Welcome

So, you're thinking about joining an MD/PhD program. You've come to the right place. We have been training MD/PhDs for nearly 40 years and have evolved a program with a supportive, individualized and exciting environment in which to train.

What is special about our program? First, the collaborative spirit between different labs as well as between basic scientists and clinicians is extraordinary. Second, the integration between medical and graduate curricula is seamless, and a focus to eliminate overlap has truly made this a combined program. Third, the flexibility of the program is a great strength. We realize that students enter with differing backgrounds and develop different interests. We mold the rules to the individual rather than forcing students to conform to what is best for the average student. Fourth, Washington University combines one of the nation's top medical schools with superb research opportunities. Fifth, our program is supported by the largest MSTP training grant in the country. In addition, the program has a substantial private endowment, which allows us to provide U.S. and non-U.S. citizens with a fully-funded training program. Finally, the support for our program, from Dean and faculty, from our administrative and academic staff, is unrivaled. We have an outstanding professional staff of four individuals dedicated solely to supporting the MSTP.

OK, it sounds pretty good but you aren't sure you could live in St. Louis? You'd be surprised. St. Louis offers all the advantages and excitement of urban living, but at a comfortable pace and affordable cost. Whether you prefer Goya or Pollack, Bach or 50 Cent, the solitude of rock climbing or the camaraderie of 70,000 others at a professional football game, St. Louis has something for you. Outdoor adventures start just across the street in the magnificent Forest Park, or are just a short drive away in the free-flowing streams and trails of the Ozark Mountains.

There has never been a more exciting time to be a physician-scientist. The scientific discoveries of the next decade will be truly astonishing, and Washington University will play a key role in advancing bench research and developing innovative treatment modalities for some of our most intractable diseases. We invite you to join the MSTP as we discover the future of science and medicine.

Wayne Yokoyama, M.D. and Jean Schaffer, M.D.
Program Directors