For 2026-2027 admission cycle, we will offer a direct pathway for the MD/PhD program. 

For the 2026-2027 admission cycle, we will review transfer applications from 1^st or 2^nd Drexel's MD class.

MD/PhD students complete two to three six-week full-time rotations before they select their lab. Typically, the rotation is scheduled for the summer between the first and second year or after the completion of the third year of medical school before the beginning of the PhD phase of the training.

You can view the Research and Concentration Areas and Training Mentors page. Ideally, during your summer research internship, you can meet with and identify a faculty mentor. It is most helpful to select mentors in the field of study you are interested in.

On average, our MD/PhD students take seven to eight years to complete the program. Students must complete, submit, and defend their PhD thesis before returning to their last year of medical school. The MD and PhD degrees are awarded simultaneously upon completing all requirements.

Applicants successfully accepted into the MD/PhD program will receive funding starting July 1 of their third MD year. The funding includes:

• Tuition waiver for the remaining years (M3 and M4) of medical school.
• Tuition waiver for all years of the PhD program.
• A competitive stipend (currently $36,000 annually for PhD Phase) and a health insurance allowance for all years in the PhD program.

Students do NOT receive:

• Tuition waiver for years 1 and 2 of MD years.
• Stipend for any years of MD training.

Students are responsible for paying student fees and disability insurance. A description of student fees can be found at https://drexel.edu/drexelcentral/cost/tuition/medicine/.

Our program does not require the MD/PhD students to serve as teaching assistants, although there may be teaching opportunities.

Our students play a vital role in the recruitment and assessment of all MD/PhD applicants. The College of Medicine has a history of student involvement in all levels of our MD/PhD program. Our students meet routinely with the program director and advisory committee to help guide our program. Our MD/PhD students are a group of extremely talented, motivated and driven scholars. We expect our students to add value to our research enterprise by contributing to grants and papers, to increase interest and ability to do translational research among graduate students, medical students and academic interaction with Drexel's engineering community. In addition, our MD/PhD students are a driving force behind events such as Medical Student Research Day.