Plz i need advice and suggestions

[Cardiologist]

Hi,

i am currently a junior and starting to apply to both MD and MD/PhD programs for the entering class of 2006. i have been doing research for the past two years in my school including the summers (i worked at Cornell). this coming summer too i shall be doing a research internship at Wash U. for my senior year i plan to do independant research. but i do not want to write a thesis. the reason being i will be commiting myself to different Extracurricular activities; i will be the president of a huge organization that i love; i shall also be the head resident of one of my dorms and that will take up a lot of time.

i have seen seniors doing thesis and it's a lot of time commitment. while i definitely love doing reasearch, i feel since i want a career in science i shall have ample opportunities to do research all my life. but i might not necessarily be the head of an org. that i love or do various other act. that my undergrad inst. offers.

i just had a mock interview with my prehealth advisor today and she was very keen that i do an honors thesis my senior yr since i shall be applying to an MD/PhD PROGRAM. she pretty much hinted that it was required if i am considering a MD/PhD prog.

my question is do adcom people only consider a thesis as real research? even though i have research exp. in diff. labs, i haven't really published any paper. that was another thing my advisor was concerned about.

i am really hoping some of you might help me out here. i am currently in a dilemma because i definitely want to do all the activities. i have committed myself to. at the same time i dont want that to become the reason preventing me from getting into a good MSTP program because i wouldn't do an honors thesis.

i hope i clarified myself. any advice will be sincerely appreciated.

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[milliardo_L]

My $0.02:

I don't think you need a thesis for the programs. I didn't do one at all, and no one ever asked or said anything about it. Maybe it was just the places I interviewed (Harvard, WashU, UCSD, UWash), but I believe they are more interested in people that genuinely understand research. You have to show that you were not just a pair of hands, but a real researcher who understood the scientific problem, and I don't think you need a thesis to do it.

In addition, some programs won't even look at your application unless the medical school accepts you (eg harvard), so in that case, to have a strong research background but not much more will work against you. So having those cool EC that you mentioned will probably help you, perhaps even more than a thesis.

The best source of info. about this, however, is the admisions people. Don't be afraid to e-mail or call some school you are interested in, I think most of them are very open about things like that.

 

[sharpnerd00]

In addition, some programs won't even look at your application unless the medical school accepts you (eg harvard), so in that case, to have a strong research background but not much more will work against you. So having those cool EC that you mentioned will probably help you, perhaps even more than a thesis.

What other schools are like this?
I am particularly concerned because I have almost zero clinical experience and am very afraid that this will stash away my hopes & dreams.

 

[milliardo_L]

What other schools are like this?
I am particularly concerned because I have almost zero clinical experience and am very afraid that this will stash away my hopes & dreams.

I am not sure, you'll probably have to check on their webpages to know for sure. In Harvard's case, there are 2 "tracks" you can apply to, HST and New Pathway. I didn't have much clinical exp either, so NP didn't even interview me. HST is more research oriented, so that helped me. I have the feeling that is more the exception than the rule, and most MSTP's will "convince"/negociate with the medical school to take a student they like

When writing your statements, be sure to give a good reason why you want to be a doctor. Although I don't have too much clinical experience, I never mentioned such a thing. Quite contrary, I mention that the experience I had assured me this is what I wanted to do with my life. Also, I never stopped mentioning that I wanted to be a physician scientist, so the person could understand a bit better why my profile was so skewed towards research.

 

[Neuronix]

i just had a mock interview with my prehealth advisor today and she was very keen that i do an honors thesis my senior yr since i shall be applying to an MD/PhD PROGRAM. she pretty much hinted that it was required if i am considering a MD/PhD prog.

Absolutely incorrect. Some people do, some people don't. I would not at all call it a requirement.

my question is do adcom people only consider a thesis as real research? even though i have research exp. in diff. labs, i haven't really published any paper. that was another thing my advisor was concerned about.

It is real research, but I still wouldn't worry about it. I know many MD/PhDs who did not publish, including myself, as ugrads. My advisor told me I would NEVER get into Penn without 2 1st or second authored publications. What's key for you is: depth of research experience and knowing alot about it.

i am really hoping some of you might help me out here. i am currently in a dilemma because i definitely want to do all the activities. i have committed myself to. at the same time i dont want that to become the reason preventing me from getting into a good MSTP program because i wouldn't do an honors thesis.

Do them. Other than keeping up your GPA and MCAT scores, worry about what you want to do with life rather than what you think medical schools want you to do with your life. That's what ugrad is all about.