Program Overview

Introduction to the MD/PhD Biomedical Sciences Program

The College of Medicine offers an integrated MD/PhD curriculum that enables students to fulfill all requirements and earn the Doctor of Medicine and the Doctor of Philosophy.

Application Requirements

Students interested in pursuing a combined MD/PhD degree must apply and be accepted into the medical school and the Biomedical Sciences PhD program. Separate applications are required, and students wishing to pursue this joint degree program should indicate this on both applications.

Admission Criteria

Applicants entering the program with regular status are expected to have completed coursework required for a bachelor's degree in chemistry, cell biology, biochemistry, biophysics, genetics, molecular biology, or microbiology.

• Applicants are required to take the MCAT Exam
• Applicants are required to complete the AMCAS Application
• Applicants are required to participate in interviews (August-March)

MD Program Application Process

Applicants to the UCF College of Medicine MD Program must complete both the online American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) and UCF College of Medicine Supplemental applications.

PhD Program Application Process for MD/PhD Candidates in Biomedical Sciences

Applicants selected for a medical school interview will be eligible to complete the PhD Biomedical Sciences application (by invitation only after successfully completing the medical school interview) and submit the following:

• Letters of Recommendation – Minimum of three strong letters of recommendation required
• Personal Statement – Statement of research interest and purpose, including a summary of relevant work or research experience, professional experiences, and goals
• Resume – Include research conducted and volunteer work

MD/PhD Program Curriculum

Students must fulfill all requirements for both programs to earn both the MD and PhD degrees. The integrated MD/PhD Track in Biomedical Sciences requires students to be accepted in the College of Medicine MD program and begin working on their PhD research project during the first two years of medical school.

Program Structure

• Students take medical courses during the first two years and must successfully pass the USMLE Step 1 exam at the end of year 2 prior to beginning full-time graduate studies in the Biomedical Sciences PhD Program
• Required and elective graduate courses for the PhD program are completed in years 3-4 while the student is continuing research
• Clinical clerkships that are typically completed in years 3-4 of medical school will in most cases be deferred until the student has completed the PhD program requirements

PhD Program Requirements

The Biomedical Sciences PhD program requires a minimum of 72 credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree, including:

• A minimum total of 27 hours of formal coursework exclusive of independent study
• 23 credit hours of core courses
• 12 credit hours of electives
• A minimum of 15 credit hours of dissertation research
• The remaining 22 credit hours may consist of additional electives, doctoral research, and/or dissertation research

Research Areas

The Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences has several research divisions, including:

• Cancer Research
• Immunity and Pathogenesis
• Metabolic and Cardiovascular
• Molecular Microbiology
• Neuroscience

Program Completion

Students in the MD/PhD program can complete the program in as few as 6 years, although most students will likely require 7-8 years to fulfill all of the requirements. An MD/PhD program committee consisting of faculty from both the medical and graduate programs will serve as the oversight committee responsible for tracking and evaluating student progress in this program.