Chances for social science MD/PhD

hopeful222 · Aug 2, 2010

I've just graduated from an Ivy (HYP) and was hoping to apply to MD-PhD programs in Medical Anthropology for the 2011-2012 application cycle. However, I know that these programs are extremely competitive..... and I don't know whether I have a shot considering I have some horrible grades from freshman year (an F in calculus as well as a D in another science class). I don't really have any excuses for those grades... I was just really unmotivated and was struggling with depression that year.

After freshman year I got my act together and pulled 4.0s sophomore, junior, senior year... and retook the classes... however I know the bad original grades still are there. My cum gpa is 3.85, but sci gpa is 3.65.... which I know is really low for MD/Phd programs, esp. non-science programs since there are fewer of them. It's just been really hard to pull the GPA up with the D and F from freshman year. Also, I got a 39 on the MCAT.

I'm going abroad for the upcoming year on a Fulbright, but I was wondering if anyone can tell me whether getting into MD/Phd med anthro is a realistic goal for me with my low GPA? If not, would doing a post bac program help, as it would bring the sci GPA up? or, any other ideas on what I could do to make myself competitive?

I'm somewhat pessimistic because a handful of my premed friends from college who had 3.8+ sci GPAs didn't get into conventional MD/PhD programs this year. My MCATs are higher than theirs were, but I don't know if my MCAT score can compensate for a bad GPA here... especially when it comes to MD/PhD social science programs since there comparatively few of them.

Thanks in advance for the help, guys..

Neuronix · Aug 3, 2010

hopeful222 said:
I've just graduated from an Ivy (HYP)

What's HYP?

and was hoping to apply to MD-PhD programs in Medical Anthropology for the 2011-2012 application cycle. However, I know that these programs are extremely competitive..... and I don't know whether I have a shot considering I have some horrible grades from freshman year (an F in calculus as well as a D in another science class). I don't really have any excuses for those grades... I was just really unmotivated and was struggling with depression that year.

Don't bring this up in your essays, don't bring it up in interviews. Hope nobody notices or cares. If anyone asks you, just say you had a hard time adjusting to your first year of college, but you got it on track. Honestly, a lot of adcoms don't even bother to go through an applicant's transcripts.

After freshman year I got my act together and pulled 4.0s sophomore, junior, senior year... and retook the classes... however I know the bad original grades still are there. My cum gpa is 3.85, but sci gpa is 3.65.... which I know is really low for MD/Phd programs, esp. non-science programs since there are fewer of them. It's just been really hard to pull the GPA up with the D and F from freshman year. Also, I got a 39 on the MCAT.

This isn't "really low". A 3.65 is still okay, and the cum gpa is very (probably more) important. Plus there's an upward trend there.

I'm going abroad for the upcoming year on a Fulbright, but I was wondering if anyone can tell me whether getting into MD/Phd med anthro is a realistic goal for me with my low GPA? If not, would doing a post bac program help, as it would bring the sci GPA up? or, any other ideas on what I could do to make myself competitive?

MD/PhD is a realistic goal for you. I must warn you though of course that social science MD/PhD spots are few and far between. Make sure you can apply to at least a dozen programs. Because it may not happen, you should look into the 5 year and other regular medical school programs as well.

I'm somewhat pessimistic because a handful of my premed friends from college who had 3.8+ sci GPAs didn't get into conventional MD/PhD programs this year. My MCATs are higher than theirs were, but I don't know if my MCAT score can compensate for a bad GPA here... especially when it comes to MD/PhD social science programs since there comparatively few of them.

I'm not sure why your pre-med friends didn't manage to get into MD/PhD programs. But it wasn't their GPAs.

In your case you will need extensive research in social science, preferably medically related, to gain acceptance. A fullbright would help, but you should certainly have more than that, ideally several years of research experience.

KevAquarius · Aug 5, 2010

Neuronix said:
What's HYP?

Harvard, Yale, Princeton

Haha, I may have contributed only a little to this thread but I just learned that myself the other day!

Neuronix · Aug 5, 2010

KevAquarius said:
Harvard, Yale, Princeton

Haha, I may have contributed only a little to this thread but I just learned that myself the other day!

Does HYP mean you're superior to non-HYP? Is there an Ivy League tier system I don't know about?! LOL! I can't imagine what we'd do without arguing about which schools are more prestigious than which.

Penner · Aug 12, 2010

Neuronix said:
Does HYP mean you're superior to non-HYP? Is there an Ivy League tier system I don't know about?! LOL! I can't imagine what we'd do without arguing about which schools are more prestigious than which.

How can a person be "suprior to non-HYP?" There's a college ranking system which you may not be familiar with. Guess what, HYP are top 3 every year.

No one's arguing about which schools are more prestigious than which. It's just common knowledge that HYP are the most prestigious. I know you'd wish we'd all forget about school prestige since you probably went to Podunk U, but sorry, the world isn't going to change just because you went to a crappy school.

Neuronix · Aug 12, 2010

Penner said:
I know you'd wish we'd all forget about school prestige since you probably went to Podunk U, but sorry, the world isn't going to change just because you went to a crappy school.

I agree.

For the record, this troll's IPs don't match to Penn.

KevAquarius · Aug 12, 2010

Penner said:
No one's arguing about which schools are more prestigious than which. It's just common knowledge that HYP are the most prestigious. I know you'd wish we'd all forget about school prestige since you probably went to Podunk U, but sorry, the world isn't going to change just because you went to a crappy school.

Hey Neuro, you did all right for yourself, especially coming from "Podunk U"...am I right?

:laugh:

this troll sure is funny.

Chances for social science MD/PhD

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