***2015-2016 MD/PhD General Discussion***

[Jelly Bones]

That google doc idea is perfect, I'll start working on a page when I have the chance! I agree with what @ImmunoLove said about choosing schools, ignoring the name/reputation of a school is difficult but it does level the field quite a bit. It's also really hard to correlate a school's medical school reputation with that of it's MD/PhD program because a lot of other factors are in play. In the end I think the PhD portion of our training will play a larger part in our career path than med school reputation and it's very hard to predict how that will go just based on an interview, it all depends on who you end up working with.

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[this_is_the_worst]

Hey guys,

Just in line with what we originally said about this thread - offering up info that I have. Apparently Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson is plannning on giving out their last acceptances next week if any one is interested. (I assume this means before waitlist)

 

[inky]

Hey guys, do any of you have experience with follow up phone interviews?

One school was supposed to give out decisions this week (on Wednesday) but I just received a call that they want to do a phone interview on Monday. While I take this as not a bad sign (they haven't rejected me outright), I'm still a little confused as this was not a part of the described application process. Do you think this will be like the in person interviews or will they have more specific questions?

Any advice appreciated! Thanks!

 

[soporific]

@inky My guess is they want to know if you will attend or not if they accept you.

 

[starfun21]

@inky! I heard that Wayne was supposedly letting everyone know about MD/PhD on Feb. 10, and I have been thinking of you!!!!!! I've had my fingers crossed for you for a while and I was hoping that Wednesday would bring the good news. My fingers and toes are definitely still crossed.... I have no experience with the phone interview situation you're in (other than to say that it's very strange!) but I just wanted to add in some cheering and let you know that I have been sending over 1000000 extra cheers for you this week!

 

[carpediem22]

Hey guys, do any of you have experience with follow up phone interviews?

One school was supposed to give out decisions this week (on Wednesday) but I just received a call that they want to do a phone interview on Monday. While I take this as not a bad sign (they haven't rejected me outright), I'm still a little confused as this was not a part of the described application process. Do you think this will be like the in person interviews or will they have more specific questions?

Any advice appreciated! Thanks!

A similar thing happened at one school that I interviewed at, but closer to the interview day. I got an email a few days after my interview asking to set up a phone call with the dept. chair. I am pretty sure it was a positive thing (it felt a bit like a recruiting call) so I'd guess this is definitely good news for you, @inky!

 

[inky]

@inky! I heard that Wayne was supposedly letting everyone know about MD/PhD on Feb. 10, and I have been thinking of you!!!!!! I've had my fingers crossed for you for a while and I was hoping that Wednesday would bring the good news. My fingers and toes are definitely still crossed.... I have no experience with the phone interview situation you're in (other than to say that it's very strange!) but I just wanted to add in some cheering and let you know that I have been sending over 1000000 extra cheers for you this week!

Thanks @starfun21! I was expecting decisions on Feb 10th too. They've really been dragging this out.
I already had 4 in person interviews there, I can't imagine I can tell them much new. I confirmed with the woman scheduling interviews that decisions hadn't been made yet, and she said they hadn't and they needed more interviews. Thanks for the positive thoughts!


@carpediem22, it's good to know that a similar thing has happened to others, I am glad it was positive for you. Thanks for the info!

 

[ImmunoLove]

The wait is almost over YAY! Ok, so there are a few more months to go, but I'm grateful nonetheless!


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[smiley buckeye]

The wait is almost over YAY! Ok, so there are a few more months to go, but I'm grateful nonetheless!


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The waiting is TORTURE!! Especially knowing that it is decision season!

 

[Fencer]

Update on 2016 MD/PhD cycle, this is the best placement for MD/PhD applicants:

Total MD/PhD Applicants - 1892
Withdrew before acceptance (WB) - 18
Currently rejected (RJ, PW, PR) - 1129
Alternate List (AL) - 5
Total MD/PhD Acceptances - 562 (at least one MD/PhD acceptance)
Withdrew after acceptance (WA) - 7
Defer to future year (DF) - 1
Current MD/PhD class (AC) - 554

As compared to early February, the group of currently rejected (RJ, PW, PR) has been reduced by 56 applicants, who are now being considered in other groups.

