Login
MD/PhD Program

PhD Section of the MD/PhD Program
 

Choosing a Research Project
The personal choices are many. Graduate school is arguably the best opportunity to learn research principals, technical skills and an experimental system. From this standpoint, it is advantageous to choose a research area that you are considering to continue within your career, at least in general terms. In this regard, it is essential that you ask yourself if the environment you choose will make you a better research scientist. Motivation to do the project is also essential. The reasons for this motivation may vary but a level of passion for the project is often a major part of obtaining success. You have to be in a lab environment in which you are comfortable. Does the style of the supervision match the way in which you work best? Can you interact productively with other members of the group? Other considerations such as lab location, stipend, course load and other program requirements might seem more trivial but need to be considered.

Your success is closely linked with that of the principal investigator (PI) who will supervise your project. It is therefore very important to consider his/her characteristics. As mentioned above, the supervisory style of the PI must match your working style. Is he/she available for consultation? Will you have suitable independence in deciding the direction of the research? These answers can often best be obtained by speaking with other members of the lab. You need to also address whether other graduate students have been successful under the PI"s supervision. Where and what have current students and recent graduates published? Have recent graduates been successful in obtaining fellowship awards? One must also consider the funding status of the PI. Has he/she demonstrated success in obtaining research funds? Is the project in which you are most interested satisfactorily funded? What becomes quickly apparent is that there are many questions to ask when choosing a research project. As a student, you can and should feel free to seek advice from members of the MD/PhD Committee, the Departmental Graduate Chair, students, co-workers and the PI.

 
Graduate Programs
There are several graduate programs at Western that might serve as very good programs for the MD/PhD partnership. (e.g. programs in Health Sciences, Engineering, Chemistry or Psychology)

The following is a list of the programs affiliated with the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry:

Anatomy & Cell Biology
Dr. Allison Allan

Graduate Chair
http://www.uwo.ca/anatomy

Biochemistry

Dr. David Haniford
Graduate Chair
http://www.biochem.uwo.ca

Biomedical Engineering
Dr. James Johnson
Graduate Chair
http://www.engga.uwo.ca/research/biomed

Epidemiology & Biostatistics
Dr. John Koval
Graduate Chair
http://www.uwo.ca/epidem

Medical Biophysics
Dr. Dan Goldman
Graduate Chair
http://www.uwo.ca/biophysics

Microbiology & Immunology
Drs. Carol Cruezenet and Joe Mymryk

Graduate Co-Chairs
http://www.uwo.ca/mni/MNI/grad.html

Neuroscience
Dr. David Sherry
Director
http://www.uwo.ca/neuroscience

Pathology
Dr. Subrata Chakrabarti
Graduate Chair
http://www.uwo.ca/pathol/gradprogram.html

Physiology
Dr. Lina Dagnino

Graduate Chair
http://www.physpharm.fmd.uwo.ca

Program Structure
There are currently two working models for the program:

Model 1

3 years of research

4 years of undergraduate medical training

Model 2

2 years of undergraduate medical training

3 years of research

last 2 years of undergraduate medical training

Model 1 is primarily for students with limited research training/experience. (usually students who enter with a Honours degree) The students would spend the first 2 to 3 years in the graduate program completing the graduate program requirements including course work, comprehensive examination as well as carryout most of their independent, original research. There would also be opportunities to participate in electives available to first and second year medical students and attend medical rounds (by permission) in the clinical departments.

Model 2 is primarily for students with research training/experience (usually students who enter with a Masters degree) Students take the first two years of the medical curriculum with graduate research being carried out over the summer months. This would be followed by a break from the medical curriculum (2 to 3 years) to complete the graduate degree requirements prior to the start of years 3 and 4 of the medical curriculum. The same options described above would be available for those who are unable to complete the graduate degree requirements in the desired time frame. These curriculum paths should apply to the majority of the students admitted to the program, however, variations in these routes may be made in order to accommodate individual requirements.