# Medical Scientist Training Program

> **NIH NIH T32** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2024 · $3,116,668

## Abstract

Project summary
The University of Pennsylvania MD/PhD and VMD/PhD programs were established in 1958 and 1969, and united
as a single medical scientist training program in 1977. The program currently enrolls 218 MD/PhD and 22
VMD/PhD students, 95% of whom are training grant eligible. Program guidance is provided by a committed team
of faculty and staff that has been in place since 2014 and was recently joined by an experienced medical educator
to assist in program evaluation. Our primary goal is to identify, train and mentor a diverse group of outstanding
physician-scientists who will become leaders of biomedical research and translational medicine, as well as being
successful clinicians, role models and mentors. To meet this goal, we have established flexible, evidence-based
training plans that integrate research and clinical training in preparation for careers that use both. Penn's
institutional commitment is reflected in a large annual investment that provides resources, enrichment activities,
and support for program administration, as well as an institutional culture that values physician-scientists,
supports diversity and inclusivity, promotes scientific rigor and a safe learning environment, and expects good
mentorship. Admission is open to recent college graduates and current Penn MD, VMD and PhD students.
Admission decisions are holistic, emphasizing research experience, creativity, and commitment to a physician-scientist
career as well as academic excellence. The average time to degree is 8.1 years. There are 12 affiliated
graduate programs: 7 in Biomedical Graduate Studies plus Engineering, Economics, Chemistry, History &
Sociology of Science, and Anthropology, with protocols to add more when appropriate. The diverse training
faculty includes 161 junior and senior scientists and physician-scientists including 3 NIH intramural investigators
who hold adjunct faculty appointments at Penn. Policies are in place to acquire and maintain training faculty
membership and to resolve conflicts. Each student's individualized curriculum emphasizes the integration of
clinical and research training, responsible conduct of research, scientific rigor and reproducibility, and
mentorship. It also includes MSTP-directed courses in Years 1 and 2, Clinical Connections during graduate
school, Return to Research in the final year and, because our responsibilities do not end with graduation, the
Hand Over Curriculum, which guides students in the selection of physician-scientist-friendly residencies and
careers. 81% of recent graduates who have completed further training are employed by academic centers,
research institutes, the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, the NIH, and federal agencies. Most have
research funding from the NIH and other sources. Our objectives for the next 5 years include: 1) fostering the
next generation of physician-scientists, 2) assisting trainees in exploring physician-scientist career options in
addition to academia, 3) managing u...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10847323
- **Project number:** 5T32GM148377-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Michael Lee Atchison
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $3,116,668
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-07-01 → 2028-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10847323

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10847323, Medical Scientist Training Program (5T32GM148377-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10847323. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*