MD/PhD Program
Dr. Brian Hjelle, MD
MD/PhD Program Director
A Word from the Director...
Welcome to the web site for the MD-PhD combined degree program at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. The program provides state of the art training in both clinical sciences and in one of a number of basic biomedical disciplines, including cancer biology, cardiovascular and neurological diseases, developmental disorders, infectious and immunological illnesses, toxicology and pharmacology, and biochemical bases of disease. The MD-PhD program takes advantage of the extensive skills and knowledge of a very diverse and talented faculty and national-quality scientific resources to offer extremely high-quality training.
The program consists of the first 2 years of the medical school curriculum, followed by 3-5 years of the graduate school curriculum, and concludes with the remaining 2 years of the medical school curriculum. The program is designed to be completed in 7-9 years.
The UNM School of Medicine is located in Albuquerque, a mile-high city with big blue skies, clean air and one of the most pleasant climates in the nation. The culture of the city is a blend of Native-American, Latin, and European flavors. Albuquerque is surrounded by the spectacular Sandia and Manzano mountains on the east, and the Rio Grande and its shady forest on the west. The Jemez Mountains with their hot springs and outdoor recreation are close by. These places provide a wide range of recreational opportunities, including bicycling, hiking, fishing, skiing and bird watching. Major tourist destinations such as Santa Fe and Taos are an easy drive from Albuquerque. Ghost Ranch, made famous by legendary artist Georgia O’Keefe, is within easy driving distance. In sum, New Mexico is an ideal environment for growing professionally and developing a career as a physician-scientist while maintaining a balanced lifestyle.
We invite you to learn more about our program by exploring our web site. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, and please come to visit us soon.
Cordially,
