Chances of MD/PHD Acceptance

[smadaUW]

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Hi all!

Really appreciate this website and after reading the initial acceptance criteria from Neuronix, want a more opinions about my chances for an MD/PhD program. Sorry for all the detail but trying to outline as much as possible in order to give you the full picture.

I will graduate from the University of Washington with a Biochemistry degree with Honors in the spring and a 3.6 cGPA with a 3.6 sGPA. Have a decent upward trend in grades but nothing too significant. My MCAT score is a 33Q (12,9,12). I have done research for 2 years and one summer. Two years were spent under one PI studying HIV. I will be published once, done three research presentations (two national undergraduate conferences, one local), and have a senior thesis completed around my research. My other activities include raising 10K for my fraternity while winning our national chapter of the year award and recreating our alumn database, serving on the executive board of a pre-medical fraternity, and receiving a paid position as a Biochemistry TA. I expect to shadow 100 hours before applying (50 completed so far)

I'd like to stay on the West Coast if possible and would strongly like to go into a MSTP program. I also qualify as a under represented minority.
What do you think my chances are of getting into any of the five California (Stanford, UCSF, UCSD, UCI, and UCLA), University of Washington, or Colorado? What are any other schools that I would be a decent applicant for?

Thanks!

 

[debateg]

Sorry to break it to you, but the West Coast schools are difficult to get into. Stanford and UCSF are insanely competitive. UCSD, UCLA, and UW are highly competitive. UCI and Colorado are less competitive but still not a slam dunk for even the best applicant. There are no guarantees with MD/PhD admission.

Your scores are good but not stellar. GPA and MCAT are probably lower than ideal, but you can't do anything about that now. Being an under represented minority will be helpful. If you're dead set on MD/PhD, you're going to have to expand your geographic restriction to include some less competitive schools. There's an entire rest of the country to consider.

 

[John 117]

debateg is right. Apply broadly both in terms of "tier" of school and geography. Your numbers are most likely on the lower end compared to other applicants to the schools you listed. Still, apply to as many schools as you can afford (that you realistically would attend). Your research looks pretty good and the publication helps. No guarantees, but good luck.

 

[smadaUW]

Would a postbac help my cause?

 

[Fencer]

It might, but the MCAT is what hurts you with GPA is a slight hurt. Given your URM status, you will get interviewed at many of the programs that you indicated, but no sure chances. Expand your geographical net. If you want to be West from the Mississipi. All MD/PhD programs in Texas are in AMCAS, and also consider WUSTL, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minn., and the Chicago programs.

 

[Neuronix]

I'd like to stay on the West Coast if possible and would strongly like to go into a MSTP program. I also qualify as a under represented minority.
What do you think my chances are of getting into any of the five California (Stanford, UCSF, UCSD, UCI, and UCLA), University of Washington, or Colorado?

It doesn't hurt to apply but odds are iffy due to high west coast competition.

What are any other schools that I would be a decent applicant for?

Midwest and southeast. A lot of quality programs are there that are less competitive. Apply to at least a dozen programs.

Post-bacc would be a debt-inducing waste of time. If you're going to take time off, keep doing research. I'm never quite sure what to do with MCATs in the low 30s (31-33). A retake score in the high 30s would help, but a retake that's no better than your current score would be a waste of time. Your current score is not terrible. You'd have to consider whether your current score was a result of factors you could improve, such as inadequate preparation.

 

[AGG]

If you're dead set on staying on the West (and assuming you're a WWAMI state resident), you might have a better shot at getting into UW as an MD-only applicant and then applying internally for MSTP after M1 or M2. I actually believe that UW lets you apply simultaneously as MD and MD/PhD, so that should make it easier. That being said, it's still very far from a sure thing, so applying as broadly as possible is your best bet. All the west coast MSTPs are really, really competitive so don't forget that there are a bunch of pretty great schools on the east coast too!

 

[obscurehero]

Competitive stats to get into an MD/PhD program.

Weaker stats to try to get into one in the West.

Why would you waste time on a post-bacc? Most of them seem like a scam imho. Just continue doing research if you feel like taking time off.