In prior cycles, at the completion of the cycle, there are about 750-775 total MD/PhD acceptances to fill a matriculating MD/PhD class of 620-635 first year MD/PhD students, which means that there will be ~ 115 WA and ~20 Deferrals to later years by the end of the cycle (currently 7 & 1, respectively). Now, about half of those deferrals will eventually be added to future classes. Out of prior MD/PhD cycles, about a dozen additional applicants who had been deferred would be added prior to start of classes. Thus, we might end up the 2016 MD/PhD cycle with just a few more than 1900 applicants. I also suspect that at least half of the MD/PhD accepted students have multiple acceptances to MD/PhD and/or MD programs.

In sum, there are about 200 applicants with no current MD/PhD acceptances (as of this week) who will get at least one MD/PhD acceptance by the end of the cycle. Let's have high hopes for each of you over the next 2.5 months, particularly for a highly active SDN member who many of us know belongs to the class of clinician-scientists and is an alternate for several MD/PhD programs. Remember that every MD/PhD program must offer at least as many acceptances as they have slots by March 15th and applicants can hold multiple acceptances until April 30th. However, if you already know that a program is better for your personal needs, don't hold a slot and prolong the agony for other applicants.

 

[starfun21]

Thank you so much for your updates and for your kind words to all of the applicants on here, Dr. @Fencer. You have been an incredible resource, mentor, and friend to many -- including myself -- but on a larger scale, to aspiring physician scientists for years. Thank you!

 

[inky]

I have a question that I think is primarily aimed at @Fencer but if anyone else has any thoughts, I'd love to hear them!

I just received an email from a program telling me I'm on of the top 4 candidates (they have 4 slots in their program) and inviting me back to meet with faculty whose research interests me sometime in March.
This sounds like I have been accepted but the email also says that this visit does not effect my chances of acceptance and when I emailed the PD and asked whether this meant offers had been made he said that offers would be made by the end of next week.

I am more than a little confused now. I assume this means my chances are pretty good, but I also don't want to get my hopes up if they're not willing to send out offer letters yet. Any ideas as to why they are essentially inviting people for a second look but not actually accepting them?

 

[Fencer]

They are a small program that is likely unable to over-accept candidates. However, they are historically likely to accept you within the next 2.5 months. While their local rules might not allow them to offer you an acceptance today, they are confident enough that they are spending money to fly you in a few weeks. Take it as it is... they like you. If you have a better acceptance, decline; however, if this is a better choice than current acceptances, go visit, see what it is like and hopefully, you will get an acceptance soon.
Congrats!

 

[inky]

They are a small program that is likely unable to over-accept candidates. However, they are historically likely to accept you within the next 2.5 months. While their local rules might not allow them to offer you an acceptance today, they are confident enough that they are spending money to fly you in a few weeks. Take it as it is... they like you. If you have a better acceptance, decline; however, if this is a better choice than current acceptances, go visit, see what it is like and hopefully, you will get an acceptance soon.
Congrats!

Thanks for the information @Fencer.
This is the only MD-PhD program that I'm still in the running for so I'm very excited!

I'd been hoping for a definite answer from them soon because I recently received 2 MD-only IIs that I would NOT choose over the MD-PhD program but that I would attend if I did not get accepted by the MD-PhD program. However, I don't want to hold those interview spots for any longer than necessary if I am not planning on attending them.

Do you think that I should be comfortable withdrawing from those interviews? I'm torn between not wanting to waste another school's time and take up valuable interview spots (plus the costs of attending the interview) and not wanting to give up an interview without a firm acceptance.

 

[this_is_the_worst]

hey guys and @Fencer (I guess you'll be able to answer this). You have mentioned a few times that schools will be able to see our other acceptances soon and I'm wondering what the impact of this is? i.e. why does it matter?

 

[smiley buckeye]

hey guys and @Fencer (I guess you'll be able to answer this). You have mentioned a few times that schools will be able to see our other acceptances soon and I'm wondering what the impact of this is? i.e. why does it matter?

Can schools see where you've declined an acceptance too?

 

[ImmunoLove]

Thanks for the information @Fencer.
This is the only MD-PhD program that I'm still in the running for so I'm very excited!

I'd been hoping for a definite answer from them soon because I recently received 2 MD-only IIs that I would NOT choose over the MD-PhD program but that I would attend if I did not get accepted by the MD-PhD program. However, I don't want to hold those interview spots for any longer than necessary if I am not planning on attending them.

