Navigating the MCW Medical School Clinical and Translational Pathway Requirements

The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) offers a comprehensive approach to medical education, emphasizing not only clinical skills but also research acumen and community engagement. A key component of this approach is the Clinical and Translational (CT) pathway, designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to bridge the gap between basic science discoveries and improved patient care. This article provides a detailed overview of the MCW medical school's clinical and translational pathway requirements, including scholarly concentrations, certificate programs, dual-degree options, and various research opportunities.

Scholarly Concentrations: Tailoring Your Medical Education

A distinctive feature of the MCW curriculum is the requirement for students to participate in Scholarly Concentrations. These concentrations allow students to individualize their training, working closely with faculty mentors and peers to delve deeper into areas of common interest. These concentrations are a required component of the Discovery Curriculum, with all First and Second-Year students participating in their selected concentration, with an option to continue in the Third Year. MCW offers a diverse array of concentrations, including:

Basic to Translational Research: This concentration provides core research skills in basic science, focusing on competencies transferable to clinical practice. These skills include communication (oral and written), time management, information gathering, critical thinking/critical assessment (i.e., data analysis, critical reading of scientific literature), and problem-solving.
Bioethics and Medical Humanities: This concentration enables students to integrate bioethics and medical humanities knowledge and tools into their healthcare careers. This is achieved through activities encompassing knowledge of bioethics scholarly literature through discussion and application of analytic frameworks to clinical ethics, research ethics, and ethics teaching.
Clinical to Translational Research: Designed for students interested in complementing their clinical development with the skills to become clinician-scientists, this concentration provides an understanding of how clinical and translational research improves patient care through core sessions and a mentored research project.
Clinician Educator: This concentration is tailored for students interested in the theory and methods of teaching and learning.
Global Health: This concentration prepares students to understand the healthcare needs of patients, families, and communities worldwide, equipping them for the challenges of working in areas with limited healthcare resources. The core curriculum aligns with recommendations from the Consortium of Universities for Global Health and other leading institutions.
Health Systems Management and Policy: This concentration helps students understand health policy and the business and economics of medicine, enabling them to improve and thrive in the healthcare system. It recognizes the influence of lifestyle, socio-economic factors, community resources, and environmental hazards on health outcomes.
Physician in the Community Concentration: Specifically for MCW-Green Bay or MCW-Central Wisconsin students, this concentration links medical education with the resources of clinical partners and the needs of Green Bay-area communities to promote health in Northern Wisconsin.

Certificate in Clinical and Translational Science

For those seeking a more focused education in the field, MCW offers a Certificate in Clinical and Translational Science. This 12-credit-hour certificate program is designed to provide an overview of the field to students from various backgrounds. The certificate is designed to be completed within one academic year, and students have up to two calendar years to complete all requirements. Students completing the certificate have the option to transfer up to 12 credits into the Master’s of Clinical and Translational Science degree program. Certificates can be earned in one of four program emphasis tracks:

Translational Science: This track focuses on the foundational principles of the translational process, moving discoveries from their basic foundation to clinical settings.
Population Science: This track focuses on the relationship between various factors and health outcomes at a population level.
Health Systems Science: This track focuses on principles and processes within the healthcare system.
Community Based Science: This track focuses on engaging the community in research being conducted near the end of the translational spectrum.

Required Courses

The Certificate in Clinical and Translational Science requires the completion of 12 credit hours, including the following courses:

Introduction to Clinical and Translational Science (3 credit hours): This course provides a broad understanding of clinical translational science, including methods used to move basic science discoveries to clinical practice and enhance public health through evidence-based care. Coursework includes weekly readings, assignments, and a final project.
Clinical Statistics I (3 credit hours): An introductory course in evidence discovery that demonstrates the concepts and application of statistical techniques and tools. It emphasizes the basic dogma of statistics, including the central tendency theorem and sampling.
Foundations in Health Services Research (3 credit hours): This course provides a broad understanding of health services research design and methodology. By the end of the course, the student will be able to understand key theories that serve as the foundation of health services research and understand the process of developing a research idea and translating it into an R-series level NIH proposal.
Introduction to Health Economics (3 credit hours): An introduction to health economics, both theoretical and applied, covering principles and research methodology used to apply economic concepts to the health field.
Introduction to Health Disparities Research (3 credit hours): This course introduces health disparities, focusing on the relationship between inequities in social determinants of health and health outcomes in various populations.
Translational Genomics (3 credit hours): This course teaches students how to develop a research program to ask relevant genetic questions in the clinical setting using molecular genetics tools.
Introduction to Dissemination and Implementation Science (3 credit hours): An introduction to dissemination and implementation science research methods, both theoretical and applied.

