Thinking about how to pay for medical school? Consider the Medical Scientist Training program — it can be your free ticket to medical school.

If you want to study medicine AND possibly be a medical researcher, The Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) is the avenue for the research scientist. By applying to MSTP, you are applying to both medical school as well as a PhD program, and if you are accepted, then you will receive a scholarship for both your PhD program AND medical school that will cover tuition

There are three “gotcha’s” to think about when you consider the MSTP:

1. Only 45 medical schools participate in the MSTP.
2. There are very few seats available for MSTP students, only 170 positions, nationwide, per year.
3. And the third gotcha is that if you’re not accepted to both the MD program and the PhD program, then you’re not eligible for MSTP and therefore you will have to pay for medical school yourself.

Admissions tip! I’m speaking as a medical school and PhD admissions coach here, you have to be a good fit to the Ph.D. program to even be considered. You want to carefully research the medical schools that you are applying to, as well as the PhD programs, and make sure that you are a good fit for the PhD program.

For example, let’s say you’re interested in viruses. And your area of research in college has been in viruses, but you’re applying to a PhD program that works in genetics, then there’s an obvious mis-match between your experience and what the PhD program is looking for. You won’t get in — not because you aren’t qualified, but because you are interested in an area of research for which they have no support.

It’s up to you to make sure that the program you apply for fits your experiences and your areas of interest.

Five other ways to go to medical school for free.