International Student Preparing for MD/PhD

[紅玉の瞳]

I am an international student (F1) currently studying at an undergraduate institution in the US. I am a sophomore and am trying to get into md/phd.
My freshman year GPA was 3.86. Now I am taking orgo, bio, toxicology, and PChem. I am a little messed up by orgo but I expect my GPA to be not lower than 3.8 by the time I graduate. Still, I feel unsure about my GPA since I am planning to become chemistry major, due to my research interest, which is computational chemistry. Is it a huge disadvantage to have my major GPA lower than GPA outside of major?

Currently I am engaged in two research projects. One is computational chemistry at my home institution. I did it during my freshman summer and continued until now. I am currently writing a paper and expect first publication early next year. Currently I run molecular simulations on nanopores and small gas molecules and next year I am planning to analyze more complex biochemical systems. Since I am planning to continue this research project until I graduate, I expect at least two or three publications as first author.

I am also doing epidemiological research at a ivy university nearby. I am currently engaged in data analysis and might publish one or two papers as first author before I graduate. Also, I am currently writing a review paper and expect to publish this year.

Although I am doing quite a bit of research, since one research project is theoretical and the other epidemiological, I do not have any benchmark research experience in a real lab. Should I find an opportunity to do some research in a real lab? Or it does not matter too much?

Since I am really into research, I haven't spent too much time on volunteering and other extra-curricular activities. However my time schedule is really filled up (more than 20 hours of research and 24 hours of class each week). I really don't know how good I should be in order to get into a MD/PhD program. How much research I should do? How many publications I need to be considered as "competitive" enough? How high my GPA should be? As an international student, these questions really bothers me.

Also, is research experience with a professor at a certain university helpful to the application to that university? I am very interested in the university that I am currently doing research at.

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[Traumweber]

Are you going to pay your way through the M.D/PhD?
Unless things have changed, I don't think NIH funded programs will financially support you, as it is only open to permanent residents and citizens.

 

[GadRads]

Some schools providing funding to internationals. Hardest part is getting in.

 

[Fencer]

In 2014, only 14/626 students were classified as foreign (no legal state of residency). The problem is that some of them might be US citizens who grew up abroad. The real number of true international is even lower than 2%.

 

[justwantanmdphd]

I am also an international senior student with an F-1 visa in the states. I am applying for MD/PhD programs right now and so far I have 7 interview invites and I have gone to 4 and have been accepted to one. So there is always hope Some programs will fund you with their private fund not from the NIH. If they do fund you, they will fund you as if they are funding citizens. PM me if you want some advice. I am not the best source but I have gone through the whole shenanigan as well so I can offer you some advice and insights. Best of luck and hope you get into an MD/PhD program.

 

[nonamesleft]

my school takes internationals for the MD/PhD program (there's two internationals, including myself, in my matriculation year for 6 total). The school covers tuition (no stipend) for MS1 and MS2, and then covers tuition and gives us a stipend for all of the phd years and MS3 and MS4. It's not NIH funded MSTP, so the school requires students that leave the program to repay the money so that it can go towards supporting another student..