I'm not an underrepresented minority; am I still eligible for BOOST?

Yes! Stanford MSTP BOOST is open to students from all ethnic backgrounds. Applications are especially encouraged from students who are Black/African Americans, Latino/Chicano Americans, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, and/or identify as LGBTQ+.

Are international students eligible for BOOST?

Yes; we encourage students that are interested in pursuing physician-scientist careers in the U.S. to apply. Please note that the program treats international travel on a case by case basis.

Can high school students, community college students, college graduates or graduate students participate in BOOST?

No; students must either be currently enrolled in or have recently graduated from a four-year undergraduate college or university to participate in BOOST. Note that graduate students are not eligible. Applicants must be sophomores or above to apply. They must have at least 3 semesters (or 4 quarters) of completed college coursework by the application deadline. First years who have sophomore standing through AP credits are not eligible to apply.
For high school programs at Stanford University, click https://oso.stanford.edu/programs/audiences/5-high-school-students

I am interested in pursuing an MD alone. Is this a good program for me?

No; Stanford MSTP BOOST caters specifically to students aspiring to pursue a dual MD-PhD. 

For Stanford Medicine programs for high school and undergraduates, click http://med.stanford.edu/education/high-school-undergraduate-programs.html

How many students will participate in the MSTP BOOST?

Approximately 8-10 students will attend Stanford MSTP BOOST

Are students without previous research experience eligible?

Yes; previous research experience is not required but strong interest in a research career is highly encouraged.

I am interested in pursuing an MD-PhD with PhD training in the social sciences or humanities. Am I eligible for BOOST?

No; for now, only students interested in PhDs in the sciences or engineering are eligible, with a preference for fields of study related to biomedical research in some way. We recognize that non-scientific fields of study are valuable for medical and social progress; however, we do not currently have the capacity to expand the scope of BOOST beyond the sciences.

Is MD-PhD Preview 2019 the same as Stanford MSTP BOOST?

Yes, we have renamed our program to reflect the mission of our program. The contents of the program from last year will be very similar to this year.

Can I apply to MSTP BOOST if I applied to MD-PhD Preview?

You are eligible to apply for MSTP BOOST as long as you were not previously accepted to Preview.

Do I have to pay anything to attend MSTP BOOST?

No; MSTP BOOST is fully funded, including travel, food, and lodging costs during the program, as a result of generous sponsorship from the Stanford MSTP, Stanford School of Medicine’s REACH Initiative, the Office of the Vice Provost of Graduate Education (VPGE), and Stanford Biosciences.

In which formats can I upload my files?

Please upload your CV/resume and transcripts in Word, PDF, or JPG formats. We will not review any files in other formats.

Do I need to upload an official transcript as part of my application?

No; you are required to upload an unofficial transcript only. Upon acceptance, we will require that you submit your official college transcripts via mail. High school transcripts do not need to be sent.

Can I upload my essays to the application?

No; all essays must be submitted using the text boxes provided on the application. We strongly encourage you to write your statement of purpose in a word processor (e.g. Microsoft Word) first, then copy/paste your text into the text boxes provided on the application. Please be sure to carefully review your essays once you have entered them in the online application to ensure that all text has copied over properly.

What are the essay length requirements?

Each essay has different character maximum (includes spaces). Carefully read the instructions in each essay prompt.

My recommender did not receive the email with instructions on how to upload their letter of recommendation. What do I do?

Please ask your recommender to check their spam mail folder, as sometimes request emails are routed there. If they are still unable to locate the e-mail in their spam folder, please contact us at stanford.mstp.boost@gmail.com.

If you have any questions that are not listed above, please email us at stanford.mstp.boost@gmail.com