Advice on a tough decision

[mjc48]

hi everyone, i'm facing a pretty tough decision right now and i could use a little input from people going down a similar career path. i'm an applicant for the 2006 matriculating class, and i'm interested in entering medical research. because of a fear that i would not be competitive for most mstp programs, i only applied to a few. the rest of my applications were for md, phd and do degrees separately. as it stands, i have been accepted to one very high ranking phd program (watson school, cshl) and NYCOM. the choice between the two is pretty clear, but in the coming weeks i should hear from other medical schools that would make the choice a little harder. they're still not as highly regarded as the watson school, but are certainly more competitive (boston university, stonybrook mstp and drexel) Any thoughts on what you would do in my situation?

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[MrMunkily]

My impression of the SBSOM MSTP was pretty positive; plus you can do the PhD at CSH or brookhaven too... what's the advantage of the CSHL's own graduate program?

 

[mjc48]

My impression of the SBSOM MSTP was pretty positive; plus you can do the PhD at CSH or brookhaven too... what's the advantage of the CSHL's own graduate program?

really, i don't think there's much difference between the SB MSTP and WSBS. The classes for watson are different, and the treatment of the students is definetly better. also, the postdoctoral appointments that watson students get tend to be far better than SB's. but on the other hand, there is no program integration with a medical school, no investigation in a clinical setting, no patient exposure and no pathology. the two have both positives and negatives.

 

[MrMunkily]

the treatment of the students is definetly better

Can you elaborate? I had heard that doing a PhD at CSH was a very stressful undertaking.

 

[Nuel]

Based on your status, I would say do a PhD at CSHL. IT IS A VERY GOOD PLACE!!! However, if you get into SUNYSB's MSTP, you can always do a PhD in one of the labs at CSHL. So SUNYSB is the way to go IF you get in.

Secondly, there is NO WAY I would an MD/PhD at Drexel if I had the chance to do a PhD at CSHL. NIH study sections would cut you any slack on your grant applications because you have an MD. In research, it is the validity of the ideas that count, and CSHL have better faculty that would help you get that. If you want to do clinical medicine and little research, then go to NYCOM.

I did almost the same thing you did, athough not as wide. I applied to 5 MSTPs and 5 PhD programs. I was waitlisted at two MSTPs, accepted to their MD programs (top 25 based on US NEWS Rankings). I was also accepted at 2 top five biomedical PhD programs. I ONLY want to do biomedical research, so I would probably do the PhD and run if I don't get off those waitlists, although I am still considering the option of doing the MD alone with postdoctoral fellowships. But I am not doing an MD at Drexel, I can assure you.

So right now, for you, CSHL wins. Screw NYCOM.

 

[mjc48]

Can you elaborate? I had heard that doing a PhD at CSH was a very stressful undertaking.

doing anything at cshl is very stressful. i think moreso for the watson students though. they have scheduled committee meeting every few months, and meetings with the dean of the school every month. everything they do is closely monitored, which is both good and bad. the average gradutation occurs within just a little more than four years post matriculation. the publication record is also better than sb's, and most PI's treat watson students preferentially (due to perhaps a bit of snobbery, and the fact that they bring their own fellowships). the first semester of the first year is the only time watson students take classes, which means they are in lecture for around 12 hrs a day.

sb students at cshl will work in similar labs, but may have a harder time getting a bench spot. competition with watson students for limited space almost always favors the watson kids. also, sb classes are taught an hour away from the lab, and are done in a different format.

 

[MrMunkily]

Okay, that's a very important thing to know, and SB dosen't seem likely to tell prospectives such things...

 

[Nuel]

Then go to CSHL. After being on many interviews, I clearly realize how one can go about the research business in various routes: MD, PhD, and MD/PhD. And one track isn't necessarily more successful than the other, assuming the subjects are creative and motivated.