md phd programs biomedical engineering

MD/PhD Programs

Caltech-USC MD/PhD Program

There is a joint program between Caltech and the USC Keck Medical School for the granting of the MD/PhD degree. Students do their preclinical and clinical work at USC, and their PhD work with any member of the Caltech faculty.

Admission to this program is made through the USC MD/PhD process . The MD degree is awarded by USC, and the PhD is awarded by Caltech.

This joint program is overseen by Dr. Brian Lee, Director at USC, and Professor Paul Sternberg at Caltech.

Caltech-UCLA MSTP

A joint program between Caltech and the UCLA Medical School has been established for the granting of the MD/PhD degree. Students do their preclinical and clinical work at UCLA, and their PhD work with any member of the Caltech faculty in Biology and Biological Engineering, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, or Engineering and Applied Sciences.

Admission to this joint program is made through the UCLA MSTP process . A maximum of two students per year will be accepted. The MD degree is awarded by UCLA and the PhD is awarded by Caltech. PhD studies involving collaborations between laboratories at both institutions could lead to a joint degree, with both universities being cited.

The current directors of the MSTP are Dr. Olujimi Ajijola and Dr. David Dawson at UCLA. The Associate Director at Caltech is Professor Mitch Guttman.

Caltech-UCLA STAR Program

The Specialty Training and Advanced Research (STAR) program at UCLA Medical School enables MDs who desire academic or research positions to upgrade their scientific skills. In this program, PhD candidates have already received their MDs, finished their internships, and, in some cases, completed their medical residencies. Therefore, upon completion of the PhD, most of these people move directly into faculty positions in academic medicine. This is a cooperative program involving all clinical departments at UCLA. The Director of STAR program at UCLA is Dr. Linda Demer, an MD/PhD and chief of the Division of Cardiology.

Caltech became part of the STAR program in 1997, with one student currently on campus. Caltech STAR students receive Caltech PhDs and can enroll in any the Institute's divisions.

The Program Director at Caltech is Professor Mitch Guttman.

Caltech-KPSOM MD/PhD Program

There is a dual-degree program between Caltech and the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine (KPSOM) for the granting of the MD/PhD degree. Students receive their medical training at KPSOM, and perform their PhD work with any member of the Caltech faculty.

Admission to this dual-degree program is made through the KPSOM MD/PhD process . The MD degree is awarded by KPSOM, and the PhD is awarded by Caltech.

The dual-degree program is overseen by Dr. Jose M. Barral, MD, PhD at KPSOM and Professor Paul Sternberg at Caltech.

Please contact Programs Coordinator ​ Raina Beaven for questions or additional information regarding these programs.

MSTP MD-PhD Program

MSTP 2024 Entering Class

Message from the Directors

Welcome to the Stanford MSTP MD-PhD program where you will find a rich environment and unparalleled opportunities for developing a career dedicated to biomedical research.

You may already be familiar with Stanford's tradition and reputation for academic excellence, scientific innovation, and stunning environment; in addition, there are some very special aspects to the program. Stanford is a true University, with Schools of Medicine, Engineering, and Humanities & Sciences located on a single campus that facilitates and encourages interaction between scientists from different disciplines. It was the thesis work of a former MSTP student that helped provide the impetus for the development of the Bio-X program and the Clark Center, which bridges the life, physical, and mathematical sciences to address current challenges in medicine and biology with new ways of thinking.

Medical school at Stanford—for MD-PhD and non-MD-PhD students alike—is also unique. With major clinical training centers in tertiary care, county hospital, and HMO settings, our students learn about different types of patient care and how best to care for their patients. Most Stanford students spend an extra year pursuing interests in laboratory research, public health, or community service; as a dual degree student you will be surrounded by colleagues whose interests go beyond a traditional curriculum.

Finally, Stanford has a well-deserved reputation for interaction, cooperation, and collegiality that extends across educational levels (staff and faculty), training programs (departmental and interdisciplinary), and Schools (medicine and computer science). On a bike ride through campus, or a walk to the "Dish," you will encounter fellow students, Deans, and Nobel laureates, all of whom hold in common a love for an intellectual environment that fosters creativity, critical thinking, and discussion.

Stanford MD-PhD students join a community of scientists dedicated to biomedical research; the group is global but the degrees of separation are few. Welcome to that community!

MSTP Directors

Catherine Blish, MD, PhD

Co-Director, MSTP MD-PhD Professor of Medicine - Infectious Disease

Katrin Chua, MD, PhD

Co-Director, MSTP MD-PhD Professor of Medicine - Endocrinology, Gerontology and Metabolism

Dean Felsher, MD, PhD

Associate Director for Admissions, MSTP MD-PhD Professor of Medicine - Oncology, and Pathology

Vivianne Tawfik, MD, PhD

Associate Director, MSTP MD-PhD Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine

Taia Wang, MD, PhD

Associate Director, MSTP MD-PhD Associate Professor of Medicine and of Microbiology and Immunology

Ellen Yeh, MD, PhD

Associate Director, MSTP MD-PhD Associate Professor of Pathology and of Microbiology and Immunology

Carolyn Bertozzi wins 2022 Nobel Prize in chemistry. 

Stanford chemist Carolyn Bertozzi, PhD, was awarded the Nobel Prize for her pioneering work establishing the field of bioorthogonal chemistry, which allows researchers to study biomolecules and their interactions in living organisms without disrupting natural biological functions.

Dean Felsher , Associate Director of MSTP, is a recipient of the  2020 NCI Outstanding Investigator Award .  NCI Outstanding Investigator Award Recipients was originally published by the National Cancer Institute.

