Applicant information: Prerequisites, optimal preparation, and the application process:

Prerequisites: Students must be in years 2-6 of their respective graduate programs and have a strong interest in applying their molecular knowledge to the treatment of human disease.  They should be interested in conceptualizing new diagnostics and therapeutics.  They should be interactive in group settings.  This pool of graduate students will have already received advanced training in molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry, genetics, pharmacology, neurobiology, or molecular pathology, and these diverse backgrounds will enrich the clinical environment for medical students and residents, providing a bi-directional flow of information between both student participates and medical special group members. It is important that students have a general understanding of Histology and a specific understanding of the Histopathology of diseases they will see in the clinic. Students acquire this training in Autumn quarter, using a convenient Histology & Histopathology on-line self-study program designed by USCD Pathology Department faculty.

Optimal preparation:  First year students interested in optimal MSP preparation should enrole in at least one course describing the molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis related to the disease focus of their MSP.  For students in Biomedical Sciences and Molecular Pathology, these courses include The Molecular Pathology of Cancer, Neurologic Disease, Cardiovascular Development & Disease, Microbial Pathogenesis, Human Development and Genetics, Rheumatic Disease, and Drugs & Disease, which focuses on topics on Hypertension, Atherosclerosis, Diabetes, and Obesity. Cognate courses in neuropathology are offered by the neurosciences program.  While optimal, this recommendation is not required due to the fact that many students have self-educated within their area of disease interest, or may be focused on processes impacted by disease that are not involved in the etiology of the disease (e.g. cognition in Alzheimer's disease). Bioengineering students may have a weaker background in molecular pathogenic mechanisms, but should bring a strong understanding of biomechanical or biosensory device technology that can be applied in physiologic contexts, and their proven strengths or weaknesses.

Application process: Program co-organizers are Mark Kamps, Director of the UCSD/Burnham Institute Graduate Program in Molecular Pathology, and Kenneth Kaushansky, Chair of the Department of Medicine. Students interested in MSP training should provide a short description of their research background, their current research interests, and their rational for MSP topic selection on this Application and send it to Mark Kamps at mkamps@ucsd.edu.

Normal application deadline for Med-into-Grad training for the 2009-2010 year is May 31.

All students will be interviewed in June. Our goal is to have our full class formed by June 30th.

Late application will be accepted as late as August 10th, and will be given consideration based on available funding and available clinical education slots.