About the MD | PhD Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP)
A close up of a woman working with lab equipment

Winning Combination

The U-M Medical Scientist Training Program brings together the innovative excellence of our medical school and a diverse selection of top-ranked graduate programs under one umbrella.

Established in 1979, the Michigan MSTP is tailored to meet the educational needs, unique talents and dedication of students who seek a combined MD-PhD degree with the goal of establishing a career in academic medicine.

Our graduates represent the best of what the University of Michigan contributes to the advancement of science and medicine.

Dual Degree, Singular Purpose

When you join the Michigan MSTP, you are welcomed into an engaging and supportive environment where you can reach your maximum potential. That’s because every aspect of our program has been designed around this one goal: to develop the best academic medicine researchers.

For us, this takes many forms: our flexible curriculum, variety of PhD fields, formal and informal support networks, and outstanding clinical and scientific training.

Pioneering Legacy

Established in 1850 as the first professional school at the University of Michigan, our medical school has made history with other notable firsts: the first medical school in the United States to own and operate its own hospital, one of the first major medical schools to admit women, and the first major medical school to teach science-based medicine. In addition, Michigan created and introduced the modern medical curriculum and developed the first clinical clerkships.

Building on that tradition of innovation, the University of Michigan Medical Scientist Training Program was launched in 1979 to facilitate the combined MD-PhD degree education of outstanding, dedicated students.

Facts & Figures

The University of Michigan Medical School builds on its long history of academic excellence, research breakthroughs and major funding support through the efforts of our students, faculty and staff. They come to Michigan for many good reasons—the top one is the opportunity to improve health care for everyone.

Three people working with equipment in a lab Superior Position
103
MSTP Fellows
291
MSTP Alumni
32
Available MSTP PhD Fields
2.7
Average First-Author Papers by MSTP Fellows
U-M MEDICAL SCHOOL

785 Number of Medical Students
818 Number of Graduate Students
524 Number of Postdocs

$443.3 Million

NIH Awards (Medical School)

FACULTY

3965 Total Medical School Faculty
344 Research Track Faculty
1899 Clinical Track Faculty

$720.5 Million

Sponsored Research Project Awards (Medical School)

RESEARCH SUCCESS

• 6 Average Total Papers

• 10% Papers in Journals with Impact Factors ≥ 20

• 6% Papers in Journals with Impact Factors 10-19