*** 2019-2020 MD/PhD cycle - Questions, Comments, and other things ***

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Fencer said:
To be honest... that is truly unfair to all applicants. Just FYI. You could comply and pull out, if offered a slot. I guess if they are unprofessional as they are not abiding by the AAMC traffic rule recommendations, you could... (with no real consequences, if offered in early May).
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Doesn't AAMC automatically notify all schools once you CTE that you have committed somewhere? You would have to make sure to communicate with the school that has you waitlisted to let them know that they shouldn't pull you off their waitlists even though you CTEd.

Also that CTE deadline is infuriating and would frankly make me not want to attend that school on principle alone, though that's not really an option if they're your only acceptance.
 
No. There is no email that is sent. CTE doesn't automatically mean matriculation in all cases. That is another step that the school needs to do in the system. If the school matriculates you, then the applicant appears as matriculated elsewhere. It truly happens very infrequently...
 
That's helpful to know that there's no email sent. I only have the one acceptance. When I heard back from my 2nd choice, I withdrew the next day from my 3rd choice to free up the MD/PhD waitlist spot and the MD acceptance that I had. I'll just email the director of my 1st choice a short message about the other school's requirement. In that email, there's no need to mention why they are my 1st choice (i.e. nearness to family and a strong PhD program)?
 
@Fencer Are directors generally gauging who has committed based on the AMCAS tool? Or are they waiting for firm commitment emails from admits?
 
Typically, it is from commitment emails. In the current cycle, the webtool has been poorly utilized in my experience. It might be because of the circumstances (COVID, Virtual visits), etc. Nationally, I seen limited movement in the daily national reports.

On 4/26, we have 716 total accepts (at least one acceptance) with 681 currently accepted (after substracting withdraws to MD only, defer, etc). This is as of last night, as compared to 700 and 673 on 4/11/20 and 714 and 683 on 4/21/20.
 
Elephant_enthusiast said:
@Fencer Are directors generally gauging who has committed based on the AMCAS tool? Or are they waiting for firm commitment emails from admits?
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firm commitment emails only. Only 50% of my accepted applicants are using the AMCAS tool and its not binding.

More helpful is how many have 0 other offers, 1 other offer, 2 other offers or 3 other offers. Yes, I do have 4 accepted applicants holding 4 slots (3 + ours) well past the April 15th deadline.
 
MSTPadvocate said:
More helpful is how many have 0 other offers, 1 other offer, 2 other offers or 3 other offers. Yes, I do have 4 accepted applicants holding 4 slots (3 + ours) well past the April 15th deadline.
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Most MD/PhD PD are not the Admission Officer managing the AMCAS interface. The withdrawals are often sent to the SOM UME office for them to perform the admission action. The current recommendation is 48 business hours. In my case, only 1/7 is showing 4 slots (3+ours).
 
Congratulations to everyone who will be finalizing their decision tomorrow, and best of luck to everyone who is on a waitlist at a top choice! It's been a pleasure going through this cycle with y'all (and probably meeting some of you along the way without realizing it) 🙂
 
Is it just me, or are people not committing as much as people thought so far? Trying to gauge whether waitlist at a top school is even worth keeping hopes for at this point.
 
We've only had 2 formally commit despite the fact that we have 11 "Plan to Enrolls" on our AMCAS site.
 
When narrowing down to one school for "Plan to enroll" by tomorrow, is it necessary to email that specific program's director to tell them I chose "Plan to enroll" as well as making the choice with the AMCAS tool? If an email is usually sent, should I include that I am on the waitlist at another school that I would go to if accepted (school I'm waitlisted at is my #1 choice). I assumed by selecting only "Plan to enroll" that makes it clear that I am holding waitlist positions still, but not sure how forward I should be with this program about my waitlist options (tell them what the other school is, how it would affect my decision, etc).
 
Agree. It is nice to have the email communication, but using the CYMS webtool with the choice Plan or Commit to enroll is enough. Starting on May 1, we know individually (by name) what your circumstances are... If you already withdrew, but still show on the list as dual, we will reach out to you.
 
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Yeah seems like I still don't see many of the people in my circles having committed yet...
 
Update on 2020 Cycle - as of 04/30/2020 (overnight sync to 5/01)

This is the BEST MD/PhD result for each individual applicant (WA or AC is better than Active/Looking, which is better than Rejected - PW, PR, RJ).

