Acceptance/Withdrawal Deadlines for MSTP?

[SuperSlacker]

I was wondering if anyone knows the deadline by which we have to drop all but one acceptance (or whether there is even such a deadline).

One dean told me I had to make a decision by May 15th (or something close) like other MD applicants, but another told me no deadline has been implemented yet for MD/PhD applicants.

just need to know how long I have to make my "final" decision.

Thanks!

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[Maebea]

I was wondering if anyone knows the deadline by which we have to drop all but one acceptance (or whether there is even such a deadline).

One dean told me I had to make a decision by May 15th (or something close) like other MD applicants, but another told me no deadline has been implemented yet for MD/PhD applicants.

just need to know how long I have to make my "final" decision.

Thanks!

You are bound by the traffic rules that govern MD applicants; i.e., you must hold only one acceptance by May 15. There has been some discussion among MD-PhD program directors of establishing an earlier deadline for MD-PhD applicants. Some propose making April 15 the deadline. Applicant indecision has increased markedly over the past decade, and that is fueling sentiments to have an earlier deadline for MD-PhD applicants. However, I have significant doubts that the AAMC would allow an earlier deadline.

 

[SuperSlacker]

thanks

 

[Dr.Watson]

.

 

[Maebea]

Agreed. The only way an earlier deadline would be possible would be for programs to finish interviews and notify applicants of their decisions earlier, and by agreeing to hold second-look weekends earlier. It would be great if everthing were pushed up a month. As the situation currently exists, it is highly unlikely that the AAMC would go along with an April 15 deadline for MD-PhD applicants. The AAMC tries to balance the interests of applicants with those of schools, and requiring applicants to make an earlier decision without mandating that MD-PhD programs make decisions and hold revisits earlier would be unduly harsh on applicants.

MD-PhD programs have worked together on a number of issues in the past and many agree that it would be advantageous to make things happen more quickly. However, I think that when the time comes for everyone to go down to the lick log, there will be at least a few programs that will not cooperate, and that will kill the deal.

 

[juicybug]

I just talked to a program director and a MSTP secretary, the rule is the following:
1. If the school starts before August, including mandatory rotation, the deadline will be April 15.
So, if you are holding a spot from one of these schools and if you by some chance get off the waitlist from another school after April 15, that another school will have to inform the school which you were holding the spot. That is, you have to relinquish the spot you are holding for the old school if you wish to accept the offer from the new school.

2. If the school starts after August, which applies to most med-only programs, the deadline will be May 15.
Same procedures apply.

The reason why there is the April 15 deadline is because MD/PhDs are not only bound by the medical school traffic rules but also graduate school traffic rules. So complicated.

 

[hawkeey]

We have a "preferred deadline" of April 15th, but prospective students can elect to take until May 15th to decide. I think May 15th is the really hard deadline when you can only hold one offer.

By the way though, if you get off a waitlist at another school after May 15th, you may elect to go to the other school after May 15th. There is always a little bit of shuffling in the beginning of the school year. Some people suddenly disappear after a week because they matriculated at another school. I haven't seen this happen to a MSTP student, but its possible.