Menu

MD/PhD

Why Earn an MD/PhD?

As a researcher, there's no better way to understand challenges in clinical medicine than to become an M.D. You'll apply the insights you gain at patient bedsides into problems that can be solved in the lab.

Why Earn an MD/PhD from SUNY Downstate?

Since 1967, our trailblazing MD/Ph.D. program has launched the careers of many graduates. You'll conduct high-level research, while also gaining the same intensive clinical experience as a medical student.

You'll be choosing a rigorous path—but one that will find you at the nexus of world-class care and discovery. As a medical student at the only academic research center in Brooklyn, you'll work with a team of physicians, nurses and other specialists as you sharpen your understanding of health care problems that affect our diverse community. And as a researcher, you'll have access to advanced laboratories committed to breakthroughs that narrow health disparities in urban populations.

What You Will Learn

  • You'll follow the basic medical school curriculum, Foundations of Medicine, during the first 18 months of your studies. At the same time, you'll work in research labs during your first two summers.
  • Over the next three to four years, you will focus on your research through the School of Graduate Studies, ultimately writing your doctoral thesis.
  • After completing your Ph.D., you'll return to the College of Medicine to earn your MD.
  • Downstate has long been a leader in cardiovascular biology, neuroscience, bioengineering-instrumentation and molecular and cellular biology. Specific strengths include learning and memory mechanisms; pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and cardiomyopathy; HIV/AIDS; immunology; pain and addiction; neurology; ophthalmology; and optical tomography imaging technology.
 

College of Medicine

  • Phone: (718) 270-3173
  • Fax: (718) 270-4074

Careers & Outcomes

Few other medical schools in the U.S. produce as many graduates who pursue academic medicine as SUNY Downstate. As the number of physician-scientists continues to decline, our program is a valued pipeline of new perspectives and energy to the field.

Job Titles

  • Medical Science Liaison
  • Teaching Positions
  • Consultant
  • Algorithm Engineer

Employers

  • Universities & Colleges
  • Private Labs
  • Communications Companies

Concentrations

 

Neural & Behavioral Science

Gain insights into how we learn and how our brain works.

Molecular & Cellular Biology

Unlock enduring mysteries of biology as you pursue breakthroughs into cancer, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and other diseases.

Biomedical Engineering

Through classes at Downstate and Polytechnic University, you'll learn to create prosthetics, artificial organs and other life-changing innovations.

Medical Nanotechnology

Hone your research techniques and skills at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering at the University of Albany.

three doctors

Meet Our Faculty

The faculty you'll work with in both our College of Medicine and School of Graduate Studies are known for their work with diverse patient populations. They'll be your guides as you learn to tailor your care to meet the needs of people from different cultures and countries.

Meet Our Faculty

Program Highlights

 

Make strides as a team.

Join biomedical scientists, clinical researchers, and practitioners as you participate in meaningful research.

Gain recognition while still a student.

Downstate students routinely publish their work in peer-reviewed journals.

Financial support guaranteed.

Receive a stipend and a tuition scholarship throughout the duration of the program.

Additional Information

  • Applicants to this program must apply for admission separately to the College of Medicine and to the School of Graduate Studies.
  • Applicants who do not qualify for the MD/Ph.D. program will be considered for the M.D. program alone.
  • Students in the MD program can apply to the joint Ph.D. program any time during their first three years in medical school.

Take the next step.