Welcome

We encourage you to browse this web site as well as those of the OSU Medical School, the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, the Biomedical Engineering (BME) and the Neuroscience (NGSP) graduate programs. You will find it very interesting to see how during the first two years the medical curriculum of our unique Independent Study Program has been used to integrate training in the basic medical sciences with the core curriculum both the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program and NGSP. This coordinated curriculum provides the opportunity for students during this phase to study simultaneously pre-clinical and graduate research subjects. Students also obtain laboratory research experience that helps them to choose a dissertation research topic and advisor. During this time students also take courses in Anatomy, Patient Centered Research, and Clinical Assessment and Problem Solving I.

Beginning in the third year, the educational emphasis shifts more towards graduate research training. In addition to courses in grant writing, MSTP students take advanced graduate courses and research seminars, and become heavily involved in their dissertation research. However, medical training also continues with classes in Clinical Assessment and Problem Solving II and Clinical Preceptorships. Near the end of the PhD research training, and immediately before entering the Med III clinics, students receive training in Advanced Cardiac Life Support and take the courses Introduction to Clinical Medicine and Capstone. This provides a smooth transition to the clinics. The medical school also allows the option of receiving credit for dissertation research for up to four clinical electives. This efficient curriculum provides continuous, rigorous, integrated research, and clinical training that will prepare MSTP students extremely well for successful careers as physician-scientists.

The OSU medical school realizes that this is a very long, demanding curriculum, and does not want financial considerations to be a distraction to the success of MSTP students. Therefore, the program provides a generous financial package for students accepted into the MSTP. This includes a complete tuition waiver for all years of study, including both medical and graduate school, and a generous annual stipend. Needless to say, admission is highly selective, and reserved for only highly talented students who are committed to an academic career as a physician-scientist with a heavy involvement in research. If you are such a person, we highly recommend that you consider applying for this program. Although it is very challenging, we can assure you that the opportunities for learning and studying with internationally recognized scientists will make the educational effort and your future career extremely rewarding.

Larry Schlesinger, MD
Director, Medical Scientist Training Program


Lawrence Kirschner, MD, PhD
Associate Director, Medical Scientist Training Program


Ashley Bertran, MLHR
Program Manager