MSTP Fellows are simultaneously enrolled in the School of Medicine and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of New York University in a coordinated and integrated curriculum that emphasizes the close association of fundamental science and medicine. Throughout their tenure in the program, an average of eight years, students receive full fellowships which include tuition remission. Incoming students for 2009 will receive a stipend of $29,000 per year and health insurance. The program receives financial support from an MSTP grant awarded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIH), as well as from the NYU School of Medicine and private foundations.

The usual course of study includes the first two years of medical school integrated with three summer research rotations followed by approximately 4 years of thesis studies, culminating with a PhD degree. After concluding with approximately 18 months of clinical clerkships and electives in the hospitals of Tisch, New York Veterans Administration and Bellevue, the MD degree is awarded and fellows enter top tier residency programs around the country. The typical MD/PhD graduate devotes approximately 80% of his or her time to biomedical research and the remainder to clinical or administrative responsibilities, usually in clinical departments of research-oriented medical centers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the specific admissions criteria for the NYU MSTP? How are they different from the regular application to graduate or medical school? A: The selection process is very competitive, in accordance with the program itself. We are looking for candidates with intense curiosity, self-discipline, and compassion. Applicants should show promise for the requirements of all physician-scientists: intellectual rigor and intuitive insight, mastery of minutiae and a comprehension of the larger clinical or biological context. Intelligence, preparedness, motivation, aptitude, experience, success, and competence are all taken into account. We also look for excellence in course work at the college level. The letters of recommendation are very important because they define your potential and capabilities.

Q: Where should letters of recommendation for the MD/PhD (MSTP) applicants be sent?
A: Letters of recommendation from research mentors should be sent directly to the MD/PhD office:

The MSTP Admissions Committee
NYU Medical Scientist Training Program
Attn: Arlene Kohler
550 First Avenue New York, NY 10016
Email: arlene.kohler@nyumc.org
Tel.: (888) 698 6787

All other letters should be sent to the NYU School of Medicine Admissions office.

Q: Is there a maximum number of recommendations I can submit?
A: MD/PhD applicants must submit letters of recommendation from research mentors to the MSTP Admissions Committee. These should be sent directly to the MD/PhD office. There is no limit to the letters you can submit, so additional letters of recommendation are welcome. In order to apply for Medical School, however, applicants are required to submit a premedical committee appraisal or two letters, at least one of which written by a faculty member with a science background. Both letters must be from professors who taught you in a lecture course. Applicants to the MD/PhD Program must submit these letters in addition to the letters from their research mentors.

Q: Are foreign students allowed to apply?
A: In view of the large number of applications to the School of Medicine and the difficulties involved in the application procedures for students abroad, foreign candidates are not encouraged to apply unless they are permanent residents of the United States. The NYU MSTP is funded for US citizens and permanent residents. Canadian citizens are eligible to apply to the MD program but they are not eligible for the MD/PhD program.

Q: How can I know the status of my application?
A: All questions regarding application status should be directed to the program administrator Ms. Arlene Kohler. Please note that during peak application season there may be a delay in hearing back as the school is inundated with requests.

Q: Are the MD/PhD applications reviewed by the MSTP Admissions Committee first?
A: Yes. You can still be considered for the MD program if your application to the MD/PhD program is not accepted, since the MD committee reviews applications at a later date. However, you will not be considered automatically for NYU PhD programs if you are not accepted into the NYU MD/PhD program.

Q: To whom should I speak if my question is not answered here?
A: Arlene Kohler is the administrator for the NYU MD/PhD Program and she will be happy to assist you with any specific or individual questions you may have. Her number is (212) 263 5649 or (888) 698 6787 and she can be reached at the following email address arlene.kohler@nyumc.org.