Clinician Scientist Track: MD-PhD and MD-MPhil

Student eligibility into the Intercalated MD-PhD or Intercalated MD-MPhil is determined by criteria set out by the Faculty of Medicine and the UQ Graduate School.

Please read the Graduate School's eligibility requirements for entry into the MPhil or the PhD. It is the student’s responsibility to:

• understand all the eligibility requirements for enrolling in and undertaking the PhD or MPhil degree at UQ.
• understand the Faculty of Medicine Milestone process.  See HDR Student Support page https://medicine.uq.edu.au/hdr-student-support 

The Faculty of Medicine’s selection criteria for the Intercalated MD-PhD or Intercalated MD-MPhil are the following:

• understand the timeframes for the Clinician Scientist Tract (CST) and all details of what is required to complete an Intercalated MD-PhD or MD-MPhil (on this web page)
• have an overall GPA (from the MD degree) greater than or equal to 5.5, with a minimum grade of 4 on first attempt in all MD courses,
• maintain a GPA =>5.5 throughout the duration of the MD program*,
• identify a research project and a potential principal supervisor, and
• obtain permission to enrol in the Intercalated MD-PhD or MD-MPhil through an interview with the Faculty of Medicine’s Director of MD Research.

*If the GPA falls below 5.5:

• a meeting with the Director of MD Research will be held to discuss reasons that may be responsible i.e. personal or academic, and offer advice accordingly, 
• the discussion also clarifies that the student needs to improve their GPA by the subsequent semester,
• if grades do not improve, the student may be required to  interrupt the PhD or MPhil until MD grades improve. 

Please remember, interested students must first obtain permission from the Faculty of Medicine to apply for the PhD or the MPhil. See 'First Steps to the CST' below.

1. Ensure you understand all of the information provided on this webpage, FAQs, Timeframes, and links to The Graduate School regarding what a PhD or MPhil degree entails.
2. Ensure you are eligible to apply for a PhD or MPhil according to the rules set out by The Graduate School, and that you understand the Milestone requirements (see Faculty of Medicine HDR Support: https://medicine.uq.edu.au/hdr-student-support
3. Ensure you have a GPA => 5.5 and are confident you can achieve and maintain a GPA =>5.5 in the MD Program. 
4. BEFORE the 1^st June of MD Year 2 Contact the Director of MD Research Professor Di Eley, with an expression of interest in the CST, including your CV, your proposed Principal Supervisor and project.

There are two pathways to undertake an MD-PhD or MD-MPhil.

Pathway 1:  For current MD students - Intercalated Option

Current MD students may begin the Intercalated PhD or Intercalated MPhil after completion of MD Year 2, as described above.

Pathway 2:  For future MD students – MD Defer Option

Students who have a current offer to enrol in the UQ MD program, may wish to consider deferring the start to the MD in order to begin or complete a current or proposed PhD or MPhil. 

Categories of students who may consider Pathway 2 are;

1. Provisional entry undergraduates who are in the final year of a Bachelor’s degree or Honours.

2. Graduate entry (via GAMSAT) students, who are currently working with a research group or supervisor with the intention to pursue a HDR.

3. Current PhD students who are progressing satisfactorily and in their final stages of their research may defer the MD to allow completion of the PhD or MPhil.

Preference may be given to students who are already working in the area of research related to their proposed PhD or MPhil, and have already established a research relationship with their proposed supervisor. 

Future MD students interested in Pathway 2 and believe they qualify, should contact the Director of MD Research d.eley@uq.edu.au to discuss.

Once enrolled in the HDR, all information for MD-PhD and MD-MPhil students about managing your candidature is here: MD-HDR student support page