Combined Degree Programs
The MD curriculum is structured so that interested students can pursue an additional degree in several available programs. Students complete both degrees in less overall time than if the degrees were pursued separately.
Students typically apply to the other degree program during Phase 2 of the School of Medicine curriculum. If accepted, the additional degree coursework is integrated within the Phase 3 curriculum and students graduate with both degrees.
Students in the School of Medicine may elect to expand their experience and training by pursuing a combined degree. If approved, students will be given leave from the M.D. program to complete their combined degree and return to the M.D. program under the following conditions:
- Approval for the combined degree program and the appropriate time away from the School of Medicine MD curriculum must be obtained in advance from the student’s College Dean for Student Affairs in the School of Medicine.
- Students seeking a combined degree are expected to complete Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the medical curriculum before beginning the combined degree program.
- The student is responsible for making an application to the combined degree program.
- The University of Virginia School of Medicine is not responsible for financial aid for students enrolled in a combined degree program.
- Students must complete the post-clerkship curriculum requirements after completing the combined degree program. Elective credit typically is not granted for combined degrees.
Next scheduled review June 2027
Combined Degree Programs at UVA
The School of Medicine and the School of Law offers a combined degree program in which a student may obtain an MD and a JD in six years. The student is obligated to secure separate admission to both schools; the school of Law requires the LSAT. Students apply to the School of Law during Phase 2 of the SOM curriculum and if admitted, begin the JD curriculum after completing Phase 2. For students in the MD-JD program, graduation requirements must be completed within 8 years of matriculation in the School of Medicine.
For more information, visit the UVA Law School.
The School of Medicine and the Darden School of Business offers a combined degree program in which a student may obtain both the MD and the MBA degrees in 5 years. Once admitted to the School of Medicine, the student may apply to the Darden School of Business for admission during Phase 2 of the SOM curriculum. For students in the MD-MBA program, graduation requirements must be completed within 7 years of matriculation in the School of Medicine.
For more information, visit the Darden School of Business.
The combined MD-MPH is designed to provide graduate professional training in quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, translational and community-based research, and community engagement strategies to improve the health of individuals and populations. The program focuses on the competencies professionals need to address population health and healthcare delivery issues and includes a range of interdisciplinary courses on social behavioral health, health policy, program planning and evaluation, and environmental health, as well as epidemiology and biostatistics. Medical students who decide to pursue the MPH should expect to begin their MPH courses after completing Phase 2, and to extend their education by 1 year. For students in the MD-MPH program, graduation requirements must be completed within 7 years.
For more information, visit UVA Public Health Sciences.
The combined MD-MS in Clinical Research (MS-CR) is designed to provide graduate professional training in quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, and translational and community-based research strategies. Medical Students who pursue the MS-CR should expect to begin their MS-CR courses after completing Phase 2 of the SOM curriculum and to extend their education by 1 year. For students in the MD-MS program, graduation requirements must be completed within 7 years of matriculation in the School of Medicine.
For more information, visit UVA Public Health Sciences.
In partnership with the University of Virginia School of Medicine, the School of Data Science offers a combined degree program that gives MD candidates the opportunity to acquire in-depth understanding of data science tools and techniques to apply to the field of medicine.
Throughout the 11-month data science program, MD candidates will learn directly from the rigorous and integrated curriculum and hands-on experiences offered by the Master of Science of Data Science program at the School of Data Science.
Medical Students who pursue the MSDS should expect to begin their MSDS courses after completing Phase 2 of the SOM curriculum and to extend their education by 1 year. For students in the MSDS program, graduation requirements must be completed within 7 years of matriculation in the School of Medicine.
For more information, visit the UVA School of Data Science.
The goal of our MD-PhD Program is to train individuals to be both outstanding physicians and scientists, and enable them to pioneer major advances in medical practice through research. MD-MD-PhD students take an integrated curriculum combining basic science and research training with our highly innovative medical education Cells to Society curriculum. PhD training may be done in one of our seven Biomedical Sciences (BIMS) Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs including: Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Genetics; Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology; Biomedical Engineering; Microbiology, Immunology, and Infectious Disease; Molecular Medicine; Structural and Computational Biology, and Biophysics; and Neuroscience (go to BIMS for more information).
We also offer a wide variety of National Institute of Health funded specialized training programs in the areas of immunology, cardiovascular science and medicine, cancer, biodefense, neuroscience, neurobiology and behavioral development, cell and molecular biology, biotechnology, molecular biophysics, pharmacologic sciences, and infectious diseases. A major emphasis of the program is to train physician-scientists to lead the biomedical research community in efforts to discover the fundamental basis of human disease and to develop innovative new therapies for their treatment. Students in the combined MD-PhD degree program must complete the requirements for both degrees. The program typically takes 7-8 years to complete. For students in the MD-PhD program, graduation requirements must be completed within 9 years of matriculation in the School of Medicine.
For more information, go to Medical Scientist Training Program.