Students in the MSTP integrate both graduate and medical studies into their curriculum. In addition, because the students carry out their graduate research in so many different fields and programs, no single schedule is appropriate for all students. Therefore, our policy is to allow for maximum flexibility with continued guidance and monitoring. The graduate school courses for an MSTP student are determined by the thesis committee in conjunction with the graduate department, with the dual goals of adequately preparing the student for research in the chosen field while eliminating course overlap with the medical school curriculum. The average time to completion of both degrees is approximately 8 years.

Medical/Clinical Education

The following is an overview of the current medical education curriculum

Students in their graduate years are encouraged to continue exposure to clinical medicine through participation in the Clinical Experience Program and the Translational Medicine Journal Club.

Graduate Training Opportunities

A distinguishing feature of the UCI MSTP is that any student can pursue their graduate work in any department at UCI. Previous MSTP students have done their graduate work in a wide variety of schools/departments and fields, such as:

School of Medicine Anatomy & Neurobiology Biological Chemistry Microbiology & Molecular Genetics Experimental Pathology Physiology & Biophysics Epidemiology Environmental Health Sciences Pharmacology

School of Biological Sciences Developmental & Cell Biology Molecular Biology & Biochemistry Neurobiology & Behavior

School of Engineering Biomedical Engineering Electrical Engineering Biochemical Engineering Mechanical Engineering

School of Physical Sciences Chemistry Physics

School of Information & Computer Sciences Computer Sciences

Interdepartmental Programs/Institutes/Centers Beckman Laser Institute NCI Cancer Center Research Imaging Center Micro Array Center Institute for Clinical & Translational Science Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center

Students are also encouraged to explore opportunities in other fields, such as Social Ecology, Public Health, Humanities, Anthropology, etc.

Students are required to complete two rotations between their first and second year of medical school. Depending on their experience in these, they may complete one-two more rotations after their second year of medical school before deciding on a graduate program and PI Mentor. Rotations are allowed through the first quarter of year three.