'A light while doing it all:’ Ashley Bertran’s leadership key to MSTP’s success

Every day is different for Ashley Bertran. As program director of The Ohio State University College of Medicine’s Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), she supports students completing complex MD-PhD training, recruits incoming classes and ensures that faculty and staff have everything they need to keep the program running smoothly.  

It’s far from a one-woman show, Bertran says, but ask the faculty, staff and learners who know her, and they’ll tell you she is the backbone, heart and soul of the program. In recognition of her leadership and commitment to the college’s values and mission, Bertran received an inaugural Dean’s Excellence Award for Professional Staff of the Year in 2024. 

Bertran helped shepherd the small MD-PhD program from its inception into a thriving MSTP, a designation given only to MD-PhD programs receiving highly coveted National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding. Since receiving that designation in 2011, the program has grown to about 80 students, with plans for more growth in the future. In her role, Bertran provides fiscal management and human resources oversight, manages the NIH T32 grant that supports the program and oversees program staff. She also coordinates PhD and medical school requirements, advises MSTP students, oversees alumni outreach and handles onboarding for new PhD learners and associate directors.

“Ashley’s leadership and dedication have left an extraordinary mark on our college, and our MSTP would not be the remarkable program it is today without her commitment to excellence,” says Carol R. Bradford, MD, MS, FACS, dean of the Ohio State College of Medicine. “She is a shining steward of our education mission, and we are lucky to have her on our team.” 

Because learners in the MSTP receive eight years of rigorous training in both biomedical research and clinical medicine in their pursuit of MD and PhD degrees, Bertran gets to know each of them well. 

“A lot can happen in eight years. Really getting to know the students and supporting them throughout their journey is one of the best parts of my job. They’re really motivating to me, and I enjoy having however small a role in their journey and their success,” Bertran says. 

But to learners, Bertran’s role is anything but small. Students describe her as the keystone of the MSTP who is always there to support them while juggling the demands of the complex interdisciplinary program. 

“Ashley is an invaluable member of the Ohio State College of Medicine community,” students of the MSTP wrote as part of her Dean’s Excellence Award nomination. “She plays a defining role in the MSTP: She makes it run, she fixes problems, she connects its people, and she is a light while doing it all.” 

Learn more about our Dean's Excellence Award winners.