Curriculum

The curriculum integrates research training with medical education — even during the first two years of medical school. During these years, preclinical students use elective time to explore research opportunities in the graduate divisions of the UCSD School of Medicine, the general UCSD campus, and affiliated research institutions. These research experiences enable students to choose a graduate program by the end of the second year of instruction. Students then pursue doctoral studies in anthropology, biology, biomedical sciences, bioengineering, biophysics, chemistry/biochemistry, epidemiology, molecular pathology, neuroscience, or physics.  A student's field of interest determines the graduate department and location of advanced research training. Following completion of departmental requirements for the PhD degree, the student resumes medical training by participating in third-year clinical clerkships. Most students earn both MD and PhD degrees in about eight years.

The La Jolla biomedical community is home to a cadre of talented and innovative researchers. These scientists investigate a spectrum of topics, ranging from mechanisms of signal transduction to phenomena such as phantom limb pain. The MSTP facilitates student exploration of this scientific smorgasbord by maximizing flexibility in the selection and duration (five weeks to three months) of each lab rotation. Students have the option to rotate through labs either on- or off-campus at one of the several affiliated research institutions.  AcrossTorrey Pines Road, students delve into fields such as neuroscience at the Salk Institute.  A little further down the street, The Scripps Research Institute houses research in chemistry, allergy, and the physical sciences.  A mere five-minute drive from the UCSD campus, the Burnham Institute boasts state-of-the-art investigation into apoptosis and the mechanisms underlying cancer. The variety and quality of  the science in the San Diego area provide numerous opportunities for collaborative, interdisciplinary, as well as traditional research. Moreover, the proximity of the UCSD hospital system speeds the bench-to-bedside translation of clinical research.