Stanford Med News

Stanford med twitter feed.

• Doctoral Programs

MD/PhD Programs

A combined MD/PhD program in biomedical sciences, the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) is available for students desiring research careers in medicine and related biosciences. This program at Case Western Reserve University takes seven to eight years to complete, depending on the time needed to complete the PhD dissertation research. Financial support includes a stipend and full tuition support.

Candidates must meet established prerequisites for admission to both the School of Medicine and the School of Graduate Studies. Criteria include demonstrated capabilities in research and superior undergraduate academic credentials. Applicants must have either U.S. citizenship or permanent residency status to be considered for admission to the MSTP. Information can be obtained by  contacting the MSTP program  or from the  program website . Admissions are coordinated via the School of Medicine admissions program and the American Medical College Application Service application.

Program Details

The first two years of the MSTP are centered on the University Program pre-clinical core medical school curriculum, which occupies five mornings each week. Afternoons include time for graduate courses and/or research rotations, as well as clinical training, thus integrating the medical school and graduate school experiences. The next three to four years are devoted to completion of graduate courses and PhD thesis research in one of the multiple MSTP-affiliated graduate programs.

During the PhD phase, MSTP students participate in the MSTP Clinical Tutorial, a program designed to enhance clinical skills and allow students to develop connections between their research and clinical interests (this further addresses the goal of integrating medicine and science). After completion of the PhD program, students return to medical school for two years to complete clinical clerkships and finish the MD curriculum.

The program is administered by the MSTP Steering Committee, which consists of faculty from both basic science and clinical departments. Its functions include selecting candidates for admission, designing and administering the program curriculum, advising students and evaluating student progress.

Discover the Doctor of Medicine Curriculum  

See Program Requirements

View a Sample Plan of Study

Biomedical Engineering, PhD

School of medicine.

Biomedical Engineering (BME) has emerged as one of the most exciting interdisciplinary research fields in modern science. Biomedical engineers apply modern approaches from the experimental life sciences in conjunction with theoretical and computational methods from the disciplines of engineering, mathematics, and computer science to the solution of biomedical problems of fundamental importance. The Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program of the Johns Hopkins University is designed to train engineers to work at the cutting edge of this exciting discipline. There are two graduate programs in biomedical engineering. The master's program is supported by the Whiting School of Engineering and leads to a Master's of Science degree. The Ph.D. program is supported by the School of Medicine and leads to a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering.

Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering

The cornerstone of the Program is our belief in the importance of in-depth training of students in both life sciences and modern engineering. In-depth training in life sciences is achieved in one of two ways. Many of our incoming Ph.D. students enroll in classes that are part of the first-year basic sciences curriculum of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. That is, they learn human biology with the medical students. This is a unique and intensive curriculum covering a broad range of topics including molecules and cells, human anatomy, immunology, physiology, and neuroscience. This curriculum is an excellent way to build a broad and solid foundation in the life sciences. Alternatively, students may take graduate-level biology and life sciences courses from the many exceptional biosciences departments at Johns Hopkins. This option is often of particular value to students who enter the program already having a strong background in the life sciences. In-depth training in engineering, mathematics, and computer science is achieved through elective courses that are taken in the first and second years.

All students are fully supported during their time in the Ph.D. program. This covers tuition and provides a stipend for the duration of their Ph.D. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of Biomedical Engineering, students can choose to perform their dissertation research in almost any laboratory in the University (subject to the approval of the program directors). Some students choose their research lab before matriculating, and some students have the opportunity to do research rotations among several labs during their first academic year. The opportunities to do research rotations are generously funded by multiple training grants supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Emphasis is placed on original research leading to the doctoral dissertation. The research may be experimental or computational - the breadth of research in Biomedical Engineering is large, and we encourage students to attend various seminars to learn about cutting edge approaches. To explore the current range of research by labs within the Biomedical Engineering department, see here ; in addition, many of our students work in labs outside the Biomedical Engineering department. 

Program Directors

Rachel Karchin, Ph.D. and Patrick Kanold, Ph.D.

Financial Aid

All BME Ph.D. students (regardless of citizenship or national origin) are supported (tuition, stipend, health and dental insurance) for the duration of their Ph.D. U.S. citizens and Permanent Residents are eligible for support from training grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Students are also encouraged to apply for individual graduate fellowships from the National Science Foundation, NRSA awards from the NIH, and fellowships from private foundations. Only online applications for admission are accepted, and must be received by December 1.

Admission Requirements

Note: up-to-date admissions requirements are maintained on the Biomedical Engineering website , and applications are submitted through the School of Medicine's application system . 

The application deadline for the School of Medicine Biomedical Engineering PhD program is December 1 of each year. We typically recruit students in seven broad areas that match the research strengths within the BME department: Biomedical Data Science, Computational Medicine, Genomics and Systems Biology, Imaging and Medical Devices, Immunoengineering, Neuroengineering, and Translational Cell and Tissue Engineering. Applicants do not have to fit into one of these areas, and much of the best research comes from interdisciplinary work. However, these areas help students identify faculty who match their research interests and form part of their community after they matriculate.

BME students come from a wide variety of academic and research backgrounds, but a typical BME thesis project involves applying engineering or quantitative approaches to address biological or health related questions. Therefore, students who apply to our program should have a strong background in engineering, physics, or mathematics as well as a sufficient experience in chemistry and biology.

