M.D./Ph.D. Program Curriculum

M.D./Ph.D. programs provide training in both medicine and research. They are specifically designed for those who want to become research physicians, also known as physician-investigators or physician-scientists. Graduates of M.D./Ph.D. programs often go on to become faculty members at medical schools, universities, and research institutes. 

Regardless of where they eventually work, M.D./Ph.D. candidates gain training for careers in which they will spend most of their time doing research, in addition to caring for patients. The M.D./Ph.D. dual career is busy, challenging, rewarding, and offers opportunities to do good for many people by advancing knowledge, developing new treatments for diseases, and pushing back the boundaries of the unknown. 

To learn more about the benefits of M.D./Ph.D. Dual Degree Training, visit the American Association of Medical Colleges website. 

The Medical Scientist Training Program at Baylor College of Medicine requires a minimum of six years to fulfill the requirements for completion. A distinctive medical school curriculum approved for M.D./Ph.D. students offers sufficient flexibility to complete all medical studies in three years. The goal of the MSTP is to complete both degrees within 8 years, but completion of training at BCM typically ranges from seven-nine years which is dependent on the time needed to complete graduate school Ph.D. thesis research. 

SOM: School of Medicine; BSRS: Biomedical Research Seminar; NICER: Non-Credit Introduction to Clinical Experiences; QE – Qualifying Exam; APEX – medical school capstone course 

During the first two years in the program, students complete the 16-month pre-clerkship basic science curriculum and eight months of clinical clerkships. This is the same schedule as all medical students. Specific courses and requirements have been developed or adapted for M.D./Ph.D. students to integrate their medical and graduate curriculum and to decrease time to degree. 

During the fall of the second year in medical school, students have the opportunity to rotate in a prospective research laboratory and select a specific department or program for their graduate studies. Students designated for the Rice Bioengineering dual degree program have the opportunity to do a reading with a Rice Bioengineering faculty during this time. Formal and informal exchanges during the prior year with fellow M.D./Ph.D. students, faculty members, graduate program directors and the MSTP director and co-directors provide students with valuable guidance about departmental opportunities. [

After completing the first two years of medical school, students enter the graduate program for course work and thesis research. Most students enter the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at BCM, while 1-2 students per year enter the Bioengineering Graduate Program at Rice. Designation as a Rice Bioengineering student is made prior to matriculation, at the time offers to the MSTP are extended. Each academic department specifies course requirements for completion of the Ph.D. degree. A portion of the pre-clerkship curriculum in medical school is directly transferable to the graduate program as elective credit. The first year of graduate school includes class work and several laboratory rotations. During the second year of graduate school, students begin work in the lab of their chosen mentor and take their qualifying exams. A project is selected, and research toward completion of the Ph.D. degree begins. [

After successfully defending their thesis and receiving their Ph.D., students return to medical school to complete the clinical clerkship curriculum. This consists of 12-17 months of clinical rotations and electives. During this time students typically select a specialty for their residency, apply, and interview. In March the majority of students match into residency training programs, whereas some students choose to pursue research postdoctoral training or industry-sponsored positions.