The Carle Illinois College of Medicine MD/PhD Medical Scholars Program (MSP) is a combined physician-scientist training program designed to prepare future leaders who can address complex challenges in medicine through research and innovation. Students earn both an MD from Carle Illinois and a PhD from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, with the flexibility to pursue doctoral training in a wide range of disciplines, including Neuroscience. Applicants may enter the program directly through the medical school admissions process. The curriculum integrates medical education with intensive research training, beginning graduate studies after completion of the pre-clerkship medical curriculum and USMLE Step 1. Students admitted directly to the joint program receive four years of medical school tuition support, while graduate training is funded through their PhD program. The MSP emphasizes interdisciplinary scholarship, creativity, leadership, and service, with the goal of training physician-scientists capable of bridging clinical medicine and discovery-driven research. For more questions, email msp@medicine.illinois.edu