Masters before Med School?

[groovius]

I've read several threads asking the same thing, but my goal is not only to go to medical school, but to get my PhD as well. Ultimately I want to do research. I am attending a small, non-research state university, but for my graduate degrees I am hopeful to attend a "big-name" school. U of Chicago, Columbia, UCSF...I'm dreaming big here, guys.

I did undergraduate research last summer in New York, and have applied again for this summer. I've volunteered at a therapeutic horse riding stable for a few years now, and I've just started volunteering in the ER at a hospital in my city. I'm in the honors college, which is a full ride, academic scholarship. I've studied abroad in Spain and Korea. I teach private piano lessons, hopefully will be certified in a couple of months. I am the SGA rep for our pre-professional health club here at university. Currently a junior, cGPA is 3.86, sGPA is 3.79. I haven't taken the MCAT yet.

I know I'm not something special, especially not special enough to compete in the big leagues. I'm determined, though, and I'm looking at all my options. Since I do want to get my PhD eventually, would it be to my advantage to get a masters in biology before med school? It would give me another distinction, but a useful one that i can defend on my application, since I am planning on being a physician scientist.

If not that route, what do you suggest?

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[alpinism]

If your GPA stays roughly the same and you can pull off a great MCAT 35+ (not sure about the new scoring system) you should be fine.

The biggest thing that would help for MD/PhD programs is getting tons of research experience and publications. The MS will only help a little (basically for getting more research experience) because graduate courses are typically seen as being grade inflated compared to undergrad courses.

 

[gyngyn]

You should consider Master's degrees and PhD's more like EC's on this path, not stepping stones.