Medicine, M.D. and Data Science, M.S. Combined Degree Program

Admission to the Program

To be eligible for admission to the MD/MSDS Program, a student is required to secure separate admission to both the School of Medicine’s MD degree program and the School of Data Science’s MS in Data Science degree program. Enrolled MD students within the School of Medicine may apply to the MS in Data Science program during their third year of study. Applicants will be held to the same standards as any other applicant, and the fact that they are a candidate for the combination MD/MSDS program will not be considered in the admission process. Once admitted independently to the MS in Data Science Program, the interested applicant may apply to the combination MD/MSDS program. Admission to the Program will be judged according to criteria developed by the program committee and will not be guaranteed by virtue of acceptance into both programs. MD students may not enroll in the MSDS unless accepted into the formal combination degree program.

Curriculum

The combination MD/MSDS program is designed to take four and a half years to complete. All core course requirements in the two degree programs remain the same. Students take the first three years of MD instruction as stipulated by that program. In the fourth year, the students will start their coursework in the Fall term (late August) with the School of Data Science. They will follow the curriculum of the MS in Data Science, and complete their coursework for that program in August of the fifth year. At the conclusion of the summer, students who have satisfied the relevant MSDS degree program requirements, which include a minimum of 33 credit hours in the School of Data Science, will be awarded the MSDS.

Following the completion of the MSDS degree program, students will have two options for the Fall of their fifth year: 1) Take a leave of absence from the MD program; or 2) Enroll in additional elective coursework. Students who opt to enroll in additional elective coursework will pay the applicable SOM tuition and fees for the Fall term. All students will return to the MD program in the spring and complete the SOM graduation requirements with anticipated graduation in May of the fifth year. They will receive up to 8 credits towards the requirements of the School of Medicine Electives Program by successfully completing the MS in Data Science coursework.

Change of Status

Students may terminate their enrollment in the combination MD/MSDS degree program at any time during the fourth year and enroll in either one of the individual degree programs post-termination. Both programs agree to provide credit for the coursework the student took during the combination degree program. Students will need to satisfy the graduation requirements stipulated by the program they elect to complete, which may include credits completed in the other program, as determined by the appropriate officials in the selected program.

Tuition and Fees

Students enrolled in the combination MD/MSDS program will pay the tuition and fees of the School of Medicine for the first, second, third and fifth years of the Program and will pay the tuition and fees of the School of Data Science for the fourth year.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is not guaranteed and is subject to individual school and University availability and eligibility criteria. Students may apply for federal financial aid for each program based on individual eligibility.

Administration of the Program

A program committee administers the Program and is composed of one faculty member from the School of Medicine and one faculty member from the School of Data Science, as designated by the respective program leadership. The resp onsibilities of the Program Committee extend to admission to the combination MD/MSDS program, coordination of curricula for the students involved,
resolution of problems that may arise, and reconciliation of course and examination conflicts. The leadership of the MD and MSDS programs also appoint a faculty member from each program to serve as faculty advisors for the students in the combination MD/MSDS program.

Additional Information

School of Medicine Faculty Advisor: Numaan Malik, M.D., Phase 3 Program Director
School of Data Science Faculty Advisor: Prince Afriyie, Ph.D., MSDS Program Director