Baylor MSTP vs. Vanderbilt MSTP vs. Harvard MD-PhD (not MSTP) decision

[BartlebyTheLabTech]

Hi all,

I am grateful to have acceptances to Baylor MSTP, Vandy MSTP, and Harvard MD (NP&HST, can affiliated into the PhD program but still have to pay most of MD tuition). Seeking informed opinions as I weigh my choice.

Disclosure: Currently leaning toward Vandy and Baylor, away from Harvard, but I take informed, experienced advice seriously.

Career goals: I plan to complete residency/fellowship at a competitive research residency and later run a lab at a medical center. I have deep interest in seeing that knowledge generated in an academic setting is pursued and delivered to its logical end in an industry setting, and industry money is excellent for driving PI/II clinical trials, so my end-stage career will likely be partial to complete involvement in biotechnology/pharmaceuticals.

Degrees: BS mathematics, BS biochemistry

Research interests: immunology, applying and creating computational tools to solve biological problems

Extra-career values: My family and personal life are tremendous generators of satisfaction in my life. I plan to start a family of my own sooner rather than later. I enjoy hiking, fishing, rock climbing, and music (I was a jazz musician, mostly into rap/hip-hop and jazz now).

[+ = pro, - = con]. Please offer additional pros/cons I may not have thought of.
All institutions
+diverse research opportunities in my interest areas

Baylor MSTP
- Houston seems boring to live in for 8 years (disputes welcome)
- less developed biotechnology sector than Boston means delayed experience with industry
+ close to my family
+ Houston is cheap, stipend goes a long way
+ Baylor MSTP match list this year was >50% top-tier, northeast spots
+ enormous medical center

Harvard MD-PhD (no MSTP)
- massive cost disadvantage compared to the MSTPs (~100K loans, time value of MSTP money, etc)
- farther away from my family
- smaller stipend during PhD years (unless F award), higher cost of living in Boston --> lower quality of life
- less support from faculty, by all informed accounts
+ near-guarantee of a top-tier, top-choice residency
+ early exposure to biotech industry, with jobs available to MD students
+ connections. HMS grads are represented well in respected roles in academia and industry.
+ prestige
+ beats the other two re. research opportunities

Vanderbilt MSTP
- farther away from my family
- less developed biotechnology sector than Boston means delayed experience with industry
- smaller medical center
+ tremendous support from MSTP faculty
+ best "gut feel" out of any place at which I interviewed
+ perennially excellent match list, like Baylor
+ Nashville has access to lots of hiking and activities that agree with my lifestyle

Major remaining questions for the community:
Q: Does associating with Harvard for medical school provide a career benefit that would merit turning down a fully funded offer and joining a HMS-affiliated hospital later?

• My initial thought is that this cannot be true, but still he allure of the opportunities available to HMS students remains in the back of my head.

All thoughts welcome, informed ones most valued.

-B

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[Skindoc83]

Never underestimate the doors that an MD from Harvard will open for you

 

[UsualHomie]

Question, where did you get information regarding less support from faculty at HMS if you affiliate? And regarding smaller stipend during PhD? I was told that the faculty support is the same for affiliates and that the PhD money comes from the grad school for both MSTP and non-MSTPers

 

[BartlebyTheLabTech]

Question, where did you get information regarding less support from faculty at HMS if you affiliate? And regarding smaller stipend during PhD? I was told that the faculty support is the same for affiliates and that the PhD money comes from the grad school for both MSTP and non-MSTPers

Should have been more specific -- less supportive faculty than I'd get at Vandy and Baylor MSTPs, from what friends in the HMS MSTP have said. They expect a higher amount of independence coming in, I suppose. You're correct that Affiliates and MSTPs are treated identically at HMS.

 

[mega_]

IDK, I would go with gut feel

 

[Lucca]

Vandy or HMS

 

[tr]

If you want to start a family anytime in the next 15 years, do not take on $100K of debt. That is going to create a lasting burden that will severely restrict both your ability to pursue research over clinical care and your ability to start a family when you are ready.

Combine that with the lower QOL and less faculty support and I don't know why you would even consider the Boston program.

I would absolutely stay away from HST. Either of the other two sound fine.

 

[UsualHomie]

Should have been more specific -- less supportive faculty than I'd get at Vandy and Baylor MSTPs, from what friends in the HMS MSTP have said. They expect a higher amount of independence coming in, I suppose. You're correct that Affiliates and MSTPs are treated identically at HMS.

Ahh I see, thanks for that response.

From what you've written, I would go Vandy. I'm in a similar position as you right now actually, and I think "gut feel" is really the way to go. I think second would be Baylor for you, given how much you value family. I think tr made a great point about the 100k in debt and how that may impact starting a family. Given I'm not looking to start one soon, my calculus is different. If you'd like to talk about this more and hash it out from a fellow applicants perspective feel free to PM me.

 

[Lucca]

Vandy or HMS

coming back to add a lil more detail to this comment:

If the #1 most important thing to you is starting a family soon and having a nurturing, supportive environment during this very, very long training: Vandy MSTP hands down.
- Immediately supported by MSTP stipend, no tuition
- Vandy and Baylor MSTP are both good but personal preferences look like Nashville might be a better fit than Houston for you. Don't think you'll go wrong either way though!

If the #1 most important thing for you is to match at an HMS institution, HMS hands down gives you the best possible footing to do that and chances are you could still match somewhere that will set you up very well to continue doing research in fellowship and beyond, potentially without the PhD although the MD only + longer postdoc path has its own cons and creates much more hazard on your path to becoming a physician scientist, starting a family. 100k in debt will undoubtedly be an impediment but could also not depending on whether or not you, your partner, your family have the means to support you through helping pay off debt or minimizing debt you take on due to COL from separate income etc.

Cosmically speaking, I think the former option is better for overall happiness than the latter, although arguably the latter is a good career decision. My personal opinion (humbly offered as a very junior student) is someone who is happy and satisfied in their personal life will do better work and be more likely to continue on this tightrope walk than someone who sacrificed too much of themselves for the sake of logical career moves (or even debt aversion!).

 

[SoberPony]

FYI: Houston is not a pretty city, but if you are a foodie and want a good quality of life (space, money, mostly nice people) Houston has got the other cities you are considering beat, IMO. And you can always go to the Nashville-esque Austin for a weekend.

 

[MSTPadvocate]

This is a no-brainer. you'll receive a great education at all three, but you come out debt-free at Vandy or Baylor. Your PhD will likely go faster with equivalent training and looking at those schools match lists, you'll likely end up in the same spot as if you went to Harvard.

 

[rtn1]

I would go to Harvard, even if you don't do the PhD and just do an MD there you'll be very well equipped to pursue research afterwards regardless given the caliber of research. I would also say the research at Harvard is significantly stronger than the other two institutions. If running a lab is your goal, set yourself up in the best way possible. Sure you might be in some debt but you'll pay it off.

 

[Seihai]

I would go to Vandy - their match lists are insane (I would argue some years have been better than Harvard if you remove the home advantage, which is admittedly significant). The prospect of debt-free medical school is incredibly important for someone who wants to go into academia (it's part of why MD-PhD is tuition-free) because the weight of having debt over your head is likely to push you further to the well-paying career of pure clinical practice.

 

[DokterMom]

FYI: Houston is not a pretty city, but if you are a foodie and want a good quality of life (space, money, mostly nice people) Houston has got the other cities you are considering beat, IMO. And you can always go to the Nashville-esque Austin for a weekend.

QFT.
Houston is definitely much better IRL than its reputation suggests.