G-MST-PHD - Medical Scientist Training Program - PhD

The Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), administered under the auspices of The Graduate School and the School of Medicine, is designed for students with strong backgrounds in science who are interested in careers in the medical sciences and academic medicine. The program combines graduate education in the trainee’s chosen field of study with the clinical curriculum of the School of Medicine. Most trainees pursue a PhD in the biomedical sciences but others pursue degrees in medically relevant social sciences. Completion of the program typically requires seven to eight years of study and leads to both the MD and PhD. The combination of scientific and clinical training affords a remarkable range of career opportunities for program graduates, who generally follow one of two broad paths: Some pursue careers in teaching and research in one of the basic medical sciences; others enter residency programs and then go on to investigative and teaching careers in clinical medicine. Most graduates pursue some combination of research and clinical work. 

Eligibility

Applicants must meet both The Graduate School PhD admission requirements and the School of Medicine MD admission requirements. Application and acceptance to the School of Medicine is requisite for admission to the MSTP. Most students apply for admission to the MSTP concurrent with application to first year of the MD program, but a few students are admitted each year after completing the second or third year of the School of Medicine. In addition to the minimum requirements for acceptance into The Graduate School and the School of Medicine, advanced coursework in science and mathematics and significant prior research experience are key elements in the selection of new students. Evidence of the potential for serious investigative work as a physician-scientist is essential. Because a significant portion of the program’s funding is provided by a National Institutes of Health training grant, program participants must be US citizens or official permanent residents of the United States.

The Training Program

Duke University School of Medicine’s unique third-year research curriculum is well suited for dual-degree programs. The third year of medical school is essentially the first year of the PhD program, an arrangement that shortens the time-to-degree for the dual-degree student by a year. The typical student spends the first two years in medical school, followed by four to five years in a PhD program (which substitutes for the third medical school year) and, finally, returns to a fourth year of medical school. The coursework in the first medical school year provides a solid foundation in the basic medical sciences. The second year is devoted to a clinical sciences curriculum. Following completion of the second year, the trainee enters a graduate program to complete requirements for the PhD. A final academic year of elective clinical study completes the requirements for the MD degree. 

The typical student follows the plan outlined above, but students whose research interests are well developed early in the first year may opt to begin the PhD at the beginning of their second year and then complete the clinical sciences curriculum after finishing the PhD. While this is not the typical sequence, considerable latitude is granted to students interested in early research experiences.

Financial Support

All students admitted to the program receive a full fellowship award: tuition, fees, health insurance, and a stipend to cover living expenses. The stipend for 2022-2023 is $33,605 for a twelve-month year. The award increases each year to match increases in fees, tuition, and living expenses. The program provides fellowship funds for the three medical school years and the first twenty-two months of enrollment in the PhD program; the PhD mentor provides financial support in the upper-level PhD years. Tuition for the third year of medical school is forgiven for MSTP students who 1) enter the program prior to the third year of medical school and 2) subsequently complete the PhD. Likewise, financial support for the fourth medical school year is contingent upon completion of the PhD, and, in order to qualify for this support in the last medical school year, the student must complete the PhD within seven years of the end of the second medical school year. Because MSTP fellowship support is intended to enable students to devote full-time to their work toward the two degrees, all years of fellowship support are contingent upon enrollment in either the School of Medicine or The Graduate School, satisfactory progress toward the two degrees, and no gainful employment.

Additional information may be obtained by contacting the program office directly: Medical Scientist Training Program, (919) 668-5528; MSTP@duke.edu.