The Amsterdam UMC/UvA MD/PhD program combines the medical Master’s degree program of the UvA with PhD research. It offers the opportunity to graduate in a shorter time. Students participating in this program can prepare for their Master and Doctorate degree simultaneously
Deadline for application: Friday 16 August 2024
Difference between MD/PhD students of Amsterdam UMC/UvA and Amsterdam UMC/VU
An MD/PhD student combines the Master and PhD within a formalized study arrangement. For Amsterdam UMC/UvA this program is offered in the form of a scholarship. This MD/PhD scholarschip is only accesible for Amsterdam UMC/UvA students. The MD/PhD programme for Amsterdam UMC/VU students has a different design. Find more information here
Master degree program
MD/PhD students are offered a tailored Master’s degree program to enable the combination of education and research (see example above). The actual start and end dates of the Master Phases 1 & 2 and 3 are set by Amsterdam UMC Onderwijssupport, because the internship schedules of subsequent generations of MD/PhD students have to be attuned in order to avoid vacancy of internships. The other parts of the MD/PhD program are flexible. Since internships might need to be planned as far ahead as five years, periods rather than actual places will be granted. MD/PhD students have to contact Amsterdam UMC Onderwijsadministratie eight months in advance to announce the desired starting date of the 'semi-arts' internship (SAS)
The MD/PhD students have the same rights and obligations as other master students during their clinical internships. The Teaching and Examination Regulations (OER) of the Master’s degree program apply to them, as well as the Teaching Regulations for MD/PhD students
Considering the MD/PhD trajectory but not quite sure yet? Do you want to hear experiences form other MD/PhD candidates and ask them some questions? Just send an email to MD/PhD Scholarship (Amsterdam UMC/UvA)
Requirements
Candidates for the MD/PhD program must have a track record full of scientific promise as evidenced by proven research activities on the cv, the grade list and the letter of motivation. In addition a letter of recommendation from an Amsterdam UMC PI, and/or extracurricular research activities in the Amsterdam UMC or affiliated research institutes is needed. Candidates must also have obtained excellent evaluations for their Bachelor’s courses and no unnecessary study delay
Eligible for the MD/PhD program 2024 are students* who:
- Started the Bachelor’s degree program in Medicine in the academic year 2021-2022
- Started earlier and are without unnecessary study delay
- Started the premaster program in Summer 2023
and
- Have not yet started clinical internship rotations, and will not start their clinical internship rotations before March 1, 2025
and
- Will obtain a Bachelor's or Premaster degree in Medicine before January 1, 2025
The MD/PhD program is open for honours Bachelor students as well as other outstanding medical students. The combination of MD/PhD program and honours Master’s degree program is not allowed
It is possible to participate in the selection of the MD/PhD scholarship as well as the double master's degree in biomedical sciences and medicine (DuMa trajectory). In case you are selected for the MD/PhD scholarship, the DuMa program will be terminated. Your clinical internships will be scheduled according to the MD/PhD schedule
*It is not possible to combine the position of anatomy assistent with the MD/PhD Scholarship
Application
To apply for an MD/PhD scholarship, you must submit the following documents to the Doctoral School, in this order:
- a letter explaining your reasons for applying and how you fulfil the requirements
- a research proposal using the standard form (this will be renewed as soon as the new deadline has been announced):
- your curriculum vitae, including the course transcript of your Bachelor's degree or equivalent (cijferlijst) issued by the faculty student administration, and a list of your publications
- written confirmation from your intended PhD supervisor (promotor) that he or she is willing to act in that capacity
The research proposal can be prepared jointly with your intended PhD supervisor, who must sign it for approval. The form includes a description of your research project, the name of the Amsterdam UMC department at which you wish to work, the name of the PhD supervisor, and a budget with the estimated total costs of your research (contact AMR BV for help and instructions), including the proportions to be met from the scholarship and from elsewhere, such as the department or external sources
Research proposal
The MD/PhD research proposal must be submitted with the application. The PhD supervisor is required to co-sign for the research project, and explicitly state his role in the project and confirm his role as promotor. Quality of the research proposal and the supervision are part of the selection criteria
The MD/PhD research proposal must allow for an MD/PhD program scheme: the research work plan typically alternates intensive periods of experiments or data gathering and analysis with quiet periods, or allows for interruptions. During clinical internships, intensive research work cannot be planned and may not be possible
