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The MSPE

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The MSPE

The Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) is a major part of the residency application process. It describes, in a sequential manner, your performance through three full years of medical school. The MSPE includes an assessment of your academic performance and highlights professional attributes. The MSPE is not a letter of recommendation but rather a compilation of your academic record and information you choose to highlight. The Office of Student Affairs compiles your data into one document to form the MSPE. In addition, and as a reminder No single person writes the MSPE, and no one involved in the MSPE preparation has a role in evaluating you. You will meet with your Faculty Advisor at the end of third year (or beginning of 4th year) to review the MSPE. The MSPE is considered a component of the students' academic record and, thus, is available for your review. We allow a review of the MSPE in mid-July and a final review in mid-September for the purposes of fact checking, but do not allow revisions to the evaluative statements in the MSPE.

If you are in the MSTP Program, you will have a letter added to your MSPE written by the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. This letter will explain your progress as a PhD student and your accomplishments. This will be at the beginning of your MSPE, prior to your identifying information. Student Affairs works with the MD/PhD Program to ensure that this portion of the MSPE is complete.

The MSPE does not specify a student’s specialty choice.

Sample MSPE
Sample MSTP Research Letter (addended to MSPE)

MSPE Planning for MD/PhD Students

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Due in advance of May-June MSPE meeting

MD/PhD specific - to upload here in advance of our meeting) via this form: https://forms.gle/F2qTZCzvKKpLjMCa8

  1. Updated CV
  2. Updated biosketch
  3. Lay summary of your dissertation research, 1 page max.
    • This summary should be understandable to a basic scientist whose expertise may not be in your area. Identify appropriate publications (your own) at the appropriate places in the summary and explain, in a single sentence, how each one helped to move the field forward. You may wish to confer with your PhD thesis mentor in preparing this page. The discussion of your research is really critical because this is what sets you apart from MD students. This statement should also include other things that you have done while in the program (service and extracurricular work). Here is an example.
  4. Letter from your PI (optional but would help) – ask for this now, why wait?
  5. Here are some resources you may provide them if they are looking for guidance:
  6. Personal statement, optional, if available

At your Faculty Advising May-June meeting 1:1, you’ll:

At your MSTP Director Letter in June meeting 1:1, you’ll: