# University of Utah Medical Scientist Training Program

> **NIH NIH T32** · UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH · 2024 · $359,616

## Abstract

The University of Utah MD-PhD Program is rapidly growing with a highly successful history of training physician-
scientists. It enjoys robust institutional support, a large and diverse body of 135 outstanding and well-funded
research mentors, and an integrated health science campus with adjacent clinical and research facilities. Utah’s
MD-PhD program recruits from across the country, but is uniquely attractive to students from the vast
Intermountain West region, with no other MSTP within 500 miles, making it a potential new regional hub for
students pursuing physician-scientist training. The accelerating momentum of the Program is evident in the
tripling of applications and doubling of class size since 2017. The high quality of trainees and the training
environment are evidenced by the excellent F30 success rate over the past 5 years (67%). Trainee outcomes
are strong, with an 84% MD-PhD completion rate (100% receiving at least an MD or PhD), high research
productivity (average of 6.9 publications per trainee, with 2.7 as first/co-first author), and 96% of MD-PhD
graduates pursuing residency training. In the past 3 years, 40% of incoming students are from NIH-defined
underrepresented groups.
The proposed MSTP would further optimize the training program with increased integration between the MD and
PhD phases, an improved governance structure with extensive trainee participation, enhanced diversity
recruiting, rigorous day-one lab safety training, enhanced mentor training, and detailed program evaluation. A
key focus will be smoothing the transitions between research and clinical training via Program activities and
curriculum, including a practice clerkship, longitudinal clinical experience during the PhD years, and a proposal
preparation course that readies trainees for departmental preliminary exams. The proposed program plan will
also emphasize rigor and reproducibility, as well as the responsible conduct of research with formal training and
integration into community events (monthly meetings, annual retreat). An extensive array of community and
wellness resources ensure that trainees are well-supported during this intense, but highly rewarding training.
Four trainee slots are requested in year 1, and 8 slots are requested in years 2-5. Each trainee will be supported
for their first two years, but will follow the proposed Program Plan for the entirety of their MD-PhD training.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10846616
- **Project number:** 5T32GM145431-02
- **Recipient organization:** UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
- **Principal Investigator:** Michael S Kay
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $359,616
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-07-01 → 2028-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10846616

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10846616, University of Utah Medical Scientist Training Program (5T32GM145431-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10846616. Licensed CC0.

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