Selection
All applications will be evaluated by a selection committee of three Amsterdam UMC/UvA professors, the manager of the Doctoral School and the programme director of the Master's programme of Medicine UvA, appointed by the Vice Dean of Education of the Faculty of Medicine UvA. Provided that all formal requirements have been met, the committee will consider the motivation, talent and ambition of the applicant, the quality of the research proposal with respect to the scientific content and its feasibility, and the supervision. Previous experience with the research project adds to the credit of the proposal. An external review of the research proposal may be part of the selection procedure
After this first round of deliberations, a short list of applicants will be invited for an interview ('geleerd gesprek'). The final selection of applicants will then be nominated to the Vice Dean of Education of the Faculty of Medicine UvA. In making these nominations, the committee also seeks to achieve a fair balance across the many areas of research at the Amsterdam UMC. The final decision on granting the MD/PhD Scholarships is made by the Vice Dean of Education of the Faculty of Medicine UvA
Design of the program
The MD/PhD program enables MD/PhD students to combine the Master’s degree program and the PhD track and complete both in 5½ years, as follows. The Master’s degree program in Medicine is a three year program. Within the Master’s degree program, the research internship will be extended from 16 to 24 weeks. Therefore it's not possible to follow an additional internship of your choice. In the MD/PhD program, students can get exemption from the extended research internship (see Teaching and Examination Regulations (OER) of the Master's degree program)
The length of a regular PhD track equals 3 to 4 years of full time research work. The MD/PhD program shortens the combined track from 7 (3+4) to 5½ (3+2½) years by offering a program of clinical internships alternated with research periods, expecting hard work and full commitment from the students and well organized supervision and good mentorship
This is a global scheme; the exact starting and end dates as well as the number of weeks of the Master program are determined by Onderwijssupport
- Master Phase 1 & 2: Clinical internships duration is one year and two months including holidays. Start at fixed date
- Master Phase 3: Clinical internships duration is 9 months including holidays. Start at fixed date
- SAS: 'Semi-arts' internship duration is 16 weeks and can be started either directly after Master Phase 3 of six months or more after Master Phase 3
Start dates of Master Phase 1 & 2 and Master Phase 3 are to be determined by Onderwijssupport
Funding
In total, three Amsterdam UMC/UvA funded MD/PhD Scholarships are available each year. The amount of each scholarship is 144k€
The MD/PhD scholarship covers the costs of the salary of an MD/PhD student, plus limited additional research expenses. The department is obliged to match the costs for the PhD trajectory, if the costs exceed the scholarship amount
Before the allocation of the MD/PhD Scholarship, a written matching declaration signed by both the head of the department and the division manager must be submitted. It is also possible to apply with complete departmental or external funding. These applications follow the same selection procedure and criteria
Contract AMR
The MD/PhD student is offered a contract with the AMR (Amsterdam UMC Medical Research BV). It will consist of a series of temporary full-time positions during the research periods. The MD/PhD salary is based on CAO-UMC salary scale 7. In consultation with the AMRbv a budget will be made. Please note that the MD/PhD student must be formally registered as medical student during the Master Phase periods
The MD/PhD Scholarship is a personal grant. If the MD/PhD student leaves the Amsterdam UMC or abandons the approved research before the end of the contract term, the scholarship ends
Start of the program
The MD/PhD Scholarship winners can start their track once they have obtained their bachelor degree, and the director of Onderwijssupport has agreed on the start dates of the Master Phase 1 & 2 and 3 (clinical internships). The MD/PhD students participate in a mentor group with a special mentor who will guide and support them throughout the complete MD/PhD program
Each MD/PhD track has its own timing, but there will be fixed moments of evaluation and feedback for both the MD/PhD students and the organization of the program. All MD/PhD students must register as PhD candidates with the Amsterdam UMC Doctoral School upon the start of their MD/PhD track, and have access to the PhD Course Program as well as other activities. The academic study advisors for the Master’s degree program in Medicine will act as the primary study advisors for the MD/PhD candidates
Completion of the program
MD/PhD students obtain their Master’s degree before applying for candidacy to the Doctorate degree. The UvA requires this qualification for admittance to the defence of the PhD thesis