in 1957 to offer Doctor of Philosophy degrees in biomedical disciplines. The Medical Scientist Training Program, a combined MD–PhD program, was started 1964. The Clinical Research Training Program, which confers Master of Science degrees in clinical research methods, began in July 1998. In February 2015, Yeshiva University announced the transfer of ownership of Einstein to the Montefiore Health System, in order to eliminate a large deficit from the university's financial statements. The medical school accounted for approximately two-thirds of the university's annual operating deficits, which had reached about $100 million before the announcement. On September 9, 2015, the agreement between Yeshiva and Montefiore was finalized, and financial and operational control of Albert Einstein College of Medicine was transferred to Montefiore. Yeshiva University continued to grant Einstein's degrees until 2018, as the medical school achieved independent degree-granting authority in the spring of 2019. Student body There are 183 first-year medical students in the Class of 2025. 9,773 people applied for seats, and 1,200 were interviewed. 60% of the class identify as women and 20% identify with groups underrepresented in medicine. Ages range from 21 to 34 with an average age of 23.5. 16% of students were born outside the United States and students come from 17 U.S. states. Students have an excellent track record of volunteer service. Programs MD Program Admission to Einstein's MD program is highly competitive. In response and to prepare applicants for holistic review that will evaluate, equally, their personal characteristics and academic readiness for medical school, the Albert Einstein College of Medicine has instituted a competency-based admissions process. In other words, applicants are expected to demonstrate a solid foundation in science, but there is no strict requirement on which prerequisite courses must be taken. This "competency-based" approach also provides candidates greater flexibility, for example, by substituting laboratory experience gained, while employed, for laboratory and or course requirements taken in school, or by substituting online courses that free up time to pursue interests that enhance the applicant's level of maturity and readiness for the medical profession. Medical Scientist Training Program Einstein's Medical Scientist Training Program was one of the original three programs funded by the NIH in 1964, and has been funded continuously since then. The program is designed to train investigators who could bridge the gap between basic science and clinical research by providing integrated graduate and clinical training. Einstein's program offers an integrated first-year curriculum covering