May 1, 2020
Total Applicants1792 (0)
Withdrawn Before Acceptance (WB)9 (0)
Rejected (Prelim Rj, Passive Withdrawal, RJ)992 (-20)
Active in the cycle (not rejected)791 (+20)
At least 1 MD/PhD Acceptance (AC, DF, WA)741 (+27)
Defer to a later application cycle (DF)7 (+3)
Withdrawal After Acceptance (WA)63 (+36)
Currently Accepted for MD/PhD (AC)671 (-12)
Seeking a position (NA, HO, RS, AL, IN)50 (-7)

For the 2019 matriculation cycle, we had 803 applicants receiving at least 1 MD/PhD acceptance, and 708 first-year MD/PhD matriculants. Our 2020 admission process is moving forward and likely will end with a smaller class despite a slightly larger number of applicants. I predict that the class enrolling in 2020 will have around 680 MD/PhD matriculants with 780 applicants receiving at least one MD/PhD acceptance. As in prior years, we will have about 20 DFs and 80 WA (into MD only). Over the next 10-15 days, the musical chairs will be moving with a domino effect from highly to lesser competitive programs. The waitlist movement is happening primarily this week, but it will continue until early May. Historically, most positions will be settled down the week of May 11-15. If you interviewed and haven't been officially rejected, there is still HOPE for a MD/PhD Acceptance.

Edit: I made a small mistake and corrected the numbers for at least 1 acceptance (3 higher) and seeking (3 lower). I forgot to add 3 accepted who have no recent MCAT. Small update on 5/2 overnight sync, we had 9 additional first-time MD/PhD acceptees, 1 extra deferral (now 8), and 9 WAs (now 70), with a class of 673 currently accepted.
 
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If I'm on a ranked waitlist, can I ask now about where I stand on the waitlist now if they haven't told me before? How do adcoms make decisions about unranked waitlists?
 
If I have selected "plan to enroll" at my current acceptance, but would accept an offer over my current program for other MSTPs that I am currently waitlisted at...would that place me at a disadvantage during waitlist movement, even if I have communicated my intent to enroll to my first choice and provided an update/letter of interest to my second choice early this month. Any insight would be appreciated. @Fencer @MSTPadvocate ?
 
After May 1, if you have an acceptance (and want to keep it while remaining on waitlist), you need to choose plan-to-enroll. Every program has a slightly different policy, but not acting in CYMS after May 1 doesn't look good. Programs will now that you have another acceptance, but if plan-to-enroll and your top program receives an email of interest, you will be ok.
 
Sorry if I wasn't clearer @Fencer. I selected PTE for my current acceptance a while ago, but haven't changed it yet to CTE. I was just wondering if that would negatively factor into the decisions of programs I am waitlisted at ,given the constraints that MSTP directors especially have to deal with in making their class, and whether another communication of interest would be helpful or simply unnecessary. You seem to indicate the latter. Thanks a bunch for the reply.
 
SevenofSonless said:
Sorry if I wasn't clearer @Fencer. I selected PTE for my current acceptance a while ago, but haven't changed it yet to CTE. I was just wondering if that would negatively factor into the decisions of programs I am waitlisted at ,given the constraints that MSTP directors especially have to deal with in making their class, and whether another communication of interest would be helpful or simply unnecessary. You seem to indicate the latter. Thanks a bunch for the reply.
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The other programs probably know that you're required to PTE by April 30th for the vast majority of schools to hold an acceptance, so I don't think it'll factor into their decisions. If you switch to CTE, they're technically not allowed to accept you anymore without violating the traffic rules, so don't select CTE unless you're certain you will be attending (or are hitting the deadline for your current acceptance to CTE).
 
Your MD/PhD program notifies your SOM UME Dean's office which updates the AMCAS software. You should not worry; an acceptance is an acceptance as per AMCAS traffic rules. You should have an email confirmation of your acceptance, not just a phone call. Reply this weekend if it doesn't appear by Sunday morning. It should be there for you to confirm by mid-day Monday.
 
My spouse and I want to start searching for a new place around mid-May and move by early June for my current choice's rotations, but my top waitlist choice said that I'm potentially next if a spot opens and to stay flexible until the end of the month. They said they historically lose maybe one or two during the May shuffle, but if I hear nothing by May 15, would it be reasonable to mentally move on and look into signing a lease?
 
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Best of luck! I think that you should mentally move on by close of Friday May 15 (about now in 2 wks). Having said that, you could look for places and sign up lease until following weekend May 23-24. With current situation, you will have plenty of choices ahead of the hoard of MD students...
 
micro_glia said:
If I'm on a ranked waitlist, can I ask now about where I stand on the waitlist now if they haven't told me before? How do adcoms make decisions about unranked waitlists?
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I think you can try asking, but it is mostly up to the school on whether or not they want to give you an answer. I'm assuming if you're near the top on a ranked waitlist they will let you know in case people withdraw.

One reason schools may have an unranked waitlist is to preserve diversity (academic, socioeconomic, etc.). They might want to accept people such that the gender ratio in their incoming class is roughly equal, or that they have a wide array of PhD interests ranging from engineering to social sciences.
 
