Can a PhD become an MD?

Asked by: Prof. Fredrick Thompson IV  |  Last update: January 11, 2026
Score: 4.2/5 (53 votes)

If you are in your mid 20s finishing up your PhD, you are looking at another 4 years of med school + minimum 3 years of residency before you can be an independent medical practitioner. Your PhD unfortunately does not reduce the amount of time required for training, so you have to commit to the trenches for a while.

Can you become a medical doctor with a PhD?

The typical length of a MD/PhD program is 7 to 8 years, almost twice the length of a MD alone. As with a MD, MD/PhDs are still required to attend medical school and must complete a residency program before being able to practice medicine.

Can I go to med school with a PhD?

You need to tell us what discipline your PhD is from. If it is an allied field it may be to your advantage, but admissions committees might wonder why you hadn't applied to medical school in the first place. A PhD is not a pre-requisite to a medical degree.

Can I do MD after PhD in the USA?

PhD scientists in the biological sciences earn an MD degree and train for a career in biomedical investigation. The usual four-year medical school curriculum is modified to three years for students in this program, as follows: Preclinical courses: 16 months.

Is a PhD as prestigious as an MD?

A Ph. D. is the highest degree you can get in any subject, so it carries prestige. With an M.D., you can operate as a medical doctor and help patients, which many people respect.

So You Want to Be a MEDICAL SCIENTIST [Ep. 46]

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Who gets paid more, MD or PhD?

For MDs, depending on their specialty and setting, the average annual salary is around $220k. For MD PhDs, depending on the type of role and place of employment, the average annual salary is about $100k.

Can you go from PhD to MD?

If you are in your mid 20s finishing up your PhD, you are looking at another 4 years of med school + minimum 3 years of residency before you can be an independent medical practitioner. Your PhD unfortunately does not reduce the amount of time required for training, so you have to commit to the trenches for a while.

Can you be both MD and PhD?

Combined MD-PhD degree programs provide students the opportunity to earn both the MD and the PhD in areas pertinent to medicine. Below is a list of schools offering a combined MD-PhD degree, with links to their web sites. Please contact the institutions directly for curriculum information and admission requirements.

How much do PhD medical doctors make?

The average income of MD/PhDs in the United States is around $119,000. MD/PhDs earn the most in Richmond, CA, with $141,686 per year on average. MD/PhDs tend to rely on grant funding for extra pay.

How long does a MD-PhD take?

Here are some typical numbers: MD/PhD program, 8 years. Residency, 3–6 years. Postdoctoral fellowship, 3–6 years. For most people the term “postdoctoral fellowship” includes another year or two of clinical training, followed by a return to research for 2 or more years (Figure 1).

Is getting a PhD harder than med school?

A PhD is the highest possible academic degree. Earning a PhD is often considered harder than earning an MD due to the scientific research required to stimulate original thought and develop quality hypotheses.

Is A PhD considered a doctor's degree?

In answer to the question, “Is a PhD a doctor,” the answer is yes. Both a PhD and a professional doctorate like an EdD earn you the title of “doctor.” But there are differences between the types of doctoral degrees. Learn more about a PhD vs. a professional doctorate below.

Do MD-PhD students do residency?

Most MD-PhD graduates pursue residency and fellowship training and find that their MD-PhD training makes them particularly attractive to residency programs at top academic institutions. In the past, MD-PhD graduates traditionally entered residency programs in medicine, pediatrics, or pathology.

Can I call myself Dr. if I have a PhD?

A doctoral degree (PhD) is a degree that one earns after a master's degree. A PhD entitles a person to use the title doctor. These are the social and physical scientists who conduct and evaluate published research. A PhD degree is normally obtained after six to eight years of hard work past the bachelor's degree.

Can you do MD after masters?

Yes, it's possible to pursue an MD degree after completing an MS, although the specific requirements and pathways might vary depending on the country and the medical school you're applying to. In some cases, individuals with a Master's degree in a related field may be eligible for accelerated or combined MD programs.

What comes after PhD?

Postdoc (Postdoctoral)

This is a common path that most PhD students are known to follow as it is the next step after a PhD. The postdoc is a temporary position that students can take at their university or outside the university.

Can you be a medical doctor with a PhD?

Both the MD and the PhD are advanced degrees, but they often represent very different subject areas. Individuals with MD degrees are medical doctors, while those with PhD degrees have expertise in one of many academic or medical subject areas.

What is the highest paid doctor degree?

The highest-paid physicians in the US are in surgical and procedural specialties such as neurosurgery, thoracic, and orthopedic surgery. These physicians earn an average annual salary of $600,000 or higher.

Do MD PhDs see patients?

While it can differ depending on the medical specialty or the individual, a typical physician-scientist may spend 80% of their time conducting research and 20% caring for patients. However, there are many other career paths available to MD-PhD graduates.

Can you pursue MD after PhD?

Complete PhD training and then enter medical school to earn an MD degree. Work towards both degrees simultaneously in a dual MD-PhD degree program.

How rare is MD-PhD?

MD-PhD programs are not easier than MD programs. They require a longer time commitment, but in the end, provide graduates with a broader skill set to pursue careers that integrate medicine and scientific research. How rare is an MD-PhD? Only about 3% of students that enroll in medical school are in MD-PhD programs.

How many years is PhD?

On average, a Ph. D. may take up to eight years to complete. A doctorate degree typically takes four to six years to complete—however, this timing depends on the program design, the subject area you're studying, and the institution offering the program.

How long is medical school for PhD?

The average MD-PhD program length, according to the AAMC report, is eight years. So, in attending an MD-PhD program, you're doubling your time in medical school. When factoring in residency training and, for those who have aims on fellowship, an MD-PhD student's training can extend well beyond a decade.

Can you have an MD without a PhD?

Most medical doctors do not have a Ph. D. In the U.S.A, a person needs a license to practice medicine. An M.D. or D.O.

How do you qualify for MD-PhD?

I. Eligibility Requirements
  1. United States citizenship or permanent residence.
  2. Bachelor's degree (minimum)
  3. MCAT scores.
  4. Currently enrolled in or applying to a United States clinical degree program, medical school, or Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP)