Education
Training leaders in medical and life sciences

Providing a basic education to doctors and scientists isn't enough - we expect our graduates to play leadership roles in the biosciences. That is why we work hard to ensure that our training programs are the standard for excellence in traditional as well as emerging disciplines. We also offer learning opportunities that range from our high school outreach programs to our continuing medical education courses for health-care professionals. Many of our faculty members also share their insights with the public through seminars and classes.

To Prospective Students: A message from Dean Pizzo, Senior Associate Dean Parsonnet, and Senior Associate Dean John Boothroyd.

Degree programs

MD Program: Medical education at Stanford prepares the student to realistically meet both the opportunities and the challenges of the future, whatever his or her eventual career path may be. Students have the flexibility of also enrolling in a scholarly concentration in their interest area that will allow them to develop an independent, critical and inquiring approach to medicine.

PhD Programs: There is an extraordinary choice of biological research laboratories for incoming students: more than two hundred labs in the basic sciences and over four hundred additional labs in the clinical disciplines. Admission to any of the twelve PhD programs also offers flexible interdisciplinary study for students wishing to pursue a PhD.

Masters Programs: Each year, about 35 MS degrees are awarded.

Combined Degree Programs: Learn about the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) and other combined MD/PhDs.

Undergraduate Education: Advanced education for pre-medical and biosciences undergraduate students.

Non-degree programs

Postdoctoral Scholars: There are over fourteen hundred postdoctoral scholars at Stanford each year; each one, through their continuing education, is a contributor to the research, clinical care and education of graduate students and undergraduates at the University.

Fellowships and Internships: In addition to postdoctoral scholarship, the School of Medicine offers clinical and research opportunities for physicians seeking speciality training, graduate and medical students, undergraduate students and high school students.

Clerkships: We offer a maximum of 3 months of elective rotations to students who are in their fourth or final year at an LCME-accredited medical school in the United States or Canada.

Resident Programs: Stanford residents get both real-world and cutting-edge clinical experience.

Continuing Medical Education (CME): Modern medical practice requires a career-long commitment to learning the latest skills and practices, and Stanford is here to help.

		Focus On Senior medicine resident Richard Lee, MD Within the Hours Some residents are grateful for new rules limiting the hours of resident service. Yet many faculty and residents question whether they will really lead to fewer mistakes and better patient care. In fact, some believe the rules have created more opportunity for error.

Seminars at the School of Medicine

Departments, divisions and groups at the School of Medicine hold dozens of research, medical practice and other seminars and events every week. Many are open to Stanford community members. Take a look and see the caliber of learning and communication at the School of Medicine.