Clinician Scientist Track: MD-PhD and MD-MPhil

The Clinician Scientist Track (CST) represents a program of study that allows eligible students to incorporate a Higher Degree by Research (HDR), either a PhD or an *MPhil integrated with the MD degree. The MD-PhD and the MD-MPhil are offered as an intercalated model; meaning you interrupt your MD degree to do full time PhD or MPhil research, then return to finish your MD and graduate with an MD-PhD or MD-MPhil.

Intercalated MD-PhD – requires three years out of the MD
Intercalated MD-MPhil – requires one year out of the MD

Medical students must be approved to apply for the MPhil or PhD. Please read carefully the eligibility criteria for the MD-PhD and MD-MPhil programs below. If you feel you are eligible, contact the Director of MD Research to discuss eligibility.

*The MPhil Degree is equivalent to the Research Master’s Degree (MSc).

Meet our Clinician Scientist students

Please refer to the CST FAQs for more details

Timeframes

The entry point to either the Intercalated MD-PhD or the Intercalated MD-MPhil is after successful completion of MD Y2. Please see MD-HDR Timeframes below.

Intercalated MD-PhD

The Intercalated MD-PhD is completed over 7 years. After completion of MD Year 2, approved students’ will interrupt the MD for three years to work full-time on research, then return to the MD full-time for Years 3 and 4.

Intercalated MD-MPhil

The Intercalated MD-MPhil is completed over 5 years. After completion of MD Year 2, approved students’ will interrupt the MD for one year to work full-time on research, then return to the MD full-time for Years 3 and 4.

View MD-HDR timeframes

Eligibility and selection criteria

Student eligibility into the Intercalated MD-PhD or Intercalated MD-MPhil is determined by criteria set out by the Faculty of Medicine and the UQ Graduate School.

Please read the Graduate School's eligibility requirements for entry into the MPhil or the PhD. It is the student’s responsibility to:

understand all the eligibility requirements for enrolling in and undertaking the PhD or MPhil degree at UQ.
understand the Faculty of Medicine Milestone process. See HDR Student Support page https://medicine.uq.edu.au/hdr-student-support

What is a PhD at UQ: DOCTOR OF Philosophy

What is a MPhil at UQ: MASTER OF Philosophy

The Faculty of Medicine’s selection criteria for the Intercalated MD-PhD or Intercalated MD-MPhil are the following:

understand the timeframes for the Clinician Scientist Tract (CST) and all details of what is required to complete an Intercalated MD-PhD or MD-MPhil (on this web page)
have an overall GPA (from the MD degree) greater than or equal to 5.5, with a minimum grade of 4 on first attempt in all MD courses,
maintain a GPA =>5.5 throughout the duration of the MD program*,
identify a research project and a potential principal supervisor, and
obtain permission to enrol in the Intercalated MD-PhD or MD-MPhil through an interview with the Faculty of Medicine’s Director of MD Research.

*If the GPA falls below 5.5:

a meeting with the Director of MD Research will be held to discuss reasons that may be responsible i.e. personal or academic, and offer advice accordingly,
the discussion also clarifies that the student needs to improve their GPA by the subsequent semester,
if grades do not improve, the student may be required to interrupt the PhD or MPhil until MD grades improve.

Please remember, interested students must first obtain permission from the Faculty of Medicine to apply for the PhD or the MPhil. See 'First Steps to the CST' below.

First Steps to the CST - before you can apply

Ensure you understand all of the information provided on this webpage, FAQs, Timeframes, and links to The Graduate School regarding what a PhD or MPhil degree entails.
Ensure you are eligible to apply for a PhD or MPhil according to the rules set out by The Graduate School, and that you understand the Milestone requirements (see Faculty of Medicine HDR Support: https://medicine.uq.edu.au/hdr-student-support
Ensure you have a GPA => 5.5 and are confident you can achieve and maintain a GPA =>5.5 in the MD Program.
BEFORE the 1^st June of MD Year 2 Contact the Director of MD Research Professor Di Eley, with an expression of interest in the CST, including your CV, your proposed Principal Supervisor and project.

Pathways to the Clinician Scientist Track

There are two pathways to undertake an MD-PhD or MD-MPhil.

Pathway 1: For current MD students - Intercalated Option

Current MD students may begin the Intercalated PhD or Intercalated MPhil after completion of MD Year 2, as described above.

Pathway 2: For future MD students – MD Defer Option

Students who have a current offer to enrol in the UQ MD program, may wish to consider deferring the start to the MD in order to begin or complete a current or proposed PhD or MPhil.

Categories of students who may consider Pathway 2 are;

1. Provisional entry undergraduates who are in the final year of a Bachelor’s degree or Honours.

2. Graduate entry (via GAMSAT) students, who are currently working with a research group or supervisor with the intention to pursue a HDR.

3. Current UQ PhD students who are progressing satisfactorily and in their final stages of their research may defer the MD to allow completion of a UQ PhD or MPhil.

Preference will be given to students who are already working in the area of research related to their proposed UQ PhD or MPhil, and have already established a research relationship with their proposed supervisor.

Future MD students interested in Pathway 2 and believe they qualify, should contact the Director of MD Student Research d.eley@uq.edu.au to discuss.

Clinician Scientist Track: MD-PhD and MD-MPhil

Timeframes

Eligibility and selection criteria

First Steps to the CST - before you can apply

Pathways to the Clinician Scientist Track

Faculty of Medicine HDR support