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Hi all, I have a bit of a dilemma. I am an unsuccessful international MSTP applicant. However, I have an MD-only acceptance at a very good Canadian school. I'm trying to decide what to do now.
My career goal is very research-focused. My backup plan had been that I would matriculate to an MD program, and take a leave of absence mid-program for a bioinformatics or basic science PhD. I just found out from the MD program where I am holding an acceptance that their policies do not allow this. I am also not able to apply internally to their MD-PhD program. This kind of crushed me because I want research to be a very large part of my life.
My brain is telling me to play it safe and take my MD acceptance and run with it. My heart is telling me to play the MD-PhD lottery again. Part of my decision depends on whether I'd have any chance of getting into MD-PhD programs this time around.
Last application cycle I applied somewhat late (secondaries in end of September to beginning of October) and to a somewhat top-heavy list of only 12 programs. I didn't hear back from anywhere until around December. 10 pre-interview rejections, 1 pre-interview roll-over to MD, 1 MSTP interview at Baylor. Rejected/rolled over to MD-only post-interview.
My question is: would I have a much better chance if I reapplied and got everything in early? My application would not have changed except for the addition of a (non-research) MSc. Or do you all think that it was my non-citizen/PR status and lack of clinical ECs which killed my application?
My details:
Citizenship/Residency: Canadian, not US permanent resident.
Undergrad: Theoretical math degree at a top US school. Have a very strong chem/bio background though.
Master's: (Non-research) master's in mathematical statistics at a top European school.
GPA: 3.9 in undergrad. 3.8 AMCAS gpa due to some bad grades from senior year of high school.
MCAT: 38S - 14/12/12
Research: Started with 1 summer after freshman year. Then did research for the next two years until I graduated in a very well-respected lab. Both in basic science: chemical biology. No pubs.
ECs: Very good leadership ECs, excellent athletic ECs. Some, but not much volunteering. Zero shadowing.
Last cycle I applied to: AECOM, Baylor, Columbia, Dartmouth, Harvard, Mount Sinai, Northwestern, UC Davis, Chicago, Vanderbilt, WashU, Tri-I. If I were to reapply, I expand this to include all the MSTPs which accept Canadians, plus USC and UT Houston... so maybe 7 more schools total.
My career goal is very research-focused. My backup plan had been that I would matriculate to an MD program, and take a leave of absence mid-program for a bioinformatics or basic science PhD. I just found out from the MD program where I am holding an acceptance that their policies do not allow this. I am also not able to apply internally to their MD-PhD program. This kind of crushed me because I want research to be a very large part of my life.
My brain is telling me to play it safe and take my MD acceptance and run with it. My heart is telling me to play the MD-PhD lottery again. Part of my decision depends on whether I'd have any chance of getting into MD-PhD programs this time around.
Last application cycle I applied somewhat late (secondaries in end of September to beginning of October) and to a somewhat top-heavy list of only 12 programs. I didn't hear back from anywhere until around December. 10 pre-interview rejections, 1 pre-interview roll-over to MD, 1 MSTP interview at Baylor. Rejected/rolled over to MD-only post-interview.
My question is: would I have a much better chance if I reapplied and got everything in early? My application would not have changed except for the addition of a (non-research) MSc. Or do you all think that it was my non-citizen/PR status and lack of clinical ECs which killed my application?
My details:
Citizenship/Residency: Canadian, not US permanent resident.
Undergrad: Theoretical math degree at a top US school. Have a very strong chem/bio background though.
Master's: (Non-research) master's in mathematical statistics at a top European school.
GPA: 3.9 in undergrad. 3.8 AMCAS gpa due to some bad grades from senior year of high school.
MCAT: 38S - 14/12/12
Research: Started with 1 summer after freshman year. Then did research for the next two years until I graduated in a very well-respected lab. Both in basic science: chemical biology. No pubs.
ECs: Very good leadership ECs, excellent athletic ECs. Some, but not much volunteering. Zero shadowing.
Last cycle I applied to: AECOM, Baylor, Columbia, Dartmouth, Harvard, Mount Sinai, Northwestern, UC Davis, Chicago, Vanderbilt, WashU, Tri-I. If I were to reapply, I expand this to include all the MSTPs which accept Canadians, plus USC and UT Houston... so maybe 7 more schools total.