Current med student, can't seem to get into MSTP

[kelgalla]

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Some thoughts on my mind recently, thought I would see if anyone had any comments for me. I can't seem to understand why my school won't offer me an MSTP position. I am currently a first year med student, and I actually first applied to the program before I started med school. At that time, I had actually received both an acceptance from the MD and PhD programs, but not the MSTP program (even though I interviewed and made it all the way to the second visit before rejection (so you know I have the credentials)). I was currently working in R&D at a major pharma company at the time, so I met with one of the co-director's before leaving my job and taking the MD acceptance, making sure she knew I still wanted to do the MSTP and would reapply after my first year of med school. When I asked about the initial rejection, she told me they didn't see my interest in the MD side.

I have now gone through the second cycle where I applied during my first year of med school, and received a rejection again. I have not talked to them yet to see what their reason is this time, but I just don't understand it. I'm already in the med school, and I have blatant interest in pursuing a PhD. I have all the right scores, the publications (from pharma no less, hard to publish when in industry), and the interest. My guess is there is someone on the committee who just has something against me or industry in general. Or they don't want to provide a scholarship when they know I will try to work with the graduate school dean to pursue this path anyway on my own dime. Or they don't think I need a scholarship because I made so much money working in industry (>$75 grand). I guess I just think it is unfair. I can now see the background of the people who they gave the scholarship to, and find I have way more experience. I know I could have received this scholarship from another school, but I opted to stay in the area because of my relationship. I have contacted the med school dean to figure out how I can pursue the path on my own, but I can't help feeling a little depressed. It is nice to actually feel wanted by your school, and I don't feel that way now.

 

[Gavanshir]

Dont you think it's fair, especially if they have limited spots, that they offer the MSTP positions to students who perhaps wouldn't otherwise be able to afford to spend the extra time on research because of their financial background, whereas you have the means to pay your way through? I dont know, just my immediate thoughts.

 

[KPCOFGS]

Dont you think it's fair, especially if they have limited spots, that they offer the MSTP positions to students who perhaps wouldn't otherwise be able to afford to spend the extra time on research because of their financial background, whereas you have the means to pay your way through? I dont know, just my immediate thoughts.

MSTPs never advertise that they consider economic status in their decisions, so I would have to disagree with you. Financial need shouldn't trump merit.

 

[StIGMA]

It is not just about experience. It is also about future potential. Many schools heavily favor certain personality types. Maybe you are a lot more annoying than you think. Maybe they realize you have feelings like the ones you posted, and they did not like those aspects about you.

For a real suggestion, staying in an area for a personal relationship is a sign of potential failure to maintain the research track. You were not willing to move for a relationship in the very beginning of you training, why would you move later on when you have a stronger relationship and move apart from that person then?

Have your first year grades been consistently near the top third of your class? This is another way you are likely being evaluated that the current students did not have to deal with.

There could be a thousand reasons why they don't want to offer you a scholarship, and qualifications are only part of the game. Many of these programs are small, and they select for very particular people. They did not offer you an acceptance after they knew you better during the application process. Now they have spent more time around you, and apparently you have not changed their opinion about you. It may very well have nothing to do with your personality either, but that is a major issue regarding equally qualified people who are not accepted.

It has nothing to do with your school not wanting you or not supporting you. They could very well love you and may bend over to support and give you advice and help you make future connections, but the scholarship is not a charity nor awarded on solely merit. I hope you feel better and they let you apply during your second year, but them not accepting you in no way means that you are unwanted by your entire medical school!

 

[kelgalla]

Thank you for your comments. It helps to give me perspective. I just wanted to mention in regards to the financial part; when I was working I put a lot of money into my 401k, so I am currently taking out loans to help pay for med school.

 

[r1oid]

I agree with Stigma. The candidate's personal finances don't really matter b/c everyone in the MSTP gets the same money whether you need it or not. Personality plays a big factor when you get to the interview phase. The PIs are looking at you with the mindset of "is this person someone I would like to mentor/have in my lab". If you have a good track record of being able to do the work then specific experience vs another candidate's is not a big deal b/c they assume you can pick up the techniques.

The same goes for the residency interviews. I have heard from many residency directors that one of the biggest red flags a MD/PhD can throw up is coming across as arrogant/know it all. They say that the worry is these people will not take direction, advice, ask for help, and with all of that be a bad team player.

You might want to try and do a summer research project with a PI who would have the potential to take you as a grad student. I might help if they have had experience with MSTP students. A person got into our program the same way at the end of 2nd year after doing both summers with the PI. The PI knew the students intention at the beginning and they both made a case to the program after the first and then during the 2nd summer.

 

[PTPoeny]

I am going to agree, MSTP programs are generally small. On paper qualifications are not everything in terms of admissions. Yes, they will get you the interview, but the programs are also trying to put together groups of people that work well together. Maybe you just didn't fit in with the group personality wise.

We had one student in my medical school class that did MD/PhD on her own. She got the support in terms of guiding her through the administrative processes of doing her PhD in the middle but she isn't in our program. She did get a grant that will cover her tuition and a stipend for the third and fourth years of medical school so you aren't out of options financially.

 

[24thGrade]

I highly doubt this is a result of your financial status. No one here is going to tell you for sure what the problem is; the only chance you have of finding out is flat out asking the director to speak with you. I'm not clear what most places policies are regarding why applicants are not accepted; they may not share this information with you in the interest of protecting the privacy of the interviewer. In any case the director is probably willing to level with you at this point about whether this is worth pursuing anymore.

Here's a really cynical view for you in you're interested: One thing to keep in mind is that you're in the medical school and they know you are not going anywhere regardless of their decision. If you go on to do great things, they're going to get credit for getting you to wherever it is you go from here. Hind sight is always 20/20, but I think this is part of the reason many people have difficulty matriculating internally; believe me, this problem is not unique to you or your institution. Them accepting you into the program is going to require them to allocate funding to you rather than using that money to recruit another highly-qualified candidate.

One possibility to consider is seeing if your MD program offers the option of taking a year off for research between years 2 and 3. This might give you a chance to get a recommendation from their faculty (someone who could potentially be your PI if you were to join the MD-PhD program) and begin on a body of work that could ultimately be a PhD for you. Maybe ask the director if he/she believes that might help you chances. Good luck.

 

[Neuronix]

Here's a really cynical view for you in you're interested: One thing to keep in mind is that you're in the medical school and they know you are not going anywhere regardless of their decision. If you go on to do great things, they're going to get credit for getting you to wherever it is you go from here. Hind sight is always 20/20, but I think this is part of the reason many people have difficulty matriculating internally; believe me, this problem is not unique to you or your institution. Them accepting you into the program is going to require them to allocate funding to you rather than using that money to recruit another highly-qualified candidate.

I was thinking similar things. For this reason alone I would probably not complete an unfunded MD/PhD program there. Try the year out for research thing and then apply for a research-oriented residency and fellowship. There are always loan repayment programs.

The only way I know to get the third and fourth year of med school paid for outside of the med school is the F30 grant. There are very few institutes still supporting the F30 (more institutses if you are a minority).