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There鈥檚 a new doctor in town. In a milestone moment, NYIT will launch its first Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree program, the highest academic degree that can be conferred by a university, for the 2019-2020 academic year. The inaugural doctoral candidates will pursue a combined Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.)/Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Medical and Biological Sciences.

鈥淭his is a landmark moment for NYIT,鈥� said NYIT President聽Hank Foley, Ph.D.聽鈥淚t is a great opportunity for faculty to train new generations of clinical physicians who are fully invested in research that will advance medical science.鈥�

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) finds that of the nearly one million practicing physicians in the United States, only 14,000 (1.5%) reported research as their primary focus. With fewer clinicians pursuing careers as physician-scientists, projected demand will exceed expected supply, and medical innovation is in danger of becoming stagnant.

Many of today鈥檚 life-saving medical advancements can be traced to physician-scientists, practitioners of translational medicine who increase the efficiency of therapeutic strategies by bridging the gap between clinical care and biomedical research. With a unique ability to connect insight from their patient interactions to their investigations, these medical professionals can facilitate discoveries to treat and cure human disease.

鈥淭his new degree program will ensure a steady supply of highly skilled research physicians who will ensure that medicine continually evolves to solve our most pressing challenges,鈥� said聽Jerry Balentine, D.O., dean of聽NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine聽(NYITCOM) and vice president for Health Sciences and Medical Affairs.

The highly competitive, seven-year D.O./Ph.D. program begins with students completing the traditional pre-clinical coursework taken by traditional first- and second-year medical students. In years three through five (after D.O./Ph.D. program candidacy has been awarded), Ph.D.-level coursework in biomedical and anatomical systems will supplement the medical school curriculum. During this period, each student will carry out an in-depth research project under the mentorship of an NYITCOM faculty member leading to a doctoral thesis. Upon completion of the Ph.D. degree requirements (90 credits required), students will then fulfill the clinical training required of third and fourth-year NYITCOM students. 

Stay tuned for more information about the program as it develops.