Advice needed to a PhD Candidate

[TravelerMatt82]

...

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[catswym]

honestly if you score another 34 I'd say you're good to go esp if you're coming from a good lab and have good publications. Apply all over, of course, but you will have a good shot at research heavy top name schools if that is the direction you want to go in.

With your PS just explain why you feel you still want to get your MD. Don't talk about regrets, don't be negative AT ALL. FOcus on what an MD can do for you that the PhD can't.

 

[Calipers]

Your undergraduate GPA is solid, and your most recent MCAT will likely be fine as well. Despite your research you may get dinged on having no clinical experience. I would recommend that you find some kind of position ASAP where you interact with patients.

Schools: I would apply broadly. You mention you're at an Ivy. They tend to have pre-med advisors that can provide more specific advice regarding school selection. It's highly possible that you'll get an interview at Harvard, but it's also possible that schools will pass over your app. Ditto with "safety schools." Complete roll of the dice. But listen to your gut. If you would prefer to have a career as a PhD scientist than go to a SUNY medical school, then DON'T apply there. As to numbers, I would argue that you would be safe applying to around 20-30 schools, with a good mix of "reaches" "middles" and "safeties"

Personal Statement: Be positive. You have to address why you want to go to medical school NOW. And you have to do it in a way that doesn't sound like you're dumping on graduate school.

Feel free to PM me for anything I forgot to address.

 

[StIGMA]

Apply broadly and make sure you get into a program. Residency and fellowship are entirely more pertinent to academics than where you went to medical school. Wherever you go make sure you set yourself up for a residency at a university and you will be fine.

 

[QofQuimica]

Apply broadly and make sure you get into a program. Residency and fellowship are entirely more pertinent to academics than where you went to medical school. Wherever you go make sure you set yourself up for a residency at a university and you will be fine.

Agree.

OP, I am a PhD-to-MD (PhD in pharmaceutical chemistry) and applying for residency this year. There are a few important things you need to do.

First, you were right to retake the MCAT. Most if not all med schools will not accept a score that is over 3 years old.

Second, you need to get some clinical experience. This is as much of a prereq for med school as biology or chemistry is. If you don't have much exposure to physicians and what physicians do, how do you hope to convince an adcom that you've thought out your decision? Even more importantly, how can you even convince yourself? When I was considering med school, I sought out an MD/PhD at my local med school and spent some time shadowing him as well as doing some side research with him. You may want to think about doing the same.

Third, you will want to use your PS to explain the evolution of your career from physiologist to MD/PhD. In my case, I had been doing some clinical research with the MD/PhD, and I talked about wanting to have a more clinical bent to my research as opposed to straight basic science. You can't see patients as a chemistry PhD.

Fourth, you will choose schools by getting yourself a copy of the MSAR (available from the AAMC; just google it), and you will go through the book and cross out every school that is either somewhere you don't want to live, or else doesn't accept residents of NY. Then of the remaining schools, you will want to choose places where your goals fit with their mission. So, if you want to be a physician scientist, don't apply to a bunch of schools whose mission is to provide clinicians to care for the underserved.

I also found the USNWR list of top 50 research schools helpful as suggestions for schools that might be of interest to me. This ranking is largely based upon research dollars for the school, so it will give you an idea of which schools tend to focus more heavily on research. You do not have to go to an Ivy med school in order to have excellent research opportunities while you're in med school, although I agree with you that many state schools may not have the kind of infrastructure you'd be wanting. (Not saying anything specific about NY schools, since I'm from FL). That being said, you want to apply to enough schools to have a good chance of getting enough invites and acceptances, and there aren't enough Ivies to fit this requirement. I agree that 20ish schools would be a good number.

Finally, 29 is young. I was 31 when I started, and many others in this forum are older still.

Hope this helps, and if you have questions, feel free to PM. Also, you should read the FAQs sticky at the top of this forum. There is tons of good info in there, including a sticky I put together of threads that will be of interest for people going from grad school to med school.

 

[TravelerMatt82]

...

 

[nontrdgsbuiucmd]

Took me two app cycles to be accepted to med school; I found out the first time around that primary weaknesses were:

1) applying too late -- completed my primary Amcas in August, next step was for Amcas to verify everything (3 weeks or so), then secondaries were completed around mid september-mid october. Realistically, it's likely a couple weeks to a couple months from this stage until interview invites, which are generally scheduled a couple weeks after that. Per discussions with admissions folks, any applicant at that stage is at a severe disadvantage.

2) didn't have clinical (working with patients, volunteer at ER, stuff like that) experience listed on my Aamcas primary. Later learned that most schools didn't read the secondary applications where I'd spelled out my recently-gained clinical experience; if it wasn't on the primary, it was too late.

3) I had one MCAT section score sub 10, although total score was fairly competitive.

When accepted the second go-around, I did primaries in July, secondaries in August, interview @ top choice early September, accepted before end of calendar year.

So it is unfortunate, but as a person who applied late within the past couple years and was turned down, I'd suggest that you wait until next summer. Depending on your school of choice, you may or may not want to retake the MCAT; not sure the difference between a 32 & 34 or 35 is that substantial for most schools.

 

[catswym]

I don't see any reason to retake a 32 even if you don't get in this year. Esp since you have at least 10 in each section.

That said, you are applying REALLY late right now and so your chances of getting in are diminished. I would recommend starting clinical experience NOW in case you don't get in and need to reapply next cycle. That way you will have the clinical experience under your belt so you can apply right away in June.

Good luck though--I do hope you can beat the odds and get in now. Applying is stressful.