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Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Medical Scholars Program (MSP) accept international students? No. The University of Illinois College of Medicine, and thus the MSP, accepts applications only from U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents. However, international students are eligible for admission to University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign graduate programs. I’ve heard that it is difficult for non-Illinois residents to be accepted to the University of Illinois College of Medicine? Will non resident status prevent me from being admitted to the Medical Scholars Program? The University of Illinois College of Medicine favors Illinois residents in the admissions process. However, if the Medical Scholars Program and the graduate department recommend you for admission to the College of Medicine, you will be evaluated for admission to the medical school using the in-state residency standards. What qualities is the MSP looking for in applicants to the program? What are the average MCAT scores and GPAs for your entering class? The MSP is looking for students who can demonstrate a commitment to a career that melds the training afforded by a joint degree program. Applicants should have the ability to articulate clearly why pursuing a joint degree (MD/PhD, MD/MBA, MD/JD) through the MSP is critical to their future career goals. The program seeks students with research experience and MSP applicants should have, solid letters of recommendation from research supervisors as well as from other faculty well acquainted with their work. In addition, applicants should have strong MCAT scores and GPAs; note that some graduate programs require or prefer GRE tests, LSAT or GMAT as appropriate. Applicants should contact the department(s) to which they are applying to confirm specific graduate program requirements needed for consideration for admissions. The mean scores for our recent entering classes have been a 32 on the MCAT and a 3.5 GPA. Please keep in mind that these are averages and that we do not make decisions based solely on numbers. If you have any questions about the viability of your application please contact Amanda Cuevas, Coordinator of the Medical Scholars Program. Do I have to fill out an application form for the medical school, the graduate department, and the MSP? What about application fees? MSP applicants must complete the entire College of Medicine application process, including the AMCAS application which must be submitted by the AMCAS Application Deadline and the College of Medicine secondary application which must be submitted by the the same date, but the Application for Admission to the Graduate College is sufficient for the graduate department and the MSP. Once we receive your completed application, the MSP office will forward a copy of your official "Application for Admission to the Graduate College and MSP Program " to the graduate department(s) for use in the application process. Although some departments require the GRE or have other special requirements, you need not submit additional Graduate College applications (except for College of Law and MBA applicants) to each graduate department. Where do I mail supplemental MSP materials? If you need to mail supplemental materials such as transcripts and letters of recommendation to MSP, our mailing address is: I have been applying to medical schools and have letters of reference that I have been using for that purpose. Can I use these letters for the MSP? Generally, yes. However, note that letters of reference are often written with a particular purpose in mind. Therefore, letters written for medical school applications may not address your qualifications for research and graduate study. You may wish to supplement your medical school letters with others addressing your ability, motivation and commitment to a dual degree program. In some cases, graduate departments may prefer at least two letters from people in an appropriate academic field of study including letters from a current and/or recent research advisor. What is the purpose of the MSP interview? Must I come for one? Will it be coordinated with the medical school interview? An interview is required for admission to the MSP. The MSP accepts about 25 MD/PhD including around MD/JD and MD/MBA students each year, and the interview is considered essential in determining which of the many qualified applicants are best suited to the Program. If you are invited to interview with the MSP, that interview will also serve as your College of Medicine interview. Please let the MSP office know if you are invited to interview with the College of Medicine before receiving an invite to interview from the MSP. When will I receive a decision on my application? Those applicants who appear eligible for admission are invited to come to campus for an MSP interview. Generally, these interviews are held from January through March, although some interviews may begin as early as October. The MSP typically waits for an indication from the graduate department regarding an applicant’s chances of acceptance before making a decision to interview. An applicant who has been accepted by both the graduate program and the College of Medicine and whose MSP interview was favorable will be presented to the MSP Admissions Committee and, on the Committee’s recommendation, will be offered a place in the MSP entering class. I have been receiving information, forms, etc., from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago, but I am applying only to the MSP, not to anything in Chicago. Why do I keep receiving materials from Chicago and can I ignore them? The University of Illinois College of Medicine has four sites - Chicago, Peoria, Rockford, and Urbana-Champaign. The Office of Medical College Admissions (OMCA), which oversees applications for the entire College, is located in Chicago. Applicants deemed qualified will receive a secondary application from OMCA. This application must be completed, including sending letters of recommendation and official transcripts, and submitted to OMCA in Chicago in order to complete the application to the College of Medicine. My undergraduate background is not in the area in which I wish to do graduate research, and I am not sure what is the correct department. Is this a problem? Successful applicants to graduate school must demonstrate an aptitude for scholarly research in their proposed field of study. Previous research experience is especially important in the biological and physical sciences but it need not be research directly in the area in which you propose to pursue graduate study. The social sciences and humanities expect undergraduate course work in the discipline and a clear rationale for seeking an advanced degree. Is all of the clinical training in Urbana-Champaign? Yes. There is a full four-year program of medical education in Urbana-Champaign and the clinical portion is very strong. Due to the small class sizes, students receive personal attention in both the Introduction to Clinical Medicine component and their clinical training. Students are primarily taught by experienced practicing physicians. Fourth year students are encouraged to participate in elective clerkships at academic medical centers across the U.S. to familiarize themselves with such settings, as most MSP students select residencies at academic medical centers and expect to pursue their careers at such institutions. Are students funded throughout their MSP studies? The MSP "track record" is that all MD/PhD students who are in good academic standing and are progressing toward completing both degrees have received support. In general students are supported by their graduate program at the "half-time level" during the four to five years they spend primarily in graduate work. This support is in the form of a teaching assistantship, research assistantship, or fellowship. During the years they spend primarily pursuing medical studies, students are generally supported at the "quarter-time level" (same tuition and fee waiver, one-half the stipend). This is usually in the form of a teaching assistantship or fellowship. There is no commitment to fund MD/JD or MD/MBA students although most do find such support during their medical school training. What about GRE's or other department requirements? How important are these? Although MSP applicants may have a somewhat different background and somewhat different goals compared to other graduate applicants, many graduate departments wish to have a standardized way of comparing applicants. Most graduate departments do try to be flexible with MSP applicants and substitute the MCAT for the GRE but even departments that do not require a GRE score for admission decisions find these scores useful in decisions concerning fellowship awards. As noted, some departments have requirements in addition to the MSP application. Please check with the graduate department(s) to which you are applying. Do I need to take the GRE, GMAT or LSAT? Certain Departments have additional requirements for applicants. While most departments will accept MCAT scores in lieu of GRE scores, some departments also require GRE scores (i.e. Engineering). In addition, all MBA applicants must take the GMAT and all Law applicants must take the LSAT. Please contact the departments to which you are interested in applying to confirm their application requirements. What can I do with a dual degree? The MD/PhD Program is explicitly designed to help you pursue a career in Academic Medicine. Our graduates have pursued a variety of different career paths that combine both degrees. Can I still apply to the MSP if I am almost finished or already finished with my PhD? We do have a provision for applicants who are almost finished or who have already completed their PhD, JD or MBA. Please contact the MSP Assistant Dean for Medical Scholars Fellows Program eligibility information. Are applicants also considered for either the PhD, MD, JD or MD program if they are not accepted to the MSP? Yes. The graduate departments and the medical school make their admissions decisions independent of the MSP. |
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