Who is eligible to take the MSQ?
The MSQ is administered annually to first-year medical students. Therefore, anyone accepted to at least one U.S. LCME-accredited medical school in a given year is eligible to participate in the MSQ in the corresponding survey year. Individuals who do not end up entering medical school, or who defer matriculation to a future academic year, are still eligible to participate in the MSQ, but those survey responses are excluded from the MSQ reports.
When is the MSQ open to eligible participants?
The MSQ opens every year on June 1. Once the survey is open, eligible participants are sent unique survey links via email from msq@aamc.org.
The survey invitation is sent to the email address provided to the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) or the Texas Medical and Dental School Application Service (TMDSAS). Therefore, if the email on file with AMCAS or TMDSAS is no longer in use, please contact msq@aamc.org.
Are students required to complete the MSQ?
Participation in the MSQ is entirely voluntary, and students have the right not to answer any question or set of questions. If students have any questions about the MSQ or their rights as survey participants, please contact the AAMC Office of Human Subjects Research Protection at humansubjects@aamc.org.
Will the answers on the MSQ be confidential?
Yes. All survey responses will be stored in a secure database at the AAMC. The AAMC does not release any personally identifiable MSQ data to medical schools or other organizations.
Can I see a copy of the MSQ survey tool?
Yes. View the downloadable copy of the survey.
I completed the MSQ but I would like confirmation of my completion. What do I do?
Your survey contains a Confirmation Page, which can be printed even if you already completed the survey. Use your original MSQ survey link to re-enter the survey, click through each page of saved responses, and then press the "Submit" button at the end of the survey to find the Confirmation Page. Re-entering and re-submitting your survey does not affect your MSQ completion status, and you are free to change your responses at any time while the survey is open.
How will the MSQ survey responses be reported?
Responses to the MSQ are reported in aggregate at the national level in the MSQ All Schools Summary Report (Excel). Additionally, medical schools receive MSQ annual reports that aggregate responses at the medical school and (if applicable) campus levels. This feedback helps medical schools fine-tune their educational programs to fit the needs of their students. For any year in which there are fewer than five respondents per medical school or campus, the data are not reported. The MSQ reports are released every year in mid-December.