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Akua Sarfo, a student in the MD/PhD Program at Penn State College of Medicine, is seen in a College laboratory in April 2017. Sarfo is pictured looking at the camera, standing in front of a microscope while wearing a white lab coat. She is surrounded by other laboratory equipment.

Combined Degrees

Pursuing a combined degree is an exciting — and challenging — way to push the boundaries of your education. Many students choose to take advantage of their time at Penn State College of Medicine to gain vital experience in research, business or public health. Our combined degrees expand your career opportunities.

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Explore our Combined Degrees:

JD/MPH Information

JD/MPH

The JD/MPH joint degree is offered through Penn State College of Medicine in partnership with Penn State Dickinson Law in Carlisle, PA, and Penn State Law on the University Park campus. The JD/MPH degree offers students an accelerated course of study of law and public health, enabling them to successfully enter the complex and ever-changing fields of public health and health law.

Penn State students pursuing this degree will gain advanced knowledge of legal matters relating to public health; use legal tools to solve public health challenges; and train for a career in public health research, policy, and advocacy; health law; or environmental law.

Common Careers
  • Public health researcher
  • Policy lawyer
  • Health care lawyer

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JD/DrPH Information

This joint degree offers students an accelerated course of study and advanced training in law and public health, culminating in the terminal professional degrees in both fields.

Graduates are uniquely positioned to pursue career opportunities in federal, state, and local government, as well as in the non-profit, academic, and private sectors.

Common Careers
  • Translational science leader
  • Legal analysis
  • Advocacy

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Combined Programs MD/PhD

Integrated clinical and research training prepares students for careers as clinicians and translational biomedical researchers.

Students in our MD/PhD Program can pursue graduate studies in anthropology; bioinformatics and genomics; biomedical sciences; engineering sciences and mechanics; molecular, cellular and integrated biosciences; or neuroscience.

Common Careers
  • Investigator in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry
  • Academic medical school faculty
  • Academic leadership
  • Investigator at a research institute

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Combined Programs MD/MBA

For students interested in the business of healthcare, this five-year course of study prepares you for a variety of career options in biotechnology, consulting, or a related field.

You’ll spend the first three years completing the medical school curriculum, your fourth year completing the Penn State Smeal MBA Program’s first-year curriculum, and your fifth year participating in a mix of work in both business and medicine.

Common Careers
  • Consultant
  • Healthcare administrator
  • Biotechnology executive
  • Entrepreneur

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Combined Programs MD/MPH

This five-year course of study is for students who have a special interest in public health, community health and behavior change, and who want to incorporate this into their medical practice.

You’ll take one year off between your third and fourth years of medical school to complete MPH credits, including a practicum and a capstone project.

Some medical school credits can count double toward an MPH degree.

Common Careers
  • Academic medical school faculty
  • International health researcher
  • Nonprofit or non-governmental organization administrator

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MD/MEd Joint Degree Stub

The Joint MD/ MEd provides the opportunity for students to earn not only their MD degree but also a Masters Degree in Education (MEd in Lifelong Learning and Adult Education – Medical and Health Professions) within 4 years.

This joint degree is aimed at those who are interested in pursuing careers as medical doctors with a special interest in lifelong learning and adult education, in academic medicine, patient education, or in continuing professional education in the health and medical professions.

 
Common Careers
  • Academic leadership
  • Academic medical school faculty
  • Investigator at a research institute

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Combined Programs PhD/MBA

For students interested in the business of biomedical sciences, this course of study prepares you for a range of leadership positions in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or healthcare industries.

Requirements for the MBA component are typically completed by taking evening classes at the Harrisburg campus of Penn State.

Common Careers
  • Healthcare administrator
  • Investigator at a research institute
  • Pharmaceutical or biotechnology company executive

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PhD Programs Dual-Title CTS

The Penn State Clinical & Translational Science Institute has established a dual-title PhD program in Clinical and Translational Sciences that brings together a range of courses, from statistics and epidemiology to scientific communication and bioinformatics.

The coursework, combined with a required internship experience, faculty mentoring, and exposure to CTSI tools and resources, gives students the broad base of knowledge needed to launch a career in clinical and translational science. Students graduate with a PhD in a concentration of their choice with the dual title in Clinical & Translational Sciences.

Common Careers
  • Investigator at a research institute
  • Investigator in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry

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