Funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the National Track provides tuition and stipend support to MD-PhD students who will receive an MD from any medical school in the United States and a PhD from a graduate program at the University of Chicago. 

Students interested in applying to the National Track must pursue a doctoral degree in the quantitative social sciences and demonstrate an interest in and commitment to the study of aging. Candidates should apply to one or more of the PhD programs listed here:

• Booth School of Business
• Comparative Human Development
• Conceptual and Historical Studies of Science
• Economics
• Harris School of Public Policy Studies
• Psychology
• Public Health Sciences
• School of Social Service Administration
• Sociology

Prospective students should apply to the National Track before their first, second, or third year of medical school. Students must apply separately and gain admissions to both the National Track, administered through the Center for Health and the Social Sciences (CHeSS), and any PhD programs of interest. Accepted students will work with their medical school, PhD program, and National Track faculty to develop a personalized training timeline that supports their success in both their doctoral and medical training.

National Track students will receive ongoing support and advisement as they progress through both medical school and their respective PhD programs. Mentorship teams will include at least one faculty member with an MD-PhD and one core faculty member in Aging. 

Potential MD-PhD Faculty Mentors:

• David Meltzer, MD, PhD (PhD in Economics)
• Lainie Ross, MD, PhD (PhD in Philosophy)
• Samuel Volchenboum, MD, PhD (PhD in Molecular Biology)

Potential Core Faculty Mentors in Aging:

• Vineet Arora, MD, Department of Medicine
• Kathleen Cagney, PhD, Sociology Department
• Marshall Chin, MD, MPH, Department of Medicine
• William Dale, MD, PhD, Department of Medicine
• Christopher Daugherty, PhD, Department of Medicine
• Elbert Huang, MD, Department of Medicine
• Diane Lauderdale, PhD, Department of Public Health Sciences
• Martha McClintock, PhD, Department of Psychology
• David Meltzer, MD, PhD, Departments of Medicine, Economics, and Public Policy
• Linda Waite, PhD, Sociology Department

Funding and Eligibility

National Track students receive tuition and stipend support for their graduate training at UChicago. Funding from the National Institute of Aging (NIA) provides one year of tuition and stipend support for trainees during their PhD training, and each student’s PhD program provides support for the remaining years of graduate training.  The National Track does not provide any tuition assistance or financial support for medical school. 

Prospective students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S to be eligible for the National Track.

Application Instructions and Timeline

Prospective students should review the National Track admissions requirements and application instructions here. Applicants should also review the MeSH Frequently Asked Questions page as well as the application requirements for any PhD programs to which they are applying.