The UCF College of Medicine offers a combined MD/PhD degree as a track within the Interdisciplinary PhD program in Biomedical Sciences. Students in this program get a head-start on research during dedicated time in the first two years of the MD curriculum. Students find a research mentor, develop a dissertation project, and complete basic research training. Upon completion of the first two medical years and passing the USMLE Step 1 exam, students will enter the graduate program as full time graduate students, equivalent to a second-year PhD student. During the first full-time year in the graduate program, students will complete additional required graduate coursework, and must successfully complete a series of cumulative exams and a candidacy exam. Upon completion of the graduate requirements, students re-enter the medical program for clinical rotations to complete the final two years of the MD program. Once all degree requirements have been met, the student will graduate with a combined MD/PhD degree.

Program Overview

Year 1 (Medical School)
Standard M1 curriculum
(*Laboratory rotations and the graduate seminar course are in place of the Focused Inquiry & Research Module requirements.)

Year 2 (Medical School)
Standard M2 curriculum
(*Doctoral research and the graduate seminar course are in place of the Focused Inquiry & Research Module requirements.)
USMLE STEP 1 EXAM

Year 3 (Graduate School)
Summer
IDS 7919 Doctoral Research

Fall
BSC 6431 Practice of Biomedical Sciences
IDS 7690 Graduate Seminar
IDS 7919 Doctoral Research
GTA Assignment
Form thesis committee and present preliminary thesis

Spring
BSC 6433 Biomedical Sciences Core II
IDS 6694 Experimental Design and Analysis in Biomedical Science
IDS 7690 Graduate Seminar
Doctoral Research
GTA Assignment
Cumulative Exams

Year 4 (Graduate School)
Summer
Doctoral Research
Candidacy Exam

Fall
Dissertation Research

Spring
Dissertation Research
Graduate Seminar Presentation

Year 5 (Graduate School **Note: This could be extended into 6 or 7 years if needed)

Summer
Dissertation Research

Fall
Dissertation Research

Spring
Dissertation Research
Defense = Completion of PhD

Year 6 (Medical School)
Standard M3 curriculum
USMLE STEP 2 EXAM

Year 7 (Medical School)
Standard M4 curriculum
Graduation

Tuition
Students will be responsible for the full tuition for the MD portion of the program. Some funds may be available to off-set tuition costs during the years the student is in the MD program. For the graduate segment of their studies, students will receive tuition support, health insurance, and a stipend of $22,000 per year in the form of either Graduate Teaching Assistantship or Graduate Research Assistantship.

Contact Us
MD-PhD Training Programs
University of Central Florida
College of Medicine

MD Program Questions
Ms. Laurel Poole
College of Medicine
6850 Lake Nona Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32827-7408
Email: laurel.poole@ucf.edu

PhD Program Questions
Dr. Dr. Jihe Zhao
Biomedical Sciences
6900 Lake Nona Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32827-7408
Email: Jihe.Zhao@ucf.edu