Program Sequence
Our program is designed to provide students with the in-depth, high caliber research training and medical education required of future academicians. Students are enrolled in both the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (or Georgia Tech) and the School of Medicine during the seven to eight years required to complete the program. The typical sequence is detailed below. Those choosing non-traditional areas for Ph.D. study may have a different sequence of training.
M1-M2 years
Basic medical education comprises the first two years of the M.D./Ph.D. program. This includes courses in the basic medical sciences and the pathophysiology of disease, as well as patient-based clinical courses such as physical examination of patients and problem-based learning. M.D./Ph.D. students in these years are also required to attend special journal clubs and area specific research seminars to strengthen their understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying disease and to develop scientific reasoning. During the summers, students conduct basic science research rotations, or work in their area of research interest, under the direction of a faculty advisor.
Graduate years
Following the second year of medical school and after passing Step 1 of the U. S. Medical Licensing Examination, students are admitted in advanced standing into a graduate training program where they begin working on the Ph.D. under the direction of a thesis advisor. Students in the graduate years present clinical cases and journal articles at the MD/PhD Clinical Research Conference as well as satisfy all the academic requirements of their chosen program of graduate study. Students in the graduate years are also encouraged to seek out opportunities for clinical experiences in their area(s) of interest.
M3-M4 years
Emory's clinical curriculum for M.D./Ph.D. students is consolidated into a minimum of 14 months of required clinical clerkships and elective courses. In consultation with the deans responsible for medical education and student affairs, the clinical program is individually tailored to match each student's academic needs and career goals. In order to facilitate the transition between graduate and clinical training, clinical conferences, dinners with current clinical M.D./Ph.D. students and a one month medicine rotation refreshing clinical skills are provided.
The goal of the M.D./Ph.D. program is to provide strong clinical and graduate research training. The program structure is flexible and may be modified in consultation with the program director to best suit the needs of each student.
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