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Combined Degree Program Overview

Student walking across campus

BCM is located in Houston's Texas Medical Center, a complex of 47 member institutions on more than 1,000 acres.

The Medical Scientist Training Program at Baylor College of Medicine is designed for highly motivated students. The successful applicant should have both an excellent scholastic record and sustained potential in research. Exposure to both laboratory bench work and clinical practice in private practice, academic medicine or emergency room experience is also highly recommended. The combined degree program, while emphasizing continuity between clinical and basic sciences curricula, provides training that can lead to significant scientific contributions in academic and corporate research, clinical practice or a combination of both.

The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at BCM provides quality active research opportunities for MSTP students in:

In addition, BCM offers a Bioengineering Program in conjunction with Rice University and a Structural and Computational Biology and Molecular Biophysics Program in conjunction with Rice University and the University of Houston.

Program Director

Dr. Sharon Plon Sharon Plon, M.D., Ph.D.

Program Co-Directors

Dr. Martin Matzuk Martin Matzuk, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. James Versalovic James Versalovic, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Karen Hirschi Karen Hirschi, Ph.D.

Dr. Xander H.T. Wehrens Xander H.T. Wehrens, M.D., Ph.D.

Program Administrators

Students are always welcome in the MSTP administrative offices and are encouraged to drop in anytime to visit, obtain advice, use the computer and printer, or to raid the candy dish! The goal of the administrative staff is to provide each student with guidance and support throughout their individual training. The administrative staff is responsible for academic, financial, medical and personal documentation concerning the progress of every student and graduate of the program. They are also responsible for recruitment of new applicants, educational programming, social events, preparation and management of program budgets and preparation of grant applications. The MSTP administrative offices are located in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences on the second floor of the Alkek Building, Room N201.

Kathy Crawford
Director, Administrative Operations
Kathy Crawford holds a B.B.A. in Marketing and manages financial and academic affairs, marketing and development.

Vanessa Hatfield
Academic Coordinator
Vanessa Hatfield received a B.A. in Psychology and is responsible for the recruitment and admissions process as well as educational programming