Program Overview

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Introduction to the Medicine, Doctor of (M.D.)/Healthcare Policy and Research, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Dual Degree Program

The dual degree program in Medicine and Healthcare Policy and Research is a highly individualized undertaking that requires coursework, research, and clinical training. Each student's program is tailored to meet their particular interests, with a primary emphasis on developing research skills and the capacity for independent scholarship.

Program Goals

The objectives of this dual degree program are:

• Students in the M.D.-Ph.D. program in healthcare policy and research will acquire the foundational skills to allow them, after further clinical specialty and postdoctoral research training, to become independent physician-scientists.
• Students will gain a progressive mastery of concepts in health services research and related disciplines, including economics, statistical methods, decision sciences, organizational theory, and public health domains.
• Students will develop skills in various means of communicating core knowledge in the field and the details of experimental design, results, and interpretation to a variety of potential audiences.

Benefits of the Dual Degree Program

Among the many benefits offered by participation in the dual-degree program are:

• Students will have the foundation and training in healthcare policy and research and in medicine to conduct basic and translational research.
• Students have the opportunity to participate in clinical research during the M4 year.
• Students with M.D.-Ph.D. training are highly competitive for positions in leading physician-scientist clinical training programs, faculty positions in academic medical centers, and are well-positioned to ultimately take on leadership roles in academic medicine, industry, and government.
• Tuition, fees, and a stipend are provided throughout both the medical and graduate phases of training.

Student Learning Outcomes

The student learning outcomes described on the healthcare policy and research Ph.D. program page also apply to M.D.-Ph.D. students.

Admission Requirements

To be considered for the VCU M.D.-Ph.D. program, prospective students must apply to the medical school through the American Medical College Application Service. The deadline for application to the program for admission in the fall semester is listed on the AMCAS website.

Degree Requirements

The dual-degree program is designed to allow students to complete the first two years of medical school and the USMLE Step 1 examination before undertaking graduate training. After successfully defending the Ph.D. dissertation, students complete the remaining clinical years of medical training.

Curriculum Requirements for the M.D.

Based on the equivalent knowledge acquired by successfully completing MEDI 100, MEDI 150, MEDI 200, and MEDI 250, IBMS 651 and 652 during the M1 and M2 years, and IBMS 653, 16 credits are satisfied.

Curriculum Requirements for the Ph.D.

M.D.-Ph.D. students complete five credits of IBMS 697 in the summers after M1 and M2. Students are required to take additional credits of M.D.-Ph.D.-specific courses.

Plan of Study Timeline

The dual-degree program blends medical and graduate training supplemented with M.D.-Ph.D.-specific course work and opportunities during the medical (M) and graduate (G) phases of the curriculum that culminates in the simultaneous awarding of the M.D. and Ph.D. degrees.

Year 1 (M1): Mostly Preclinical Medical Course Work, Some Research

• Preclinical medical courses
• M.D.-Ph.D. Journal Club (two semesters)
• M.D.-Ph.D. Seminar (two semesters)
• Research rotations (and pre-matriculation research opportunity)

Year 2 (M2): Mostly Preclinical Medical Course Work, Some Research and Clinical Rotation

• Preclinical medical courses
• M.D.-Ph.D. Science and Disease (one semester)
• M.D.-Ph.D. Seminar (one semester)
• Research rotations
• Preparation for USMLE Step 1
• Required M3 clinical rotation(s) (one or two, lasting six to eight weeks total)

Year 3 (G1): Graduate Course Work and Research, Some Clinical Experiences

• Graduate program course work
• M.D.-Ph.D. Seminar (two semesters)
• Directed research (begin dissertation research)
• Opportunities for clinical experience

Years 4-5 (G2-G3) and Additional Year if Needed: Primarily Research, Some Clinical Experiences

• Ph.D. Qualifying Examination, admission to candidacy
• Submit NIH F30 fellowship application
• Directed research (completion of dissertation research)
• Graduate program course work
• M.D.-Ph.D. Seminar
• Required M3 ambulatory care rotation
• Publication of peer-reviewed first-author paper
• Dissertation defense

Years 6-7: M3-M4: Completion of Clinical Training, Clinical Research Experience

• Clinical rotations
• Clinical and non-clinical elective
• Preparation for USMLE Step 2
• M4 Clinical research capstone project

Minimum Graduate Credit Hours Required

The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this degree is 59.