Concurrent Grad Work with M.D. at Western

[rmorelan]

Hmmm question - has anyone at Western done a Masters during their medical school training (knowing of course that the degree overall will take longer), i.e. like the PhD/MD think but with a masters instead. Some of the other schools I am considering have a combined masters/MD program along with their phd/MD program. Western does have a phD/MD.

 

thanks!

[Halcyon]

Hmmm question - has anyone at Western done a Masters during their medical school training (knowing of course that the degree overall will take longer), i.e. like the PhD/MD think but with a masters instead. Some of the other schools I am considering have a combined masters/MD program along with their phd/MD program. Western does have a phD/MD.

 

thanks!

 

What about contacting the persons in charge of their MD/PhD program (if you haven't already)? They'd be well-versed in knowing how to balance grad work and the MD program. Plus, they may be more excited once they know your situation.

 

 

Good luck!

[rmorelan]

What about contacting the persons in charge of their MD/PhD program (if you haven't already)? They'd be well-versed in knowing how to balance grad work and the MD program. Plus, they may be more excited once they know your situation.

 

 

Good luck!

 

I fired off a request but they are so very busy right now it is hard to get through

[mrgreek]

rmorelan...contact vikki van-s, I think she is in charge of all that. I think there is only the MD/PhD program (and clinician something or another program for in residency). I think they will strongly urge you to consider the PhD route, to apply while your in your first year MD...

[ploughboy]

Hmmm question - has anyone at Western done a Masters during their medical school training (knowing of course that the degree overall will take longer), i.e. like the PhD/MD think but with a masters instead. Some of the other schools I am considering have a combined masters/MD program along with their phd/MD program. Western does have a phD/MD.

 

thanks!

 

There is no *formal* combined Masters/MD program at UWO.

 

Informally...the sky is the limit. A classmate of mine apparently did most of the work on a Masters degree during medical school, and graduated on time. It wasn't a lab-based degree, which likely made things easier in terms of scheduling/flexibility etc.

 

Depending on your circumstances and interests, you might be able to do something similar. Probably you'd be pushing it to complete a grad degree without taking extra time to graduate. There is, however, precedent for taking time away from the MD program in order to do grad work. Somebody several years ahead of me took ~3 years off from the program, went the UK for a PhD and then rejoined another meds class. I don't know details of how he managed that, and the fact that I haven't heard of anybody doing it since suggests that it's not super-common. But, I expect if you had a solid plan that you could sell to the right people they'd let you take time off to do grad work. You likely wouldn't get any financial support from the school for your studies, though.

 

Could the Masters wait until residency? Most schools seem to have a process in place for residents to do grad work if they choose, and to provide them with remuneration.

 

And as mrgreek mentioned, it may not be too late to apply for the MD/PhD program. We got an email in December of our first year asking if anybody else was interested in joining the program. I guess it depends on what your personal goals are.

 

pb