MeSH FAQs
Q. Does the MeSH program require any applications in addition to the Pritzker School of Medicine AMCAS application?
A. Yes. MeSH applicants must apply for admission and financial aid to both the MeSH Program and their respective PhD program. Applicants must be accepted to both programs to receive MeSH funding.
Applicants apply to the Pritzker School of Medicine through the online AMCAS system. Please visit the MeSH Admissions Timeline for additional information about applying to the MeSH program.
Q. Is there a separate application for the MD/PhD Program in Medicine, the Social Sciences and Aging program?
A. Applicants interested in being considered for this program should indicate their interest in aging in the AMCAS Combined Medical Degree/PhD essays. For more information about this process, please visit the MeSH Admissions Timeline.
Q: Will I have to take an additional standardized test?
A: More than likely. Most PhD programs in the Social Sciences and Humanities require the GRE. Applicants should check the application requirements of their respective graduate programs.
Q. Can I apply to MeSH after I've started school at the Pritzker School of Medicine?
A. The MeSH program is primarily open to incoming medical students.
Q: Can I apply to both MSTP and to MeSH?
A. No, applicants must apply for one program or the other. The MSTP program is designed for students interested in pursuing their PhD in the biological or physical sciences. The MeSH program is for students interested in pursuing their PhD in the Social Sciences, Humanities, or at the University of Chicago's other professional schools. (Business, Law, Public Policy, Social Science Administration)
Q: Can I apply to more than one PhD program?
A: Absolutely. In fact, if more than one PhD program seems to be relevant to your interests, you are encouraged to apply to multiple PhD programs. This may improve your chances of acceptance to a PhD program and will provide more opportunities to receive a desirable financial aid package for your PhD studies. If you apply to more than one PhD Program, please list all the PhD programs to which you are applying in the space on the MeSH supplemental application where it asks you what PhD program you will be applying to.
Q: What is the normal sequence for students in the MeSH program?
A: Typically students complete two years of medical school and then take a leave of absence to complete their PhD, returning to Pritzker for the final two years of medical school.
MeSH students may find it beneficial (and faster!) to start with two years of their PhD program, completing coursework and exams through the Masters level. They complete the first two years of medical school before taking a leave for a year or two to finish their PhD and then return to medical school to finish their MD. One advantage of this sequence is that it allows the student to be slowly working on their doctoral dissertation during the student's first and second years of medical school, thus speeding overall progress through the program.Q: Do you offer a PhD in bioethics?
A: No, the University of Chicago does not offer a PhD in bioethics. Students interested in bioethics can apply to the PhD programs in Philosophy, Divinity, Social Thought, Public Policy, or any other relevant PhD program. In addition, the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics offers elective courses and research opportunities for medical students and a two-year post-graduate fellowship that trains physicians to examine the practical medical and ethical issues confronting both patients and health professions.