The Certificate in CTS program application cycle is open from January - July, with applications reviewed and admission decisions made on a rolling basis. TOEFL scores are required for students who do not use English as their primary language of communication.

Dual-Degree Programs: Combining Clinical Practice with Research

For students seeking to integrate clinical practice with in-depth research training, MCW offers several dual-degree programs:

MD/MS in Clinical and Translational Science: This program is designed for students interested in pursuing a medical career with a research focus, addressing the need for cutting-edge translational research that leads to improved care. Students receive mentorship from dedicated faculty to balance coursework with research components.
Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) (MD/PhD): This program, also known as the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), is designed for students interested in a career as physician-scientists. Students complete their MD degree alongside intensive research training, preparing them for careers in academic medicine and biomedical research.
MD/MPH: Offered in collaboration with the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, this five-year dual-degree program allows students to combine their medical education with a Master of Public Health. This program is ideal for students interested in public health leadership and healthcare policy.

Master’s in Clinical and Translational Science (MSCTS)

The Master’s in Clinical and Translational Science (MSCTS) degree is designed to train the next generation of health care professionals, clinical investigators, research scientists, and other individuals working in biomedical industries. The curriculum incorporates the full spectrum of the translational continuum (T0 through T5) and provides training and skills to position candidates to be successful in the growing field of Clinical and Translational Science.

The Basic and Translational Science Program (BTS)

The Basic and Translational Science Program (BTS) is a supplemental degree concentration for students who wish to carry out highly translational research that narrows the gap between current and basic science knowledge and clinical practice. Acceptance into the BTS program occurs in the second year of Graduate School. All participants must first be admitted into a degree-granting program at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Students participate in community and clinical shadowing experiences, interact with physicians and patients, and communicate about their research to diversely trained audiences. Educational opportunities are available in clinical trials, implementation science, community engagement, team science, grant writing, advocacy, and precision medicine.

Research Opportunities and Programs

MCW provides numerous research opportunities for students at all levels. These experiences allow students to engage in hands-on research, working alongside experienced faculty mentors. Some notable programs include:

SPARCC (Summer Program for Advancing Research Careers in Cancer): A summer research program for medical, graduate, and advanced undergraduate students interested in cancer research.
Pre-Pharmacy Scholars Program: A program exposing high school and college students to pharmacy career opportunities.
Program for Undergraduate Research (PURE): A non-paid, experiential-based program for undergraduate students enrolled in a degree-seeking program at an accredited college/university.
BUILD: A program designed to provide full-time research opportunities for enrolled undergraduate engineering students with practical experience in a research laboratory environment at MCW.
Genetic Counseling Career Research & Exploration Workshop (GC-CREW): A virtual, group workshop for undergraduates, recent graduates, and those interested in pursuing a career in genetic counseling.
College STEP-UP: A program to provide support to local undergraduate students.
Advocates in Medicine Pathway (AMP): A year-long medical school pathway program that supports the professional development of individuals from rural and economically or environmentally disadvantaged backgrounds who are interested in attending medical school and ultimately practicing primary care medicine in rural Wisconsin.
Advancing Student Potential for Inclusion with Research Experiences (ASPIRE): Summer research fellowships available for undergraduates in the Cardiovascular Research Center.
Summer Program for Undergraduate Research (SPUR): A program that offers hands-on research experience for undergraduates interested in biomedical science.
The 500 Stars Initiative: A ten-year, comprehensive, multi-institutional, and community-focused initiative, with the overarching objective of enrolling 500 students over ten years into the 500 Stars.
Direct, hands-on, professional experiences: These are available in clinical and translational science settings at CTSI partner and collaborator sites, as well as in the community.

Admissions Process

The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) maintains a highly competitive admissions process, selecting candidates who not only exhibit strong academic performance but also demonstrate a commitment to the field of medicine and to serving diverse communities. The acceptance rate for the Medical College of Wisconsin is approximately 2.75%. MCW requires applicants to complete the Casper test offered by Acuity Insights.

Application Timeline

The AMCAS application opens during the first week of May for the following academic year’s medical school class. Applying as soon as submissions open is essential to your success. Secondary applications should be completed within 2 weeks of receiving them for every school you apply to.

Secondary Application

The secondary application for the Medical College of Wisconsin costs $100.

Here are some common secondary essay prompts for MCW:

Explain how your unique background, identity, interests, or talents will contribute to the MCW learning community.
How will MCW uniquely prepare you for your future goals?
Recount a time when you made a decision you regret. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
Share with us what you have learned or how you have grown through working with or serving people from cultural backgrounds or groups different than your own. How do you believe you can contribute to improving health equity or reducing health disparities as a physician?
Do you have additional information you’d like to provide regarding disruptions to academic, extracurricular, and personal activities related to the COVID-19 pandemic?

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