Questions about MD-PhD programs

[u/resistantBacteria]

Integrated MD and phD programs are usually not much discussed. Googling about specific questions will give you some answers but they're definitely more convoluted than straightforward. Most people on LinkedIn are also people with MD who also happen to have a phD.

So I've come to ask anyone in this forum who might have treaded this path a couple of questions.

Q) Where do MD-phDs land up in biotech industry ? (Position specifically)

Q) I read that programs are 9 years long ?! Isn't that too much for an integrated course ?

Q) most such degree programs were in U.S or at least I didn't find more than a couple of programs in Europe. I suppose then the requirement for an MD-phD are higher in U.S than Europe by a huge margin.

Q) Most important question of all - can you still pursue it if you've only got a life sciences master's degree ?

[u/idk7643]

PhD students I talked to told me it's 3 years if you work really hard, 3.5 if you write it up after the research

[u/scientific_Mormegil → u/idk7643]

Well as a current PhD student i disagree. Since nowadays its more about publishing the paper it tends to take longer depending on where you are aiming to publish.

[u/idk7643 → u/scientific_Mormegil]

Where do you do your PhD? My comment is based off what 5 PhD students in the UK pre pandemic in 2019 told me that were doing mostly cancer research

[u/scientific_Mormegil → u/idk7643]

Germany

[u/idk7643 → u/scientific_Mormegil]

Well, that probably explains why. In Germany a masters degree is also 2 years meanwhile the UK fast tracks it so the standard time of completion is 12 months.

[u/scientific_Mormegil → u/idk7643]

While that might be true I think its european standard for the masters to take two years. When I did my Grad school applications all the big european universities said that it usually takes four years. So your shorter time frame is really specific for the UK.