Interviews
After a review of the written application, including letters of recommendation, approximately 70 applicants are offered interviews. Interviews are required for a full evaluation. The MSTP interview is integrated with the medical school interview and conducted over a single day. Applicants list on the MSTP application the specific investigators they would like to meet. Candidates meet with at least three members of the MSTP admissions committee, in addition to faculty members with shared scientific interests. During the first afternoon, the applicants meet with graduate program faculty and students working in areas of their scientific interest. At the end of the day, applicants have a more informal interview with an MSTP student who serves on the admissions committee. The student interviewer is matched to the applicant's research interests, whenever possible. A final wrap-up session with the MSTP director at the end of the interview day is followed by an informal dinner with the students.
Interviews are offered on a rolling basis and we cannot guarantee that interview spots will be available on a given date. The MSTP will interview candidates for the Class of 2026 on the following dates:
OCTOBER 2025
- October 24
- October 27
NOVEMBER 2025
- November 3
- November 10
- November 21
- November 24
DECEMBER 2025
- December 5
- December 8
January 2026
- January 12
- January 16
- January 23
- January 26
Second Look
Accepted students are invited back to Pittsburgh in the spring for an MSTP second look at our expense. Additionally, applicants can return during formal graduate program recruitment or medical school second look days. The purpose is to meet with graduate program faculty mentors to define initial laboratory rotation, thus beginning to define their thesis lab.
Our second look is tentatively scheduled for April 9-12, 2026. Please check back closer to the date for more updates.