Medical Applied MD/PhD with no interview invites. What is your advice for reapplication?

[Goro]

Hello!

I applied to 20+ MD/PhD programs this year and received 0 interview invites for MD/PhD or MD programs.

Basic stats:
- 3.71 GPA with strong upward trend
- 521 MCAT
- 1.5 years full time neuroscience lab research (really 2 years - 1 year was part time)
- 4 years full time working as a "utility player" for a med device startup (worked in product development, regulatory, operations, clinical support, etc - significant OR time, mostly in rural E. Washington and Montana)
- 30hrs ER volunteering (had a 12AM Sunday night shift senior year and couldn't change after summer so dropped)
- 60hrs search and rescue volunteering
- 90hrs shadowing in ER and thoracic surgery
- VP/President of College Rugby Club
- Many hobbies such as climbing, skiing, playing music, etc.

Working for the med device company kind of prevents me from committing to volunteering long-term for something where I am relied upon. I have to travel somewhat frequently for work with very little notice, and there are often fire-drill projects that require extra hours. I understand that this is probably the weakest part of my application.

I'm also thinking that I really did myself a disservice by applying MD/PhD having not worked in a reputable academic research setting for a few years. While I personally think my experience in industry has been valuable, it is certainly a wild card. I'm thinking I should apply MD-only for the next cycle, and pursue MD/PhD programs during M1 if I choose to go that way.

I have several very solid letters of recommendation as well.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

Get in more clinical experience

Rewrite all essays

Forget about MD/PHD.

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[Mr.Smile12]

I appreciate you sharing with us your AMCAS application. I think the number of clinical experience hours didn't seem to satisfy the MD part of the MD/PhD application, so you were summarily eliminated from all of them. The essays I'm guessing didn't meet expectations, such as any rationale to your preparation for clinical-translational medicine for the MD/PhD essay. (It seems a little more like a summary of your research experiences... I think the prompt asks for something else, doesn't it?)

I won't go onto the soapbox about how academic research knows nothing about industry research, but they are very different. Unfortunately successful academic researchers don't appreciate how different and challenging industry research is.

There are many straight-up MD programs that are research heavy which you could consider, and you should do some networking to gauge which schools encourage some level of entrepreneurship, which your experience would resonate with.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Thanks for taking the time to read my materials!

I think my decision to pursue an MD/PhD was really half-baked. I have several academic researcher friends and former coworkers with entrepreneurial interests, and at my current job I've gotten some experience with implementing those ideas clinically. I thought a combined degree program would help set me up to support basic science/clinical/business collaboration, but I realize that's not really the intention of the training.

Do you think I'd have a solid app for the upcoming cycle if I could commit to some regular clinical activity (scribing, patient care assistant, etc) over the next year?

Yes, you just need to get your obvious deficiencies taken care of to have a solid app. You also should make sure you get networking so that you make informed decisions on picking schools.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Do you recommend any resources on how to network effectively?

Let's start with the obvious and easiest: did you register for last month's AAMC Virtual Fair? The booths are still open for a couple more weeks after you register, even though you may have missed the live session.

Secondly, do you have access to a prehealth advisor or career services office? The latter should have some suggestions on the question of how to network effectively. This is a lifetime skill, and you'll be able to search the internet for even more general tips on networking.

Third, you have to do your own homework on networking. I have facilitated those contacts as prehealth advisor and as director of admissions. Good people in either of those roles are available if you ask.