MSTP Application Process

Ready to take the next step? Make sure you are fully prepared. Most successful medical school applicants have spent several years preparing.

Key Dates


September 15

The MCAT must be taken by this date

October 15

Deadline to complete your application through AMCAS

November 20

Deadline to submit our secondary application and letters of recommendation

Fall/Winter

Virtual interviews; rolling admissions

April 30

“Commit to Enroll” option becomes available in AMCAS

June 1

Final deadline for accepting an offer

Take the MCAT

The last Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) test date considered on applications is September 15. If you submit your AMCAS application and an MCAT score has not yet been reported, we will wait for the additional score to be submitted before reviewing your application.

See MD premedical requirements and selection criteria for further information.

Complete Your Application

The American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) is a centralized online application service sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Once AMCAS has received your application and transcript(s), it takes approximately four to six weeks before it is sent to our medical school. Submit your application no later than October 15.

Early applications are encouraged, but it is important to submit the strongest application possible. This might mean waiting for additional grades in your coursework, starting or continuing activities that will prepare you for a career in research and medicine, and fine-tuning your essay to reflect who you are, and your motivation for becoming a physician scientist.

At the time you submit your AMCAS application, indicate any future dates when you intend to take the MCAT. Consideration of your application will be held until those final scores are received. Once the admissions committee has reached a decision on an application, no additional MCAT scores will be considered for that admissions cycle.

Be sure to select MSTP (MD-PhD): This program will appear as Combined Medical Degree/PhD in the AMCAS application.

MSTP submission guidelines for letters of recommendation are the same as those of the MD program, however MSTP applicants should include at least one letter from a research mentor. Mentor letters qualify as either academic or non-academic or can be in addition to the letters described by the MD program. MSTP applicants may submit up to seven letters of recommendation through AMCAS, in total, including a committee letter.

Submit Our Secondary Application

About 90 percent of applicants who apply to the UW School of Medicine and Public Health through AMCAS will receive a secondary application from us and that must be completed by November 20. Your application will not be considered complete until we receive your processing fee, all letters of recommendation and all MCAT scores. You will receive email confirmation when our office has received your letters of recommendation and application fee.

You can save your MSTP secondary application and return to work on it later. However, once you submit it, you will not be able to change any information. You may not change between the MD, MD/PhD, or Rural MD (Wisconsin Academy for Rural Medicine) tracks once you have submitted your secondary application.

Early completion of the secondary application increases the likelihood that you will be invited to interview.

At the time you submit your secondary application, you may also upload a copy of any published paper(s) that resulted from your research. This is optional; a publication is not required to be eligible to apply to the University of Wisconsin MSTP. Please upload the final, journal-formatted version of the publication(s) as a PDF attachment to the document upload section of the secondary application by November 20. We cannot accept manuscripts before they have been published, nor can we accept theses, abstracts or posters.

Virtual Interview

All interviews during this application cycle will be conducted virtually but you will have the opportunity to connect with admissions committee members, research faculty, current MSTP students and other applicants. You will also be able to participate in interactive and recorded sessions to learn more about the UW School of Medicine and Public Health and our amazing MSTP community. We typically hold 4 interviews between November and February. The Admissions Committee performs a final review of your application after you interview.

Visiting Madison

We host an in-person Admitted Student Visit Day for accepted applicants in spring.

Accept Our Offer!

If you are offered admission, congratulations! Complete your Acknowledgment of Acceptance form, complete any outstanding premedical requirements and stay tuned to our communications for additional information and an invitation to attend the Admitted Student Event in the spring. Make your intent to attend UW School of Medicine and Public Health known beginning April 30 via the AMCAS Choose your Medical School (CYMS) tool. See our checklist for accepted applicants

Key Dates After Being Offered Admission

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Feb. 19*: "Plan to Enroll" option becomes available

Accepted applicants may select “Plan to Enroll” in the AMCAS Choose Your Medical School Tool starting February 19. If your first choice is the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, please indicate your “Plan to Enroll” status as early as possible.

April 15: Narrow down your acceptances to three medical schools

The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health highly recommends that you narrow your acceptance offers to three medical schools, if applicable. This will help us manage the number of students in our entering class, and demonstrates professionalism. This will also allow us to work with other highly qualified candidates on our alternate list to whom we cannot yet make an offer.

April 30*: "Commit to Enroll" option becomes available

Accepted applicants may select “Commit to Enroll” in the AMCAS Choose Your Medical School Tool starting on April 30. This is the last day that a UW School of Medicine and Public Health-admitted student may hold multiple acceptances. This selection indicates the final choice of medical school, and applicants must withdraw acceptances from all other medical schools. If an accepted applicant is still holding acceptances at medical schools other than the UW School of Medicine and Public Health after April 30, we reserve the right to rescind our acceptance. If applicants need additional time to make a final decision, they should contact our office as soon as possible. Applicants may remain on alternate lists at other medical schools if their status remains “Plan to Enroll.” If an applicant chooses “Commit to Enroll,” they must withdraw all other acceptances or alternate list offers.

June 1: "Commit to Enroll” deadline

UW reserves the right to withdraw your acceptance if you have not entered your Commit to Enroll decision in AMCAS by June 1. If you need additional time, please email mstp@med.wisc.edu. The admissions office grants extensions in rare cases for extenuating personal circumstances. Out of respect for those on our waiting list, we cannot grant additional time for applicants waiting to hear from other schools.

*If a date falls on a weekend or holiday, the next business day applies. (AMCAS)