tufts md phd interview dates

MD/PhD Frequently Asked Questions

What factors are considered in reviewing applications.

An applicant's complete record is reviewed. MCAT scores, GPA, letters of evaluation and research record are extremely important.

What laboratories are open to MSTP trainees?

The laboratories of all GSBS Basic Science Division Faculty accept MSTP trainees.

How many students are admitted each year?

We aim for an incoming class of three to five students (about 2% of applicants) each year.

How does the admissions process work?

An MD/PhD specific admissions committee reviews all applicants and selects candidates for interview. This group reviews interview evaluations along with data submitted in each application and selects candidates for admission.

Can I apply if I am already enrolled at Tufts Medical School?

he Second Portal Program allows qualified students to apply to the program for admission after the first two years of medical school. More information on Second Portal Admissions can be found  here .

How soon after my interview will a decision be made?

Admission is a rolling process. The first candidates are usually admitted in December. The admissions process is usually completed in May.

Are international students eligible to apply?

Tufts MD-PhD program accepts only United States citizens and US permanent residents.

Funding from NIH can only be used to support citizens or permanent residents of the United States. International applicants are also not qualified for the traditional loan programs that support citizens and permanent residents.

What tests are required?

All applicants must complete the MCAT. GRE scores are not required and cannot be substituted for the MCAT.

When is the application deadline?

Applications for the MSTP are first received by the Tufts Medical School Admissions Office. The schedule used for medical school admission is also used by the MSTP .

Are applicants who are not accepted by the MSTP considered for MD admissions?

Applicants who are not accepted by the MSTP program are considered for admission to Tufts Medical School. Applicants may be able to arrange a medical school interview that coincides with their MSTP interview visit.

What kind of financial aid is provided?

All MSTP students receive tuition remission throughout their education, a stipend and health insurance benefit. The stipend level is set by GSBS for all years of the program. More information about financial aid for MSTP students can be found  here .

Does funding come from NIH or from the school?

Most students are funded by the MSTP grant from NIH at some points in the education. Additional funding is provided by the school. The source of funding does not affect the level of support.

Is health insurance provided?

Complete individual health coverage through enrollment in an HMO is funded by the program for all years.

What sort of housing is available?

Most students rent apartments in communities throughout the Boston area. Transportation to the campus is facilitated by convenient subway and bus service. Parking near the campus is also available for a fee.

How long does it take to complete the program?

The time required depends on the individual. The average MSTP student takes 7 to 8 years to complete the program.

What hospitals are affiliated with Tufts Medical School?

Our major academic clinical affiliates are Tufts Medical Center, Caritas St Elizabeth's Hospital, Faulkner Hospital, the Lahey Clinic, Maine Medical Center, and Newton-Wellesley Hospital.

What fields of study are available for PhD research?

Students may select any of the five  Basic Science Division PhD Programs : Cell, Molecular & Developmental Biology, Genetics, Immunology, Molecular Microbiology, and Neuroscience.

Interviewed MD Applicants

Interviewed applicants are reviewed by our Admissions Committee on a monthly basis and will receive notification of the Committee's decision within the first two weeks of the following month.

The applicant will receive one of the following responses: Offer of Admission, Notification of Rejection or Notification of a Deferred Decision. Notification will be sent via email.

Applicants who have been notified of a deferred decision will continue to be reviewed by the Committee throughout the interview season and can be offered admission at any time subsequent to their Committee review. These applicants will be eligible to move to our wait list (see link below) which becomes active in the spring.

Interviewed applicants are encouraged to review  Financial Aid Applications and Awards  information prior to receiving notice of the Committee's decision.

Wait List FAQs

What is the earliest or latest date that i may be admitted.

You could be admitted at any time after you have been placed on the Wait List until the entering class matriculates in late July. This includes the week preceding matriculation, and sometimes even on registration day itself. Once you register at any medical school, you are no longer eligible to be admitted to other schools.

What are my chances of being admitted from the wait list at Tufts?

