Applying to the M.D./Ph.D. Program
Complete the American Medical College Application (AMCAS)
Applications for admission begin with the common application submitted online at American Medical College Application Service.
Complete the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
Only scores from tests administered within three years of the year of medical school matriculation will be accepted. Scores of the most recent MCAT are considered by the admissions committee. View more information.
Submit Letters of Recommendation
The MSTP requires three individual letters of recommendation or one health professions committee packet. Baylor College of Medicine will accept four individual letters at the most. We prefer quality in-depth letters from people who know you well, rather than giving preference to the number of letters received. The names of all individuals who will provide a letter should be listed on your supplemental application with the most recent experience listed first.
Complete the BCM Supplemental Application and Submit Fee
Baylor requires that every applicant complete a Supplemental Application. The supplemental application provides candidates with the opportunity to indicate a non-binding selection of two Baylor College of Medicine graduate programs of greatest interest or declare their interest in the Rice University Bioengineering program for their Ph.D. Students accepted into the Rice University Bioengineering - BCM joint MSTP will complete their Ph.D. in the lab of a faculty member with a primary appointment in the Rice Bioengineering Department. The supplemental application opens July 1 and does not require an invitation to apply.
Complete the CASPer Test
All applicants to the Medical Scientist Training Program are required to complete an online situational judgement test called CASPer (Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics). View information about the CASPer assessment, testing dates for Baylor, and register for a test.
Note: MSTP applications will not be considered before receipt of all supporting documentation, including test scores and letters of recommendation.
Deadlines
All MSTP application materials must be received by Oct. 1. The Admissions Committee will not review an applicant’s file until the following are received: verified AMCAS application, BCM supplemental application and fee, letters of recommendation, MCAT scores, and CASPer scores. You can check the status of your application after the verified AMCAS application has been received by the College. MSTP applicants are strongly advised to submit their application early in the admissions process.
Note: Students accepted in the Rice University Bioengineering program are permitted to join only primary Bioengineering faculty laboratories.
International students must complete their undergraduate training at an accredited U.S. college or university to be eligible to apply to the medical school and the M.D./Ph.D. Program. Students accepted to the M.D./Ph.D. Program must complete both their M.D. and Ph.D. at Baylor College of Medicine (or Rice Bioengineering for those accepted as Rice BioE students). International students who have completed their M.D. in another country and are interested in obtaining a Ph.D. should contact the Graduate School at gradappboss@bcm.edu for more information.
Alternative Pathway Applications
The MSTP welcomes applications from Baylor College of Medicine students in their first three years of medical school or, rarely, the first semester of graduate school. BCM medical students participating in the medical research pathway (MRP) may also apply during their MRP training. All application deadlines are Oct. 1. BCM students interested in applying must initially notify the MSTP Administrative Office to discuss eligibility requirements and the application process.
For current MD students, the application requirements will vary based on their stage of training. Current Ph.D. students must have the support and approval of their graduate program. Ph.D. students must also complete all M.D. Admissions requirements, take the MCAT, and submit a full application as described in the “Applying to the M.D./Ph.D. Program“ section. As the application requirements vary according to the applicant’s current training status and post-graduate program, we recommend contacting the MSTP Administrative Office several months in advance of application season which begins July 1.
Following an interview with the MSTP, a decision regarding acceptance will be made by the end of the academic year.
Interviews
Medical Scientist Training Program interviews are conducted October through January, beginning on Thursday afternoon at 3:45 p.m. MSTP candidates have two faculty interviews, a director's interview and a student interview on Thursday afternoon or Friday morning. These interview sessions provide the opportunity to discuss research experiences and explore various training opportunities available at Baylor College of Medicine. Medical school interviews are conducted on Friday afternoon.
The MSTP interviews approximately 80 applicants annually. All interviews are held on Thursday afternoons and Fridays via Zoom. Accepted applicants are invited to attend our in-person Recruitment Weekend at our expense. At Recruitment Weekend, accepted applicants have the opportunity to see our campus and facilities, meet our faculty and students, attend a student poster session, explore Houston, and learn about housing options.
2025-2026 Interview Dates
- Interview 1: Oct. 9 – 10, 2025
- Interview 2: Oct. 23-24, 2025
- Interview 3: Nov. 6-7, 2025
- Interview 4: Dec. 4-5, 2025
- Interview 5: Jan. 8-9, 2026
- Recruitment Weekend – March 26-28, 2026
Acceptance and Funding
Baylor College of Medicine is one of 50 institutions awarded a competitive Medical Scientist Training Program grant from the National Institutes of Health. The grant offers students funded medical and graduate education through the combined M.D./Ph.D. Program. About 100 students in various phases of training are currently supported by the MSTP grant as well as institutional and endowment funds. All offers of acceptance to the MSTP are fully funded.
Admission is highly competitive, and selection is based on interviews, letters of recommendation, volunteer and extracurricular activities, demonstrable research interest and ability, MCAT scores, and GPA. Acceptance to the MSTP at BCM does not require separate application to the Graduate School or Rice Bioengineering, as determined at the time of MSTP application, nor is application to a specific graduate program necessary upon entering the program.
Applicants who are accepted to the MSTP and fulfill minimum academic requirements receive full tuition, medical insurance, and stipend support throughout their training. Ten to twelve candidates are accepted annually. Additional financial aid can also be applied for during training.
Successful MSTP applicants must satisfy the requirements of both the medical and graduate components of the program. All matriculants must satisfy the technical requirements in Baylor College of Medicine’s Technical Standards for the School of Medicine.
Applicants who are not accepted to the M.D./Ph.D. Program, but who matriculate at Baylor College of Medicine in July 2026, are invited to reapply to the MSTP during their first year of medical school.
Admission Statistics for Class Entering 2025
General Information
- Applications received: 488
- Applicants interviewed: 81
- Applicants matriculating on July 28, 2025: 11
2025-2026 Matriculant Statistics
- Average GPA of current students: 3.89 (range 3.6 – 4.0)
- MCAT score of current students: 95 percent (range 87 - 99 percent)
- Range over the last five incoming classes (2021-2025):
- GPA: 3.42-4.00
- MCAT: – 72-100 percent