The combined MD/PhD and MD/MSc programs at Queen’s University are offered jointly by the School of Medicine and the School of Graduate Studies at the Kingston Campus.
The combined MD/PhD and MD/Master’s programs provide benefits to both scholarship and the professional development of physician-scientists by allowing better integration of clinical and research training experiences and providing better opportunities for fostering translational research.
Our programs are in keeping with the strategic directions of both the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Strategic Plan and Government of Canada’s Science and Technology Strategy, which emphasize the need for:
- providing increased trans-sectorial and multidisciplinary training,
- building research excellence,
- translating knowledge into practical applications and
- deepening the pool of highly skilled individuals.
Students in combined MD/graduate programs bring a distinctive, clinical and translational perspective into their laboratories and, conversely, these students also bring a basic science perspective to share with their fellow medical students. This is especially relevant in the context of the greater emphasis now being placed on team-based learning approaches as an important component of the Queen’s medical curriculum.
The programs admit a limited number of exceptional students who wish to combine their medical training with advanced training in research. We generally have 3 spots available in this combined program.
Graduates from these programs will be well prepared to pursue postdoctoral or research-intensive residency training and, as fully trained physician scientists, will contribute to increasing Canada’s capacity in basic, clinical, translational and patient-oriented research.
You must indicate your intention to apply to these programs in your OMSAS Application.
You must indicate your intention to apply to this program in your OMSAS Application. By selecting this option, you are indicating that this is your first choice at Queen’s and, as such, you will be considered for this program first. If you are unsuccessful in receiving an interview or offer for this program, your application will only then be moved to the MD Kingston Campus Program for consideration. You will not be considered simultaneously for both MD/PhD or MD/MSc combined programs and the MD Kingston Campus Program.
You must provide the following additional items for the MD/PhD or MD/MSc programs and submit them through your OMSAS Application:
- A current Curriculum Vitae.
- A letter of intent indicating your research interests and accomplishments, and graduate program(s) of interest.
- Abstracts of any publications, if available.
- 2 additional confidential letters of recommendation focusing on your research accomplishments and potential to become a physician-scientist (in addition to the 3 references that are required for the MD application).
- You may use the same referee for both the PhD/MSc component of this application and the MD references; however, there are different forms that will need to be completed as an MD referee and as a PhD/MSc referee.
- The MD component will require the completion of the CAF, while the PhD/MSc referee will be required to upload a letter of recommendation. You will see the referee selection choices in the OMSAS Application.
- If you are currently completing a PhD or have completed a PhD, you must include an additional 1-page statement clearly stating the reasoning for why another PhD degree or Master’s degree is necessary to advance your skill sets and how different this PhD or Master’s will be from the existing degree that you hold. This document must be uploaded using SAM in the OMSAS Application.
You must meet the admission requirements for both programs (both the MD and PhD programs or the MD and MSc programs) and will be assessed for eligibility for admission by each program. All components of the main MD application and the supplemental pieces for the combined MD/PhD and MD/MSc programs must be completed in order to be considered.
MMTP applicants are not eligible for this combined program.
If you apply to the MD/PhD-MD/Master’s combined program, then you are not eligible to apply to the:
- MMTP stream or the
- Queen’s-Lakeridge Health MD Family Medicine program.
Note: There are different eligibility and application requirements for the MD component and the PhD or MSc component of this combined program. Ensure that you review our How to Apply page as well as the MD/PhD and MD/MSc website.
Further information and additional eligibility requirements » (Please be advised that the MD/PhD and MD/Master's Program website is currently undergoing updates and is expected to be relaunched by the last week of August 2023.)