M.D., D.O., combined with Ph.D
There are several different degrees that allow you to become a practicing physician: M.D., D.O., and a Ph.D. combined with an M.D. or D.O.
Regardless of which degree interests you, you will need to take the MCAT to gain admission to an accredited program. You will also be expected to complete the same pre-med coursework. However, application procedures differ between each of these degrees, and individual programs may place emphasis on different aspects of admissions requirements.
When one thinks of a physician, he or she is generally thinking of an M.D. Physicians practice in a variety of settings including group practice, managed care systems, clinics, hospitals, labs, the military, government, and universities. Most medical students graduate after four years of medical school and enter residency programs of 3-8 years in a medical specialty. Primary care medical training takes 3 years; general surgery, 5; and advanced surgery (like plastic, neurological) another 2-3 years.
There are 125 accredited allopathic medical schools in the U.S. alone. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) provides information on and links to all of these schools. AAMC also conducts the MCAT and the centralized application process for M.D. programs, the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS).
D.O.s practice a "whole person" approach to health care. Instead of just treating specific symptoms, osteopathic physicians focus on the musculoskeletal system, which reflects and influences the condition of all other body systems. Osteopathic medical schools emphasize training students to be primary care physicians, although D.O.s can and do practice in as many environments as M.D.s. The American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) provides links to all 26 of the accredited D.O. programs in the U.S. For admission to these schools, you will use AACOM’s centralized application process, AACOM Application Service (AACOMAS).
Ph.D. Combined with M.D. or D.O.Combining a Ph.D. with an M.D. or D.O. degree prepares students for careers in academic medicine, such as med school professor, or biomedical research. Adding a Ph.D. generally adds two years to a student’s medical school program; thus, you finish after six years rather than four. You can then choose to go on to complete a medical specialty or not, just like other M.D. or D.O. grads. Most D.O. schools offer combined degrees. Find programs through AACOM.
Most M.D. schools also offer combined degrees. Find programs through AAMC’s Curriculum Directory.
Some schools may require you to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) in addition to the MCAT. Check schools’ websites carefully of call their admissions offices and ask.
Learn about UW Medical School’s Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), the title it and many schools across the country use to describe their programs which combine a medical degree with a Ph.D.
Some of your questions about this combined degree may be answered by our M.D./Ph.D. FAQs
You can also combine an M.D. with other kinds of degrees. AAMC’s “Curriculum Directory” provides a comprehensive description of M.D. student education programs, such as M.D./J.D. (law), or M.D./M.B.A. (business).
Thinking Ahead: Medical SpecialtiesAAMC’s Careers in Medicine links to “Specialty Information,” and describes 25 areas for residency training.