Graduate Programs in MD/PhD
Graduate Programs in MD/PhD
MD/PhD students officially begin their PhD coursework after successful completion of their USMLE Step 1 exams and the MD program's TTCE 2-week course. Students interested in a particular graduate program should meet with that program's director early in their first year of medical school to begin preliminary planning of rotations and coursework, and consult regularly with their Scientific Oversight Committee (SOC).
Learn more about the graduate programs available to MD/PhD students below.
Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience Graduate Program (BSN)
Behavioral and systems neuroscience emphasizes systems neuroscience, behavioral genetics, and computational neuroscience in the context of healthy behavior and brain disorders. Students joining this graduate program gain outstanding training and mentorship across these boundaries of biology and behavior through studies of a variety of vertebrate species, including humans, rodents, and non-human primates, and reductionist or computational approaches. BEHN faculty offer expertise in the neurobiology of substance abuse, cognitive and affective neuroscience, behavioral genetics, animal communication, learning and memory, social neuroscience, and impulsivity.
MD/PhD students in Behavioral Neuroscience complete core courses and electives tailored to meet their qualifications and interests. Medical school courses are substituted for the departmental basic science core requirement. MD/PhD students in Behavioral Neuroscience must achieve the same programmatic milestones as PhD students, but their timetable may be accelerated.
Contact the Behavioral Neuroscience graduate program to schedule a one on one meeting with the Graduate Program Director and for more information on required courses, waivable courses, and anticipated timelines.
Matt Lattal, PhD, Program Director, Behavioral Neuroscience Graduate Program
Alex Breiding, Graduate Program Coordinator
Biomedical Engineering (BME)
Biomedical Engineering (BME) is a graduate program that trains its students in biomedical optics, cardiovascular engineering, computational biology, nanomedicine and nanobiotechnology, neuroengineering, and spatial system biology. BME students and faculty closely collaborate with other faculty, departments, and programs on campus for a rich research opportunity.
Contact BME to schedule a one on one meeting with the Graduate Program Director and for more information on required courses, waivable courses, and anticipated timelines. More information on the program can be found on the BME website.
Karina Nakayama, PhD, Program Co-Director, Biomedical Engineering
Sandra Rugonyi, PhD, Program Co-Director, Biomedical Engineering
Alyssa Yadao, BME Program Coordinator
Biomedical Informatics (BMI)
The PhD in Biomedical Informatics supplies students with a core knowledge base of biomedical informatics and the skills to carry out advanced independent research or take on leadership roles that require a thorough understanding of information technology, health and biomedicine.
Contact BMI to schedule a one on one meeting with the Graduate Program Director and for more information on required courses, waivable courses, and anticipated timelines. More information on the program can be found on the BME website.
Vishnu Moran, MD, MBI, FACP, FAMIA, Program Director, Biomedical Informatics
Andrea Ilg, Program Coordinator, Biomedical Informatics
Neuroscience Graduate Program (NGP)
The Neuroscience Graduate Program (NGP) at the OHSU Vollum Institute has a strong background in cellular and molecular neuroscience, glial biology, gene regulation, biophysics of channels and transporters, sensory system, neuroendocrinology, developmental neuroscience, and disease-oriented neuroscience research.
Entering MD/PhD students interested in neuroscience are strongly encouraged to meet with the NGP director early in Year 1 to begin immediate planning for the research component of their dual-degree program and to learn how they can participate in NGP activities as soon as they arrive at OHSU. MD/PhD students complete 3 research rotations between February and August of their 2nd year after they have completed their USMLE Step 1 exam and TTCE course. If a summer research rotation was taken before starting the MD program, that may count as one rotation toward the required three with the NGP program director's approval. Students are also expected to complete coursework prior to entering a lab full time.
Contact the Neuroscience Graduate Program to schedule a one on one meeting with the Graduate Program Director and for more information on NGP activities, required courses, waivable courses, and anticipated timelines.
Kevin Wright, PhD, Program Director, Neuroscience Graduate Program
Jessica Parks, MED, Graduate Education Manager
Program in Biomedical Sciences (PBMS)
The Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences (PBMS) provides a flexible and interdisciplinary training experience that prepares students to make significant contributions to biomedical research in diverse scientific careers. PBMS is a highly collaborative environment that focuses on interdisciplinary and translational faculty and research. Students will identify with research hubs, which serve as intellectual "homes" for graduate education and training at OHSU. Students will be required to take a standardized set of credits, but course options are flexible across research hubs.
Research hubs include:
- Biochemical, Molecular, and Structural Biology
- Chemical Physiology
- Development, Differentiation, and Disease
- Genome Sciences
- Infectious Disease and Immunology
- Integrated Cancer Biology
Contact PBMS to schedule a one on one meeting with the Graduate Program Director and for more information on required courses and anticipated timelines. More information on research hubs within PBMS can be found by clicking on the website below. If interested in a particular program, students are encouraged to reach out to the respective programs for more information as well.
Sudarshan Anand, PhD, Program Director, Program in Biomedical Sciences
Aaron Matney M.Ed , Graduate Program Coordinator