concerned about admissions chances

[chief wiggum]

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Hi guys,

New here. This forum is incredible. I'm applying for MSTP's (BME prolly), but I'm concerned about my chances. My numbers are okay, but my research experience isn't quality. I did chemical engineering for undergrad, and I had 3.65 gpa and 41 on april MCAT. I'm working on a non-thesis master's and doing voluntary clinical research for the research part of it (though this will not result in a thesis...pub possible). That will amount to one summer of research, really. I worked 9 months full-time (40-45 hrs/week) for a small biotech research lab, researching/developing a device (and some peripheral projects with smaller roles). I also spent two months doing an animal science study (really just following orders here, though)

So, from EVERYTHING I've read, the research is the big key. These programs want quality research experience, and I haven't been so pleased with mine. I suppose can talk about the device I researched during interviews. The clinical research is only moderately interesting, at best. The animal study was poorly designed, so as to produce ambiguous/insufficient data.

The trouble with all of this is that in each project, I thought the study was not well designed (horrible application of prob/stats or none at all) and/or simplistic and therefore uninteresting. It pains me to think about having to 'talk up' my research experience to an interview panel. I also don't feel I've had much chance to be creative on the projects, so I cannot convince anyone of that.

I don't feel that I'm a better researcher for the projects I've worked on. I know they want solid experience, and for good reason, but experiences are a function of opportunities. Alas, mine have not been that good. The only impressive thing out of this is that I still want to do scientific research in spite of it.

Advice? Anyone? 🙁

I thank you, at the very least, for being a sounding 'board'.

 

[saco]

In my view you have nothing to worry about. Your research experience seems sufficient and certainly diverse. Your stats are excellent (MCAT . ). I'm sure you'll get plenty of interviews. However, you will have to sell your research to some extent. At least don't give them the idea it was pointless or boring. From the dozens of interviewers I had, they mostly like to discuss your research and their own research. In fact, in a typical 40 min intreview their research would take up 20 min.
No sweat. You got this.

 

[Neuronix]

I think you have a good shot if you apply. The top schools will likely pass you up for not having enough research experience. However, I think you have a decent chance at some of the not so big name BME MD/PhD programs. If you are interested in other diciplines, I bet this would widen the range of schools you could reasonably apply to.

Though I worry that the pool will be saturated with BME students next year. It seems like everyone I have talked to in the past couple weeks has been a BME hopeful. There aren't that many spots for BME, so I wonder if it's going to be super-competitive this year. Ah well, just throwing that out there.

 

[ninebillion]

Originally posted by Neuronix
Though I worry that the pool will be saturated with BME students next year. It seems like everyone I have talked to in the past couple weeks has been a BME hopeful. There aren't that many spots for BME, so I wonder if it's going to be super-competitive this year. Ah well, just throwing that out there.

I'm pretty worried about this. But along with the growing number of BME applicants are a number of evolving programs. The thing is, at many medical schools, their affiliated institutions (undergraduate and graduate alike) either have or are jump-starting BME curricula, so it's only a matter of a year or two before MD/PhD programs begin to integrate with research programs in BME. For example, an email I received from the Stanford bioengineering directors indicated that they will seek to open up their brand new graduate program in bioengineering to medical students (MSTP students) in the future, but not within the next year.

So I guess my point is that if you see a budding BME program at a school that has yet to incorporate BME into its MSTP or MD/PhD offerings, apply to the school and express a strong interest in crossing disciplines.

Just my $0.02 -- after all, I'm one of those "BME hopefuls" that Neuronix is mentioning, and I'm getting set for the MCAT in August. (Undergraduate class of 2005.)

 

[johnny12johnny]

I think that your chances are pretty good. I was in a similar situation last year with good stats and with varied research experience though not many long term research projects and no publications (until last week 🙂 ). I think that the research related interviews during the MD/PhD application process help to look past what is just listed app. to determine who is really interested in research and knows their stuff. I think that you'll be fine and if you are able to convincingly demonstrate your interest in research to your interviews I think that you have a shot at top tier schools.

 

[johnny12johnny]

Christ, I need to work on my writing. How many times can the phrase "I think" be used in a single post.

 

[psyuk]

i just want to say that your mcat score is awesome! as for the research part, i wouldn't worry too much...just try to figure out how to sell it.

 

[noy]

Not to hijack the thread, but the BME is of some concern. However, the committee's know they are making up for lost time, and will be flexible in admitting more this year - esp. considering all the funding we will bring in during our grad school years.

There was a period in the 70's where fully 20% of some medical schools were electrical/mechanical engineers - so they have seen it before.

I view the future success of BME as a direct result of the Whitaker foundation - new buildings and institutes going up at every major research center (from stanford to rutgers to WUSTL to other major places)

What did stanford say about applying MSTP BME this year? They gave me no indication it would be a problem, since we would not start grad studies for 2 years anyway, and could probably do decent lab rotations with profs in their current labs.

Still, I think we will be competing with each other more so than other applicants. I just hope the adcoms can understand some of my research!

 

[ninebillion]

Why were there so many electrical and mechanical engineers in medical school in the '70s? Was it solely because of the uninviting job market?

I agree with your opinion on Whitaker institutional grants and start-up awards, but often there is a disconnect between a medical school and its affiliated university's bioengineering program. Hopefully there will be more integration in the coming years.

Since I'm not going to be applying until the 2004-2005 season, I was mainly concerned with whether there would be full integration between Stanford's medical school and their new bioengineering department in two or three years. All they said was that there were no immediate plans in effect since they are still searching for faculty and developing the specifics of their graduate program. In a few years there will probably be more exchange between the medical school and the bioengineering department, allowing for MSTP students to pursue bioengineering.

If you want to find out more, I suggest that you email [email protected] and not just the MSTP coordinators because chances are the MSTP folks don't know too much about the bioengineering program yet.

I think the admissions committee members won't have a problem understanding our research as long as we thoroughly explain our research goals and relevance to current medical problems and pathologies. I can see how they might get lost in the engineering methodology, but the key is to be able to articulate the big picture. Additionally, I think we've got a lot going for us since our research is novel and "cool." (I'm not saying that traditional cancer research or what-have-you isn't cool, but you know what I mean...)

Anyway, chief wiggum and noy, where do you two go to school? I'm just curious about what BME programs you two are in... What are your research interests? Tissue engineering, drug delivery, biomechanics?

 

[psyuk]

i'm not kissing you two guys butts, but if i were a mstp director i'd only accept bme students. you guys are the types that will open up new frontiers in medicine.

 

[noy]

psyuk, thanks for the compliments. I hope the adcoms feel the same way

I spoke with Scott Delp at stanford - very briefly. He will run the new dept, and told me it is a joint dept supported by the med school and engineering schools, so there will be plenty if integration in the administration.

He also mentioned the details will be worked out later, which is no problem.

After all, its stanford - if they will do it, they will do it right.

Why were there so many engineers in the 70s? I have no idea, this is what an older nurse told me (she was in NYC at the time). Perhaps they just picked up on how smart us engineers are? 😀

As for me, my info is unique enough to be identifying, so Ill PM you.

At my school, BME was just declared a major, 3 years ago it was an applied sciences program (IE, this year was the 2nd people had it on their diploma. Many schools just did this, it was also the 1st or 2nd year at WUSTL). The curriculum has changed drastically from a EE-based undergrad program to integration with Chem E courses such as transport and thermo.

My interests? Everything. No, I am serious. I will have to hone this down somewhat during med school.