Want to earn an MD-PhD degree from a top-ranked university? To find the right school or university for your academic interests, you’ll need to consider the education costs, academic programs, financial aid and a number of other factors in all of the schools you’re considering.
To help you, we have compiled a list of the best medical colleges and schools in the USA. Combined MD-PhD degree programs provide students the opportunity to earn both the MD and the Ph.D. in areas pertinent to medicine.
Start the search for your future education right away! Below is a list of medical schools that offering a combined MD-PhD degree program, with tuition fees, contact info, and links to their websites. Good Luck!!
Table of Contents
Harvard/M.I.T MD-PhD Program, Harvard Medical School
The Harvard/MIT MD-PhD Program at Harvard Medical School (HMS) provides medical education combined with research training in laboratories at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The overall mission is to train the next generation of premier physician-scientists, with representation across a rich diversity of clinical disciplines and research areas from basic and translational sciences to bioengineering to the social sciences. Sponsored primarily by the National Institutes of Health through its Medical Scientist Training Program, the program provides fellowship support for selected and highly qualified students who have elected to pursue both the M.D. and Ph.D. degrees.
The MD-PhD Program seeks to provide entering students with a thorough and up-to-date medical education combined with research training in laboratories of premier investigators at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This class is specially designed to introduce the entering MD-PhD students to current disease-oriented research problems and to develop their critical thinking skills.
Ranking: 1st
Tuition Fees Approximately: $28,110/year
Contact Information: 617.432.0991, Fax: 617.432.2791, mdphd@hms.harvard.edu
Official Website: https://www.hms.harvard.edu/md_phd/
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
The Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) at UT Southwestern Medical Center trains the next generation of leaders in academic medicine by offering a combined M.D./Ph.D. degree. Each year we enroll approximately 10 outstanding students from around the world who have substantive experience in laboratory research and a strong desire to pursue a research career related to medicine. A highly integrated program, a dedicated and collegial faculty, and an unusually intense hands-on clinical experience await the prepared student.
UT South-western’s MSTP recognizes the special niche the M.D./Ph.D. scientist occupies by providing a rigorous but supportive program of clinical and research training. During clinical training, M.D./Ph.D. students master clinical skills and develop the same compassion and commitment as all UT Southwestern medical students.
Ranking: 2nd
Tuition Fees Approximately: $19,091 (in-state) and $32,191 (out-of-state).
Contact Information: 214-648-3111
Official Website: https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/education/medical-school/academics/combined-degrees/mstp/
Dartmouth University, Geisel School of Medicine
The MD-PhD program at Dartmouth combines systematic and rigorous research preparation for the Ph.D. degree with the full MD curriculum. The MD-PhD Program is unique in that it encompasses the entire campus and thus offers our students doctoral programs in a wide variety of disciplines. The training provided to the MD-PhD student is unique as it provides for developing basic science analytical skills coupled with the acquisition of highly diagnostic clinical skills.
The MD-PhD program at the Geisel School of Medicine offers opportunities that are both challenging and rewarding for students who are committed and motivated. Dartmouth financially and academically provides the support and guidance needed by students pursuing the MD-PhD degrees. The program is organized to permit students to achieve the full potential of both degrees in an efficient and effective manner while also developing an understanding of the healthcare system as a whole.
Ranking: 3rd
Tuition Fees Approximately: $63,080
Contact Information: (603) 653-9958
Official Website: http://geiselmed.dartmouth.edu/mdphd/
Duke University School of Medicine
The Duke Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) at the Duke University School of Medicine trains highly qualified students as physician-scientists. Duke’s Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) program seeks to prepare a diverse student body to pursue a spectrum of medical career options in order to become physician leaders who can advance biomedical research and improve local, national, and global health. The program, which leads to both the MD and Ph.D. degrees and typically takes seven to eight years for completion, combines graduate education in a basic biomedical science with the full clinical curriculum of the School of Medicine.
The Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/ Ph.D.) and the Primary Care Leadership Track are both programs that must be applied to during the initial School of Medicine Admissions process. The Duke Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), trains highly qualified students as physician-scientists, equipping them for solving problems in human disease using the approaches and techniques of the basic biomedical and social sciences.
Ranking: 4th
Tuition Fees Approximately: $57,100
Contact Information: 919.684.2985, medadm@mc.duke.edu
Official Website: https://medschool.duke.edu/education/degree-programs-and-admissions/doctor-medicine-md-program
John Hopkins University School of Medicine
Approximately 10 percent of students at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine pursue a combined M.D.-Ph.D. degree, which offers unrivaled preparation for careers in academic medicine, government or private research. This six- to the eight-year course of study offers extraordinary flexibility and can be individualized in numerous ways depending on the student’s goals and interests. Ph.D. programs in other divisions of the University, such as The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (including Health Policy & Management, Bioethics, Health Communication, Epidemiology, and International Health to name a few) are also open to MD-PhD students.
In a word, the MD-PhD curriculum at Johns Hopkins is flexible. Most students decide to do the first two years of medical school then begin graduate school and finish the last two years of their medical training after completing their thesis work. However, students who want more first-hand experience in clinical medicine before beginning graduate work can elect to complete three years of medical school, followed by their graduate training, and then the last year the medical school. All eligible applicants who are admitted to the MD-PhD Program are considered for funding under the NIH Medical Scientist Training Program Award. Approximately 10-12 MD-PhD students matriculate each year and receive the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) award.
Ranking: 5th
Tuition Fees Approximately: $51,900
Contact Information: 410-955-8008, swellin1@jhmi.edu
Official Website: http://mdphd.johnshopkins.edu
Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (Mayo Graduate School) is one of the schools of higher education within the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. The school offers world-class graduate education leading to Ph.D. and M.D.-Ph.D. degrees, as well as master’s degree programs for Mayo Clinic residents and fellows. Their Ph.D. and M.D.-Ph.D. candidates have access to more than 200 faculty members, providing opportunities for close collaboration with internationally recognized researchers.
The Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) is an M.D.-Ph.D. program offered by Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Mayo Clinic School of Medicine. MSTP is an M.D.-Ph.D. training program that prepares students to translate scientific discoveries into applications that improve patient care. Through the MSTP, you become a highly skilled physician-scientists engaged in leading advances in science and clinical practice.
Ranking: 6th
Tuition Fees Approximately: $31,000
Contact Information: lee.kendall@mayo.edu, mayomstp@mayo.edu
Official Website: https://www.mayo.edu/mayo-clinic-graduate-school-of-biomedical-sciences
University of Florida College of Medicine
The MD-PhD Program at the University of Florida has been training clinician-scientists continuously for over 30 years through intramural funding. The MD-PhD program trains clinician-scientists for a career in academic medicine with the full expectation that our MD-PhD students will become future leaders at academic medical centers worldwide. Three to four years are usually required to undertake and complete a Ph.D. program. Thus, MD-PhD students typically require seven to eight years to obtain their combined degree. The goal of the MD-PhD Training Program is to enable scholars to obtain the best training in their intended research areas while working closely with an outstanding faculty.
The MD-PhD Training Program offers a full stipend scholarship and tuition waiver for up to 4-8 new students each year for the entire period of their training. During the graduate portion of the training, MD-PhD students are appointed as Graduate Research Assistants and receive tuition remission and a stipend ($28,277/year) which may be funded by the mentor’s research grant, an NIH training grant, or other institutional funds. MD-PhD students are eligible for free graduate student health insurance during their Ph.D. training.
Ranking: 7th
Tuition Fees Approximately: $32,744
Contact Information: 352.273.8926, Fax: 352.846.3446, mdphd@medicine.ufl.edu
Official Website: https://mdphd.med.ufl.edu
The University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine
The Penn State College of Medicine Medical Scientist Training Program is supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, awarded to the top MD/ Ph.D. programs in the country. Through the MD/ Ph.D. Medical Scientist Training Program at Penn State College of Medicine, you’ll gain the tools and training you need to become a successful physician-scientist. You’ll experience the breadth of clinical science while designing experiments and conducting biomedical research with modern technology. The program, typically completed in eight years, will prepare you for a successful career in medical research, academic medicine, or a related field.
