We are delighted that you are considering the MD-PhD program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. With the support of a diverse faculty and stimulating curriculum, our program will prepare you for a distinguished career in research, education, and the public or private sector.
The MD-PhD admissions process follows a timetable similar to the traditional MD program. The application process begins with the submission of your primary materials to the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) which should be filed no later than October 1 of the year preceding the one for which you wish to be admitted. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit the AMCAS application as early as possible.
When submitting to the AMCAS, make sure to designate the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai as the recipient, and indicate that you are interested in our MD-PhD program - this will then lead to additional essay prompts. Upon selecting our Program, you will be asked to choose potential fields for your PhD.
We will require additional information from all applicants. After your AMCAS primary application is received by our admissions committee, an email will be sent to you for how to complete the online supplemental application for our MD-PhD program. This supplemental application will allow you to more fully describe your reasons for applying to the School, as well as indicate your specific areas of interest. We use this information to select the most appropriate faculty members to meet with you, should you be invited for an interview.
You may submit the secondary application from early July through November 1. The earliest date of notification of acceptance to the MD-PhD program is generally January of the year of matriculation. If you are admitted to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, you must acknowledge receipt of the offer within two weeks after receipt of notification.
All letters of recommendation should be submitted to AMCAS via their letter reception services. There is no need to send duplicate copies to our Office of Admissions.
PhD Training Areas
For the PhD portion of your application, you will need to choose one from different multidisciplinary training areas (MTAs) offered by the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.
- Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies in Medicine
- Cancer Biology
- Developmental, Regeneration, and Stem Cells
- Genetics and Genomics Sciences
- Immunology
- Microbiology
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology and Therapeutics Discovery
The selection made on your application is purely informational and not binding. Your final choice of MTA is made after you have matriculated. PhD research is performed in collaboration with one of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai research institutes. Completion of the program leads to conferral of a PhD degree in Biomedical Sciences or Neuroscience.
Admissions Eligibility
In addition to meeting the minimum subject requirements for admission to the MD program, you must have significant research experience. You should also have taken advanced courses in the sciences. Completion of the MD program also requires adherence to the technical standards for admission. Preference will be given to applicants who will join the Program during the first year of MD-PhD training. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents.
Interviews
We conduct interviews throughout the admissions season, which typically begins in October and concludes in January. We interview approximately 80-100 students per season, out of a pool of approximately 500 completed applications. The interview session typically begins on a Monday afternoon and concludes the following afternoon.
During your interview, you will have the opportunity to meet with the program leadership, members of the admissions committee, multidisciplinary training area directors, faculty members, and current students.
Formal interviews will be conducted by four or five faculty members from the Graduate School and the Medical Education program, as well as one advanced MD-PhD student. Interviewers will be selected based on the research interests you specified in your supplementary application. If invited to interview, you should be prepared to discuss past scientific and clinical experiences, your reasons for applying, and notable aspects of your application.
What if I am not invited to interview?
Applicants who are not selected for interviews may be routed to the Medical School admissions department for consideration. MD admissions decisions are made independent of the MD-PhD review process.
Admissions Decisions
We evaluate all applications. As part of our decision-making, we consider factors such as undergraduate performance, courses taken, MCAT scores, and recommendations from research mentors and other undergraduate faculty. We look for a commitment to and serious exposure to research. Admission offers and waitlist decisions will be made beginning in December and January and will continue until we have filled the class.
An approximate admissions timetable will be discussed at the conclusion of your interviews.
We aim to enroll a class of 12 students each year.
All admission offers include a guaranteed stipend for the entirety of the program, coverage of all medical school tuition, an excellent medical insurance package, and access to subsidized on-campus housing.
Revisit Weekend
Admitted MD-PhD students will be invited to attend Revisit Weekend, an admitted student event for the MD and MD-PhD program. Revisit is typically held in April. Revisit is an opportunity for you to meet your future classmates as well as visit our research faculty, some of whom you may wish to rotate in the summer.