College graduate in pursuit of MD/Ph.D

[misplacedshadow]

Greetings Fellow Posters,

I just graduate college from a local city college with a degree in Biochemistry with a cGPA of 3.386. My pre-med program at my college is however very intense and may be even comparable to an Ivy League pre-med program. Even though my GPA is a bit low for an MD/Ph.D program I am currently focusing on two things that might make me a good applicant for an MD/Ph.D program. First I am going to start a research position at a top medical university with hopes of getting a publication soon. Next I will also be studying for the MCATs. Then I will be applying for a masters program in biomedical research at Mount Sinai. I heard that this program is actually for helping students get into MD/PHD programs. The requirements for this program is a 3.5 gpa and 34 MCAT score. Do you guys think that by doing research and getting a really high MCAT score could land me in this masters program and then hopefully in a MD/PHD joint program?

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[Lil Mick]

I've never heard of a graduate program that requires you to take the MCAT before you start graduate school. They usually require the GRE...

Do you have any prior research experience? If you have some solid research and will get a publication, it might help make up for your gpa (MD/PhD can be more forgiving than MD). Also, I'm not sure what you meant about the 34 MCAT score for the graduate program (would you take it twice?), but if you mean the score when you're applying, most programs have an average around/above 35 (my program, at least, and the ones at which I interviewed).

 

[Silverfalcon]

Greetings Fellow Posters,

I just graduate college from a local city college with a degree in Biochemistry with a cGPA of 3.386. My pre-med program at my college is however very intense and may be even comparable to an Ivy League pre-med program. Even though my GPA is a bit low for an MD/Ph.D program I am currently focusing on two things that might make me a good applicant for an MD/Ph.D program. First I am going to start a research position at a top medical university with hopes of getting a publication soon. Next I will also be studying for the MCATs. Then I will be applying for a masters program in biomedical research at Mount Sinai. I heard that this program is actually for helping students get into MD/PHD programs. The requirements for this program is a 3.5 gpa and 34 MCAT score. Do you guys think that by doing research and getting a really high MCAT score could land me in this masters program and then hopefully in a MD/PHD joint program?

You might want to check your facts before going onto something like this. @Lil Mick: You are right, there is no such grad program requiring MCAT score.

http://www.mssm.edu/education/gradu...s/ms-in-biomedical-sciences/pm-track/about-us

This is what OP thought he/she knew. Note that regardless of what OP's grad GPA and MCAT score is, he/she will be below the requirement for interview (not admission) with Mt. Sinai Medical School (again, no specification about MD/PhD).

I would guess that if you pull 34 on MCAT, you don't need this program to get into medical school. MD/PhD is another story though, since that program is based on so many different factors.

 

[nonamesleft]

Greetings Fellow Posters,

I just graduate college from a local city college with a degree in Biochemistry with a cGPA of 3.386. My pre-med program at my college is however very intense and may be even comparable to an Ivy League pre-med program. Even though my GPA is a bit low for an MD/Ph.D program I am currently focusing on two things that might make me a good applicant for an MD/Ph.D program. First I am going to start a research position at a top medical university with hopes of getting a publication soon. Next I will also be studying for the MCATs. Then I will be applying for a masters program in biomedical research at Mount Sinai. I heard that this program is actually for helping students get into MD/PHD programs. The requirements for this program is a 3.5 gpa and 34 MCAT score. Do you guys think that by doing research and getting a really high MCAT score could land me in this masters program and then hopefully in a MD/PHD joint program?

The Mt. Sinai program was my backup plan... the GPa and MCAT requirements aren't set in stone for getting into the program (I got in with a 32 MCAT), but the 34 is required to get a interview with Mt. Sinai med when you do apply.

Here's what I got from them way back in the day: (edited to keep some info private of course)

I am very pleased to be able to offer you a place in the PREP-Med track of the Master’s in Biomedical Sciences Program at the Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, beginning with the Fall 2010 semester. As a student in the PREP-Med track you will have access to MCAT classes, workshop on the med school application process, mock interview session. In addition, if you can raise your MCAT score to 34, you will be guaranteed an interview at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

3) What is the class size for the program, and how many of these students have historically been accepted to MD programs, and how many to MD/PhD programs? We aim to have a class size of 20 students – in the class that started two years ago, we didn’t have anyone applying to MD/PhD programs – 10 are going to an MD program, 2 are going to a DO program, 1 is joining our PhD program, 3 are applying to MD programs now, 2 are still finishing their Masters, and 2 withdrew.

4) What is the course selection process for students in the program (ie. will there be support or guidance in terms of which classes to select)?

I meet with all Master’s students to discuss their course selection twice a year – I am also available at any time for advice


4) Since medical school admissions is extremely competitive, and admissions committees usually use grades as a measuring tool, what is the class average of students in the program?

I have no idea what the class average is – my sense is that it somewhere around a B+ since that is the mean for most of our courses – but it also depends on which courses you take

5) It is great news that students who score above 34 will receive an interview to Mount Sinai School of Medicine. However, how many of these students have been accepted to MSSM?

All – sometimes they are put on the waitlist first – but acceptance is not only dependent on academics and scores
...I'm not quite sure about the "All" in that last question..I've got doubts..


...hope this helps