The Perelman School of Medicine and the Penn Medical Scientist Training Program seek students from diverse backgrounds. MD-PhD dual-degree programs are intended for students with a passion for research who wishes to work as physician-scientists within the field of medicine. Following approximately eight years of training, the student may go on to medical school faculty positions, while others choose to work in industry or as full-time researchers at institutions such as the NIH or the Wistar Institute.
Ranking: 8th
Tuition Fees Approximately: $55,928
Contact Information: 717-531-8521
Official Website: http://www.med.upenn.edu/mstp/
University of Southern California (USC), Keck School of Medicine
The Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California offers students pursuing medical and biomedical graduate degrees a dynamic and diverse learning environment on the USC Health Sciences Campus in Los Angeles. The Keck School of Medicine’s MD-PhD Program is a fully funded joint program of the University of Southern California (USC) and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). The program is designed for individuals who aspire to a career in academic medicine or a leadership role in the biomedical industry. The MD-PhD Program provides for the development of research expertise and academic excellence while fulfilling the requirements for a Ph.D. degree in a variety of subject areas.
The mission of the program is to train a qualified and diverse group of students to become the next generation of physician-scientists that are enabled to make important breakthroughs in medical science. This program integrates the medical school curriculum with graduate curricula in the basic sciences, to provide a unified course of study leading to both the MD and Ph.D. degrees. MD/ Ph.D. candidates have the option of pursuing a laboratory experience before beginning the Year I medical curriculum through a laboratory rotation at either USC or the California Institute of Technology.
Ranking: 9th
Tuition Fees Approximately: $61,428
Contact Information: (323) 442-1100
Official Website: https://keck.usc.edu/md-phd-program/
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
The Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine has been awarding combined MD and Ph.D. degrees since 1975. The VCU MD-PhD program is a medium-sized program, admitting six to eight people on average each year. Full medical school and graduate school tuition is provided by the VCU MD-PhD program and Ph.D. dissertation adviser. The MD-PhD program at VCU prepares students for careers that encompass aspects of both patient care and scientific discovery. Graduates become physician-scientists who advance the medical field through direct patient care and innovative research.
The VCU MD-PhD Program encourages students with disabilities, underrepresented minorities, and students who are disadvantaged to apply. Students will receive a minimum annual stipend of $31,265 each year for all years enrolled in the program. Each student receives an additional $1,000 added to their stipend after passing their Ph.D. candidacy exams. To be considered for the VCU MD-PhD Program, prospective students must apply to the medical school through the American Medical College Application Service.
Ranking: 10th
Tuition Fees Approximately: $23,016 per year
Contact Information: (804) 828-0673, Fax: (804) 827-1469
Official Website: https://mdphd.vcu.edu
Yale University School of Medicine
The Yale School of Medicine (YSM) is one of the oldest and most prestigious medical schools in the US. The MD-PhD Program at Yale University was established in 1969 and graduated its first students in 1973. They welcome students who are ready to accept the challenges, responsibilities, and rewards of preparing for careers that make a positive impact on human health and well-being. A special feature of their Program is the requirement that at the end of the second year in the Program, all students participate in 6 months of clinical rotations prior to entering the Ph.D. phase of their training, usually in January of their 3rd year.
The MD/ Ph.D. Program at Yale encourages individuals with disabilities or who may be from an economically, socially, culturally or educationally disadvantaged background to apply to our Program. All students in Yale’s MD-PhD Program are supported fully with a stipend, tuition and basic health coverage for the duration of training.
Ranking: 11th
Tuition Fees Approximately: $86,647
Contact Information: md.phd@yale.edu, 203.785.4403/5422
Official Website: https://medicine.yale.edu/mdphd/
