Doctor of Medicine and Master of Science in Clinical Research

The Doctor of Medicine and Master of Science in Clinical Research program provides currently enrolled medical students with the opportunity to acquire core competencies in clinical research, preparing future physicians to advance new knowledge. Most students will complete the combined degree in 5 years.

Curriculum

Students must complete all of the M.D. degree graduation requirements in addition to the MSCR requirements in order to receive the combined degree. The courses required for the MSCR degree are described in the next section. For more information, please visit the Master of Science in Clinical Research (MSCR) program page.

The 38 credit hours of the MSCR curriculum are typically completed over three continuous semesters between year 3 and year 4 of the MD curriculum (shown below), or may be completed concurrently with MD coursework beginning as early as the spring of year 1.

Year 1, Fall

MDCOR 711	Clinical Skills 1	3
MDCOR 720	Foundations of Health	8
MDCOR 722	Foundations of Disease	8
MDCOR 725	Cardiovascular System	9
Semester Total		28

Year 1, Spring

MDCOR 712	Clinical Skills 2	3
MDCOR 727	Respiratory/Renal Systems	7
MDCOR 728	Gastrointestinal	9
MDCOR 731	Reproductive/Endocrine System	8
IP 711	IP Foundations & Teamstepps	1
Semester Total		28

Year 1, Summer

MDCOR 713	Clinical Skills 3	3
MDCOR 733	Women and Pediatric Health	5
MDCOR 735	Ethics and Biostatistics	5
MDCOR 736	Autoimmunity and Hematology	3.5
Semester Total		16.5

Year 2, Fall

MDCOR 714	Clinical Skills 4	3
MDCOR 739	Sensory and Motor Systems	13
MDCOR 741	Special Senses and Cognition	8
MDCOR 742	Behavioral & Geriatric Health	4.5
IP ###	IP Concentration Course	1
Semester Total		29.5

Year 2, Spring

MDCOR 750	USMLE Step 1 Board Review	2
Semester Total		2

Year 2, Summer

MDCOR 866	Transition to Clinical Medicine	1
	2 x 6-week Clerkships*	24
Semester Total		25

Year 3, Fall

MDCOR 853	Ethics in Clinical Care 3A	1
MDCOR 827	Geriatric Medicine 3A	0.5
MDCOR 835	Topics in Clinical Medicine	1
	1 x 8-week Clerkship*	10
	2 x 2-week Selectives	5
Semester Total		17.5

Year 3, Spring

MDCOR 854	Ethics in Clinical Care 3B	1
MDCOR 873	Geriatric Medicine 3B	0.5
	3 x 6-week Clerkships*	24
Semester Total		25.5

Year 3, Summer

MDCOR 865	Clinical Competency Exam 3	1
Semester Total		1

Year 4, Fall

MCR 700	Clinical Biostatistics	3
MCR 775	Clinical Research Intro	1
MCR 736	Clinical Epidemiology	3
MCR 770	Contemporary Topics Seminar	1
MCR 750	Ethical Issues in Clinical Reserach	1
MCR 970	Mentored Research	2
MCR 731	Critical Review	2
Semester Total		13

Year 4, Spring

MCR 724	Intro to Clinical Trials	3
MCR 746	Informatics and Data Mgmt	2
MCR 752	Team Science in Clinical Research	1
MCR 771	Regression Analysis	2
MCR 777	Intro to Grant Writing	1
MCR 732	Comparative Effectiveness Reseach	3
MCR 970	Mentored Research	3
Semester Total		15

Year 4, Summer

MCR 789	Special topic	1
	or
IP 738	Elective
MCR 772	Community Engagement Research	1
MCR 773	Industry/Regulatory	2
MCR 774	Leadership	2
MCR 970	Mentored Research	4
	4-week Clinical Care Elective	5
	4-week Externship	5
Semester Total		20

Year 5, Fall

MDCOR 859	Ethics in Clinical Care 4A	1
EMED 822	Essentials of Emergency Medicine	2.5
	20 weeks of Electives	15
Semester Total		18.5

Year 5, Spring

MDCOR 862	Ethics in Clinical Care 4B	1
MDCOR 874	Geriatric Medicine 4	1
MDCOR 626	Internship 101	2.5
	12 weeks of Electives	15
Semester Total		19.5

MD Credit Hour Total		233
MSCR Credit Hour Total		38
Curriculum Total		271

* All third-year students are required to take seven clerkships in the following disciplines: Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, OB/GYN, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Surgery. These clerkships may be completed in any sequence over Summer, Fall and Spring of third year.

With approval from the academic advisor, a student who enrolls in the combined degree program in the spring semester of year one of medical school (i.e., the earliest entry point) could be permitted to complete MSCR coursework concurrently with the MD degree curriculum (38 credit hours completed over 11 semesters). While the majority of the MSCR curriculum is still completed in year 4 (fall, spring), this curriculum plan provides advantages for students who wish to engage in research earlier in the program in order to increase competitiveness for application to residency programs.