MSTP Admissions and FAQs

Admission – How to Apply

Application to UT Southwestern’s Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) requires completion of the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) online application. The admission deadline is Nov. 1.

This application will permit you to submit essays describing your interest in the integrated M.D./Ph.D. Program. UT Southwestern’s MST Program also requires a secondary application, which will be emailed to you upon receipt of your AMCAS application. AMCAS will collect and forward additional supporting documents, including official transcripts and MCAT scores. (GREs are not required.)

Three or more letters of recommendation, including letters from all research mentors, should be sent to UT Southwestern MSTP via AMCAS Letters or other electronic submission services. Please ask references to comment specifically on the nature of your project(s) and your potential as a research scientist.

Applicants are required to complete the CASPer examination. Please be sure to have your scores sent to UT Southwestern. Visit the CASPer site for more information. If you are invited to interview, your scores must be delivered to UT Southwestern prior to your interview date.

Application to UT Southwestern Medical Center Medical School

Applicants who also wish to be considered for the UT Southwestern M.D.-only program must complete the application for Texas Medical and Dental Schools (TMDSAS) and the UT Southwestern Medical School secondary application in addition to the AMCAS MD/PhD application and the UT Southwestern MSTP secondary application. The deadline for TMDSAS primary application is November 1. The deadline for the MD Secondary Application is November 15. Please note that TMDSAS will not forward letters of recommendation to AMCAS or vice versa; applicants applying to both the UT Southwestern MSTP and the traditional M.D.-only program should have letters sent to both services.

Prerequisites for the MST Program:

• Must hold at least a baccalaureate degree
• MCAT is required, but GRE is not.
• International student applications are accepted, provided undergraduate studies were completed at a regionally accredited U.S. or Canadian college or university.
• Required coursework (identical to Medical School prerequisites)

It is desirable, but not mandatory, that the minimum prerequisites for admission to UT Southwestern Medical School be supplemented by one year of college calculus and one year of physical chemistry.

M.D.-Ph.D. Application Timeline

AMCAS application opens: May preceding the year of expected entry
Applicants interviewed: August-January
Final decisions sent to applicants: February
Applicant Revisit dates: March
M.D.-Ph.D. program starts: May-July

The deadline for the AMCAS primary application is November 1. MSTP requires a free secondary application that is due November 15. The secondary application will be automatically sent to applicants upon receipt of the materials from AMCAS.

Recommended Application Timeline: AMCAS will accept applications between May and October of each year. We recommend early submission (between May and August), but keep in mind we must be in receipt of your MCAT scores and letters before decisions will be made on your application.

Program FAQs

• What is your deadline?

  Nov. 1 of each year.

• Do you accept international students?

  Yes, provided they have completed their undergraduate studies at a regionally accredited U.S. or Canadian college or university.

• Do you allow coursework or degrees from non-U.S. colleges/universities to fulfill prerequisites?

  Foreign coursework will not count toward meeting any of the prerequisites, even if transfer credit has been assigned by a U.S. or Canadian school. Rare exceptions may be granted for some courses taken at English-language international institutions, e.g. Oxford.

• What are your program prerequisites?

  See Prerequisites for the MST Program.

• How many letters of recommendation do you require?

  Three or more LOR’s, including letters from all research mentors, should be sent to UT Southwestern MST Program via AMCAS Letters or other electronic submission services. You may also send them directly to our office via email. Please ask references to comment specifically on the nature of your project(s) and your potential as a research scientist.

• What makes a competitive candidate?

  Applications are reviewed holistically. Most successful applicants will have a MCAT of 515 or higher, a GPA of 3.8 or higher, and prior research experience. Some successful applicants with outstanding research experience have lower MCAT scores and/or GPAs. Admitted applicants' scores range between 506 and 527 for the MCAT, with a median of 519. The cumulative GPA of admitted students has ranged between 3.37 and 4.0, with an average of 3.8. Interviews are based on the competitiveness of the applicant pool. You should begin the application process at least one year prior to the desired matriculation.

  What are the chances of acceptance?

  Approximately 10 percent of applicants are accepted.

• Is the GRE required?

  No

• What is the length of your program study?

  Students in our program average approximately eight years, beginning the summer before matriculation with four or more weeks of laboratory research.

• What financial supports are available for our students?

  All MSTP students at UT Southwestern receive a generous annual stipend and fully paid tuition throughout their years in the program. Health insurance coverage for the student is provided at no expense for the duration of the student's enrollment in the Medical Scientist Training Program. Additional coverages are available for purchase through the University of Texas System Blue Cross Blue Shield plan during any benefits enrollment period.

• Are applicants not accepted to the M.D./Ph.D. program considered for
  the M.D. program?

  Not automatically. If you wish to be considered for Medical School alone, you must also apply via TMDSAS. This will ensure that you are reviewed for Medical School based on its criteria, which are different from the MST Program criteria.

• What is living in Dallas/Fort Worth like?

  Take a look! We offer a rich cultural scene, affordable housing, and a reasonable cost of living.

• Do you have questions specific to your AMCAS application?

  See AMCAS FAQs.

Find out more about the MCAT testing requirements.