Last Updated: August 13, 2008

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 If you are aware of any outdated or incorrect information on this page, or if you can think of anything useful to include, please let us know at ssh@physicianscientists.org so that we may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.

Washington University in St. Louis

Social Science/Humanities PhD Field Supported: Medical Anthropology, Other Social Sciences and Humanities Disciplines

Description of Program:

Wash U’s MSTP accepts applications from students interested in pursuing PhDs in medical anthropology, history, and is also open to applications in other social science/humanities disciplines. Wash U’s MSTP is the largest program in the nation, with 183 students currently enrolled. The Wash U MSTP is a well-established and prestigious program, although the social sciences/humanities track is relatively new. The MSTP is flexible and will work with students to create an individually tailored training path.

The program in medical anthropology is part of the Department of Anthropology, which trains students in physical anthropology, archaeology, and cultural anthropology. The program has a special interest in political-economic approaches to medical anthropology, but is open to students with any area of focus within medical anthropology. PhD projects vary widely in topic and approach. The Department has an exciting and quickly growing program in medical anthropology.

Structure of Program:

WashU’s program is a Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP). Typically MD/PhD students initially complete their first two years of medical school. During the first year of medical school, anthropology students may take 1 or 2 anthropology courses in lieu of medical school electives, and may complete up to one semester of anthropology coursework. The medical school anatomy course is also cross-listed in the Department of Anthropology and counts towards required graduate coursework. In the summers between the first and second year of medical school, anthropology students may conduct preliminary field research in order to establish a PhD research project. After the first two years of medical school, students then work on their PhD program full time. A minimum of 36 credits (three full-time semesters) is required before students may conduct their dissertation fieldwork. Students who completed one semester’s worth of anthropology courses during the first two years of medical school are thus required to take one year of anthropology courses. During this year, students also write and defend their “second year paper,” which is an intensive review of literature relevant to their area of study. In the spring and summer following the third year, students write and defend their thesis proposal, which is used as the basis for grant applications for dissertation funding. Students are strongly encouraged to apply for external grant funding for their dissertation, but will still receive a stipend even if they are not successful in obtaining external grants. The fourth year is spent in the field collecting data for the dissertation, and the fifth year of the program is spent writing the dissertation. More time may be taken in these two stages if needed. Finally, students return to medical school for their clinical rotations (minimum of 15 months required). The program may be completed in as little as seven years, with 3.5 years for the PhD program and 3.5 years for medical school. However, students typically take 8 years to complete their MD/PhD training, and some students may take up to 9 years. The structure of the training path is somewhat flexible, and the Wash U MSTP office will work with students to tailor a training path suited to their individual needs.

Size of incoming joint MD/PhD class: 25

Number of students in the social sciences or humanities: varies (relatively new program, so have not received many applications as of yet)

Number of graduates from in social sciences/humanities MD/PhD track: 0

Current number of students in the MD/PhD Medical Anthropology Program: 1

Application Process:

General MSTP Application:

1. You must apply to AMCAS. When you designate Washington University you should indicate "M.D./Ph.D. Program". Doing so will give you access to the MD/PhD essay questions. You need not wait to be "invited" to apply.

2. You must submit the Washington University School of Medicine secondary application. Under the degree objective field on the secondary application, you should indicate either "MSTP Only" or "MD or MSTP". There is NO supplementary application for the MSTP!

We expect letters of recommendation from all research mentors with whom you have had significant research experiences. These letters should be submitted to WUSOM. You do not need to send a second set of letters to the MSTP office.

The deadline for application to the MSTP is November 30; by that date you must designate Washington University's M.D./Ph.D. Program on the AMCAS and select the appropriate category on the WUSOM secondary application. Please note that this date is different from the deadline for application to the School of Medicine for M.D. applicants.

The application review process is coordinated between the Medical School Committee on Admissions and the MSTP Committee. Individuals are invited to interview with the MSTP at the program's expense. Interviews are conducted from October through February. Admissions decisions are made jointly by the MSTP Committee and the School of Medicine on a rolling basis. An interview visit consists of one day of interviews, including a medical school interview, an interview with the MSTP Committee, and individual meetings with faculty in your department of interest. Criteria for MSTP admission include prior academic performance, documented experience in research, and commitment to a career in research. The overall MSTP program interviews approximately 100 applicants and enrolls 25 new MSTP trainees each year. Successful applicants are notified on a rolling basis, shortly after their interview date. The admissions process finishes on May 15th, and Wash U requires newly accepted students to withdraw from all other institutions by this date. Students who apply to the MSTP but are not offered a position nevertheless receive full consideration for admission to the regular medical class if they request this on their application.

Specific to Applying in Medical Anthropology (or other social science/humanities fields):

There is no separate application process for medical anthropology. However, students applying for PhDs in the social sciences and humanities should specifically justify why they have chosen a certain field in their application essays and admissions interviews. It’s important to explain why training in anthropology, history, literature, etc. will enhance your training as a physician-scholar. The MSTP Committee coordinates with Department of Anthropology faculty (or other social sciences and humanities departments) in making admissions decisions.

Your MSTP application and essays will be accepted by the Department of Anthropology. You are not required to take the GRE; your MCAT score will be accepted instead. You are encouraged to submit additional letters of support, particularly if they speak to your qualifications as an anthropologist. You are strongly encouraged to contact a member of the Department of Anthropology faculty with whom you are interested in working with early in the application process. Department faculty can assist you in tailoring a specific course of study and in identifying other appropriate faculty you can meet with in your interview at Wash U.

A good way to think about applying for MSTP in medical anthropology is that your application must be geared toward both (1) the general MSTP admission committee, and (2) the Department of Anthropology (or other social sciences/humanities department). The Department of Anthropology looks for students who have demonstrated potential for a successful career in anthropological research. Previous research related to medical anthropology is recommended. Undergraduate coursework in anthropology is helpful, but is not required. Anthropology faculty carefully evaluates whether students’ research interests are a good match with areas of focus within the Department.

Funding:

All MSTP students will receive a stipend of $26,000 as of July 1, 2007, and our program boasts one of the best stipend to cost-of-living ratio of any MSTP in the nation. Funding is guaranteed for all years of the program. In addition, students receive full tuition remission, and free health and disability coverage for both medical and graduate phases of the program. Travel funds are also available to MSTP students for presenting at conferences or other valuable educational endeavors. The source of funding for the stipend varies throughout a student’s training, and usually is a combination of NIH grants, endowment funds from Wash U, external grants for dissertation research, and fellowships/scholarships from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Women applying to the program are encouraged to apply for the Spencer T. Olin Fellowship, which is geared toward funding excellent women pursuing graduate studies across disciplines at Wash U.

The funding provided is summarized in the table below

Contact information:

MSTP Office

Washington University

MSTP- Box 8226

660 South Euclid Avenue

St. Louis, MO 63110

1-800-852-4625

Fax: 314-362-3369

mstp@dbbs.wustl.edu

http://mstp.wustl.edu

Dept. of Anthropology

Washington University

Campus Box 1114

One Brookings Drive

St. Louis, MO 63130-4899

314-935-5252 (voice)

314-935-8535 (fax)

http://anthro.wustl.edu/%7Eanthro/