Mount Sinai Medical Scientist Training Program

The mission of the Medical Scientist Training Program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is to educate a diverse cadre of future physician-scientists in a rigorous, integrated dual degree program that prepares them to contribute to the improvement of human health through careers in a variety of clinical specialties and biomedical research environments. The program features an inclusive and collaborative environment that fosters innovation in fundamental and translational biomedical research. Our accomplished student body is selected from a highly qualified and diverse applicant pool of students from all backgrounds who come with significant prior research experience. Trainee retention has been high and attrition low, with average time to degree of 8 years. Intentional changes in our admissions and recruitment practices, including a more holistic review and increased acceptance target numbers for women and students in other under-represented groups, have already resulted in their increased representation among matriculants of the past five years and in the larger MSTP. The proposed program includes a significantly increased level of institutional support, reflected in increased faculty effort and staffing to direct the MSTP and increased financial support (with a separate program budget) for student training and other activities that promote esprit de corps and the development of a physician-scientist identity; a well-integrated curriculum that focuses on the experimental basis of scientific knowledge and on its translational applications; increased use of team building activities; innovative graduate school curriculum that incorporates a strong emphasis on development of quantitative and computational skills, entrepreneurship, emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, and training in rigorous and reproducible research design throughout the program; increased attention to the transition from preclinical to PhD training and continued improvements in a longstanding course that promotes a smooth transition to clinical training; strengthened partnerships with pipeline programs to enhance the diversity of the MSTP student population and to provide alternative pathways into the program from the medical school; MSTP student eligibility for early assurance research track residency programs at Mount Sinai; and improved mentor training and mechanisms for monitoring student progress and satisfaction. Our short- and intermediate-term goals are to provide an inclusive and diverse training environment that will allow our students to continue to achieve at a high level and to equal if not surpass the achievements of students of the past 5 years, as measured by publications, receipt of independent fellowship support, and matching in top residency programs. While a large percentage of our alumni (82%) pursue basic, translational, and/or clinical research in academic, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and federal agencies, our long-term goal is for more of our graduates to become independent investigators and leaders who address important research questions related to human health and disease and translate their discoveries into strategies for the prevention and therapy of disease in all communities and in an expanded array of career sectors.