Combined MD-PhD degree programs provide students the opportunity to earn both the MD and the PhD in areas pertinent to medicine. Below is a list of schools offering a combined MD-PhD degree, with links to their web sites. Please contact the institutions directly for curriculum information and admission requirements.
MD-PhD Matriculants to U.S. Medical Schools by Race/Ethnicity and State of Legal Residence, 2023-2024: PDF: Excel: B-10: MCAT Scores and GPAs for MD-PhD Applicants and Matriculants to U.S. Medical Schools, 2019-2020 through 2023-2024: PDF: Excel: B-11.1: Total MD-PhD Enrollment by U.S. Medical School and Gender, 2014-2015 through 2018-2019: PDF ...
Here's a breakdown of tuition rates (all figures are based on out-of-state tuition). $17,580 is the most affordable PhD program option and it is available at the Georgia Institute of Technology. $86,833 is the average cost of a cybersecurity PhD and is based on tuition rates from all 26 schools.
Individual programs may require additional course work. Applicants having a doctoral degree may obtain a second doctoral degree subject to the approval of the Graduate Council. The Graduate Council will establish the requirements for the second degree. Credit Limitations for Transfer, Correspondence Study, and Non-degree
Sechenov University provides Master's, Ph.D. degree programs. Below is the list of the Master and PhD programs delievered in English: Master programmes. Public Health. Oncology. Orthopedics and Traumatology. Otorhinolaryngology. Ophthalmology. Thoracic Surgery and Pulmonology.
PhD students of Sechenov University are trained in the degree program 3.1 Clinical medicine according to the chosen specialty, individual plan, and scientific interests, are involved in scientific research on the modern world level. Duration of training is 3 years, language of education: Russian/English, the form of education, full-time education.
So, I decided to pursue an extended research position before applying to MD-PhD programs. After sending several emails to laboratories across the U.S. and applying to many formal postbacc research programs, I took a two-year job as a postgraduate researcher at an academic research institute. During my time working on a project in a laboratory ...
Dartmouth College pioneered the first engineering PhD innovation program that provides entrepreneurial training to turn research discoveries into market solutions. The PhD fellows take additional ...
Iris is a play about creation, loss, and learning to live with uncertainty. Olivia Clement, MFA, and Dee Silver, MD, at Cygnet Theatre reading of Clement's play Iris, Spring 2024 Sponsor and commissioner Dee Silver, M.D., explained, "I wanted a play to be able to express the complexity of the human condition and demonstrate hope and joy.