Accepted to MSTP but want to do MD only

[ric81326]

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Hi guys,
I have a problem. I have been accepted to a few MSTP programs and I was thinking I may want to do MD only. Is it possible to enter as MD only with and MSTP acceptance? My question applies to the following schools : UCLA, UCSD, UPenn, Yale and Cornell. Thanks for the help.

 

[Ryan]

Hi guys,
I have a problem. I have been accepted to a few MSTP programs and I was thinking I may want to do MD only. Is it possible to enter as MD only with and MSTP acceptance? My question applies to the following schools : UCLA, UCSD, UPenn, Yale and Cornell. Thanks for the help.

Not usually... talk to the admissions directly and be prepared to explain exactly WHY... Some may be cool with it and some will really be ticked off. I had the same problem and ended up at a DO school (which is Okay by me). Just know yourself and be honest with them. Congrats on the acceptance though.

 

[Neuronix]

Do any of those schools send out separate MD acceptances or give you an automatic MD acceptance with your MSTP acceptance? If not, and you don't have an MD acceptance anywhere you want to fall back on, you may be in a tough siutation. I know that here at UPenn, the MSTP acceptance does not imply an MD acceptance (or even MD consideration), and turning down your MSTP may shut you out completely. At the same time, you could come here, be a student for awhile, and leave the MD/PhD program for the MD program.

Strange huh? I guess for some students with an extra-strong research background and high numbers, it's easier to get into MD/PhD than MD. As such, MD programs don't want students using a backdoor to get in. Though I think the real reason is that at many schools the two committees (MD/PhD and MD) are separate, and the MD program would have to review you before you could come if you decided to enter as a MD-only. It would be a late in the game decision and your MD/PhD acceptance would have varying levels of influence on the MD committee. Again, this isn't true for some programs that imply a MD acceptance with your MD/PhD acceptance or review you separately and send you a decision seperately.

That leaves you in a strange place. You could knock yourself out of med school by telling all these schools what you really want is MD now. One option is calling schools and just asking about this option and see what they say because you're undecided. They're not going to withdraw your acceptances for asking questions. This will probably give you a better handle on your situation. Let us know what they say.

Good luck!

 

[Ryan]

Do any of those schools send out separate MD acceptances or give you an automatic MD acceptance with your MSTP acceptance? If not, and you don't have an MD acceptance anywhere you want to fall back on, you may be in a tough siutation. I know that here at UPenn, the MSTP acceptance does not imply an MD acceptance (or even MD consideration), and turning down your MSTP may shut you out completely. At the same time, you could come here, be a student for awhile, and leave the MD/PhD program for the MD program.

Strange huh? I guess for some students with an extra-strong research background and high numbers, it's easier to get into MD/PhD than MD. As such, MD programs don't want students using a backdoor to get in. Though I think the real reason is that at many schools the two committees (MD/PhD and MD) are separate, and the MD program would have to review you before you could come if you decided to enter as a MD-only. It would be a late in the game decision and your MD/PhD acceptance would have varying levels of influence on the MD committee. Again, this isn't true for some programs that imply a MD acceptance with your MD/PhD acceptance or review you separately and send you a decision seperately.

That leaves you in a strange place. You could knock yourself out of med school by telling all these schools what you really want is MD now. One option is calling schools and just asking about this option and see what they say because you're undecided. They're not going to withdraw your acceptances for asking questions. This will probably give you a better handle on your situation. Let us know what they say.

Good luck!

ric81326,

This is very good advice. I wanted to say somthing similar but did not have time at first. I came back to the forum and Neuronix said what I had wanted to. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[kels]

Hi guys,
I have a problem. I have been accepted to a few MSTP programs and I was thinking I may want to do MD only. Is it possible to enter as MD only with and MSTP acceptance? My question applies to the following schools : UCLA, UCSD, UPenn, Yale and Cornell. Thanks for the help.

if they're not gonna let you switch to MD now, then i say take advantage of it and get the first year of med school paid for and then drop the mstp funding....... ok, maybe you don't want to do that, but the power is in your hands. it is the schools that should be ready to grant your wish.

 

[PTPoeny]

If you look at the acceptance letters they should detail whether or not you have an MD acceptance and an MD/PhD acceptance or not. Mine were clear if you read through the letter a couple of times and they did vary by school. Also, if you had to send letters to both the MD program and a separate office for MD/PhD you probably should have a separate letter for each program.

 

[huknows00]

I have a somewhat different question. What if you don't get accepted into the MD/PhD program but want to be considered for the PhD program alone. Would you need to specify that on your app, and do you need to then submit GRE's? Can either the MD and PhD programs accept you independently?

 

[tedrik]

I have a somewhat different question. What if you don't get accepted into the MD/PhD program but want to be considered for the PhD program alone. Would you need to specify that on your app, and do you need to then submit GRE's? Can either the MD and PhD programs accept you independently?

To my understanding, in this situation the MSTP normally asks you to apply to the PhD program separately. They won't automatically send your AMCAS to the grad program because the grad program has their own application they want you to do with a selection process that is independent of the MSTP or MD programs. Also, I believe that the grad program will not accept your MCAT in place of a GRE score. When I started applying this question was on my mind as well, but I never looked into it in great depth. Maybe there is someone on this forum or on the PhD forum that has gone through this before.

 

[PTPoeny]

I had one program director offer to assist me through submitting my application to the PhD program when I didn't get into the MST program. I would contact the MSTP program director and ask for their help.

 

[kermitdfrog]

Some graduate programs will accept the MCAT in place of the GRE, however this really varies from school to school, so you would need to check with the grad program department that you are considering. A few of the Ph.D. programs associated with medical schools that I looked at were willing to accept the MCAT in place of the GRE, while most required the GRE.

To my understanding, in this situation the MSTP normally asks you to apply to the PhD program separately. They won't automatically send your AMCAS to the grad program because the grad program has their own application they want you to do with a selection process that is independent of the MSTP or MD programs. Also, I believe that the grad program will not accept your MCAT in place of a GRE score. When I started applying this question was on my mind as well, but I never looked into it in great depth. Maybe there is someone on this forum or on the PhD forum that has gone through this before.