The admission process is led by committees organized by the focus areas listed above. Applicants should specify the area (or areas) in which they are most interested and describe their future research goals. Each application is reviewed holistically, with emphasis placed on research experience, the personal statement, letters of recommendation, and how well the candidate's goals and interests fit with those of the program. Faculty in each area vote and rank the applicants in the initial selection round, and the final pool of applicants is ranked and voted on by the entire admissions committee following the interview process.

Applications must be submitted and complete by the application deadline. To be considered for review, a complete application must include:

• A complete and submitted online application: https://www.bme.jhu.edu/johns-hopkins-biomedical-engieering/apply/. 
• Transcripts from each college or university attended —Applicants may upload unofficial transcripts to the online application for review. Applicants who receive an offer or accept an offer of admission are required to submit official transcripts to the School of Medicine's Office of Graduate Biomedical Education via mail or email ( [email protected] ).
• Three letters of recommendation —Letters of recommendation should come from faculty members who are acquainted with the applicant's academic work and/or research. These letters should include comments on the applicant's aptitude and promise for independent research.
• Personal Statement —A typewritten personal statement (one page maximum) indicating the basis of the applicant's interest in graduate study and their career objectives. Applicants should include discussion of any previous research and mention which faculty they would be most interested in working with and why. A separate personal statement describing how the applicant's life experiences or identity shaped their goals is optional.

C.V. —A current C.V. summarizing the applicant's academic, professional, and research experience.

TOEFL scores —For international students only; the TOEFL requirement is waived for applicants who completed their degree  at an institution that used English as the primary language of instruction.

Application fee —Information on requesting a fee waiver can be found on the School of Medicine website: https:// www.hopkinsmedicine.org/som/education-programs/graduateprograms/admissions/on-campus-programs.

GRE scores are now optional . Read more about our application requirements and GRE policy here: https://www.bme.jhu.edu/ academics/graduate/phd-program/apply-to-the-phd-program 

Applicants for admission must fulfill the following course prerequisites:

• One year of college-level biology (may include quantitative biology or physiology)
• One semester of organic chemistry is required (for students interested in the Immunoengineering or Translational Cell & Tissue Engineering research areas)
• Sufficient mathematical training, typically including differential equations 

Students interested in applying who do not have the prerequisite course experience may want to include in their application an explanatory note indicating any plans to fulfill the prerequisites before the start of the PhD program should their application be accepted. Courses taken at any accredited college or university are acceptable. Each applicant must have received a B.A. or B.S. degree or its equivalent prior to matriculation. A Master's degree is not required for admission to our program.

Each applicant must have received a BA or BS degree or its equivalent prior to matriculation. A Master's degree is not required for admission to our program. 

Process: The PhD program admissions committee will not consider any application until it is complete. Applicants may check the status of their application by logging into their online account.

Interviews:  The admissions committee will review completed applications and invites elected applicants to interview with our faculty by phone, Zoom, or similar virtual platforms. Applicants must complete the interview process to be considered for admission, and final admissions decisions will be made from the pool of interviewed applicants. Interview invitations will be sent out to applicants via email in January and interviews will be conducted in January or early February. Selected students will be invited to an in-person campus visit in late February or early March to meet current faculty and graduate students, as well as learn more about the program and the Hopkins BME environment.

Offers and Acceptance:  Applicants will be notified via email in March, or earlier, if possible, with the outcome of their application. The BME PhD program extends two types of offers: rotation offers and direct-match offers. The only difference between the offer types is how the student chooses their thesis lab; all other aspects of the program are the same for all BME students. Students who receive a direct-match offer typically join a specific research lab from day one, while students who receive a rotation offer are able to rotate in their choice of labs before selecting a thesis lab by the end of their first year.

A full offer of admission to the program will include a yearly stipend, full tuition, matriculation fee, medical and dental insurance and paid health benefits for children and some spouses. This applies to all admitted students regardless of citizenship or offer type. The deadline to accept an offer of admission is April 15.

Program Requirements

• Complete 30 credits of coursework in life sciences, engineering, mathematics, applied math, and/or computer science. Courses must be passed with a grade of B- or higher. Of the 30 credits, at least 12 credits must be in the life sciences and at least 12 credits must be in quantitative sciences. More detailed requirements can be found at our page on  PhD degree requirements  
• Complete at least 8 hours of face to face research ethics training 
• Successfully pass the Doctor of Philosophy Board Oral Examination (this is a University-wide requirement)
• At least one year as a resident student at JHU (this is a University-wide requirement)
• Dissertation must be approved by at least two readers and certified by them to be a significant contribution to knowledge and worthy of publication
• Certification by the Program Director that all requirements have been fulfilled
• Submission of a dissertation to the library that adheres to the Doctor of Philosophy Board Dissertation Guidelines
• The program may determine the allowable time to complete degree requirements but in no case may that time exceed 9 years. Any approved leave of absence would not count toward the 9 years.

Integrated M.D.-Ph.D. Program

Candidates for the Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering who wish to apply jointly for the M.D. degree must apply directly to the MSTP program through the School of Medicine. Typically, MSTP students complete their PhD between their 2nd and 3rd medical school years, and in addition can do research during their 1st year summer. Good preparation in biology and chemistry as well as mathematics, engineering, and the physical sciences is essential. Life science graduate requirements are met by the first-year program of the School of Medicine. This program is more arduous than the Ph.D. program alone, but it may have marked advantage for students interested in clinical research and applications in hospital systems and in the delivery of health care. The catalogue for the School of Medicine should be consulted for admissions requirements and procedures.

Information about applying to the combined M.D.-Ph.D. program can be found at the the  MSTP program  website, and applications are reviewed a separate MD-PhD Review Committee; a separate Graduate School application is not necessary, unless the student wishes to also be considered for the PhD program only. If offered admission by the MSTP program, students may choose to take part in the Biomedical Engineering PhD program, as long as they have sufficient background to succeed in the quantitive courses required by the program; matriculants and current MSTP students should schedule a meeting with the Program Director to discuss joining the program.

• MD-PhD Program >
• Education and Training >
• PhD Program Overview >
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Biomedical Engineering

The MD-PhD required curriculum for the PhD consists of 72 credit hours from required and elective courses, drawn from these lists.

Prerequisites from the first two years of medical education curriculum

Biomedical Engineering departmental requirements

Dissertation and optional electives

*Note:  Optional additional courses are not required, but at the discretion of the faculty advisor, committee, and student, in agreement. Up to 6.0 cr hrs are allowed for these and could include BE 596 Graduate Internship and/or BE 598 Individual Problems. Total number reduces the required BE 699 crs to 18.0 minus the X cr.

The Biomedical Engineering PhD Qualifying Exam is required to be completed by the end of the 2 nd  year of entering the PhD program.

Other requirements

All other requirements as outlined in the BME Graduate Student Handbook, such as Annual Review Reports, PhD Progress Meetings, and Dissertation defense must be satisfied.

2024-25 Bulletin

Phd and combined md/phd in biomedical engineering.

The department offers programs that lead to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Biomedical Engineering as well as combined MD/PhD degrees. The latter degrees are conferred jointly with the School of Medicine.

​ The doctoral degree requires a minimum of 72 credits beyond the bachelor's level, with a minimum of 36 being course credits (including the core curriculum) and a minimum of 24 credits of doctoral dissertation research.

The core curriculum that must be satisfied by all PhD students consists of the following:

• ​One graduate-level course in life science from an approved list
• One graduate-level course in mathematics from an approved list
• One graduate-level course in computer science from an approved list or exemption by proficiency
• Four BME courses from an approved list

Please visit the  Biomedical Engineering (BME) website  for a comprehensive list of the approved courses.

Up to 9 credits of BME 601C Research Rotation for BME Doctoral Students and/or BME 501C BME Doctoral Seminar Series may be counted toward the 36 credits of graduate courses  required for the PhD, so a total of 27 additional credits (usually nine courses, including the core curriculum) are required for the PhD. Up to two 400-level courses may be counted toward the nine courses  required for the PhD. Graduate courses may be transferred in (up to 24 credits) but must be evaluated and approved by the Director of Doctoral Studies. The evaluation and approval may occur at any time, but course transfer does not become official until after one year in residence at Washington University.

Students seeking the  PhD in Biomedical Engineering  enroll in two to three courses each semester and participate in one or two laboratory rotations during the first year. Before the end of their first 10 months of enrollment in the program,  students take their oral qualifying exam, which consists of a presentation of their research done to date in the mentor's laboratory followed by an oral exam addressing any issues directly related to their rotation report or their oral presentation. Upon successfully passing the qualifying examination, they advance to candidacy and complete the balance of their requirements. During the second and third years, students complete their remaining courses, participate in one semester of a mentored teaching experience , and begin their thesis research. By the end of the third year, students must complete their thesis proposal. Students must also complete one accepted and one submitted first-author publication and complete a dissertation.

Students pursuing the combined  MD/PhD in Biomedical Engineering must complete the degree requirements in both schools. MD/PhD students typically complete the first two years of the medical school preclinical curriculum while also performing one or more research rotations, then the remaining requirements for the doctoral degree, and finally the clinical training years of the medical degree. The department generally gives graduate course credits for some of the medical school courses toward the fulfillment of course requirements for the PhD degree. This is arranged on an individual basis between the student, their academic advisor and the Director of Doctoral Studies.

Contact Info

in Biomedical Engineering (BME)

Program sites.

• Biomedical Engineering

This dual-degree program allows qualified students to obtain their MD and PhD degrees simultaneously through training and research conducted with the Biomedical Engineering Department and School of Medicine. Please see the  home page of the MD/PhD program for more information.

MD/PhD in Biomedical Engineering (BME)

M.D./Ph.D. Degree Program

Producing Physician Scientists

The Virginia Tech-Wake Forest University School of Biomedical Engineering & Sciences (SBES) offers a combination medical and Ph.D. biomedical engineering degree program designed to produce future physician scientists.

The M.D./Ph.D. degree is offered through the Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, and is only available on the Winston Salem campus . 

Admissions and Qualifications

The program seeks outstanding and mature students who have already shown aptitude and enthusiasm for research beyond the typical college curriculum.

Step 1. Interested students must first apply directly to the WFU School of Medicine following the standard medical application procedures required. During the course of the application process, the student should indicate his/her interest in the combination degree.

Step 2. After a student is accepted into the WFU School of Medicine and is approved to pursue a combination degree, he or she applies for the SBES Ph.D. through the Virginia Tech Graduate School online process .

Interviews are based on the competitiveness of the applicant pool.

Average GPA: 3.76

Average combined MCAT score: 33

Overall length of the program: 6-8 years

Degree Requirements 

The SBES M.D./Ph.D. degree requirements follow the requirements established by the existing M.D./Ph.D. degree at WFU School of Medicine.

Requirements for the Ph.D. component will be the same as those for the regular SBES Ph.D. degree.

SBES Requirements for the Combination M.D. / Ph.D. Degree Program

** = Course credit hours are the same as for the single SBES Ph.D. degree, but the courses listed to satisfy these credits will be from the medical school, not the BME department.

More Information 

More details about this program can be found in the Wake Forest School of Medicine’s  combined degree programs overview . 

