Medical Scientist Training Program

Application

Eligibility

:: Complete online AMCAS application :: Complete the MCW online secondary application   :: Send letters of recommendation to M.D. program   :: Send letters of recommendation separately to MSTP office

The Medical Scientist Training Program welcomes applications from individuals desiring careers as physician-scientists.  All applicants must satisfy the requirements for the medical school, which can be found at www.mcw.edu/acad/admission.  Applicants should have strong academic qualifications as well as experiences that demonstrate potential for success as clinician-investigators.  The MSTP Admissions Committee looks at applicants as whole individuals, considering life experiences as well as academic achievement.  Substantive research experience is highly desirable.

Application Process
We do not have a rolling admissions policy; however, we may admit a limited number of highly competitive applicants prior to the end of our interview process. Whether or not this is done depends upon the quality of the applicant pool in any given year.

First, applicants must apply to the combined M.D./Ph.D. program at the Medical College of Wisconsin.  An online AMCAS application must be completed through the Association of American Medical Colleges at www.aamc.org.  The Medical College of Wisconsin must be included in the list of schools to which the application will be sent. The AMCAS completion deadline is November 1st.  An applicant applies to both the M.D. program as well as to the MSTP, and the application is reviewed by separate committees for admission into each of these respective programs.  Applicants not chosen for admission into the MSTP are still considered separately for admission into the M.D. program.

Second, applicants must complete the online MCW secondary application for the M.D. program. Please read and follow the MSTP instructions within the secondary application.  Once the initial AMCAS application is received, the MCW Office of Admissions for the M.D. program will contact the applicant via email with instructions to complete the secondary application.  All secondary materials requested by MCW must be completed no later than January 31st.  There is no additional cost to apply to the MSTP beyond that which is requested for application to the M.D. program -- the MSTP does not charge a fee.

Third, letters of recommendation must be sent directly to the MSTP Admissions Committee.  These letters are required in addition to the letters sent to the M.D. Admissions Committee.  This MSTP application requirement may be fulfilled by sending either an evaluation packet from the applicant's Premedical Advisory Committee or three individual letters of recommendation (of the applicant's choosing) directly to the MSTP at MCW.  Letters for admission into the M.D. program and the MSTP may be written by the same or by different individuals; however, the MSTP letters should be addressed and sent separately to:

Applicants will be evaluated by the MSTP Admissions Committee based upon undergraduate transcripts, MCAT scores, research experiences, letters of recommendation, and other experiences provided.  Selected applicants will be invited to visit the College for interviews with faculty and MSTP Admissions Committee members.  When possible, interviews for the M.D. program and the MSTP will take place during the same visit.  If an individual is chosen and accepts an interview, the MSTP will pay for their hotel accomodations, as well as reimburse reasonable airfare/travel costs for their visit.  During the visit, the applicant will meet current MSTP students and will have the opportunity to visit selected research laboratories.  Applicants who are accepted into the MSTP will be given the opportunity to revisit the campus at a later date (before their official start date) to meet with additional faculty who share their research interests.  This second visit will help the new trainee to identify potential laboratories for their initial laboratory rotations, and will ease their transition into the MSTP.

In summary, a complete MSTP application consists of the following components:

Additional information about the Medical Scientist Training Program can be obtained by contacting the MSTP Office: