44.25 M.D.-Ph.D.

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The M.D.-Ph.D. program is offered by full-time study to highly motivated students with an excellent academic record who wish to obtain an M.D. and a Ph.D., and whose academic excellence, research potential, and the suitability of the proposed research training environment is acceptable to the Program Admissions and Advisory Committee.
The purpose of the M.D.-Ph.D. program is to provide medical education, including clinical skills and training in health research.
The M.D.-Ph.D. program will be overseen by the Program Admissions and Advisory Committee (P.A.A.C.). The P.A.A.C. will be responsible for the recruitment and oversight of the program of highly qualified trainees.
The P.A.A.C. is composed of the M.D.-Ph.D. Program Director(s), a representative from the Faculty of Medicine, one or more faculty members representing the School of Graduate Studies and a senior M.D.-Ph.D student.
M.D.-Ph.D students are jointly enrolled in the M.D. program and the Ph.D. program. The student’s Ph.D. program is overseen by the administrative Head of the appropriate academic unit in which the student is enrolled. The M.D. program is overseen by the Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine.

44.25.1 Qualifications for Admission

To be admitted into the M.D.-Ph.D. program, applicants must first meet the admission requirements of both the M.D. and Ph.D. programs. Admission to the Ph.D. program shall be by the Dean of Graduate Studies on the recommendation of the Head of the appropriate academic unit. Admission to the M.D. program is by the Dean of Medicine on the recommendation of the Assistant Dean, Admissions, Faculty of Medicine.
Normally, students will enter the M.D.-Ph.D. program from the M.D. program after successful completion of the pre-clerkship phase or from the Ph.D. program after one or two years of the graduate program and acceptance into the M.D. program.

44.25.2 Program of Study and Research

The program of study for the Ph.D. is described in the University Calendar entry for the student’s chosen discipline. For the purposes of timing of the comprehensive examination, only the semesters in the Ph.D. component of the program will be counted.
The program of study for the M.D. follows the General Regulations governing the M.D. Degree.
During the Ph.D. component, students are expected to maintain clinical skills by arrangement with the Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, and will be required to demonstrate competency in clinical skills before resuming full-time studies in the clerkship phase of the M.D. component.
During the M.D. component (including the clerkship phase), students, where required, are expected to participate in seminars and journals clubs in their area of research specialization.
The Ph.D. will be awarded to students in the M.D.-Ph.D. program on completion of all academic requirements appropriate to the Ph.D. Degree. The M.D. will be awarded to students in the M.D.-Ph.D. program on completion of all academic requirements appropriate to the M.D. Degree.

44.25.3 Evaluation

Failure to maintain academic standing in either the Ph.D. or M.D. components will lead to termination of the M.D.-Ph.D. program which will be annotated on the student’s transcript. On failure of the M.D. component, the Dean of Graduate Studies may approve transfer to a Ph.D. program on the recommendation of the administrative Head of the appropriate academic unit. On failure of the Ph.D. component, the Dean of Medicine may approve transfer to a M.D. program on the recommendation of the Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Medical Education.

44.25.4 Courses

See course listing under the regulations for the relevant Ph.D. program and also for the M.D. program in the General Regulations governing the M.D. degree.

The information on this site has been extracted from the Official 2024-2025 University Calendar. While every reasonable effort has been made to duplicate the information contained in the official University Calendar, if there are differences, the official Memorial University of Newfoundland Calendar will be considered the final and accurate authority.