MDCM & PhD

The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences offers a combined clinical and doctoral research program leading to the MDCM and PhD degrees (Combined Doctor of Medicine and Master of Surgery Medicinae Doctorem et Chirurgiae Magistrum) with Doctor of Philosophy (Philosophiae Doctor). This is a 7 to 8 year program in which the basic and clinical sciences portions of the medical curriculum are completed from September of year one to December of year two, prior to the beginning of full-time graduate studies. In preparation for graduate studies, MD-PhD students conduct research with clinical and basic scientists for 2 months during the Summer term of their first year. This gives students the opportunity to prepare the research and communication skills necessary for the successful completion of graduate research (such as detailed scientific experimentation, sourcing literature, developing hypotheses, working with methodologies, interpreting data, writing and presenting findings), and to screen potential graduate research laboratories.

Graduate research is expected to last three, but no more than four years by which time all course work and research requirements for the PhD degree must be completed and a thesis submitted. The defense of the thesis will ordinarily take place at a later date. From January of year five to May of year seven students will complete the requirements for the MDCM degree.

Throughout the seven or eight years, students in the MDCM & PhD program meet at two-week intervals from September to April to attend research seminars presented by clinician-scientists from within, as well as outside, the McGill scientific community, and discuss their research and network with other students in the program.

Admission Requirements

• French Language Proficiency is required.
• Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
• Bachelor’s level university degree with minimum of GPA of 3.5.
• CASPer test.