Why Pursue an MD-PhD?

New section.

Just some of the reasons why people choose a career as a physician-scientist.

• The career of a physician-scientist is unique. There are few comparable careers that allow one to experience the passion of solving a patient's medical struggles while pursuing research that may define the mechanism of that patient’s disease and may ultimately translate into a clinical cure for the disease.
• MD-PhD trainees are research scientists who solve mechanisms underlying disease, combined with their passion to treat patients in a clinical setting.
• MD-PhD training efficiently integrates the scientific and medical education of the physician-scientist.
• During the PhD training years, MD-PhD students take the coursework and formal training in research methodology that are important for the development of the research scientist.
• Most MD-PhD programs provide trainees with a stipend and tuition scholarships. This financial support recognizes the time that a student must spend in training for the MD-PhD career. The extent of financial support varies among programs and may only support U.S. citizens and permanent residents.

Areas of Research Interest for MD-PhD Training

• Most MD-PhD candidates earn their PhD in biomedical laboratory disciplines such as cell biology, biochemistry, genetics, immunology, pharmacology, physiology, neuroscience, and biomedical engineering.
• Some MD-PhD Programs also allow trainees to do their graduate work in fields outside of laboratory disciplines, including computational biology, economics, epidemiology, health care policy, anthropology, sociology, or the history of medicine.
• The spectrum of graduate degree programs offered is an important element to consider when applying to specific MD-PhD Programs.
• @AAMCpremed

Helpful tools and information regarding medical MD-PhD programs.

Information about applying to MD-PhD programs, emphasizing the application process during COVID-19.

Information about MD-PhD programs, emphasizing the career and application process.

Learn about MD-PhD Programs from program leaders.

Upcoming short presentations will describe features of MD-PhD training, alumni careers, and detailed logistics of the application process.

Emily battled viral encephalitis for years during college, and now as a MD/PhD student, she reminds premeds that it's okay to ask for help.

Cesar couldn't apply to medical school when he first graduated from college due to his undocumented status. Now he's in a MD-PhD program and hopes to practice in the Southwest where there's a high need for Spanish-speaking physicians.

The Ohio State University

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Section 11: Combined Medical Scientist Training Program: MD/PhD Degree

​​​​​​11.1 earn an md/phd degree in bme:.

It is possible for a student to pursue a PhD degree in biomedical engineering and the MD degree simultaneously. The combined degree curriculum is a mixture of BME and the life sciences. Some medical school courses may be used to count as life science credit; in addition students will take the required graduate level engineering and statistics courses. At least 45 credits of dissertation research are also required.

The Medical Scientist Training Program is administered through the College of Medicine and the Graduate School. Admission to the Medical Scientist Program requires application to both the Medical School and Graduate Program, but your graduate application will be built from your AMCAS application, courtesy of the MSTP program.

11.2 Deadlines to apply to the MD/PhD program in BME via the MSTP:

Admission to the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) can be made through one application process. This is initiated through the American Medical College Applications Service (AMCAS). To apply to the MSTP you should designate The Ohio State University on the electronic application, and select Combined Medical Degree/PhD.

Later you will receive an e-mail from the College of Medicine directing you to the web-based secondary application which also serves as your application to the MSTP and to graduate school.

AMCAS applications will be accepted starting June 1 until Nov. 1 of the year prior to anticipated matriculation. No applications are accepted by AMCAS after Nov. 1. The Ohio State University secondary application forms are due 30 days after receipt of the AMCAS application. Early application is strongly encouraged, as MSTP interview slots fill up quickly.

Our Biomedical Engineering graduate program will use the medical school materials to review graduate application file. The only additional item for applicants to provide directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions is an official transcript. 

11.3 Evaluation Criteria used by the MSTP Review Committee:

An earned cumulative grade-point average (GPA) equivalent to at least 3.0 out of 4.0 in all previous undergraduate college-level course work is required by the OSU Graduate School. Students should apply to be admitted for the summer term.

• An MSTP student is selected based on:
• Previous academic record
• Research experience
• Biographical statement that explains why the applicant wants to pursue a combined MD/PhD
• Four letters of recommendation, at least two of which should address the applicant’s previous research experience and potential for a research career
• MCAT scores 
• Personal interviews

Although all of these criteria are taken into account, particular emphasis is placed on research experience. If an applicant is not admitted to the MSTP but still wishes to pursue a PhD in BME, please contact the BME Graduate Studies Chair at [email protected].

Y ​ear-by-Year MSTP Schedule: Integrating BME Coursework and Engineering Research

Program years 1 and 2.

Summer lab rotations

Medical School Year 1 coursework, Medical School Year 2 coursework, MSTP Roundtable, MSTP-specific seminar 

Program Years 3-6

Graduate Year 2 coursework, grant writing, patient-centered research, ethics, MSTP-specific seminar, clinical preceptorship.

The Candidacy Exam is taken after all courses are completed. The dissertation should be defended before returning to Med 3.

Program Years 7 and 8

Medical School Year 3 and 4 curriculum, MSTP-specific seminar

11.4 Academic Progress and Pace

Current MSTP students may find it helpful to speak with faculty who have mentored BME MSTP students in the past to get a sense of how best to organize one’s time and efforts. The workload and timing may look different for those not on a solo PhD path. For BME MSTP referrals, contact the graduate studies coordinator at [email protected].

