MD-PhD Dual Degree

About the MD-PhD Program in Pharmacology & Physiology

The M.D.-Ph.D. in Pharmacology & Physiology is a dual doctorate program designed for students interested in careers as physician-scientists. Students will receive a top medical education combined with research training in laboratories of premier investigators at Georgetown University. The Ph.D. curriculum is tailored to complement the medical coursework.

M.D.-Ph.D. students enter the School of Medicine and complete the first 18 months of the preclinical medical curriculum prior to entering the Ph.D. program full time. A research rotation is conducted during the summer between the first and second years of medical school, with two additional rotations after entering the Ph.D. program full time.

M.D.-Ph.D. trainees in Pharmacology & Physiology are required to complete 21.5 credits in Ph.D. coursework (as compared to the 32.5 credits required for regular Ph.D. students) with the remaining credits absorbed from the medical coursework.

The requirement for 2 elective credits and the following core courses are waived: PBIO 501: Graduate Physiology (for Medical School Physiology) and PBIO 534: Cell and Molecular Physiology (for Medical School Biochemistry). While not required, M.D.-Ph.D. students can chose to take electives as appropriate for their degree plan.

Additional information about the M.D.-Ph.D. program, including application information can be found on the School of Medicine MD-PhD Program website. Note that only U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply for the M.D.-Ph.D. dual degree program.

MD-PhD Course Schedule

Year 1


Fall & Spring Semesters

MD-PhD students will be enrolled full-time in the regular medical curriculum for first-year medical students.

Summer Semester

Course NameCredit(s)
PHAR 985: Summer Lab Rotation0
Total 0 Credits

Year 2


Fall Semester

MD-PhD students will be enrolled full-time in the regular medical curriculum for second-year medical students.

Spring Semester

MD-PhD students will be officially enrolled in the Graduate School (not the medical school) and receive a stipend for the entire spring semester. However, they are not expected to actually begin their rotation until they have taken the USMLE STEP I board exam. MD-PhD students are required to take STEP I by the same deadline as students in the regular MD program.

Course NameCredit(s)
PHAR 987: Spring Lab Rotation0
Total 0 Credits

Summer Semester

Course NameCredit(s)
PHAR 985: Summer Lab Rotation0
Total 0 Credits

Year 3


Fall Semester

Course NameCredit(s)
NSCI 505: Neuroscience Survey2
NSCI 599: Practical Experimental Design and Statistics1.5
PHAR 505: Advanced Pharmacology2
PHAR 611: Principles of Pharmacology4
PHAR 986: Fall Rotation0
Total 9.5 Credits

Spring Semester

Course NameCredit(s)
PHAR 612: Graduate Pharmacology and Physiology10
NSCI 532: Survey Skills and Ethics for Science2
PHAR 987: Spring Lab Rotation0
Total 12 Credits

Year 4+


Course NameCredit(s)
PHAR 999: Thesis Research0
Total 0 Credits

Research Rotations

Students are required to take 3 rotations.

Research Rotations

Courses

Read through the course descriptions.

Courses

Thesis

Find the requirements and details for thesis research.

Thesis