Offered in collaboration with our Clinical and Translational Science Institute, NYU Grossman School of Medicine’s dual MD/MS in translational research is designed for students who want to pursue a career in translational research—applying research advances to the development of new medical therapies.

As a student in this dual degree program, you take courses on topics including research design, biostatistics, epidemiology, drug design, and grant writing. You also complete an original research project under the guidance of a faculty mentor and the program director.

In weekly seminars, you exchange ideas with other students, discuss problems encountered during your research, and develop solutions. This experience allows you to be part of our vibrant community of researchers.

Throughout the program, your faculty mentor and the program director track your progress and set benchmarks, which include submitting research abstracts and manuscripts for publication and presenting at national research meetings. The program culminates with a written thesis and oral defense based on your original research.

Timeline for Completing the MD/MS in Translational Research

The 32-credit MS in translational research can be completed with the MD degree in five years. During the first three years of medical school, you fulfill the preclerkship and clinical components of the MD curriculum. You then focus full time on the MS in translational research starting in the summer before your fourth year.

During the fifth year, you return to medical school to resume your MD training. At the same time, you complete MS coursework and continue your research. You receive the same level of mentoring and complete the same milestones as postdoctoral fellows, except you write a reflective thesis based on your research instead of the grant proposal required of postdoctoral fellows.

Time allotted for electives in the medical school curriculum can be used during your final year to complete your research. With this project, you earn 12 elective credits that count toward your MD degree and 12 independent research credits that count toward the MS degree.

MD/MS Program Application, Tuition, and Funding

You apply to the MD/MS in translational research directly through the Clinical and Translational Science Institute during the spring of your third year at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. As part of your application, you choose a research project and faculty mentor and submit your CV, a personal statement, and three letters of recommendation.

Students receive an NYU Grossman School of Medicine scholarship to cover the cost of tuition for the MD degree program, provided each student maintains satisfactory academic progress in accordance with NYU Grossman School of Medicine’s Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. For the MS portion of the degree, tuition discounts are available from the National Institutes of Health. For more information about tuition rates, merit-based scholarships, and other options for financing your MS in translational research, contact the program.

Contact the Program

For more information about the MD/MS in translational research, email mscidualdegree@nyulangone.org.

For information about the dual MD/master’s degree programs, contact Emily Wolschlag, dual degree advisor, at emily.wolschlag@nyulangone.org.