One of the programs I emailed last Thursday to withdraw from hasn't responded and is still showing up on my CYMS tool. Would programs I'm waitlisted at see that I still have two acceptances and think that I'm not following traffic guidelines, or is it generally assumed that it may be a delay on the program's part?
 
You could email to your 1st choice a message, first Confirming your current CYMS choice (also in Subject line) and include in your email a forward copy of your withdrawal to the other program. You are not in trouble. Decisions have to filter from the program where you withdrew to their SOM UME office who then enter into the software, then reported to AMCAS, then synch into system and reported to current 1st choice.
 
So I'm on the waitlist for my top choice. I am currently PTE'd to a school which requested that I commit to them by this Friday (8May). Is it ok for me to email my top choice and ask for a decision before the end of this week? How do I word it?
 
Dear PD,
I am writing to confirm my interest in your MSTP, which is my top choice for MD/PhD training. If offered, I will commit immediately, and would elect to pursue PhD training under the supervision of one of these 3 faculty members: Drs. A, B or C. My current 2nd choice of MSTP is requesting me to commit to enroll by May 8. If you want to contact me, my mobile phone is xxxxx.
Best regards,

MSTP or MD/PhD program.... [75% of slots are in MSTPs].
 
Has anyone heard from their waitlisted schools?
 
Is anyone willing to offer some advice on how we should be prepping for matriculation to an MSTP in the early summer? Is there anything I should be reviewing, getting ready, buying, etc? Is there anything that should be a priority for me to think about right now?
 
NileMasr21 said:
Is anyone willing to offer some advice on how we should be prepping for matriculation to an MSTP in the early summer? Is there anything I should be reviewing, getting ready, buying, etc? Is there anything that should be a priority for me to think about right now?
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Just chill and have as good a time as can be had given the current national/global crisis. Occasionally peruse Pi websites and maybe start thinking about who you want to do your first rotation with. No need to prep anything for med school or study anything. Just relax, the best thing you can do is be at peak mental / physical health when you start because med school is tough. It’s the first leg of an ultra-marathon. Congrats!
 
micro_glia said:
I'm still waiting to hear back about 2 MD/PhD waitlists. One program says they haven't made any WL movement so far, and the other hasn't returned my emails yet. I imagine that COVID-19 has caused some delays in committees getting together/making decisions? I hope we hear something soon!
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can I DM you?
 
Do we think our first summer rotations will happen as usual?
 
I'm waiting on one waitlist. Not going to lie, it's really painful. Essentially my chances of medicine are in a couple people's hands now. I had many opinions on this, but I'll just leave it at one word: sadness.
 
MandiK said:
I'm waiting on one waitlist. Not going to lie, it's really painful. Essentially my chances of medicine are in a couple people's hands now. I had many opinions on this, but I'll just leave it at one word: sadness.
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I'm sorry to hear this. I wish you the best of luck with your waitlist movement. I know of at least one program that is waiting to do waitlist movement until next week, so I don't think things are over yet.
 
MandiK said:
I'm waiting on one waitlist. Not going to lie, it's really painful. Essentially my chances of medicine are in a couple people's hands now. I had many opinions on this, but I'll just leave it at one word: sadness.
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I'm in the same boat 🙁
 
Update on 2020 Cycle - as of 05/09/2020 (overnight sync to 5/10)

This is the BEST MD/PhD result for each individual applicant (WA or AC is better than Active/Looking, which is better than Rejected - PW, PR, RJ).

May 10, 2020
Total Applicants1792 (0)
Withdrawn Before Acceptance (WB)11 (+2)
Rejected (Prelim Rj, Passive Withdrawal, RJ)966 (-26)
Active in the cycle (not rejected)791 (+20)
At least 1 MD/PhD Acceptance (AC, DF, WA)772 (+31)
Defer to a later application cycle (DF)8 (+1)
Withdrawal After Acceptance (WA)78 (+15)
Currently Accepted for MD/PhD (AC)686 (+15)
Seeking a position (NA, HO, RS, AL, IN)43 (-7)

For the 2019 matriculation cycle, we had 803 applicants receiving at least 1 MD/PhD acceptance, and 708 first-year MD/PhD matriculants. Our 2020 admission process is moving forward and likely will end with a smaller class despite a slightly larger number of applicants. I predict that the class enrolling in 2020 will have around 690 MD/PhD matriculants with 800 applicants receiving at least one MD/PhD acceptance (revised estimates). As in prior years, we will have about 20 DFs and 80-90 WA (into MD only). Over the next week, the musical chairs will still be moving with a domino effect from highly to lesser competitive programs. The waitlist movement is happening and will continue until early May. Historically, most positions will be settled down by next week. However, this is not a typical historical year. If you interviewed and haven't been officially rejected, there is still HOPE for a MD/PhD Acceptance but start working toward a re-application.
 
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