Medical Scientist Training Programs

General information, the admissions process, and all sorts of other stuff I didn’t know when I was an undergraduate

Mark FitzgeraldMSTP StudentDepartment of NeuroscienceUniversity of Virginia School of Medicine

What is an MST program?

• MSTP = Medical Scientist Training Program

• Combined degree program funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with the goal of training students to become physician-scientists

• Physician-scientists are highly trained as clinicians and researchers, and it is this unique training that allows these individuals to operate at the forefront of biomedical research

• MSTP versus MD/PhD – Terms are often used interchangeably; however, only MST programs receive

dedicated NIH funding. Non-MST programs fund their trainees internally.

– Know where your program of interest gets its money!

What do physician-scientists do?

• Physician-scientists perform translational research that bridges the gap between medical need and basic research questions

• They can also be involved in teaching at the medical student/resident level and in carrying out clinical research studies

• Most often, physician-scientists have academic appointments at university hospitals where they care for patients while operating a research laboratory

• In theory, a physician-scientist can choose any specialty or subspecialty for their clinical practice. In practice, surgical subspecialties and family medicine are less often chosen.

How do I know if this career is a good fit for me?

• You might make a good physician scientist if you…– Like asking and answering research questions in a lab setting

– Want to have a hand in developing new therapies for important medical problems

– Envision a large clinical research component to your medical practice

– See your career involving teaching and medical education

– Enjoy both science and medicine too much to pick between the two

• You might want to avoid this career path if you…– Want your career to be mostly (or entirely) clinical practice

– Are not interested in academic medicine (or teaching) at all

– Hate research

• While the tuition waiver and stipend of an MST program is attractive, you NEVER want these features to be the driving force behind your reasons for applying.

MSTP Applications1. AMCAS (including online supplemental MSTP

application)• Deadline: November 1 at the latest

2. School specific secondary application + any specific MSTP supplement for that school

• Includes any specific MSTP supplement for that school• Also includes secondary application fee and letters of

recommendation• Deadline: variable; at UVA secondaries are due January 4 and

MSTP supplements are due January 10at the latest!

3. The interview!!• Interview offers (and admissions offers) can be rolling, so check

for specifics on the website of the program to which you are applying

• UVA has an “early” admission and a “standard” admission• Early: all application materials completed no later than Nov. 1• Standard: Jan. 4 for secondary, January 10 for MSTP suppl.

The MSTP Interview (a.k.a. you better have answers for these questions!)

• Why are you interested in an MD/PhD program, rather than a degree in either discipline alone?

• What do you think are some of the challenges in a career as a physician-scientist?

• How do you envision managing what are essentially two full-time jobs and combining them into a single career?

• How did you first become interested in a physician-scientist career?

• Where do you see your career in 10 years?

• Why did you choose to apply to our program specifically?

• Tell me about your research.

Good questions to ask in your interviews

• How many students do you interview/accept/enroll?

• What is the stipend, how long can I receive it, and how many of your accepted applicants receive funding?

• How long does it take, on average, to finish the program here?

• What careers do your graduates go on to pursue? Where have your recent graduates matched for their residencies?

• How does the transition from medical to graduate school and vice versa work? What do you do to make the transition easier for your students?

• What do you like about being at this particular institution? What would you change?

How to make your application look more attractive to programs

1. Get more research experience!2. Get more research experience!3. Get more research experience!4. Don’t forget about clinical experiences5. Informed knowledge about the career path and a

clear commitment to biomedical research – (i.e., interest in more than just the “practice” of medicine)

6. Good letters of recommendation7. Other volunteerism, tutoring, etc.8. Good grades

– While important, these aren’t what make you attractive to schools, because most applicants have high MCATs and great GPAs

Links

• My email address: mfitz@virginia.edu

• List of MSTP funded institutions: http://www.nigms.nih.gov/Training/InstPredoc/PredocInst-MSTP.htm

• UVA MSTP: http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/mstp

• UVA Neuroscience Graduate Program: http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/neuroscience/

• UVA Summer Research Internship Program: http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/gpo/srip/