11.5 Funding

Admitted MD/PhD students will be assigned a BME core faculty contact to help with BME rules and culture. This will be an especially important relationship if the student’s research advisor is external to BME. Students are urged to plan well with their advisors and core faculty contacts, to follow all instructions sent by the MSTP program, and to read all reminders sent by the BME program. Most important, students should follow-up on changes in their funding appointments well in advance of each semester to make sure everything is in place ahead of time. The BME Grad Coordinator often can help point students in the right direction to be proactive and productive about planning for appointment changes.

​​​11.6 For More Information

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Appendix A:   List of Graduate Course Suggestions for Programs of Study  

Appendix B:   Admission Prerequisites for Non-engineers  

Appendix D:   Department History & Background  

Dual and Joint Programs

Main navigation.

Students interested in completing more than one graduate degree may be interested in our MD/PhD, dual MBA/MS or joint JD/PHD/MS programs. Please contact [email protected] for questions regarding any of the below programs.

Students interested in a career-oriented toward bioengineering and medicine can pursue the combined MD/PhD program. Stanford provides two ways to earn an MD/PhD: 

• US citizens and permanent residents can apply to the  Medical Scientist Training Program  and can be accepted with funding from both the MD and PhD programs with stipend/tuition. They can then select a bioengineering laboratory for their PhD.
• Students not admitted to the Medical Scientist Training Program must apply and be admitted separately to the MD program and the PhD program of their choice.

The PhD degree is administered by the Department of Bioengineering. To be formally admitted as a PhD degree candidate in this combined degree program, the student must apply through normal departmental channels and must have earned or have plans to earn an MS in bioengineering or another engineering discipline at Stanford or another university. The MS requires 45 units of coursework, which consists of core bioengineering courses, technical electives, seminars and 6 unrestricted units. In addition, students will be expected to pass the Department of Bioengineering PhD qualifying examination. For students fulfilling the full MD requirements who earned their master’s-level engineering degree at Stanford, the Department of Bioengineering will waive its normal departmental requirement that the 15 units applied toward the PhD degree (beyond the master’s degree level) be formal course work. Consistent with the university’s PhD requirements, the department will instead accept 15 units comprised of courses, research or seminars that are approved by the student’s academic advisor and the department chair. Students not completing their MS engineering degree at Stanford will be required to take 15 units of formal course work in engineering-related areas, as determined by their academic advisor.

Dual MBA/MS

Stanford offers the opportunity to pursue a dual MS/MBA, which combines its world-leading programs in engineering and business. Admitted students fulfill the degree requirements for each degree with advising from BioE and GSB. Students may choose to pursue the dual MS/MBA concurrently or consecutively.

Candidates interested in pursuing the dual MS/MBA must apply to and be accepted by the other program separately, then notify the BioE program or GSB. Candidates may apply concurrently to both programs or apply to the dual degree program during the first year as an MBA or MS student.

For more information about applying to the MBA and BioE MS program, please consult the  MBA admissions website  and  BioE graduate admissions website.

Joint JD/MS/PhD

The School of Law and the Department of Bioengineering offer joint programs leading to either a JD degree combined with an MS degree in Bioengineering or to a JD combined with a PhD in Bioengineering.

The JD/MS and JD/PhD degree programs are designed for students who wish to prepare themselves intensively for careers in areas relating to both law and bioengineering. Students interested in either joint degree program must apply and gain entrance separately to the School of Law and the Department of Bioengineering and, as an additional step, must secure permission from both academic units to pursue degrees in those units as part of a joint degree program. Interest in either joint degree program should be noted on the student’s admission applications and may be considered by the admission committee of each program. Alternatively, an enrolled student in either the Law School or the Bioengineering Department may apply for admission to the other program and for joint degree status in both academic units after commencing study in either program.

Joint degree students may elect to begin their course of study in either the School of Law or the Department of Bioengineering. Faculty advisers from each academic unit will participate in the planning and supervising of the student’s joint program. Students must be enrolled full time in the Law School for the first year of law school, and, at some point during the joint program, may be required to devote one or more quarters largely or exclusively to studies in the Bioengineering program regardless of whether enrollment at that time is in the Law School or the Department of Bioengineering. At all other times, enrollment may be in the graduate school or the Law School, and students may choose courses from either program regardless of where enrolled. Students must satisfy the requirements for both the JD and the MS or PhD degrees as specified in the Stanford Bulletin or elsewhere.

The Law School shall approve courses from the Bioengineering Department that may count toward the JD degree, and the Bioengineering Department shall approve courses from the Law School that may count toward the MS or PhD degree in Bioengineering. In either case, approval may consist of a list applicable to all joint degree students or may be tailored to each student’s program. The lists may differ depending on whether the student is pursuing an MS or a PhD in Bioengineering.

In the case of a JD/MS program, no more than 45 units of approved courses may be counted toward both degrees. In the case of a JD/PhD program, no more than 54 units of approved courses may be counted toward both degrees. In either case, no more than 36 units of courses that originate outside the Law School may count toward the law degree. To the extent that courses under this joint degree program originate outside of the Law School but count toward the law degree, the Law School credits permitted under Section 17(1) of the Law School Regulations shall be reduced on a unit-per-unit basis, but not below zero.

The maximum number of Law School credits that may be counted toward the MS or PhD in Bioengineering is the greater of: (i) 15 units; or (ii) the maximum number of units from courses outside of the department that MS or PhD candidates in Bioengineering are permitted to count toward the applicable degree under general departmental guidelines or in the case of a particular student’s individual program. Tuition and financial aid arrangements will normally be through the school in which the student is then enrolled.

MD + Master of Engineering

Enhance your md with a focus on entrepreneurship and innovation.

