In 1993, the Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program was the first MD-PhD Program in the country to establish a summer program for undergraduates with a focus on the clinician-scientist pathway, Gateways to the Laboratory. 

As of 2025, 396 students have “graduated” from Gateways. Over 90% of Gateways alumni have either earned are pursuing an MD, MD-PhD, or PhD degree, including 23 who have graduated from or are currently enrolled at Tri-I.

Each summer, 15 students spend nine weeks on our tri-institutional campus learning about the rewards and challenges of the physician-scientist pathway.

Throughout the summer, Gateways students will:

• Spend nine weeks living and studying in New York City
• Work independently on a research project at Weill Cornell Medicine, The Rockefeller University, or Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
• Receive guidance from a current MD-PhD student (a "Big Sib")
• Participate in clinical skills and professional development workshops
• Participate and present in weekly journal clubs
• Shadow physicians at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
• Volunteer at a community outreach program
• Give oral and poster presentations about their research at The Leadership Alliance National Symposium and the final Gateways Symposium

Gateways participants are housed on the Weill Cornell campus, steps away from their research labs. Participants receive a $5,500 stipend, as well as reimbursement for travel to and from NYC.