Do you think that I should be comfortable withdrawing from those interviews? I'm torn between not wanting to waste another school's time and take up valuable interview spots (plus the costs of attending the interview) and not wanting to give up an interview without a firm acceptance.

Do NOT turn down those IIs until you have a firm offer of acceptance. You are not holding them in vain; you're holding them to ensure you land somewhere this cycle. Once you've secured your acceptance (be that at the MD/PhD program or another MD program), then let go of the schools you are not considering attending over your current spot.


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[Maebea]

Can schools see where you've declined an acceptance too?

The AAMC acceptance report became available on Feb 10. The report only shows us the current admissions offers held by individuals we have accepted. Once a school changes your status from accepted to declined, the report will not list that school under your name. AAMC provides us with this data to allow us to better manage our acceptances. A program can review the other acceptances each applicant has and make some guess of the likelihood that they will matriculate. This may cause them to make more offers now rather than waiting until later in the spring when the number of accepts drops below the targeted class size. The thinking is that the longer you wait to make an offer, the more likely it is that the applicant's interest in your program will have cooled.

 

[Fencer]

Right now, schools who have extended an acceptance are able to see a report that "shows a school a listing of their current acceptances and additionally, displays the other schools where the applicant currently holds an acceptance offer."

Beginning April 1:
- There is the "national report display[ing] current Accept (AC), Early Matriculation (EM), Matriculate (MA), and Defer Matriculation to Future Class (DF) actions submitted by all U.S. medical schools."
- There is also a joint acceptance report that "displays every applicant who currently has, or at one time had, an acceptance at the medical school running the report. This includes the following actions: Accept (AC), Defer (DF), Early Matriculation (EM), Withdraw after Accept (WA), Rescind Acceptance (RA), and Matriculate (MA) submitted by all U.S. medical schools."

There are also other reports indicating average MCATs, GPAs, etc., but no other report identifying people. Keep in mind that the main purpose of these reports is to allow us compliance with traffic rules, and gauge the competitiveness of our programs.

 

[memfis13]

Did anyone receive an email from Tufts MSTP program director asking if you are still interested in the program?

 

[Neuro_Guy]

@memfis13
Yes, I received an email last week. Hopefully decisions come out soon.

 

[ashkicking]

Anybody hear any news regarding when we might find out from Indiana University MSTP? I remember they said by February in our interview, but I haven't heard anything yet

 

[ADW1994]

Hey guys! Anybody interview at Emory during their last interview date in February or anybody else know their timeline for acceptance releasing?

 

[this_is_the_worst]

anyone heard from Hofstra yet?

 

[PhySci94]

Anyone heard from UCSF MSTP yet?

 

[fiesta]

Anyone heard from UCSF MSTP yet?

I called about something a couple days ago and they mentioned they would try really hard to tell us by the end of this week, but no guarantees.

 

[psf73]

Hey, I was wondering: What are good questions to ask at revisit. Right now I have no clue where I'm going to end up and I want to know what questions are "hard-hitting" so to speak and will really get to the culture of the school. I really want to go to a school where students are happy, feel supported, and are on their way to becoming the best physician scientists they can be..but I feel like every program advertises this and every student we talk to seems happy (which is great but also doesn't help me find a school that fits me)!

One question I heard I liked is "When you're having problems (classes, research, or personal), what resources do you turn to? (Fellow classmates, administration, personal friends, ect?)

Any other ideas?

 

[starfun21]

Hey, I was wondering: What are good questions to ask at revisit. Right now I have no clue where I'm going to end up and I want to know what questions are "hard-hitting" so to speak and will really get to the culture of the school. I really want to go to a school where students are happy, feel supported, and are on their way to becoming the best physician scientists they can be..but I feel like every program advertises this and every student we talk to seems happy (which is great but also doesn't help me find a school that fits me)!

One question I heard I liked is "When you're having problems (classes, research, or personal), what resources do you turn to? (Fellow classmates, administration, personal friends, ect?)

Any other ideas?

Great question! I'm really glad it seems like you're in a spot to be choosy with programs Congratulations!!!!!

