Duke Home  |  Bulletins  |  University Registrar |  Graduate School
		2008-09 Bulletin of the Duke University Graduate School

Medical Scientist Training Program

Dona Chikaraishi, PhD, Interim Director

The Medical Scientist Training Program, conducted 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 sciences basic to medicine with the clinical curriculum of the School of Medicine. It typically requires seven to eight years of study and leads to both the MD and PhD degrees. The combination of basic science 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.

Eligibility. Applicants must meet the admission requirements of both the Graduate School as candidates for the PhD degree and the School of Medicine as candidates for the MD degree. Most candidates apply for admission to the first year of the program, but a few students are admitted each year after completing the second or third year of Duke University School of Medicine. In addition to the minimum requirements for acceptance into the Graduate School and the School of Medicine, advanced course work in science and mathematics as well as prior research experience count heavily in the selection of candidates. Due to restrictions on fellowship funding, program participants must be United States citizens or official permanent residents of the US.

The Training Program. Duke University School of Medicine's unique third-year research curriculum fits nicely with a dual degree program. 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 about four years in a PhD program (which serve as 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 the requirements for the PhD degree. 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 2008-2009 is $26,000 per year. The full first-year award for 2008-2009 totals $71,494. The award increases each year to match increases in fees, tuition, and living expenses. The program provides these fellowship funds for the medical school years and the early portion of the PhD study. The student's PhD mentor provides financial support for the student in the upper-level PhD years. The third year of School of Medicine tuition (the research year) is waived for MSTP students who complete the PhD degree. Any student who drops from the program without completing the PhD must pay this year of School of Medicine tuition.

Additional information may be obtained by contacting the program office directly: Medical Scientist Training Program, Box 102005, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710; MSTP@duke.edu; 919-684-2412.