Program
The McMaster MD/PhD Program is designed to train exceptional students who will bridge the gap between health research and clinical application. The McMaster MD/PhD program combines the strength of a unique, patient‐oriented and problem based medical education at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine with a strong, internationally‐renowned healthcare research environment. MD/PhD graduates will be well prepared to participate in basic or clinical research and will have an ideal foundation to become leaders in integrated and translational research endeavours that will bring the promise of medical research to the reality of patient care. The program is uniquely structured to allow optimal integration of medical education and research training that starts on the first day and extends throughout this 7 year program.
Admission Requirements
Minimum criteria for admission is a 4-year Honours bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.8 or greater on a 4 point scale in the final two years of Bachelor’s degree study (with an overall 4-year GPA of at least 3.00/4.00), and a score of 125 or higher on the Critical Analysis and Reasoning (CARS) section of the MCAT.
The MCAT must be written within five years of the application year. Please note that McMaster will use the most recent MCAT score for those who write the MCAT more than once.
As some PhD programs may have additional requirements specific to their program, applicants should review the relevant sections of the McMaster School of Graduate Studies Calendar.
Eligible students will have a proven record of research involvement at the undergraduate or graduate level. Existing in-program Master’s students or students in their first year of PhD training in an eligible Health Sciences Affiliated Graduate program at McMaster University are also welcome to apply to the MD/PhD Program with the written consent of his or her research supervisor. Students from other Universities may apply if they will finish their graduate degree requirement before enrolling in the McMaster MD/PhD program. Existing McMaster MD students with a strong research background are also welcome to apply in their first year of medical school.
To apply to the MD/PhD Program, applicants must submit a separate application in the McMaster Graduate Studies Application Portal (Slate), in addition to the OMSAS application. To gain admission, applicants must be accepted to both the MD Program at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine and one of the PhD programs listed above. Application to the MD component is through OMSAS and must be submitted by the deadline they set. The PhD component of the application is due on November 1st of the application year. Further information and the PhD application can be found at: mdphd.healthsci.mcmaster.ca
Degree Requirement
The MD/PhD program has specific blocks of time provided for activities focused on either clinical or research studies, but maintains some flexibility and integration. MD/PhD candidates will start their program with 12 months focused on PhD research, approximately one year of MD training. This is followed by a block of time focused on PhD research (usually 3 years). After successfully completing the requirements for the PhD degree, the student will finish the program with the remaining portion of MD training. Any deviation from this outlined schedule will be requested by the student in writing. These requests will be reviewed by the MD/PhD program committee and the student’s doctoral program, before making a recommendation to the Associate Deans.
The MD/PhD student is responsible for successful completion of the McMaster MD program including all aspects of the curriculum, electives, and clerkship rotations required for graduation with an MD degree.
The MD/PhD student must inform the MD/PhD Program Director by February 1 of the year the student intends to re‐enter the MD program in the clerkship rotation. This will provide sufficient time for the student to enter the clerkship match process (“lottery”) held in early spring before commencing clerkship in November. The Program Director will obtain confirmation from the student’s PhD Supervisor and committee that the student will complete the PhD requirements before starting the clerkship rotation.
Horizontal clinical electives are strongly encouraged during the 3 year research block following pre-clerkship MD training. The student may use these elective periods to enhance areas of clinical interest or to solidify knowledge and clinical skills.
There are 24 weeks of block electives required by the MD program. Seven weeks are completed between MF4 and Integration Foundation and the remaining 17 weeks are completed during clerkship. Fifty percent of the clerkship electives must be clinically oriented.
MD Program Fulfillment
The MD/PhD student is responsible for successful completion of the McMaster MD program including all aspects of the curriculum, electives, and clerkship rotations required for graduation with an MD degree.
The MD/PhD student must inform the MD/PhD Program Director by March 1 of the year the student intends to re‐enter the MD program in the clerkship rotation. This will provide sufficient time for the student to enter the clerkship match process (“lottery”) held in May before commencing clerkship in November. The Program Director will obtain confirmation from the student’s PhD Supervisor and committee that the student will complete the PhD requirements before starting the clerkship rotation.
Horizontal clinical electives are strongly encouraged during the 3 year research block following MF5. The student may use these elective periods to enhance areas of clinical interest or to solidify knowledge and clinical skills.
There are 24 weeks of block electives required by the MD program. Seven weeks are completed between MF4 and MF5 and the remaining 17 weeks are completed during clerkship. Fifty percent of the clerkship electives must be clinically oriented.
PhD Program Fulfillment
The students are required to successfully complete courses as required by the Graduate Studies Program in which they are enrolled. Students will successfully complete Comprehensive Examinations of the Graduate Program that they are enrolled and will successfully complete thesis work and any other requirements of the relevant graduate program.
Eligible Programs
MD/PhD students can complete their PhD studies in the following graduate programs: Medical Sciences, Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience, Health Research Methodology, Health Policy, Biomedical Engineering, or Chemical Biology.