The greatest factor affecting your chances is the number of withdrawals we will receive before our class matriculates at the end of July. Any number of individuals currently holding positions in our entering class may also be holding multiple wait list positions at other schools, and any number of those individuals may receive an offer from another school and withdraw from Tufts to accept it. We simply do not know how many withdrawals we will receive between now and matriculation, and hence we cannot give you any meaningful assessment of the likelihood of your admission to Tufts.

How many people are usually admitted from the wait list?

The number of applicants admitted from the wait list varies greatly from year to year. In some years, we have filled a significant number of seats in the entering class from the wait list; in other years, our class has remained full and we have had very little movement from the wait list.

What is the size of the entering class? How many people are on the wait list? How many offers of admission have been made to date?

We expect to enroll 200 people in the incoming first-year class. We do not disclose admission statistics while the season is still in progress.

Is there a date after which candidates currently holding a position in the entering class cannot withdraw?

After April 30th, applicants admitted to Tufts School of Medicine, who intend to matriculate here, should be holding only one acceptance with Tufts School of Medicine. In addition to the one acceptance, these applicants may hold an unlimited number of wait list positions until 21 days prior to matriculation, and are free to accept any offers which may be extended to them. This means that there should be a very limited number of withdraws (if any) in the 21 days leading up to matriculation. 

If I am on the wait list at Tufts and also on the wait list at other schools, is there anything I should do?

Yes. Candidates on the wait list of one or more schools are sometimes called upon to make important enrollment decisions quickly especially during the summer months. To make the best decision under pressure, you need to be prepared. We suggest the following steps:

• Make a list that includes every school where you have been wait-listed and if you are currently holding an acceptance, include that school as well.
• Make a list of the factors that are most important to you in choosing between or among schools.
• Gather whatever information you need to compare the schools in terms of the factors that are important to you. If you intend to apply for financial aid, you should be sure your financial aid application is complete at every school on your list. (This is very important! Our Office of Financial Aid can generate an award letter very quickly for a recently admitted student, but only if they already have everything they need from you.
• Rank-order your list of schools from most preferred to least preferred.

Should I make alternative plans for next year?

This is perhaps the most difficult issue faced by people holding one or more wait list positions but no acceptances. Some candidates in this position intend to apply to medical school for the following year if not admitted this year, and those candidates often begin the reapplication process in June or July. This is not uncommon.

Other candidates consider employment opportunities or other academic programs. Such alternatives often require a commitment that precludes accepting a late summer medical school admission offer. You must decide how much risk you are willing to tolerate to remain available for a medical school offer, or at what point in time you feel it is in your best interest to withdraw from the wait list and make other commitments for the fall.

You should not make a commitment for next year based on the assumption that you would be able to defer your matriculation if you are admitted from the wait list late in the summer. We very rarely grant deferrals after June.

What will happen if I am not admitted?

After the class matriculates in late July, we will write to everyone who is still holding a wait list position and announce that we have concluded the admissions process for the incoming first-year class.

Is the wait list ranked? What is my position on the wait list? How are applicants selected from the wait list? How often does the Admissions Committee review the applications?

We do not rank our wait list. As people withdraw from our class, we monitor the demographic composition of the class (geographical distribution, representation of undergraduate institutions, etc.) and admit candidates from the wait list who would best balance the composition of the class. During the summer months, the Admissions Committee does not meet on a scheduled basis as it does during the academic year; rather, it meets on an ad-hoc basis, reviewing wait list applications as needed.

What can I do to improve my chances of being admitted? May I add new documents to my file?

Letting us know that you remain interested and available is most helpful, especially after July 1. Sending an email message to  [email protected]  is the most effective method of doing this. Be sure we know your current address, daytime and evening telephone numbers, and email address. We are happy to include in your file any new material you would like to send, such as spring semester transcripts or new letters of recommendation. However, it is not necessary for you to do this, and at this point in the process such material is unlikely to change the outcome of your application.