Does my major hold me back from getting into research-heavy medical schools?

[Medigal]

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I am a rising sophomore major in Medical Studies that "integrates communication, ethics, critical thinking, teamwork and leadership" which basically means I have courses ranging from hard sciences and math to writing-intensive humanities and literature to a clinical internship course (in which we can gain clinical experience by working with physicians). I have heard it countless times from bio majors at my university that I am at a disadvantage because I cannot participate in structured undergraduate research programs and my major is not rigorous enough but they don't know that I can still get course credit and also get involved as a research volunteer and even paid undergraduate researcher during summer at my institution. It is very challenging to fit diverse courses in the class schedule and manage to get a good GPA and people in my major who changed from bio to med studies say the later is very difficult to manage and probably one of the hardest majors but I still have a 4.0 sGPA and cGPA. I am highly interested in having a medical research career and I am planning to apply to research-focused medical schools and also MD/PhD if I can fulfill the research requirement in terms of hours and pubs. I just wanted to know if I am at a disadvantage due to my major. For reference, I am attaching a link to my Major Map that lists all courses I have to take to fulfill the degree requirements. Notice that I am taking the pathway titled MD/DO Professional track located at the bottom for which I have to take all the courses in the list and from the Medical Studies Breadth Electives section, I am going to take Cell Bio, Computational Molecular Biology, Immunology, and something along the lines of course titled MED.

Medical Studies,BS|Major Map|ASU Degree Search

Explore courses required to complete this degree at Arizona State University on the Medical Studies,BS major map.

webapp4.asu.edu

 

[chemdoctor]

I don’t think so. For research heavy powerhouses you need a high GPA, high mcat and significant research experience

 

[Medigal]

I don’t think so. For research heavy powerhouses you need a high GPA, high mcat and significant research experience

Thanks for the help! I guess I will have some meaningful research experience by the time I apply.

 

[gonnif]

There is little against any major, provided you can show academics, GPA, etc. for the research heavy schools, as long of you have research, whether wet lab, clinical, social, etc, they really wont care. I would consider 3.8 bio majors with some wet lab experience a dime a dozen. An integrated major, combined with some more policy, public health, or clinical research would be an interesting and slightly atypical candidate.

For MD/PhD you may be a moderate to large disadvantage simply because you will not have the indepth lab experience, although many schools have some non-hard science PhDs. Also, I want to know why you want an MD/PhD.

 

[Goro]

I am a rising sophomore major in Medical Studies that "integrates communication, ethics, critical thinking, teamwork and leadership" which basically means I have courses ranging from hard sciences and math to writing-intensive humanities and literature to a clinical internship course (in which we can gain clinical experience by working with physicians). I have heard it countless times from bio majors at my university that I am at a disadvantage because I cannot participate in structured undergraduate research programs and my major is not rigorous enough but they don't know that I can still get course credit and also get involved as a research volunteer and even paid undergraduate researcher during summer at my institution. It is very challenging to fit diverse courses in the class schedule and manage to get a good GPA and people in my major who changed from bio to med studies say the later is very difficult to manage and probably one of the hardest majors but I still have a 4.0 sGPA and cGPA. I am highly interested in having a medical research career and I am planning to apply to research-focused medical schools and also MD/PhD if I can fulfill the research requirement in terms of hours and pubs. I just wanted to know if I am at a disadvantage due to my major. For reference, I am attaching a link to my Major Map that lists all courses I have to take to fulfill the degree requirements. Notice that I am taking the pathway titled MD/DO Professional track located at the bottom for which I have to take all the courses in the list and from the Medical Studies Breadth Electives section, I am going to take Cell Bio, Computational Molecular Biology, Immunology, and something along the lines of course titled MED.

Medical Studies,BS|Major Map|ASU Degree Search

Explore courses required to complete this degree at Arizona State University on the Medical Studies,BS major map.

webapp4.asu.edu

Med schools don't care what your major is, only that you do well. I knew an HMS grad who was a film major.

 

[907914]

. I would consider 3.8 bio majors with some wet lab experience a dime a dozen

So what you are saying is that we want to have a GPA lower than 3.8 in order to stand out? I gotchya covered.

 

[gonnif]

So what you are saying is that we want to have a GPA lower than 3.8 in order to stand out? I gotchya covered.

No, it means lower arent even worth a nickel

 

[907914]

No, it means lower arent even worth a nickel

Nickels are bigger, and if you are digging around the applicant-pool piggy bank, you are more likely to mistake us for a quarter 😉

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Med schools don't care what your major is, only that you do well. I knew an HMS grad who was a film major.

