The typical time-to-degree is 7.5 years. Most students do two years of medical school, followed by four or five years completing the PhD, and then a final year of medical school.
However, some students have well-defined research interests when they enter medical school, and, if it suits their interests and purposes, those students are free to begin the PhD at the beginning of their second year in the program. These students will finish the remaining two years of medical school after completing the PhD. The total time-to-degree is likely to be unaffected.
Typical timeline:
Year 1. Medical School, Core Basic Science Year
Year 2. Medical School, Core Clinical Science Year
Years 3, 4, 5, 6. Graduate School, PhD research
Final year. Medical School, Elective Clinical Science Year
Early-research timeline:
Year 1. Medical School, Core Basic Science Year
Years 2, 3, 4, 5. Graduate School, PhD research
Year 6. Medical School, Core Clinical Science Year
Final year. Medical School, Elective Clinical Science Year
The program also admits a small number of students each year who are finishing either the second or third year of medical school and who have discovered a keen interest in a research career. These students are members of MSTP for the PhD years and the final year of medical school.
Timeline for students entering as first-year PhD students with two years of medical school already completed:
Years 1, 2, 3, 4. Graduate School, PhD research
Final year. Medical School, Elective Clinical Science Year