Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE)

The Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) is an official document prepared by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai to provide a comprehensive summary of a student’s academic and professional performance throughout medical school. It is intended to support residency applications by offering an objective, criterion-based evaluation of a student’s achievements, strengths, and progress.

The MSPE includes information on the student's academic history, pre-medical background, noteworthy characteristics, professionalism, pre-clerkship performance, core clinical clerkship evaluations, and graduation readiness. Clerkship narratives are drawn directly from official clinical evaluations and are edited only for grammar and clarity, not for content. Students are responsible for creating the Noteworthy Characteristics section, and they are given the opportunity to review the MSPE for factual accuracy prior to submission.

Students typically participate in MSPE preparation and review meetings with faculty advisors and the Office of Student Affairs. The final MSPE is submitted to residency application systems such as ERAS and specialty match programs according to national deadlines.

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai does not rank students, and the MSPE adheres to the AAMC guidelines for structure and transparency, ensuring that student accomplishments are presented fairly and comprehensively.

MSTP MSPE Director Letter

As part of the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) process, MD-PhD students receive a unique MSTP Director Letter that highlights their dual-degree training experience. This letter is distinct from a traditional letter of recommendation; it does not count toward the number of letters required for residency applications and is included as a supplement to the MSPE.

The MSTP Director Letter is designed to showcase the full breadth of a student's accomplishments across research, clinical training, service, teaching, and leadership during their MD-PhD journey. It highlights the significance of the dissertation research and reflects the student's development as a future physician-scientist.

Students are expected to prepare and submit materials to assist in drafting the letter, including:

• Updated CV

• Updated NIH Biosketch

• Summary of dissertation work

• Optional materials: personal statement and/or a letter from their dissertation advisor (PI)

The MSTP Director Letter captures the dual-degree trajectory, including advanced research achievements, is clearly communicated to residency programs, providing a full picture of the student's training, capabilities, and future potential in biomedical science and clinical medicine.