MD/PhD Program | Department of Philosophy

About the MD/PhD Dual Degree

The Medical Scholars Program was founded in 1978 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The MSP is committed to preparing a diverse cadre of Physician-Scholars to confront the multi-dimensional problems and issues that face medicine. The complex nature of these problems requires people trained in a broad array of graduate disciplines working together in order to develop innovative solutions. The MSP has over 150 MD/PhD, MD/JD and MD/MBA students pursuing graduate study in over 30 academic disciplines, including the social sciences, humanities, physical sciences, as well as the biomedical sciences. The Medical Scholars Program has the largest cadre of MD/PhD students in the U.S. who are pursuing MD/PhDs in the Social Sciences and Humanities.

With such diverse student perspectives, the MSP provides a unique and electric environment for bright and creative scholars to pursue their passion for combining cutting edge research with individualized high-quality clinical training. Students begin their program of study in their graduate departments; MD training is integrated with graduate training in subsequent years. Generally, it takes students an average of 8 years to complete both degrees.

Eligibility

The MD/PhD program is open to students who have completed an accredited bachelor‘s degree and who meet the admission criteria for their graduate program, the College of Medicine and the Medical Scholars Program. This joint degree is available only to U.S. citizens and permanent residents.

In order to be accepted by the Medical Scholars Program, you must be accepted by a graduate department (or departments), by the University of Illinois College of Medicine, and by the MSP.

The Department of Philosophy welcomes applications for those who wish to pursue the MD/PhD degree.

Information is also available for the Illinois Medical Scholars Program.