Make a Difference in the World with a Dual Degree
Our country needs more highly educated and motivated physician-leaders to address challenges in a variety of settings, from developing public health policies and managing massive hospital networks, to shaping academic medicine and exploring the frontiers of biomedical research. Tomorrow's leaders are likely to need more than one advanced degree to make a major impact in such an environment. Wright State offers three different dual-degree programs for those students who want to become the leaders of tomorrow.
A unique MPH or MBA leadership program
Are you interested in improving the future delivery of health care? Our five-year Physician Leadership Development Program (PLDP) prepares medical students for successful leadership roles in clinical practice, academic medicine, health administration, public policy and research.
The dual-degree PLDP offers two options, one conferring a Master of Public Health (MPH) the other conferring a Master of Business Administration (MBA), while completing medical school. While not all physician leaders will have a second graduate degree, either of these master’s programs will provide clinicians with additional skills and knowledge that will enable them to problem-solve and work effectively with health care professionals from other disciplines.
Additionally, PLDP students regularly attend applied leadership sessions throughout the program. Medical students apply and are accepted into the PLDP during their first year. No previous public health or business experience or education is required. For more information about the program, see: PLDP Overview.
Conduct groundbreaking medical research
Do you have a passion for treating patients as a physician, but also a strong desire to discover the causes and potential cures for a particular disease? Maybe you've always dreamed of conducting cutting edge research that really makes a difference in people's lives or of teaching at a top-rated medical school. If so, you may wish to pursue a biomedical sciences doctorate at the same time you are earning your medical degree.
Wright State offers an M.D./Ph.D. dual-degree program that reflects the strong interrelatedness of scientific disciplines in medical research today, encompassing areas of clinical, biological, physical and computational sciences. The M.D./Ph.D. dual career is challenging and rewarding, offering you the opportunity to do good for many people by advancing knowledge, developing new treatments for diseases and pushing back the boundaries of the unknown.
During the first two years of Wright State's program, students complete the pre-clinical portion of the medical school curriculum as well as two research rotations. The next three years are focused primarily on conducting original research and defending your dissertation. Then come the final two clinical years of medical school and the awarding of both the M.D. and Ph.D. degrees.
Recent studies have shown that the M.D./Ph.D. physician-scientist is more successful in developing research programs that win national funding than the scientist with only a Ph.D. or an M.D., attesting to the quality of students pursuing a dual degree and the training that students receive in such a program. Top students accepted into Wright State's M.D./Ph.D. program will be offered some combination of stipend and tuition remission during their Ph.D. years above and beyond any scholarships they receive for medical school. To learn more, contact Mill Miller, Ph.D., director of the Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. Program, at director.bms@wright.edu.
In addition, our Clinical Investigation dual-degree program (M.D./M.S.) is designed for medical students who want to gain hands-on experience in patient-centered clinical research by working alongside clinical physicians and staff at the Pharmacology Translational Unit (PTU). With advanced pharmacology training, translational research experience, and patient-care practice, this program provides a unique opportunity to develop leadership and research skills that complement your medical school education. You'll also have the chance to attend department-sponsored seminars to learn more about the different areas of research in the fields of pharmacology and toxicology. Upon completion, you'll earn a Master of Science in Pharmacology and Toxicology, making you a valuable asset to any healthcare team. To learn more visit the Clinical Investigation Dual-Degree Program webpage.