The Doctor of Medicine-Master of Engineering Dual Degree (MD+MEng) is a five-year program designed for MD candidates within the Duke University School of Medicine who have strong interests in health care, engineering, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

Duke MD+MEng students are eligible to receive the Barr-Spach Medicine and Engineering Scholarship to support tuition and fees.

Program Details

• Seven engineering courses —taken during the Third Year of medical school
• A thesis , with a focus on the discovery of a health care need and the design of a solution—completed in the Fourth Year
• An internship , focused on engineering—completed in the fourth year

Engineering Courses

• Biomedical Engineering
• Artificial Intelligence for Product Innovation
• Three (3) MD courses can be credited toward the Master of Engineering
• Browse other Master of Engineering disciplines offered at Duke »

Thesis Focused on Engineering Innovation

• Identification, prioritization, and selection of a health care need with high potential impact and value
• Conceptual design of an innovative solution

Engineering Internship

Complete an engineering practice-oriented internship, which can be a further development of the design in your thesis:

• Detailed engineering design, construction, and test of a proof-of-concept prototype
• Protection of the resulting intellectual property
• Presentation of a plan for development that addresses licensing, marketing, regulations, technology, manufacturability, distribution, costs, financing, and risks

Clinical Clerkship Re-Scheduled

Clinical clerkships take place in the Fifth Year, instead of in the Fourth Year.

Barr-Spach Scholarship

This competitive scholarship provides support toward tuition and fees, and is awarded annually to third-year Duke medical students who have been accepted into the MD-MEng dual degree program.

It was created by a gift from Maynard Ramsey III, M’69, G’75, to honor his Duke mentors:

• Biomedical engineering professor and associate professor of pediatrics  Roger C. Barr, BS’64, PhD’68 , and
• Pediatric cardiologist  Madison S. Spach, T’50, MD’54, HS’54-59

Read more about:

• The 2021-2022 Barr-Spach Medicine and Engineering Scholars —medical students Miranda Morris and Christine Park, and emergency medicine resident Mitchell Veverka, MD

How to Apply

Be a Duke medical student in good academic standing

Obtain clearance from Duke University School of Medicine through the Director of Third-Year Study Program

Send a Notification of Interest to Duke BME Master’s Program Coordinator Bev Gedvillas

Apply through the Master of Engineering (MEng) application portal

Master’s Contacts

Have a question about the program or admissions? Contact the Admissions & Recruiting team.

Sina Farsiu

Director of Master’s Studies, Anderson-Rupp Professor of BME

Research Themes

Biomedical & Health Data Sciences, Biomedical Imaging & Biophotonics

Research Interests

Focused on medical imaging and machine learning to improve the overall health and vision outcome of patients with ocular and neurological diseases (e.g., age-related macular…

Paul J Fearis

Associate Director of Master’s Studies, Associate Professor of the Practice in the Department of BME

Innovation & product development processes, design for manufacture

Bev Gedvillas

Master’s Program Coordinator

More Master’s Degree Options

Ms in biomedical engineering, meng in biomedical engineering, meng in medical technology design, meng in photonics & optical science.

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Home  |  Graduate  |  Joint Degrees

Joint Degree Programs

Accelerate your academic and professional trajectory at Dartmouth across the worlds of engineering, business, and medicine. With advance planning, students in Dartmouth's graduate engineering programs can pursue joint master's or doctoral degrees with the Tuck School of Business or the Geisel School of Medicine , significantly shortening the time required to achieve dual credentials.

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Joint Degrees with Tuck School of Business

Joint degrees with geisel school of medicine, multiple master's degrees at thayer school of engineering.

With proactive planning, a first-year Master of Business Administration (MBA) student at Tuck School of Business may be able to earn both an MBA and Master of Engineering Management (MEM) from Thayer School of Engineering in as little as 2.5 years (a total of eight terms, including the summer). Students must apply to and be admitted to both Tuck and Thayer, and complete the admissions and financial aid processes for each school. It is recommended that students apply to and enroll at Tuck first, then apply to Thayer during their first year of studies at Tuck. See an MEM-MBA example study plan .

Explore the MEM Admissions Process

Explore the MBA Admissions Process

The Master of Engineering (MEng) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) program, offered jointly by the Thayer School of Engineering and Tuck School of Business, is designed for students interested in pursuing careers where the combination of business and engineering skills would prove beneficial. With advance planning, a first-year MBA student at Tuck School of Business may be able to earn both an MBA and MEng in a total of seven terms. Applicants must apply to both programs, either at the same time or in sequence.

It is recommended that students apply to and enroll at Tuck first, then apply to Thayer during their first year of studies at Tuck.

Note: This joint program is currently available only for the on-campus MEng program.

Explore the MEng Admissions Process

The MEng-MD program is designed for students intending to pursue clinical practice, who also want to develop engineering skills and acquire specialized knowledge within a specific area of engineering that covers both basic science and its application to practical problem-solving. MD students from Geisel may apply to Thayer in the first, second, or third year of medical school and carry out their MEng studies in the fourth year of study, completing the MD program in their fifth year of matriculation at Geisel.

Typical Academic Sequence

The schedule provides nine months to complete the MEng degree, beginning in September, annually. This preserves time in July and August, following the third year in the MD program, to complete important Geisel elective activities in preparation for residency applications.

The overview of a typical academic schedule for a student completing the MD and MEng degrees is as follows:

• Years 1 and 2: Geisel Phase 1 curriculum
• Year 3: Geisel (through August) Phase 2 and early Phase 3 curriculum
• Year 4: Thayer (September-June)
• Year 5: Geisel (July-June) Phase 3 curriculum and application to residency training

Explore the MD Admissions Process

The combined Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD-MD) degree is for students seeking to conduct in-depth research and receive extensive training in both medicine and biomedical engineering. Students must apply and be admitted to both Thayer School of Engineering and Geisel School of Medicine and complete requirements for both the MD and PhD.

