Medical Scholars Program
Medical Scholars Program
College of Medicine
125 Medical Sciences Building
506 South Mathews Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-8146
E-mail: mspo@illinois.edu
Joint Degrees Offered: Medical Scholars Program
Degrees Offered: M.D./Ph.D., M.D./J.D., M.D./M.B.A.
Graduate Degree Programs
The Medical Scholars Program at the Urbana-Champaign campus enables students to combine the study of medicine leading to the M.D. with graduate or professional study in a second field leading to the Ph.D., J.D. or M.B.A. The program seeks to produce leaders uniquely qualified and motivated to address the issues shaping modern medical practice, the health care system, and biomedical research; issues related to the profound advances in science and technology; and those that arise from the pressures of socioeconomic forces.
Admission
To enter the Medical Scholars Program (MSP), applicants must meet the admissions requirements of, and be accepted by, both the College of Medicine and the graduate unit of their choice. Prospective students must demonstrate a potential for creativity and original research, a sense of social awareness and service, academic excellence, competence in leadership and interpersonal relationships, and an appropriate rationale for their interest in combined study. Application is made to the program and to the graduate unit by means of the Medical Scholars Program online application. Application is made to the University of Illinois College of Medicine through the AMCAS application system sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges. The Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) is required for admission to medical school, and examination scores such as those for the GRE, GMAT, or LSAT are required by some departments. Applicants must arrange to take such examinations and have the scores forwarded to the appropriate academic unit on the Urbana-Champaign campus. Only U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply. Sate residency is not a factor. Please contact the MSP Assistant Dean at (217) 333-8146 to find out more about MSP admissions.
Approved Areas of Specialization
The University offers graduate study in more than 100 fields in which MSP applicants may propose combined degree study. Indeed, MSP students can pursue graduate study in any discipline offered on campus. In addition to the traditional biomedical sciences, current students are participating in graduate programs in engineering, the physical sciences, humanities, and social sciences.
Special Features of the Program
The Medical Scholars Program has over 150 joint degree students enrolled (with up to 25 students admitted annually). The Medical Scholars Program stands out from other M.D./Ph.D. programs in the range of second degree disciplines offered (students have enrolled in more than 30 different graduate programs). Located in the heart of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus, the MSP offers graduate programs in any discipline within the biological and physical sciences, as well as in the social sciences, humanities, and law.
Degree Requirements
Students in the Medical Scholars Program are expected to fulfill all the degree requirements of both the College of Medicine and the second discipline. At their discretion, some Ph.D. programs allow a limited number of medical school classes (up to 12 hours) to count toward completion of the graduate degree. Faculty advisors from the medical school and from the graduate units help students set realistic long-term study plans that integrate the two curricula. Students in the M.D./M.B.A. program may receive some medical school credit toward the MBA which reduce the required number of hours to 60. Students in the M.D./J.D. program may receive up to 12 hours of medical school credit toward the law degree.
Financial Aid
Currently, all Medical Scholar M.D./Ph.D. students receive financial support for the duration of both their medical studies and their graduate studies. 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 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 M.D./J.D. or M.D./M.B.A. students although most do find such support during their medical school training.