Applicants must meet the following requirements before filling out an online application.

• Candidates must have completed one of the following degrees: MD, DDS, DMD, DO, ND, OD, PharmD, PhD, DNS in nursing, PhD with clinical responsibilities, or other professional degree as deemed appropriate by the selection committee.
• Candidates must have a clinical appointment within UPMC (faculty, fellow, or resident) and/or an academic appointment within a University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences school. Since successful participation in and completion of our courses depend on having clinical and classroom environments in which to teach, concurrent with the program.
• Candidates must have a high level of interest in and potential for the pursuit of innovative medical education as a major focus of their career plan.
• Candidates must be based in departments that ensure adequate protected time to participate in courses and complete a research project during their pursuit of the degree.
• A minimum GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale
• TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo scores (when applicable)
• We do not accept GRE or MCAT scores.

Online Application

Begin your application by clicking here.

Personal Information

Our application will ask for basic demographic information.

Education

You will be asked to list all undergraduate and graduate degrees earned, non-degree coursework completed and dates of enrollment. We will also ask for a list of honors and/or awards.

Citizenship and Residency

Our application will require information about citizenship, visa status, and Pennsylvania residency.

Personal Statement and CV/Biosketch

The one-page personal statement should describe your research interests and how the program will benefit your career in medical education. We also require an updated CV or biosketch.

Demonstrate English Proficiency (when required)

If you are a citizen of a country in which English is not the official language or if you are a citizen of the province of Quebec in Canada, you are required to show evidence of English language proficiency by submitting the official results from one of the following: TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or USMLE & ECFMG (see below).

Guaranteed Protection of Time

Candidates must be based in departments that ensure adequate protected time to participate in courses and complete a research project during their pursuit of the degree. While the necessary amount of time varies based on course load, candidates who plan to complete the degree in 2 years should have a minimum of 25%, and ideally 50%, of protected time, and must have control over their clinical schedules to allow for in-person attendance of class sessions.

References

The online application will require two references to be listed. Applicants provide their references’ contact information and they are contacted via email. References are asked to complete a short evaluation and upload a letter of recommendation.

At this time, our Certificate in Medical Education Program does not meet the F-1 or J-1 visa requirement. Therefore, we are unable to admit students who do not meet U.S. Citizenship or other visa requirements at the time of acceptance into the program.

• Per immigration/government regulations, no more than the equivalent of one (1) class (or three (3) credits per term) may be counted toward the full course of study requirement if the class is taken online. It is expected that the remaining credits counting toward full enrollment are in-person classes. As most of our courses are offered online, our Certificate Program does not meet the US federal government’s "in-person" criteria for I-20 issuance.
• International students must receive immigration documents (I-20 or DS-2019) from the University of Pittsburgh’s Office of International Services to get a visa (F-1 or J-1) to study at the University of Pittsburgh.

The program cannot be completed virtually as an alternative. While many of our courses are held online, students are expected to attend select required courses partially or fully in person. The class format, whether online or in-person, is based on the instructor's discretion.

In addition to completing the online application, applicants must also submit:

Official transcripts from all academic institutions attended (undergraduate, graduate and medical school)

Official transcripts can be sent to the following address:

Institute for Clinical Research Education
Degree Granting Programs
University of Pittsburgh
200 Meyran Avenue, Suite 300
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Digital transcripts should be sent to icre@pitt.edu.

English Language Proficiency Test Scores (when required)

If you are a citizen of a country in which English is not the official language or if you are a citizen of the province of Quebec in Canada, you are required to show evidence of English language proficiency by submitting the official results from one of the following:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): Students taking a version of the TOEFL must score a minimum of 600 on the TOEFL pBT or a minimum of 100 on the TOEFL iBT.
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS): Students taking the IELTS must score a minimum of 7.00.
• Duolingo score of 120 or higher
• United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG): Students must submit scores from both the USMLE and the ECFMG.

If you have earned a bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution in the United States, you are exempt from submitting English language proficiency test results.

After reviewing and screening the applications, the ICRE admissions committee will determine which applicants have the appropriate qualifications and the potential to advance the field of medical education. The committee will arrange to interview the applicant if additional information is required.

Admission decisions will be based on the total record of academic accomplishments of each applicant. Preference will be given to candidates who have outstanding qualifications, including strong experience and letters of recommendation.