Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible to apply to the CSTP?

Only students who have applied to the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (UPSOM) but have not yet matriculated are eligible to apply to the CSTP. We accept and review CSTP applications before students know whether they have been accepted to UPSOM, but we only make offers to the CSTP applicants who have been offered admission to UPSOM.

How does the CSTP differ from the Physician Scientist Training Program (PSTP)?

The Physician Scientist Training Program (PSTP) is a "sister program" to the CSTP. It is also a 5-year scholarship program offering structured activities and mentored research experience. However, the PSTP is more focused on basic research than on clinical research. The most important difference between the two programs is that the CSTP includes a formal degree-granting component and the PSTP does not.

How does the CSTP differ from the area of concentration (AOC) program?

The activities in the CSTP are more highly structured, include formal coursework, and lead to either a Certificate in Clinical Research or a Master of Science in Clinical Research. Students may participate in an AOC while also enrolled in the CSTP.

How much will it cost for me to obtain an MS or Certificate in Clinical Research?

Nothing! If you are accepted into the CSTP, your tuition for the Certificate or MS in Clinical Research will be paid for you by the dean's office. The CSTP scholarship covers $25,000 per year towards medical school tuition in MS-I, MS-II, MS-III, and MS-IV and 100% of the Certificate or Master of Science tuition the research year (between MS-III and MS-IV); additionally, students are guaranteed a minimum of $10,000 is living stipend during the research year. Students are eligible to apply for other stipends for their research year as replacements for, rather than augmentations to, this $10,000.

Does the CSTP meet the requirements for the scholarly project?

Yes.

When would I take the CSTP research year?

The CSTP research year is between MS-III and MS-IV. Students take the core curriculum (and the specialty track courses in the MS program), and they conduct mentored research during the CSTP year. Nine units of the core curriculum are concentrated in July and August, and students concentrate almost entirely on coursework during this time. Between September and June of the CSTP year and during up to 3 months of elective rotations in MS-IV, students conduct nearly full-time research while also completing the rest of the core curriculum and, for MS students, the specialty track required courses and elective courses.

If I have already matriculated in the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, can I participate in the CSTP?

Current MS-I, MS-II, and MS-III students are not eligible for the CSTP. Students who are interested in taking a year out to do mentored clinical research at the University of Pittsburgh and pursuing formal clinical research methods coursework should consider applying to the Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship Program or one of the NIH-funded T32 programs at Pitt.

Does the CSTP have access to my medical school application and letters of recommendation?

The CSTP Admissions Committee does not have access to your medical school application or letters of recommendation. Your CSTP application can include the same letters if you request your recommenders to upload them into our online application. Keep in mind that you are being asked about your commitment to and promise for a career in clinical investigation, not whether you would be a good doctor.

In the CSTP application, do I have to repeat the same information that is included in my primary and secondary medical school applications?

There is a partial data exchange between the CSTP and the medical school applications. Once you input your AMCAS ID in the CSTP application, we transfer some information from your medical school application to your CSTP application (e.g., MCAT scores and grade point average). However, you have to repeat some information (such as educational background information), upload a curriculum vitae, write a new personal statement, and answer several open-ended questions. It is best to treat your CSTP application as a "stand alone" application. If something is important for us to know, be sure to tell us.

Does the CSTP have rolling admissions?

The CSTP Admissions Committee makes CSTP admission offers in March and places the remaining students on a ranked waiting list. If students who are offered admission decline their slot, then we make offers sequentially to wait-listed students. We have noticed that a lot of the "movement" on the list tends to happen around May 15, when students make their binding commitments to medical schools.

When will I find out whether I have been offered a slot in the CSTP?

In March, you will find out if you are admitted or wait-listed. On or around May 15, you should find out if you are admitted from the waiting list.

Is there a separate interview for admission to the CSTP?

There is not a separate interview for admission to the CSTP, but we encourage you to set up a meeting with the associate director of the CSTP. You can arrange a separate in-person meeting or a phone call by contacting the CSTP coordinator at cstp@pitt.edu.

In my personal statement, should I outline my broader interests in clinical medicine or should I write a specific research proposal?

Your CSTP personal statement should outline your research experience in detail, with special attention to previous clinical research, and then describe your research interests and career goals. We do not expect a research proposal that is specific, but it is helpful to identify a few potential mentors whose work at the University of Pittsburgh interests you. The mentors you mention will not necessarily become your mentors. If you are accepted, we will work with you to find an ideal mentor by December of your first year. The most important distinction to keep in mind is that your CSTP personal statement should explain your commitment to and promise for a career in clinical investigation, not whether you would be a good doctor (we take for granted that if you are accepted to medical school here that our Admissions Committee thinks you would be a good doctor).

When choosing a mentor, should I contact the mentor ahead of time or just specify my interest in working with him or her in the CSTP application?

You do not need to contact potential mentors ahead of time unless meeting with them would influence your decision to attend the University of Pittsburgh if accepted. In the CSTP application, you need only to identify a few federally funded clinical researchers at the University of Pittsburgh whom you might be interested in working with and briefly discuss why.

Is the CSTP right for me?

If after reviewing this Web site you still want to find out more about the program, write to the associate director of the CSTP (cstp@pitt.edu).