The overarching goal of the University of Minnesota’s Combined MD/PhD Program is to attract and challenge the most gifted students to obtain exceptional training in medicine and a research area of their choice, thereby preparing them for a leadership role in academic medicine. As a result of our success, we have been competitively funded as a NIH Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) since 1988.
ONE OF THE TOP TEN
The Combined MD/PhD Program is located in the Academic Health Center in the heart of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities Campus. The University of Minnesota ranks among the top 10 public research universities in both NIH funding and federal funding for science and engineering. In FY2006, the University received more than $525,000,000 in grant and contract awards from federal, state, and private sources.
INNOVATIONS IN BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE
The University of Minnesota is renowned for innovations in biomedical science. The first open heart surgery was performed here in the 1940s. The solid organ and bone marrow and blood transplant programs have recorded a number of “firsts” that have shaped contemporary patient care. Major research centers are housed in state-of-the-art facilities on the Minneapolis campus and focus on cancer, cardiovascular disease, stem cells, immunology and biomedical engineering. Our facilities renaissance will continue with the construction of a new clinical outpatient facility and Children’s Hospital in the upcoming years.
DIVERSE MEDICAL TRAINNG OPPORTUNITIES
The Combined MD/PhD Program and the University of Minnesota are firmly committed to building partnerships with students representing the breadth and depth of the diverse national MD/PhD applicant pool. We provide our students with an unparalleled opportunity for personal and academic growth and strive to train a complete physician-scientist. The University of Minnesota Medical School is the only medical school in the Twin Cities. This gives our students a unique opportunity to have a comprehensive set of training experiences at health care sites that meet the needs of diverse patient communities, including University Hospital, Hennepin County Medical Center (in Minneapolis), Regions Hospital (in St. Paul) and the VA Medical Center.
WHEN YOU GET HERE
Immediately upon your arrival you will be immersed in our University’s rich scientific environment. The Combined Program begins with an intensive laboratory rotation scheduled in the summer before medical school classes begin. Your arrival in mid-summer will allow ample time to transition into the program as well as sample some of the endless recreational and cultural opportunities available in the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota. Upon completion of the first laboratory rotation you will join your Medical School class for 2 years of classroom education. During this time, you will complete 2 to 3 additional laboratory rotations before matriculating in one of approximately 10 University-wide graduate programs. Following completion of the PhD thesis you will return to Medical School to complete 18 months of clinical training.
Our Program emphasizes integration of the two major components of training - medicine and research - to insure excellence in both. We feature a special curriculum that facilitates the transition from Medical School to the first year of formal graduate training, and the transition from graduate training back to Medical School.
CONTACT US!
We appreciate your interest and look forward to getting acquainted with you in the near future!
Combined MD/PhD Training Program
Attention: Susan Shurson, Assistant Director
University of Minnesota Medical School
B690 Mayo Building, MMC 293
420 Delaware St. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
(612) 625-3680 phone
(612) 625-7655 fax
shurs002@umn.edu