The simplified MD-PhD Program Plan displayed below provides a comprehensive overview of all didactic, clinical, research, experiential, and career development activities for each MD-PhD Scholar throughout the typical eight-year program. The Program Plan includes:
- the 21-month Medical School pre-clinical phase (MS1-MS2);
- the four (occasionally three or five) Graduate School years (GS1-GS4); and
- the two-year Medical School clinical phase (MS3-MS4).
The total length can vary from seven (for those who have had prior coursework or laboratory experience to allow completion of the PhD in three years) to nine (for those needing more time to complete the PhD thesis based on individual goals or breadth of studies).