Course of Study

There are three major phases of study. Broadly stated, students spend the initial phase at Geisel, the second phase at Thayer fulfilling the requirements for the PhD, then the final phase at Geisel to complete the requirements for the MD.

Initial MD Phase at Geisel School of Medicine (years one and two)

• Complete M1 and M2 requirements
• Up to three 8-week laboratory rotations

First-Year PhD Phase at Thayer School of Engineering (year three)

• Completion of six graduate engineering courses
• ENGG 195 : Seminar on Science, Technology, and Society (two terms; attend 14 seminars)
• ENGG 198 : Research-in-Progress Workshop (one term)
• Initiation of dissertation research with thesis advisor
• Qualification for PhD candidacy

Second-Year PhD Phase at Thayer School of Engineering (year four)

• Oral examination
• Completion of additional graduate courses
• ENGG 197 : PhD Professional Workshops
• ENGG 198 : Research-in-Progress Workshop
• Thesis proposal and dissertation research

Final PhD Phase at Thayer School of Engineering (year five)

• Dissertation research
• Completion of thesis defense

Final MD Phase at Geisel School of Medicine (years six and seven)

• Complete M3 and M4 requirements

Explore the PhD Admissions Process

Students interested in specialized training within an engineering track along with technical and business leadership skills may benefit from joint Master of Engineering Management (MEM) and Master of Engineering (MEng) degrees from Thayer School of Engineering. Students must first apply and be admitted to the MEM program, and then apply for admission to the MEng program during the spring or summer term just prior to starting their second MEM year. Joint degree students may count up to three graduate-level electives towards both MEM and MEng degrees, and complete both degrees in as little as two years.

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• News & Events

BME Design Team’s innovation aims to improve patient outcomes after peripheral nerve damage

Students in the Johns Hopkins Department of Biomedical Engineering’s Design Team program have developed a new tool for improving the assessment of damaged nerves during surgery.

The innovation is a set of electrodes designed to work without having to move or lift the nerve during evaluation, promising to reduce patient injury and inaccurate readings.

Their work appears in the Web of Science indexed journal Healthcare .

“The tangible effects of our innovation contribute to a streamlined neurosurgical workflow, mitigate the risk of patient injury, and better inform treatment decision-making. Overall, this will help decrease patient recovery time and maximize peripheral nerve regeneration and recovery,” said Nathaniel Riemann ENGR ’23, the paper’s lead author.

A peripheral nerve injury occurs when nerves are crushed or stretched during physical trauma. To assess this injury, surgeons insert electrodes into the body, noting whether the injured nerves respond to a small electrical pulse. If they do, this indicates that the nerve is still functional and can regenerate on its own. The absence of a signal tells the surgeon that the nerve will not be able to regenerate, and that surgery is required.

The current method requires that neurosurgeons physically pull the injured nerve from the wound site for assessment using a device about the size of an extra-long pencil with large, insulated metal hooks.

But the lifting of the nerve increases the risk of further injury and can distort the electrode-recorded signal, making it difficult for the surgical team to determine if surgery is necessary. “This approach can have irreversible consequences on the patient outcome,” said Riemann.

To understand how peripheral nerve injury is assessed and the drawbacks of the current process, the Design Team observed the neurosurgical procedure at Johns Hopkins Hospital. They collected data on the procedure, including the timing and sequence of each step, the operating room floor layout, and the instruments used.

The team also received a grant from the Biomedical Engineering Innovation, Design, and Entrepreneurship Alliance (BME IDEA), to travel to Santiago, Chile to visit La Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. There the team was able to tap into the technical expertise of faculty and partners at TrainFES, a local startup company focused on neurorehabilitation.

Seeing how the faculty in Chile and TrainFES tackled similar engineering challenges helped the team develop their final solution: an electrode design with an improved nerve securement feature that has a “sandwich” or “chopstick”-like style that makes the procedure less invasive for patients. The device handle also has an index finger-adjusted linear sliding mechanism to open and close the electrode clamp around the nerve. Their solution allows the procedure to be completed by one surgeon as opposed to several, which is the current process.

A major challenge was making an easy-to-use device; especially because — as their clinical mentor Dr. Allan Belzberg advised them — the task of isolating and assessing a peripheral nerve in the surgical field is as challenging as trying to wrap the device around wet spaghetti inside of a purse. Their final design “heavily considers the end user more prominently in all steps of the design process,” said Riemann.

Impacted by this experience, Riemann is now pursuing a MD/PhD at The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and plans to focus on translational medical device development.

“Design Team experience was pivotal in my understanding of where my ambitions, interests, and aptitudes intersect, leading to the beginning of my MD/PhD training. It has also given me a much deeper appreciation for each of these respective fields, and especially for the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration that can yield the most impactful solutions to real-world needs,” Riemann said.

Additional co-authors from Hopkins BME include seniors Jack Coursen, Xin-Hua (Katie) Liang and Laura Elena Porras; master’s student Bryan Sabogal; graduate student Lily Zhu; alums Christian Guaraca Engr ’23 (MSE), Samantha Weed Engr ’22; and Constanza Miranda, associate teaching professor.

Allan Belzberg, professor of neurological surgery, Matthias Ringkamp, associate professor of neurological surgery, and Gang Wu, assistant professor of neurological surgery, served as authors and clinical mentors that played a critical role in the making the project possible.

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