MD/PhD Lubbock Dual Degree

Program Overview

APPLICATION, INTERVIEW & SELECTION PROCESS

Information about admission requirements is located on the Medicine Admissions Requirements site.

Prospective students will apply through the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Services (TMDSAS), indicating their request for consideration in the MD/PhD program. Following completion of the application through TMDSAS, including adequate processing time, eligible candidates will receive an email invitation from the SOM with a link and instructions for completion of the secondary application.

Entry into the MD/PhD program is also possible for traditional MD students enrolled in the TTUHSC SOM as described under Enrollment Options. 

GSBS will utilize information from the SOM application and a free supplemental application to the GSBS. Upon review of the application materials, the admissions committees from the SOM and GSBS will develop a list of applicants to invite for interviews. The MD/PhD interviews will be coordinated through both admissions offices, and selected applicants will participate in two one-on-one interviews for the MD portion of the program and one GSBS panel interview for the PhD portion of the program. 

The PhD component of the interviews is tailored to match the research interests of the applicant and will includesix faculty with GSBS membership. The feedback will be used by the GSBS Senior Associate Dean and MD/PhD Selection Committee in the process of ranking applicants according to five general categories of criteria: 1) commitment to career as a Physician Scientist, 2) research experience, 3) academic records, 4) test scores, and 5) holistic review of personal attributes. Following the interview the chair of the panel will submit comments into the SOM application system.

The SOM Associate Dean of Admissions, or other designated representative, and the GSBS Senior Associate Dean will meet periodically to review the applicant rankings, and submit a rank list to the SOM admissions committee to make final decisions for all acceptances. The SOM Admissions Committee makes the final decision for entry into Medical School and will notify GSBS on which applicants have been accepted.  Upon concurrence of both schools, all accepted applicants will be admitted to the MD/PhD program.  

Admissions Requirements

Currently students apply through the Texas Medical & Dental Schools Application Service; (TMDSAS - Follow for link) indicating their request to apply to the MD/PhD program. Applicants to the MD/PhD program must upload any reference letters through the TMDSAS application. Applications submitted after November 1 will not be considered.

Once you have completed the primary application please complete the required Secondary Application. Please note that you are only required to complete one Secondary Application. For example, applicants who apply to both the MD/PhD program and the MD program will only need to submit one Secondary Application.

After a student has applied to TMDSAS, and submitted the School of Medicine secondary application, the selection committees from both schools invite selected applicants for interviews. The School of Medicine coordinates the MD interviews, and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences coordinates the PhD interview. The PhD interview is conducted by a faculty panel.

Additional details of the review process are described in the program guidelines above. Previous research experience, publications and motivation will be key features in the evaluation.

Applicants to the M.D./Ph.D. program must meet both School of Medicine and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences admissions requirements, including the School of Medicine requirement to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. More information regarding School of Medicine admission requirements is available on their website.

CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION

Acceptable MCAT and GPA scores are required. Previous research experience and commitment to a career as a Physician Scientist will be key elements in the evaluation.

ENROLLMENT OPTIONS

The MD/PhD curriculum is flexible to accommodate the academic needs of the students, such as the need for increased research time.  Students commonly enter the program at entry to TTUHSC SOM.  However, students may also enter after 1-2 years in medical school.

To be eligible to enter the program after matriculation, a TTUHSC SOM student must complete at least one year of medical school; complete at least one TTUHSC SOM student research rotation with a favorable letter of recommendation from the research mentor; and fulfill the MD/PhD progression criteria for Phase 1 of medical school. The student will then be interviewed by at least two members of the MD/PhD Selection Committee and be approved by the full committee. For matriculation into the program the student must also receive a passing grade on the USMLE Step 1.

The SOM curriculum consists of three phases:

• Phase 1: Pre-clerkship coursework;
• Phase 2: Clerkships;
• Phase 3: Advanced Clinical Experiences.  

Students in the MD/PhD program may choose one of two options for the transition from the SOM to the GSBS to complete the PhD program.

(Option 1)

The PhD component is completed after the SOM Phase 1 curriculum. In this case, the pattern for enrollment from bachelor’s or master’s degree status at entry to medical school is as follows: 

Students typically matriculate into GSBS in the summer semester and begin a laboratory rotation in a field close to their prior research or in a field they are seriously considering for their doctoral dissertation.  This rotation allows them to adjust to the campus and begin learning about the variety of possibilities for future research.  In late July or early August, MD/PhD students matriculate into the medical school and begin their course work.  During the summer following the first year of medical school, the student has approximately two months for another laboratory rotation.  After completing the second year of medical school, students must take and pass the USMLE Step 1 examination, no later than April 15. The student will then register for GSBS courses beginning in the summer term. Note:  A delay in taking STEP 1 (or STEP 2, if applicable) will result in a loss of salary and/or scholarship for the summer term.

