The joint degree programs at the School of Medicine offer the opportunity to earn a degree in medicine while pursuing an additional professional credential that may increase access to other career paths. Wake Forest School of Medicine offers joint degree programs for MD student, PA students and graduate students. Applicants to the joint degree programs must be accepted to both programs via separate admissions processes. The Graduate School accepts the MCAT in lieu of the GRE for joint degree applicants.
As one of the top academic medical centers in total funding from the National Institutes of Health, we provide unparalleled opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration. At the same time, you’ll enjoy a personalized learning environment at a relatively small university.
MD Programs
Wake Forest School of Medicine offers the Doctor of Medicine degree in combination with three other degrees administered by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences; an MD/PhD in all programs offered on the Bowman Gray campus, and an MD/MS in Translational and Health System Science.
MD/PhD Program
MD/PhD training is ideal for those who want to work in the intersection of academic medicine and biomedical science. Graduates are trained to become the next generation of physician scientists, providing patient care while working to uncover the mechanisms of disease. Armed with invaluable research experience related to human health, physician scientists skillfully navigate the rapidly evolving world of biomedical science and study the basic science that precedes translational science.
The integrated MD/PhD program at the School of Medicine is a seven-year program that offers students rigorous training in both medicine and a basic science discipline available in the Graduate School. Our highly competitive, intimate program seeks outstanding students who have experience in research, with talent and enthusiasm that goes beyond the typical college curriculum.
Learn more about the MD/PhD program
MD/MS Program
The MD/MS in Translational and Health System Science (THSS) is primarily designed for clinical researchers interested in conducting translational research. One of the obstacles to translating scientific findings into widespread improvements in human health is communication. Basic, clinical and community-based researchers have a history of operating in separate domains. The MD/MS helps solve this translational gap. Graduates of this program are noted for serving as catalysts for the implementation of the newest scientific discoveries into clinical practice.
Students who want to enroll in the MD/MS in THSS may apply for admittance to the Graduate School Master’s program in the fall of their second year in medical school. Those accepted join the MS program during their third year of study and complete required coursework for the MS degree in that year. Students return to medical school in years four and five, while concurrently working on a master's thesis project as the final requirement for the THSS MS degree.
Learn more about the MD/MS program in Translational and Health System Science (THSS)
PA Studies Programs
PhD/MMS
The PhD/MMS is a 5- to 7-year sequential degree program that is offered in conjunction with the Wake Forest University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. The student earns a Master of Medical Science (MMS) in Physician Assistant Studies after completing a PhD in Molecular Medicine and Translational Science (MMTS).This degree program targets students interested in clinical research, community research and the translation of knowledge into improved human health. Graduates with the PhD/MMS will be basic scientists trained to function successfully in clinical environments and will have considerable professional flexibility. They can work as clinician scientists on teams conducting clinical trials, for example, or they can teach and do research within academic health centers.
Learn more about the PhD/MMS program