Interested in applying to Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai’s MD/PhD program? Here’s what you need to know.
Frequently Asked Questions
The MD/PhD Admissions Committee recognizes that the COVID-19 pandemic may have disrupted your efforts as your prepared to apply to MD/PhD programs. Given that, the Admissions Committee will be flexible in its application review and will continue to evaluate applicants within the context of their environment. With respect to the MCAT, we understand that applicants may still have pending scores. Due to the circumstances this year, applicants will be considered for interview invitations with a pending MCAT score but will not be considered for admission unless the score has been reported. We recommend taking the exam no later than August to allow 4-6 weeks for score reporting in time for admissions decisions.
We receive some 400 applications every year, and interview 80-100 of those students. The matriculating MD/PhD class typically comprises 12 students.
No, enrollment in a formal pre-med program is not needed to apply. However, you must fulfill the following requirements, or have a plan to do so before matriculating. Our minimum requirements include one year of each of the following undergraduate courses:
- Biology with a laboratory component
- English
- Inorganic chemistry with a laboratory component
- Mathematics
- Organic chemistry with a laboratory component
- Physics
Courses in statistics or computer science may fulfill the mathematics requirement. You may also use biochemistry courses to fulfill the organic chemistry requirement. Prospective students should also demonstrate strong research interest and experience.
All applicants are expected to have substantial research experience; this is the single most important criterion for eligibility to our Program
Our program has many special features, including:
- Multidisciplinary training areas that foster sensitivity to the interfaces between basic science research and clinical/translational applications
- Access to cutting-edge research technology in bioinformatics, genomics, and computational biology
- Flexibility in path through the program:
- PhD phase may be inserted anywhere in the MD sequence, pending Director’s approval
- Flexibility in restart date for MD3 up to October 1 (potential to add tail end to PhD and still graduate on time)
- Highly individualized opportunities, as well as collaboration opportunities among MD/PhD students
- A vibrant, growing faculty in a major urban medical center, whose diverse clinical settings and large patient base enhance the opportunities for learning and research
If you are offered a position in the entering class, you will also be offered a fellowship package, which consists of direct reimbursement (for the 2022-2023 academic year, direct reimbursement is $44,000), the full cost of tuition, and a comprehensive medical insurance package. A competitive travel fund is also available. With satisfactory performance, you will continue to receive financial support until you receive your terminal degree.
Please visit our admissions page for more information regarding the admissions timeline and application requirements.
Candidates not accepted to the MD/PhD program will automatically be considered for admission to the MD program. Therefore, no action is required to be considered for the MD program. Admissions decisions for the MD program are made independently from the MD/PhD review process.
Yes, but preference will be given to applicants who will join the program during the first year of MD/PhD training.
You should only apply to the MSTP if you are committed to a career in biomedical research. This commitment should be based, in part, on your previous sustained and productive research experience as an undergraduate. If you're not sure, consider working full-time in a laboratory after undergraduate school before deciding whether an MSTP is right for you.
To learn more about the MD/PhD dual degree path and see if it’s right for you, please review the resources below:
For status updates, please email MD/PhD Program Manager, Bianca Taylor at bianca.taylor-starobin@mssm.edu.