Computational biology PhD program requirements

[feather125]

Hi all! I'm not applying this cycle, but I have some questions about meeting PhD requirements. I want to get an MD/PhD with the PhD in computational or systems biology.

So far, I have been taking mostly biology and chemistry classes because my major has a lot of strict requirements that need to be met. I will be finishing with these requirements next semester and then have a year to take additional courses.

I am a biophysics major right now and I will have taken around 5 upper level computer sciences class, 8 upper level math classes, and have 2 years of research in a bioinformatics and computation biology lab as well as 4 years of research in a basic science lab where I also worked on bioinformatics (that wasn't the focus of the lab though) by the time I graduate.

I just want to know if this is enough be a good applicant to a competitive computational biology or systems biology program.

I also am considering calling some admissions offices for programs I'm interested in and asking what classes they recommend I take or experience they recommend I get to be competitive. Is this a good idea or no?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[kepler16b]

You're fine. Depends much more on the nature of your research.

For the most part, once you are in to a MD/PhD program, you can do research in any department associated with the program as long as the lab PI agrees to take you.

 

[TheJooce]

I agree with kepler. As long as you satisfy their premed requirements, they don't really care. I've expressed a lot of interest in biomedical engineering, which I thought would be difficult considering I only have coursework in the life sciences, but no program has really batted an eye.

 

[eteshoe]

I agree with kepler. As long as you satisfy their premed requirements, they don't really care. I've expressed a lot of interest in biomedical engineering, which I thought would be difficult considering I only have coursework in the life sciences, but no program has really batted an eye.

Are you talking about doing your PhD research in a BME lab (getting your degree from some biomedical/life science area) or getting your PhD in BME. The first option is pretty typical, the latter is a bit tricky since some programs may require that you pass foundational BME courses which may be tough if one has no background in the subject matter (thus requiring more classes to be taken).

 

[TheJooce]

Are you talking about doing your PhD research in a BME lab (getting your degree from some biomedical/life science area) or getting your PhD in BME. The first option is pretty typical, the latter is a bit tricky since some programs may require that you pass foundational BME courses which may be tough if one has no background in the subject matter (thus requiring more classes to be taken).

I've talked about both options. And people have acknowledged the coursework challenge you mentioned, for sure (and this is totally dependent on the program. Yale has a lot of BME coursework, specifically, but Duke only makes you take two). But I never felt like that would be the make-or-break thing that would keep me from getting in.