M.D.-Ph.D. Program

Only available to current medical students at NYMC, the joint degree program at New York Medical College (NYMC) is a flexible way to integrate both degrees. If you’re a research-oriented medical student and are interested in a career driving discoveries that will impact the medical field, this program is for you. This joint degree gives students the perspective to understand medicine from both a clinical and research perspective.

If you are interested in this joint degree program we encourage you to meet with the program director as early as possible after matriculation – in Phase One of the curriculum - to discuss the program and plan out your pathway towards application and enrollment.

Becoming a Physician-Scientist

The joint M.D.-Ph.D. program paves the way to becoming a physician-scientist. A physician-scientist is a unique career path where time is spent engaged in both research and clinical practice. If you have a passion for scientific discovery and demonstrate success in foundational science coursework we encourage you to pursue this joint degree pathway.

Initial Medical Student Research

Medical students at NYMC who are interested in research and are seriously considering a career as a physician-scientist should begin research as early as possible, preferably during the summer between the first and second years of medical school. The established Medical Student Summer Research Fellowship, which is administered by the School of Medicine Office of Medical Student Affairs, provides stipends for this purpose. This research experience is critical and will allow you to identify an NYMC faculty mentor for subsequent dissertation research. 

Applying to the M.D.-Ph.D. Program

Formal application for the M.D.-Ph.D. program takes place in the fall of the student’s second year of medical school, with a complete application due in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBMS) Admissions office by November 1. All potential applicants must be in satisfactory academic standing. You must discuss your intent to apply to this program with both the SOM dean for student affairs and the M.D.-Ph.D. program director and obtain their approval to apply. Applications will be provided to interested students by the GSBMS director of admissions.

A complete application includes:

• Two personal statements: One statement should describe the applicant’s relationship to biomedical research and the second should be specific and outline the applicant’s proposed future research.
• Transcripts
• Three letters of recommendation:
  • A letter from your NYMC principal investigator showing support of your choice to pursue a Ph.D. as well as agreeing to provide financial support during the Ph.D. career (the PI must be a member of the Graduate Faculty with mentor status).
  • The second letter of recommendation should be from an NYMC faculty member who knows you well.
  • The third letter of recommendation should be obtained from a faculty member outside NYMC and can comment on your suitability for the program.

Admittance into the M.D.-Ph.D. Program

While the students are formally admitted to the Ph.D. component of the joint-degree program at the conclusion of their second year of medical school, final admittance to the Ph.D. program is contingent upon successful completion of all of the Phase One coursework and evidence of a passing grade on Part I of the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE Step I).

First Two Years of Graduate Study

In a typical case, the student will begin full-time graduate work in the summer following the second year, after completing Phase One of the curriculum, including the USMLE Step I examination. The course requirements for the Ph.D. program are established by the department of the chosen concentration and generally amount to about 13-18 credits, plus active participation in certain non-graded courses such as journal clubs, research rotations and research seminars. Comprehensive qualifying examinations for the Ph.D. are identical to those given to other Ph.D. students and are scheduled after either one or two years of graduate study, depending upon your readiness for the exam.

Final Years as a Ph.D. Candidate

During the final years of the Ph.D. portion of the program, you will prepare a dissertation research proposal and undertake an independent research project, under the supervision of a dissertation advisor and the guidance of a dissertation committee, according to the usual GSBMS rules and procedures. The dissertation committee determines the point where the investigative work is considered complete and the dissertation itself may be written and defended.

You are required to work with both the Office of Medical Student Affairs as well as the Office of Undergraduate Medical Education to arrange for a clinical preceptorship experience to ensure you remain clinically engaged during the Ph.D. portion of your program, and are prepared to re-enter Phases Two and Three of the M.D. curriculum. No joint-degree student will be permitted to begin Phase Two of the curriculum until they have successfully defended their thesis and have met all requirements for the Ph.D.

If you are enrolled in the M.D.-Ph.D. program, you are awarded both your M.D. and Ph.D. degrees concurrently, after you have successfully completed the entire curriculum required of the joint-degree program.

Full Tuition Scholarship for Graduate Study

Financial aid in the form of a full tuition scholarship is provided for graduate school study. Additionally, M.D.-Ph.D. candidates are also provided with a standard Ph.D. candidate stipend during the period of full-time graduate work. 

Ph.D. Disciplines

Select each track to learn more about coursework and research rotations in each discipline. Within each track you are required to take Statistics for Basic Medical Sciences and Life in Biomedical Research II. When planning your schedule be aware that these courses are offered in alternative years. 

Program Director

All medical school students interested in M.D.-Ph.D. program should contact the program director.