applying to both md and md/phd (how do they know about each other)

[tapdance123]

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I've heard that md/phd applicants are strongly encouraged to apply only to md/phd programs to demonstrate commitment to the physician-scientist career. I'm pretty committed to this career, but I'm thinking of the MD, then research fellowship or MD then PhD path. So I'm applying to md at some schools and some md/phd programs at others. If I do this, how are md/phd adcoms going to know about the other schools (other than perhaps through my letters of rec?)

 

[Neuronix]

There's only two ways they'll know:

1) They'll ask you directly. This is a relatively common question.

2) There's some amount of inter-school communication.

There's a decent chance you'll get away with it if you do it. But you are hurting your application at the schools that do find out. Some MD programs will think you're heading MD/PhD and the MD/PhD programs won't think you're seriously. That being said, some MD/PhD programs won't find out, and many MD programs won't care that you're also applying MD/PhD. So if you're insistant on this strategy, I'd recommend applying to maybe more schools than you would for MD/PhD or MD alone.

 

[tapdance123]

Thanks Neuronix. When you say some, do you mean a few or most? Say I apply to 20 md/phd programs and 5 md programs. Would ~5 or ~15 md/phd programs find out.

 

[Neuronix]

Thanks Neuronix. When you say some, do you mean a few or most? Say I apply to 20 md/phd programs and 5 md programs. Would ~5 or ~15 md/phd programs find out.

Eh. Hard to say. My guess is more like 5 than 15.