MD/PhD

MD/PhD or DO/PhD refers to an education which includes both the medical training of a doctor (MD or DO) with the rigor of a scientific researcher (PhD). It can refer to the designation given to a person who has graduated from such an education, or an educational program which incorporates both curriculums.

Profession
An MD/PhD or DO/PhD is usually more focused on research than a regular MD or DO. Regular doctors can also do research, but, all other things equal, the PhD degree usually allows a better chance for getting research positions and grant acceptance.

Educational program
The dual degree program at a university is a selective, mostly underwritten program which produces medical doctors who wish to also focus on research. The applicants to a combined degree vs. a regular MD or DO degree lie mainly in the amount of research experience they have already attained, and the competitive nature of the degree (due to the usually free tuition and stipend) means that the grades and scores are usually higher, also.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has developed a grant to underwrite some universities' MD/PhD programs, called Medical Scientist Training Program.