A classmate of mine is headed to HMS, and he majored in English.

 

[Medigal]

There is little against any major, provided you can show academics, GPA, etc. for the research heavy schools, as long of you have research, whether wet lab, clinical, social, etc, they really wont care. I would consider 3.8 bio majors with some wet lab experience a dime a dozen. An integrated major, combined with some more policy, public health, or clinical research would be an interesting and slightly atypical candidate.

For MD/PhD you may be a moderate to large disadvantage simply because you will not have the indepth lab experience, although many schools have some non-hard science PhDs. Also, I want to know why you want an MD/PhD.

Thanks for the perspective! If I have significant research, can it account for the lack of a hard science major? I am interested in an MD/PhD program because it will provide me with formal training to become a scientist and also more opportunities to get involved with serious research, something which an MD may not provide unless it's a research heavy school then I will pursue only an MD degree and not a combined program

 

[Medigal]

Med schools don't care what your major is, only that you do well. I knew an HMS grad who was a film major.

Wow a film major sounds an interesting applicant! Was the person able to engage in research since most labs require a science major?

 

[gonnif]

Thanks for the perspective! If I have significant research, can it account for the lack of a hard science major? I am interested in an MD/PhD program because it will provide me with formal training to become a scientist and also more opportunities to get involved with serious research, something which an MD may not provide unless it's a research heavy school then I will pursue only an MD degree and not a combined program

that is incorrect. Many hardcore researchers are MD only

 

[Medigal]

that is incorrect. Many hardcore researchers are MD only

Then what is the significance of a PhD? I have asked many people but I get mixed advice

 

[907914]

Then what is the significance of a PhD? I have asked many people but I get mixed advice

From everything I can tell, the MD/PhD yields a slight boost in competitiveness for academic positions and may lead credence to you being considered a subject matter expert. However, you don’t need the PhD to do that, it just gives you a short leg up in the early parts of your research career. If you are a dedicated MD researcher, no one is really going to question your lack of a PhD.

 

[gonnif]

Then what is the significance of a PhD? I have asked many people but I get mixed advice

Then get a PhD and skip the MD. MD/PhDs are primarily for serious research, not for those looking to get involved. You need to be involved in serious research BEFORE you apply in order to get it. But the vast majority of med school faculty or either MD or PhD but not both

 

[907914]

Then get a PhD and skip the MD. MD/PhDs are primarily for serious research, not for those looking to get involved. You need to be involved in serious research BEFORE you apply in order to get it. But the vast majority of med school faculty or either MD or PhD but not both

Are there any combined MD degrees in which the physician actually actively utilized both as opposed to one or the other?

 

[gonnif]

Are there any combined MD degrees in which the physician actually actively utilized both as opposed to one or the other?

Lots of people do both. But generally you focus on one side or the other in professional life

 

[Medigal]

From everything I can tell, the MD/PhD yields a slight boost in competitiveness for academic positions and may lead credence to you being considered a subject matter expert. However, you don’t need the PhD to do that, it just gives you a short leg up in the early parts of your research career. If you are a dedicated MD researcher, no one is really going to question your lack of a PhD.

That sounds good. I am basically interested in conducting research as a physician. It does not matter if I have a PhD but I want to make sure I establish enough credibility to conduct independent projects

 

[907914]

That sounds good. I am basically interested in conducting research as a physician. It does not matter if I have a PhD but I want to make sure I establish enough credibility to conduct independent projects

Do you have any interest in treating patients as well? If so, then do the MD. If you don't really intend on partaking in a clinical practice whatsoever, just do a PhD.

 

[Medigal]

Do you have any interest in treating patients as well? If so, then do the MD. If you don't really intend on partaking in a clinical practice whatsoever, just do a PhD.

Yes, I do. I plan to dedicate about equal time to clinical practice and research. I don't know if that's possible but 60:40 ratio may be ideal

 

[Goro]

Wow a film major sounds an interesting applicant! Was the person able to engage in research since most labs require a science major?

The guy is in his mid 60s...he went to school in a different time. He only has one Pubmed citation to his name.

 

[deleted972488]

Yes, I do. I plan to dedicate about equal time to clinical practice and research. I don't know if that's possible but 60:40 ratio may be ideal

My PhD mentor is an MD/PhD and so are many other professors in my department. They either don’t see patients at all, or at most once a week. It’s more like a 20:80 split (clinic to research) if not lower than that.