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M.D./Ph.D. Program Curriculum

The M.D./Ph.D. program integrates the curricula of medical and graduate school. Students spend the first two years of the program completing the Phase 1 of the School of Medicine curriculum. This includes instruction in the basic medical sciences, Correlated Medical Problem Solving (problem-based learning), Principles of Clinical Medicine, and Student Continuity Practice. Students also complete up to eight credits of graduate school coursework designed to develop the critical thinking skills required for the pursuit of scientific investigation. This graduate coursework is in lieu of the required medical school electives. During the summers following both the first and second years of medical school, students complete a total of two laboratory rotations. The second year of medical school concludes with taking Step 1 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).

During the next three or four years, students pursue graduate studies consisting of advanced level graduate coursework and thesis research in the Biomedical Science Ph.D. program of the Graduate School. Students have their choice of over 100 laboratories for thesis research. Depending on their choose of thesis advisor and scientific interests, students will affiliate with one of seven areas of concentration within Biomedical Science:

• Cell Biology
• Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology
• Genetics & Developmental Biology
• Immunology
• Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
• Neuroscience
• Skeletal, Craniofacial and Oral Biology

Following successful completion of requirements for the Ph.D. degree, students complete the last two years of medical school, which include the core clinical experiences of Phase 2 (Multidisciplinary Ambulatory) and the elective experiences of Phase 3 (advanced clinical electives).

Throughout the program, all students present their research in progress in the bimonthly M.D./Ph.D. Research Club, Area of Concentration meetings and retreats and informal lab meetings. Students may choose to participate in a variety of enrichment activities such as tutoring, medical school teaching, volunteer work and physician-scientist shadowing. A summary of the training program is shown below.