New Joint MD/PhD Degree Program with TCU and UTA to Create Physician Scientists

Fort Worth  – The Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University and The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) announce the launch of a pioneering joint M.D.-Ph.D. program in biomedical engineering.

This innovative program will cultivate a new generation of physician-scientists who can bridge the gap between cutting-edge biomedical research and clinical practice. The first cohort of candidates will be considered during the 2024 M.D. admissions cycle and begin their studies in July 2025.

The dual-degree program merges the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU’s novel approach to medical education with the interdisciplinary research expertise of UTA’s Department of Bioengineering. The Burnett School of Medicine has successfully graduated its first two classes of physicians who have matched into some of the top residency programs in the U.S., like The Mayo Clinic, Stanford Health Care, UCLA and The University of Michigan.

“This collaboration will give students career advancing in-depth knowledge and skills in medicine and biomedical engineering to lead advancements in health care innovation,” said Stuart D. Flynn, M.D., Founding Dean of the Burnett School of Medicine.  “Combining the expertise of both of these programs will provide an amazing opportunity for students to accelerate their knowledge and advance health care and research.”

The Ph.D. portion of the program, run by UTA, is designed to provide students with a robust training in biomedical engineering. Students will engage in rigorous coursework with significant laboratory-based research in a faculty investigator’s laboratory culminating in a doctoral thesis.

“This collaboration is a unique opportunity for UTA to leverage our half-century of providing education and research in biomedical engineering in North Texas,” said Peter Crouch, Ph.D., dean of UTA College of Engineering. “We are confident that working side-by-side with TCU’s medical students in performing specialized research, we will give them the knowledge they need to be pioneers in blending traditional medicine and technology.”

The United States faces a significant shortage of physician-scientists, individuals who are critical for driving biomedical advances and improving health care nationally and globally. This joint M.D.-Ph.D. program will prepare students to address some of the most vexing biomedical challenges of our time. Graduates of this program will be leaders in advancing discoveries in health care in the 21^st Century.

Students enrolled in this program will have access to:

• A curriculum that integrates the latest in medical education with cutting-edge biomedical engineering research.
• Opportunities to be a member of cutting-edge research projects.
• Guidance from leading faculty members who are at the forefront of their respective disciplines including bioinstrumentation, biomaterials and tissue engineering, biomechanics, medical imaging, and nanomedicine/nanotechnology, among others.
• Graduates will be exceptionally prepared for careers in academic medicine, biomedical research, biotechnology, and regulatory agencies.

This joint M.D.-Ph.D. program represents a significant step forward in addressing the critical need for physician-scientists and offers students an opportunity to be leaders in health care innovation and advances.