What is the difference in curriculum between an MD/PhD and an MD program? For example, would the MD be completed first (the same as a regular MD program), then the PhD? Or is the MD portion of the MD/PhD program entirely different (than a regular MD program)?
Any other thoughts would be appreciated.
There are no curricular differences in a MD program for MD/PhD students.
MD/PhDs take exactly the same coursework and clinical training for their MDs as straight MDs do, but the curriculum is divided up differently.
For a MD/PhD, the MD training is split, with the didactic coursework completed concurrently with some of the lower level PhD coursework during MS1-2, followed by 3-4 years of PhD coursework & dissertation research, this is then followed by 2 years of clinical training on the wards to complete the MD. MD/PhD students typically start working in their research lab in the summer after MS1.
MD/PhDs enter the Match as MS4s (just like the rest of the MS4s) and enter residency training after graduation. Any MD/PhD who wants to do any patient care as part of their career must complete a residency (3-7 years) in order to receive a medical license and become board eligible/certified. (Insurance companies and Medicare/medicaid won’t reimburse if you’re not BC/BE–which requires the completion of a medical residency.)
You mention in your other threads you’re a non-traditional student attending college part-time.
Do you have any hands-on clinical or lab research experience? How many years? In what capacity? Publications?
I’m asking because having a strong research background/experience is important if you want to be seriously considered for a MD/PhD program.
Experience: yes and no. I have an extensive background working at a senior level for multiple fortune 500 companies in various roles, including technical writing, web development and user experience design and testing. My experience is not directly associated with laboratory research.
Then i think you will not qualify for most if not almost all MD/PHD programs- they are primarily looking for research experiences in biomedical sciences or epidemiology although few programs have md phd programs in history of medicine (hopkins) or social sciences (uchicago?).
If you are seriously interested in medical research, there are plenty of MD only clinician investigators who get research experiences throughout med school, residency, and then research fellowship at NIH or other research heavy instituitions who then funded by NIH.
Not always true. The most notable exception is Albert Einstein, where MD/PhD students have their own unique curriculum. Many schools substitute one or more of the medical school courses with graduate school courses.
Many schools are starting to explore with deviations from the most common 2-4-2 model. 1-4-3 and 3-4-1 models (i.e. doing the PhD after MS1 or after MS3) are being offered to students if they desire with 2-4-2 being the default.