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MSTP Admissions and FAQs

M.D.-Ph.D. Application Timeline

AMCAS application opens: May
Applicants interviewed: August-December
Final decisions sent to applicants: February
M.D.-Ph.D. Admitted Students Weekend: March
M.D.-Ph.D. program starts: July 1

How do I apply?

  • Complete Prerequisite Courses

    All prerequisite course requirements must be completed by the time you've enrolled into medical school.

  • Take the MCAT and Casper

    The MCAT must be taken between January 2022 and September 2026 to be considered for the 2027 entry year application.

    You may submit your application before your MCAT scores are released, though action on your application may be delayed until receipt of your current scores.

    You must also take the Casper examination and have your score sent to UT Southwestern. If you are invited to interview, your scores must be delivered to UT Southwestern prior to your interview date.

  • Apply via AMCAS

    Applications are accepted by the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) May 1 – October 1.

    Apply via AMCAS
  • Complete Your Secondary Application

    You may submit your secondary application after we receive your primary application from AMCAS. You will receive an email prompting you to create an account to access the secondary application once your primary application is transmitted. Please check your spam and junk folders. Once you have created your account, please access your application portal at apply.utsouthwestern.edu/med. The deadline to submit your secondary application is November 1.

  • Submit Supporting Documents to AMCAS

    All supporting documents submitted to AMCAS by November 1.

  • MSTP and Medical School Interviews

    Invitations to interview are sent to applicants beginning in mid-July/ early August and indicate that your application has reached an advanced stage of consideration but does not guarantee admission. Interviews take place from August through mid-December. All interviews for the 2026-2027 application cycle will be conducted virtually. If invited to interview, you will receive an email from the MSTP Office.

  • Watch for Your Offer

    Offers of admission will be sent in January or February, 2027.

  • Take a Second Look

    The MSTP Admitted Students Weekend is an opportunity for accepted students to visit UT Southwestern in the Spring for an interactive and informative weekend-long event featuring student panels, housing tours, presentations, networking, and more. Students typically travel to Dallas on Thursday and depart on Sunday.

  • Accept Your Offer

    By April 15 of the matriculation year, each applicant who has received an offer of acceptance from more than one school should narrow their acceptances to three schools and withdraw from all other schools.

    By April 30 of the matriculation year, each applicant holding more than one acceptance should choose the specific school at which the applicant prefers to enroll and withdraw from all other schools.

Each year, 10 to 12 students with substantive laboratory experience and a strong desire to pursue a medical research career are chosen for the program. The MSTP offers close contact with faculty, peer support, meaningful mentorships with basic scientists, and hands-on clinical experience. The program, which takes seven to eight years to complete, accommodates individual goals with flexible scheduling of research and clinical requirements.

Application to UT Southwestern Medical Center Medical School

Applicants who also wish to be considered for the UT Southwestern M.D.-only program must complete the application for Texas Medical and Dental Schools (TMDSAS) and the UT Southwestern Medical School secondary application in addition to the AMCAS M.D./Ph.D. application and the UT Southwestern MSTP secondary application. The deadline for the TMDSAS primary application is October 1. The deadline for the M.D. Secondary Application is November 1. Please note that TMDSAS will not forward letters of recommendation to AMCAS or vice versa; applicants applying to both the UT Southwestern MSTP and the traditional M.D.-only program should have letters sent to both services.

Prerequisites for the MST Program:

  • Must hold at least a baccalaureate degree
  • MCAT is required, but GRE is not.
  • International student applications are accepted, provided undergraduate studies were completed at a regionally accredited U.S. or Canadian college or university.
  • Required coursework (identical to Medical School prerequisites)

It is desirable, but not mandatory, that the minimum prerequisites for admission to UT Southwestern Medical School be supplemented by one year of college calculus and one year of physical chemistry.

The deadline for the AMCAS primary application is October 1. MSTP requires a free secondary application that is due November 1. The secondary application will be automatically sent to applicants upon receipt of materials from AMCAS.

Recommended Application Timeline: AMCAS will accept applications between May and September of each year. We recommend early submission (between May and August), but keep in mind we must be in receipt of your MCAT scores and letters before decisions will be made on your application.

Program FAQs

  • What is your deadline?

    Oct. 1 of each year.

  • Do you accept international students?

    Yes, provided they have completed their undergraduate studies at a regionally accredited U.S. or Canadian college or university.

  • Do you allow coursework or degrees from non-U.S. colleges/universities to fulfill prerequisites?

    Foreign coursework will not count toward meeting any of the prerequisites, even if transfer credit has been assigned by a U.S. or Canadian school. Rare exceptions may be granted for some courses taken at English-language international institutions, e.g. Oxford.

  • What are your program prerequisites?

    See Prerequisites for the MST Program

  • How many letters of recommendation do you require?

    Three or more LOR’s should be sent to UT Southwestern MST Program via AMCAS Letters or other electronic submission services. You may also send them directly to our office via Email. It is expected there will be a letter from every research experience listed in your AMCAS application. If circumstances prevent a letter from a research lab you worked in, explain the circumstances within the summary of that research experience in AMCAS. Please ask references to comment specifically on the nature of your project(s) and your potential as a research scientist.

  • What makes a competitive candidate?

    Applications are reviewed holistically. Most successful applicants will have a MCAT of 515 or higher, a GPA of 3.8 or higher, and prior research experience. Some successful applicants with outstanding research experience have lower MCAT scores and/or GPAs. Admitted applicants' scores range between 506 and 527 for the MCAT, with a median of 519. The cumulative GPA of admitted students has ranged between 3.37 and 4.0, with an average of 3.8. Interviews are based on the competitiveness of the applicant pool. You should begin the application process at least one year prior to the desired matriculation.

    What are the chances of acceptance?

    Approximately 10 percent of applicants are accepted.

  • Is the GRE required?

    No

  • What is the length of your program study?

    Students in our program average approximately eight years, beginning the summer before matriculation with four or more weeks of laboratory research.

  • What financial supports are available for our students?

    All MSTP students at UT Southwestern receive a generous annual stipend and fully paid tuition throughout their years in the program. Health insurance coverage for the student is provided at no expense for the duration of the student's enrollment in the Medical Scientist Training Program. Additional coverages are available for purchase through the University of Texas System Blue Cross Blue Shield plan during any benefits enrollment period.

  • Are applicants not accepted to the M.D./Ph.D. program considered for
    the M.D. program?

    Not automatically. If you wish to be considered for Medical School alone, you must also apply via TMDSAS. This will ensure that you are reviewed for Medical School based on its criteria, which are different from the MST Program criteria.

  • What is living in Dallas/Fort Worth like?

    Take a look! We offer a rich cultural scene, affordable housing, and a reasonable cost of living.

  • Do you have questions specific to your AMCAS application?

    See AMCAS FAQs.

Find out more about the MCAT testing requirements.

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