Photo,
Arwen Long
Duke
University School of Medicine
Training for careers in biomedical research
Duke
University School of Medicine's unique year-long research
requirement for all Duke MD students lends itself naturally
to MD/PhD training. And Duke's dual-degree MD/PhD program,
the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP),
begun in 1966 and one of the three oldest such programs
in the country, adds a significant research component
to MD education, training physician-scientists (MD/PhDs)
for high-level research careers in the biomedical sciences
and academic medicine. Unlike the standard medical curriculum,
in which two clincial years follow two years of basic
coursework, the unique Duke curriculm concentrates all
coursework in the first year, followed by the first
clinical year. While the straight-MD student spends
the third year in a significant research project and
then returns to the wards in the fourth year for a final
clincal experience, the MSTP student moves into the
PhD setting in lieu of the third-year project. Students
typically find that the clinical year preceding the
PhD years produces keener insights into the meshing
of clinical and research interests and produces more
informed and fruitful choices for their PhD thesis areas.
PhD thesis projects, under the guidance of the School
of Medicine's world-class faculty, span all areas of
basic and clinical biomedical research. Training opportunities
and facilities are top-notch and prepare graduates for
significant roles in medical research and academic medicine.
The
269 graduates of the forty-plus-year-old program populate
biomedical research institutions and academic institutions
throughout the US.
The
Duke MD/PhD program, conducted
under the auspices of the Duke University Graduate School
and the Duke University School of Medicine, is designed
for students who have strong backgrounds in science
and who are interested in careers in the medical sciences
and academic medicine. The program, which leads to both
the MD and PhD degrees and typically takes seven to
eight years for completion, integrates the clinical
curriculum of the School of Medicine with graduate education
in one of the sciences basic to medicine. Although the
emphasis of the program is on basic medical science,
the additional clinical component affords program graduates
a remarkable range of career opportunities. Graduates
typically follow one of two broad paths: Some go directly
into careers in teaching and research in one of the
basic medical sciences, while maintaining strong ties
with clinical science; others enter residency programs
before pursuing investigative and teaching careers in
clinical medicine, carrying with them strong academic
backgrounds in the basic sciences.
The
program is one of the most diverse in the country with
an underrepresented minority enrollment of 10% and a
current female enrollment of 42%.
The
Training Program. Duke University School of Medicine’s
unique third-year research curriculum makes an ideal fit
for a dual-degree program. The third year of medical school
is essentially the first year of the PhD program, shortening
the time-to-degree for the dual-degree student by a year.
The typical MSTP student spends the first two years in
medical school, followed by about four years (which serve
as the third medical school year) in a PhD program and,
finally, returns to a fourth year of medical school. The
course work in the first medical school year provides
a solid grounding in the basic medical sciences. The second
year is devoted to a clinical curriculum. Following completion
of the second year, the trainee enters a graduate program
to complete the requirements for the PhD degree. A final
academic year of elective clinical study completes the
requirements for the MD degree.
While
the typical student follows the plan outlined above, students
whose research interests are well developed early in the
first year may opt to begin the PhD at the beginning of
their second year and then complete the two years of the
clinical curriculum after finishing the PhD. While this
is not the typical sequence, much latitude is granted
to students interested in early research experiences.
Eligibility.
Applicants must meet the admission requirements of both
the Graduate School as a candidate for the PhD degree
and the School of Medicine as a candidate for the MD degree.
Most candidates apply for admission to the first year
of the program, but a few students are admitted each year
after completing the second or third year of Duke University
School of Medicine. In addition to the minimum requirements
for acceptance into the Graduate School and the School
of Medicine, advanced course work in science and mathematics
as well as prior research experience count heavily in
the selection of candidates for the MSTP. The quality
of prior research experiences, the individual personal
statement of purpose and research interests, and evidence
of a passion for research are key components in a successful
application.
Because
a significant portion of the program’s funding is
provided by a National Institutes of Health training grant,
program participants must be United States citizens or
official permanent residents of the US.
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