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Disclaimer
Notice: The following
information was provided by MD/PhD students,
and is not official data from the MD/PhD
program administration or from APSA. For
official information, please contact the
program administration listed below. If you
are aware of any outdated or incorrect
information on this page, or if you can
think of anything useful to include, please
let us know at
ssh@physicianscientists.org so that we
may improve the page.
University of
California, San Diego
Social
Science/Humanities PhD Field Supported:
No official program, but open to
nontraditional MSTP applicants. PhDs in
Health Care Economics,
Psychological/Psychiatric Anthropology, and
Public Health all accepted since 1990.
Description of Program:
UCSD’s MSTP considers
applications from students interested in
pursuing PhDs in nontraditional fields. In
addition to the MeSSH fields mentioned
above, several students have completed PhDs
in bioengineering. Historically strong
programs at UCSD that might also be
considered include Cognitive Science,
Sociology, and Science & Technology Studies.
Interested students should contact Paul
Insel, MD, director of the MSTP, and the
admissions committees of the relevant
graduate departments.
Structure of Program:
UCSD’s program is a Medical
Scientist Training Program (MSTP). Typically
medical anthropology MD/PhD students
complete their first two years of medical
school. (UCSD has historically discouraged
students from starting clinical clerkships
before completing their graduate program,
although this is periodically revisited.)
MSTP students then begin their PhD program;
previous medical social sciences and
humanities students have not usually been
able to place out of core courses, though
this may vary depending on circumstances.
Applicants should consult the websites of
the relevant departments for course and
research requirements, as well as typical
time to completion. Recent graduates in
medical social sciences and humanities
fields have taken between 5 and 7 years to
complete the PhD. A preceptorship program
open to students in their final year of the
PhD program allows students to brush up on
clinical material before starting third year
clerkships. Note that students are only
allowed to return to the wards to begin
their third year of medical school (clinical
clerkships) between June and September (that
is, at the start of the summer quarter,
middle of summer quarter, or start of fall
quarter).
Size of incoming joint
MD/PhD class: 8-10 per year
Number of students in
the social sciences or humanities:
typically 1 every several years
Number of graduates
from the SSH joint MD/PhD program: 3
Current number of
students in the Social Sciences and
Humanities: 0
Application Process:
The application process
involves:
-
Complete application with
the required transcripts and MCAT scores
to the American Medical College
Application Service (AMCAS) indicating
you are applying to the UCSD School of
Medicine and The Medical Scientist
Training Program.
-
MSTP application
materials will be sent only to
applicants who pass the initial
screening and are invited to submit a
secondary application to the Medical
School.
-
If you apply to the MSTP,
you will be asked to submit a brief
supplemental essay describing your past
research experiences, your interests,
and your future career goals.
-
You will also need to submit
confidential letters of reference on
your behalf directly to the Medical
School Admissions office. The MSTP is
especially interested in hearing from
your past research advisors and others
who can comment on your aptitude for
research. Do not send any
letters of recommendation to the MSTP
office.
-
Your secondary
application will be reviewed
independently by the Medical School and
the MSTP. If chosen for an MSTP
interview, you will be invited to visit
San Diego for one day of regular medical
school interviews and orientation,
followed by a second day of interviews
for the MSTP. Our MSTP interview process
includes individual meetings with two
faculty from the program in Medical
Anthropology and with two other graduate
faculty. You will also meet with our
Program Administrator and with current MSTP students.
Funding:
MSTP trainees receive the NIH MSTP
training grant ($20,500/year) during all
four years of medical school. MSTP
students in laboratory sciences are
typically funded for their first year of
graduate work, after which they are
expected to obtain outside funding or be
supported by their PI. Students in SSH
fields may negotiate with the MSTP to
take their year of graduate funding at a
later point; it may be more advantageous
to obtain funding through their
departments in the form of TAships or
other support, as departmental funding
is often only available during the first
two years of graduate work; SSH grad
students at UCSD sometimes support
themselves during their third year by
TAing in the undergraduate Writing
Programs. SSH students should consider
applying for outside funding appropriate
to their field as soon as possible.
|
Year |
Amount of
Stipend |
Source |
Tuition
Covered? |
Guaranteed? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MS1 |
$20,500 |
NIH
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
MS2 |
$20,500 |
NIH
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Grad1 |
$20,500 |
NIH or
Department/Fellowship* |
Yes |
Yes/No* |
|
Grad2 |
? |
Department or
Fellowship |
usually |
No |
|
Grad3 |
? |
Department or
Fellowship |
usually |
No |
|
Grad4 |
? |
Department or
Fellowship |
usually |
No |
|
Grad5+ |
* |
NIH or
Department/Fellowship* |
- (depends) |
Yes/No* |
|
MS3 |
$20,500 |
NIH
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
MS4 |
$20,500 |
NIH
|
Yes |
Yes |
* 1 year of graduate tuition is
guaranteed; in some cases the program
has been able to provide a second year
of graduate funding but this is not
guaranteed. Students can negotiate to
take this at a time other than first
year of graduate study if that is more
advantageous.
MSTP applicants should be aware that if
you are accepted to a graduate program
in SSH, you will be provided support
solely by MSTP for the 1 year of the
Ph.D. program, with a possibility but
not a guarantee of a second year of
graduate support. Other than this 1-2
years of graduate support, you will
enter into a competitive pool along with
the other students in your graduate
program and will apply for external
funding and grants. Potential applicants
are strongly encouraged to check with
both the MSTP and their graduate
program(s) of interest regarding current
funding availability, as this changes
frequently.
Contact information:
Natalie Price, Program
Coordinator
MSTP, Mail Code 0606
UCSD School of Medicine
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla, CA 92093-0606
Phone: 800-925-8704 or 858-534-0689
Email:
mstp@ucsd.edu
Web:
http://meded.ucsd.edu/asa/mstp/general_information/overview/
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