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Physician-Scientist DevelopmentIn-Press Preview Open Access | 10.1172/jci.insight.199316

Comparing MD-PhD trainee experiences by disciplinary background

Cambray Smith,1 Evans K. Lodge,2 C. Ray Cheever,2 Seth M. Holmes,3 and Anna R. Kahkoska4

1Department of Health Policy and Management, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States of America

2School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States of America

3Division of Society and Environment, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, United States of America

4Department of Nutrition, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States of America

Find articles by Smith, C. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Department of Health Policy and Management, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States of America

2School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States of America

3Division of Society and Environment, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, United States of America

4Department of Nutrition, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States of America

Find articles by Lodge, E. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Department of Health Policy and Management, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States of America

2School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States of America

3Division of Society and Environment, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, United States of America

4Department of Nutrition, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States of America

Find articles by Cheever, C. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Department of Health Policy and Management, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States of America

2School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States of America

3Division of Society and Environment, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, United States of America

4Department of Nutrition, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States of America

Find articles by Holmes, S. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Department of Health Policy and Management, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States of America

2School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States of America

3Division of Society and Environment, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, United States of America

4Department of Nutrition, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States of America

Find articles by Kahkoska, A. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

Published April 7, 2026 - More info

JCI Insight. https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.199316.
Copyright © 2026, Smith et al. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
Published April 7, 2026 - Version history
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Abstract

MD-PhD trainees increasingly pursue PhDs in humanities, social sciences, and public health (SSHPH). We characterized SSHPH trainee experiences and compared them to peers in traditional biomedical disciplines. From March-July 2023, a nationwide survey was sent to United States MD-PhD programs that accept SSHPH trainees. Both SSHPH and non-SSHPH trainees participated in a survey focused on belonging, challenges and barriers, funding, and leadership recommendations. Quantitative data were analyzed using Fisher’s exact tests, Student’s t-tests, and Wilcoxon rank sum tests. Qualitative comments were analyzed using a hybrid deductive-inductive approach. 234 MD-PhD trainees across the U.S. participated, with 111 (47.4%) in SSHPH and 123 (52.6%) in non-SSHPH disciplines. Overall, there were many similarities between trainees across disciplinary groups, but small and consistent differences were noted among SSHPH trainees, including decreased belonging, difficulty identifying role models, and increased work requirements during graduate school. Respondents had 5 recommendations for MD-PhD leaders and 3 recommendations for the National Institutes of Health, such as integrating SSHPH scholars into speaker series and incentivizing funding parity. Limitations include high percentages of missing responses. This exploratory study provides insights into SSHPH MD-PhD trainee experiences, highlighting similarities and unique needs that can be addressed within and across MD-PhD programs.

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