Degrees of Distinction
The MD/PhD combined degree program provides a double dose of
opportunities to aspiring physician scientists.
Before completing his undergraduate work at Wabash College, Brian
C. Samuels began exploring options that would allow him to pursue
his desire to become a physician and researcher. He didn't have
to look further than the IU School of Medicine.
IU's MD/PhD combined degree at Indiana University-Purdue University
Indianapolis offers Samuels and other students a gateway to their
future. The program's flexible curriculum is designed to meet individual
academic goals and provides students with direct access to the school's
top clinical and basic research faculty.
"We live in a world where advancements in the basic sciences
occur at an extraordinary pace and, at the same time, the health
care profession continues to search for better methods of treating
patients," noted Samuels, who expects to earn a PhD in medical
neurobiology next spring and an MD in 2004. "With the training
we receive in this program, I believe we're uniquely qualified to
bridge the gap between those two disciplines."
Admission to the MD/PhD program requires acceptance into both the
School of Medicine and an IU or Purdue University graduate school
program. After careful reviews, the combined degree admissions committee
invites qualified candidates to the Indianapolis campus for interviews.
"There are about forty students in the combined degree program,"
said William Bosron, PhD, assistant dean for graduate studies at
the School of Medicine. "They are among the top applicants
to both medical and graduate schools throughout Indiana and the
nation."
A typical academic plan allows the student to earn the combined
degree in seven years, though the actual number of years devoted
to thesis research is determined by a faculty advisory committee.
In the first two years, students complete research rotations during
the summer and spend the fall and spring semesters in basic science
courses.
In the summer after their second year, they take Step 1 of the U.S.
Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) research and PhD courses.
The third year, they take PhD courses and advance to doctoral candidacy.
The fourth and fifth years consist of conducting research, writing
their theses, and PhD graduation. The last two years include clinical
rotations, MD graduation and completing Step II of the USMLE.
A range of IU graduate degree programs are available to students:
anatomy and cell biology, biochemistry and molecular biology, medical
and molecular genetics, medical biophysics, medical neurobiology,
microbiology and immunology, pathology and laboratory medicine,
pharmacology, cellular and integrative physiology and toxicology.
A graduate degree in biomedical engineering is available from Purdue
University.
MD/PhD candidates don't shoulder their seven-year schedules alone.
They may select IU clinical and research mentors from the faculty,
who help guide them academically, in labs and in developing clinical
skills.
"These relationships are the key to the success of the program,"
said Cynthia M. Hingtgen, MD '96, PhD '94, assistant professor of
neurology. Mentoring made such an impression on Dr. Hingtgen that
she now serves as one.
Research opportunities abound for those accepted into the combined
degree program. Students can participate in nationally recognized
research programs at IUSM, including the National Cancer Institute-designated
IU Cancer Center, the Midwest Sexually Transmitted Diseases Cooperative
Research Center, Alcohol Research Center, Diabetes Research and
Training Center, Alzheimer and Related Diseases Center, Regenstrief
Institute for Healthcare Research, and the Multispeciality Center
for Research in Rheumatic Diseases.
Similar opportunities are certain to grow as a result of the recently
established Indiana Genomics Initiative, which will provide much
needed scholarships and fellowships for outstanding students and
resources to build IU programs in genomics, proteomics, informatics,
ethics and imaging.
"Graduating from the MD/PhD program opened up a wide range
of opportunities to me, eventually leading to my current position
in the pharmaceutical industry," said Richard D. England, MD
'85, PhD '82, who currently is associate director of clinical research
at Pfizer, Inc. "The training was invaluable, allowing me to
understand and guide the translation of basic research findings
into medical advances."
For more information about the IU School of Medicine MD/PhD combined
degree and related programs, visit its Web
site.
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