A WashU dual MD/PhD opens the door to endless opportunities to affect change in medicine by applying a clinical perspective to basic science. Our collegial, collaborative culture and innovative, flexible curriculum will prepare you for a fulfilling career as a physician-scientist equipped to ask tough clinical and research questions and apply the learnings.

Natasha Kafai, an MD/PhD student, smiles for the camera while wearing safety glasses and a white coat and working in a scientific research lab.

Successful applicants will have excellent scholarly qualifications, as demonstrated by their academic record. Furthermore, they should have a minimum of two years of undergraduate or post-baccalaureate research experience, outstanding letters of reference, and evidence of a strong commitment to an MD/PhD career in science and medicine. Applications will be reviewed holistically, and the 25 students in each class cohort will have a diverse range of experiences, research interests and career intentions.​ Individuals must have completed a minimum of 90 semester units of credit or an MA degree in an appropriate field at an approved institution of higher education in the United States or Canada to be eligible for the program. Citizenship status is not a consideration in admissions decisions, and international students receive the same funding as domestic students. The Graduate Record Exam is not required.

Although most individuals enter the MSTP as first-year students, applications from students in their first or second year at Washington University School of Medicine are encouraged.


Apply early!

Applying to WashU’s Medical Scientist Training Program consists of two main steps with the following deadlines:

May: Medical school application through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) opens.
July: The Washington University School of Medicine supplemental application opens.
October 15: Deadline for submitting the AMCAS and designating WUSM’s MSTP. Transcripts must be submitted to AMCAS.
October 31: Deadline for submitting the WUSM supplemental application.
November 6: All recommendation letters must be received.

We strongly encourage you to submit materials well in advance of these deadlines. We expect that half of the interview slots will be filled before the October 15 AMCAS deadline. Learn more about the MSTP application process.