National Institute of
General Medical Sciences

Program Goal & Structure

NIGMS has two predoctoral institutional programs to train future dual-degree clinician scientists.

• Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP; PAR-24-128). The goal of the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) is to develop a diverse pool of well-trained clinician-scientist leaders available to address the Nation's biomedical research needs.
• Leading Equity and Diversity in the Medical Scientist Training Program (LEAD MSTP; PAR-23-030). The goal of the Leading Equity and Diversity in the Medical Scientist Training Program (LEAD MSTP) is to develop a diverse pool of highly trained clinician-scientist leaders available to meet the Nation’s biomedical research needs by providing support for dual-degree clinician scientist training at institutions that have historically not been well represented among NIGMS-funded MSTPs.

These programs support to eligible domestic institutions to develop and implement effective, evidence-informed approaches to fully integrate the transitional phases of dual-degree training and mentoring that will lead to the completion of both clinical degrees (e.g., M.D., D.O., D.V.M., D.D.S., Pharm.D., etc.), and research doctorate degrees (Ph.D.) and keep pace with the rapid evolution of the biomedical enterprise. With the dual qualification of a rigorous scientist and clinician, graduates will be equipped with the skills to develop research programs that accelerate the translation of research advances to the understanding, detection, treatment, and prevention of human disease, and to lead the advancement of biomedical research.

Training grants offset the cost of stipends, tuition and fees, and training related expenses, including health insurance, for the appointed trainees in accordance with the approved NIH support levels. Training grants are usually awarded for five years and are renewable.

Organizational Eligibility

Organizations can have only one MSTP or LEAD-MSTP program.

• MSTP Eligibility: Any organization type listed in see Section III of the NOFO that can conduct a rigorous dual-degree clinical scientist training program is eligible to apply.
• LEAD-MSTP Eligibility: This program is limited to dual-degree training programs that do not currently have NIGMS MSTP programs and are one of the following types of applicant organizations:
  • Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
  • Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs).
  • Institutions within Institutional Development Award (IDeA)-eligible states: Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming, and Puerto Rico.

LEAD MSTP applicant organizations must have an accredited clinical degree granting program (such as M.D., D.O., D.V.M., D.D.S., Pharm.D., etc.). When appropriate, NIGMS encourages LEAD-MSTP applications to use a partnership model to further advance the goals of the program (in such cases, institutional partners must award Ph.D. degrees in the biomedical sciences).

Trainee Eligibility and Participation

The applicant organization will select the trainees to be supported by the research training program. It is the responsibility of the organization to establish the qualifications, consistent with applicable law, of the trainees before they are supported by the program. The individual to be trained must be a citizen or a noncitizen national of the United States or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence at the time of appointment. Additional details on citizenship, training period, and aggregate duration of support are available in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Trainees must be enrolled in a program or programs leading to a combined clinical degree and a Ph.D. (e.g., M.D./Ph.D.; D.O./Ph.D.; D.V.M./PhD.; D.D.S./Ph.D., Pharm.D./Ph.D., etc.). Programs are encouraged to limit appointments to individuals committed to careers that utilize the dual-degree qualifications. NIGMS expects organizations to engage in outreach and recruitment activities to encourage broad participation in biomedical research training programs.

Information for Applicant Organizations

Awards for both programs begin July 1 each year. LEAD MSTP has an annual deadline in January. MSTP programs have three due dates - see more information here.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs; including Related Notices in the Overview Section), Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, and consult NIGMS staff to discuss eligibility and application requirements prior to submission.

For questions about the MSTP program, please contact Dr. Andrea Keane-Myers and Dr. Miles Fabian.

For questions about the LEAD MSTP program, please contact. Dr. Jeremy McIntyre

MSTP resources

NOFO MSTP2024 MSTP Webinar slides

2024 MSTP WebinarFunded MSTP Dashboard

LEAD MSTP Resources

NOFO LEAD MSTP

Funded LEAD MSTP Dashboard

General Resources

Frequently Asked QuestionsNIGMS Suggested Table Formats

NRSA Training Tables