No more than two weeks after taking the USMLE Step 1, students are required to begin their dissertation research.  Students who successfully complete the second year of medical school will have completed up to 30 hours of credit that will be applied toward the PhD curriculum. The PhD requirements of the GSBS and the selected concentration will apply. 

(Option 2)

The PhD component is completed after the SOM Phase 2 curriculum.  Students must complete all components of the Phase 1 and Phase 2 curricula, obtain a passing score on USMLE Step 1, begin clerkships in period 1 of the Phase 2 curriculum and obtain a passing score on Step 2CK prior to transitioning from the SOM to the GSBS. Students transitioning after the 3^rd year must take and pass Step 2CK no later than May 26.  

Irrespective of the chosen option, students transitioning to the GSBS after their second or third year of medical school must obtain a memo from the SOM releasing them to take GSBS courses beginning in the appropriate summer semester. To facilitate timely registration and submission of the application for the Research Assistantship position, SOM may provisionally release students for summer term enrollment with GSBS. This provisional release would be contingent upon SOM review of each students academic progress and preparedness for the USMLE Step 1 and Step 2CK. SOM reserves the right to withhold provisional release if a student is not on track to meet the necessary milestone for progression. 

The student in consultation with his/her PhD mentor and the SOM Sr. Associate Dean for Student Affairs (Dr. Lauren Cobbs) will select a Clinical Advisor by the end of the first year of the doctoral program. The Clinical Advisor may be included in the PhD Advisory Committee; however, he/she will only have voting rights if they also hold a membership within the GSBS.

Students are encouraged to arrange shadowing experiences with their Clinical Advisor throughout their research project to maintain the clinical skills they obtained in the Phase 1 and Phase 2 curricula. The clinical clerkships will be completed on the campus where the doctoral research project is conducted.

The course requirements for the PhD training phase are determined by the individual concentrations and may vary depending on the area of research. Generally, by the time the coursework is completed, the student will be well-established in research with their mentor.  The length of time that is required to complete the research, as well as write/defend a dissertation can vary.  No influence should be exerted by the MD/PhD program in an attempt to shorten this phase of training.  When the students are engaged in their research, they are subject to the same rules and expectations as any other doctoral students within that concentration.  In addition to the preparatory work accomplished in medical school, students commonly spend three and a half to four years in graduate training. Students must have successfully defended their dissertation before transitioning back to the SOM, irrespective of the progression option they chose.  

Financial support consists of scholarships while in the SOM and a Research Assistantship while in GSBS (See Proposed Funding). Students receiving a Research Assistantship are considered employees at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (50% FTE) and qualify for in-state tuition, fee waivers and options for health and dental insurance benefits.  Research Assistantship positions do not accrue sick leave or vacation. As an employee, the Texas Education Code (Sec. 54.065) allows for in-state tuition for non-residents. While completing the doctoral program, GSBS and the mentor share equally in funding the RA position. Students are required to apply to the RA position at least 30 days prior to matriculating into GSBS.   

**When students complete their doctoral degree, they return to scholarship support from the SOM. The research assistantship will be discontinued and students are no longer eligible for health and dental options as an employee.

All MD/PhD students are required to complete the following steps each year of medical school. If these requirements are not completed, School of Medicine will not be able to process tuition and stipend scholarships.

• Submit a scholarship application each year, no later than April 1st, to School of Medicine Admissions;
• Submit a FAFSA each year, no later than April 15th;
• Submit a Scholarship Acknowledgment Form (upon receipt of scholarship award letter);
• Submit a detailed tuition/fees statement for each term enrolled in medicine to School of Medicine Admissions.

It is the responsibility of the student(s) to notify School of Medicine Admissions prior to transitioning over to GSBS and prior to transitioning back to School of Medicine after completion of their PhD.

Tuition scholarships will be issued to cover tuition and mandatory fees while in the MD/PhD program. Non-mandatory fees will not be covered such as library fees, parking fees, ETD fee, graduation fee, student health insurance fee, late fees, etc. All scholarships will be processed through the Scholarship Tracking System. If a student withdraws from the program, they may be liable for any required refunds of state or federal financial aid funds. Any scholarship over the cost of tuition, fees, books and supplies is taxable.