Take absolutely everything I say with a grain of salt (zero acceptances here, so obviously not an expert! Lol), but here are some questions I asked current students to try to gauge the environment on my interview day:

1. What are ~3 words you would use to describe the student body here?
2. How often do you meet with directors, faculty, etc?
3. Do you feel like faculty know some of your hobbies/interests and know you as a person? Then I follow the yes/no up with -- How so, or if not, do you wish that they did?
4. What is a typical meeting like with a director/faculty member? Is it a pretty self-directed check-in (they are just checking to see if you are already on top of it) or are they normally an open-ended discussion?
5. What do you think is the greatest strength of the program here? And on that token, what do you see in other programs that you wish you had here?
6. How much feedback or guidance do directors give when you go to make important decisions like choosing a lab, deciding when to start the PhD, etc?
7. Definitely, as you said, where do you go if you're struggling with the program or your lab?
8. How much collaboration is there among students? What types of things do you collaborate on?
9. What led you to choose this school? Since then, have you felt like the school lived up to your expectations?
10. What do you tend to expect or want from your directors? Have they lived up to your expectations?

In regards to feeling prepared, I think that's a different conversation. More helpful questions there may be:

1. How does the school transition you between stages of your training?
2. How independent are your projects?
3. What are your post-grad plans? Do you feel like your training helped you get to them?
4. Is there anything that you wish you would have learned here that you haven't really had the chance to so far?
5. Coming out of here as a professional, what do you think you'll be prepared to do that students from other institutions might not be as strong at?

Whew!! I'm all questioned-out. Again, please feel free to take or leave anything. But I hope it helps a lot.

 

[psf73]

Great question! I'm really glad it seems like you're in a spot to be choosy with programs Congratulations!!!!!

Take absolutely everything I say with a grain of salt (zero acceptances here, so obviously not an expert! Lol), but here are some questions I asked current students to try to gauge the environment on my interview day:

1. What are ~3 words you would use to describe the student body here?
2. How often do you meet with directors, faculty, etc?
3. Do you feel like faculty know some of your hobbies/interests and know you as a person? Then I follow the yes/no up with -- How so, or if not, do you wish that they did?
4. What is a typical meeting like with a director/faculty member? Is it a pretty self-directed check-in (they are just checking to see if you are already on top of it) or are they normally an open-ended discussion?
5. What do you think is the greatest strength of the program here? And on that token, what do you see in other programs that you wish you had here?
6. How much feedback or guidance do directors give when you go to make important decisions like choosing a lab, deciding when to start the PhD, etc?
7. Definitely, as you said, where do you go if you're struggling with the program or your lab?
8. How much collaboration is there among students? What types of things do you collaborate on?
9. What led you to choose this school? Since then, have you felt like the school lived up to your expectations?
10. What do you tend to expect or want from your directors? Have they lived up to your expectations?

In regards to feeling prepared, I think that's a different conversation. More helpful questions there may be:

1. How does the school transition you between stages of your training?
2. How independent are your projects?
3. What are your post-grad plans? Do you feel like your training helped you get to them?
4. Is there anything that you wish you would have learned here that you haven't really had the chance to so far?
5. Coming out of here as a professional, what do you think you'll be prepared to do that students from other institutions might not be as strong at?

Whew!! I'm all questioned-out. Again, please feel free to take or leave anything. But I hope it helps a lot.

Hi starfun21! These are great. Thanks so much for your help and advice.

 

[Argle Bargle]

So, I have a problem. Not a real one, though. Just an inconvenience.

Every once in a while, SDN will stop sending me notifications for updated threads, and I miss a week or more of good news like just happened in the acceptances (!!!). I checked my notification settings, I'm set to get notifications for.... everything, and I'm "watching" all of the main MD/PhD application threads. Anyone seen something similar, or know a way around it? The only way I know of to "fix" the problem is to check all the latest posts, regardless of whether they're new, and then it sort of resets the notification settings for that thread.

 

[gastro426]

I have the same problem and haven't been able to figure it out!

So, I have a problem. Not a real one, though. Just an inconvenience.

Every once in a while, SDN will stop sending me notifications for updated threads, and I miss a week or more of good news like just happened in the acceptances (!!!). I checked my notification settings, I'm set to get notifications for.... everything, and I'm "watching" all of the main MD/PhD application threads. Anyone seen something similar, or know a way around it? The only way I know of to "fix" the problem is to check all the latest posts, regardless of whether they're new, and then it sort of resets the notification settings for that thread.

 

[SheBlindedMeWithScience]

@Argle Bargle @gastro426 I have this problem too! What I do is go to the "Watched Threads" tab every so often. Even if a notification didn't make it to me for some reason, it'll show the thread there as unread. After I view it, I'll start getting notifications for those threads again.

It's definitely not a fix, but I found it a little easier than having to go through the latest posts.

 

[pineapplecake]

Thanks @SheBlindedMeWithScience ! I was also having the same problem. I noticed that if I got a notification for a thread and I didn't click on it, then I'd stop getting notifications until the next time I view the thread. I'll have to start using that "Watched Thread" tab more often~ Thanks!

 

[SurgeonOfLife]

^That's what I almost always do now instead lol

 

[Argle Bargle]

@Argle Bargle @gastro426 I have this problem too! What I do is go to the "Watched Threads" tab every so often. Even if a notification didn't make it to me for some reason, it'll show the thread there as unread. After I view it, I'll start getting notifications for those threads again.

It's definitely not a fix, but I found it a little easier than having to go through the latest posts.

Thanks! I'll give that a try.

 

[shh-pthway]

Assuming it is a silent rejection at this point, but has anyone else not get pre-II decision from USC?


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[smiley buckeye]

Assuming it is a silent rejection at this point, but has anyone else not get pre-II decision from USC?


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Their final interview date is this thurs so unfortunately, I do think it is a silent rejection now

 

[shady_bb]

I'm going to my first second visit tomorrow. (A rare opportunity to have a "first second" anything.) Does anyone have any advice for attire? I'm going to bring my suit just in case but I kind of expected to dress just a little more formal than business casual.

 

[inky]

I just want to second @shady_bb's question.

My thoughts were that second looks were generally pretty casual.

For my "second look", I will be meeting with potential research advisers so I wasn't sure if this should be full interview attire or just "something nice".

Any other input?

 

[shady_bb]

So I contacted the main administrator at the program I'm visiting, and she said that business casual is appropriate. This could be the end of my question, but the true question is whether I will be the only one not wearing a suit. On that note, I would still like to hear some opinions on this.

 

[Fencer]

Business casual is wearing something that you might choose to wear when attending a professional meeting or conference. You want to be comfortable, but look presentable. You are still interviewing with potential mentors, despite being accepted into the program.

 

[bee17]

I went to a second look this week wearing business casual and was relieved to see the other candidate was dressed similarly. He wore khaki slacks and a button down; I wore khakis, a blouse, and a cardigan with nice shoes.

 

[smiley buckeye]

How long will applicants be considered for waitlists? if an applicant matriculates at one school in july or august and another starts in september, will they not be considered once they matriculate somewhere else?

 

[soporific]

Heads up, asking a really confusing question:

How long will applicants be considered for waitlists? if an applicant matriculates at one school in july or august and another starts in september, will they not be considered once they matriculate somewhere else?

Yes, that is correct. Once you matriculate at one school you are supposed to withdraw from all other schools even if they start later.

 

[mynameistoolong]

Everyone rejects formally by June in my experience, so that usually shouldn't be an issue.

Edit: just looked back and there were some July rejections too

 

[Fencer]

Once matriculated, the AAMC traffic rules prevent programs from offering an acceptance. Programs matriculate between June and beginning of August.

 

[Argle Bargle]

I highly recommend checking out the SDN Acceptance predictor. Just be quick. I have a feeling it's likely to be gone tomorrow.

 

[SurgeonOfLife]

"Our algorithms indicate you may have unintentionally entered too high a MCAT score."

Savage

 

[Argle Bargle]

"Our algorithms indicate you may have unintentionally entered too high a MCAT score."

Savage

"Based on our data, any amount of "W"s result in no acceptances. Please reselect before continuing."

Or, "Number of friends:" 0 or 1?

 

[smiley buckeye]

"Based on our data, any amount of "W"s result in no acceptances. Please reselect before continuing."

Or, "Number of friends:" 0 or 1?

I had sooooo much fun with that lol!!!!! at first I thought it was serious and was so confused until I got to that number of friends question