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M.D./Ph.D. Degree Program

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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 Category

Course #
(VT # / WFU #)

Course Title / Information

No. Credits Required

Biomedical Engineering
(15 credits)

BMES 5054 / 605

Quantitative Cell Physiology I (required)

3

BMES 5064 / 606
Quantitative Organ Systems Physiology II (required)
3
5000 or 6000 level (600/700 at WFU)

Min. 9 credit hours of engineering courses approved by committee

9

Life Sciences
(3 credits)

 

Satisfied with MD courses

3**

Mathematics (6 credits - only 3 can be in Statistics)

5000 - 6000 level
(600/700 at WFU)

Min. 6 credit hours (only 3 can be statistics)
(see approved list)

6

Electives
(9 - 24 credits)

5000 - 6000 level
(600/700 WFU)

Approved by advisory and program committee (technical elective in science, math, or engineering)
9-24
Clinical Rotation
 
Satisfied by MD Clinical Rotations (waived)
2**
Seminar Credits
BMES 5944/708
Enrollment required 6 semesters (not during Medical semesters)
# semesters enrolled

Ethics/Diversity
(0 credits)

Required by graduate schools
At VT: Included in Seminar course, orientation, and ENGE 5984
At Wake Forest: Met by enrollment in three required professional courses
0

 

 
TOTAL COURSE CREDITS:
35-50

Dissertation Research
(40 – 55 credits)

BMES 7994

Research & Dissertation

40-55

   
Total Minimum Number of Credit Hours:
90

** = 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

Forms

BEAM forms