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Unfortunately that is the trend that I have seen.... I was even told by an applicant that their college advisor (at an Ivy) told them NOT to use CYMS explicitly. I don't understand that attitude.

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Unfortunately that is the trend that I have seen.... I was even told by an applicant that their college advisor (at an Ivy) told them NOT to use CYMS explicitly. I don't understand that attitude.
What do you think will happen if the yield assumptions made by programs turn out to be completely wrong because accepted students play it safe and substantially higher percentages of accepted students matriculate into schools/programs that are not being investigated? I saw that none of the TX universities are on the list of 60.
 
What do you think will happen if the yield assumptions made by programs turn out to be completely wrong because accepted students play it safe and substantially higher percentages of accepted students matriculate into schools/programs that are not being investigated? I saw that none of the TX universities are on the list of 60.
I think the big unknown for most med applicants is financial aid. Certainly for MSTP's, the news about PhD admissions getting suspended and some funded labs getting shut down should make them worry.
 
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For schools that are ranked below T30, how many accepted students must decline their offer for waitlist movement to occur (typically)? Thanks
 
For schools that are ranked below T30, how many accepted students must decline their offer for waitlist movement to occur (typically)? Thanks
It begins when accepted students are compelled to give up other seats. That points to the CYMS protocols, so April usually. We do not want a mad scramble close to our orientation dates. CYMS Commit timelines should begin in June as some schools have super-early orientation start dates by Father's Day (June 21-ish). (It used to be that most schools don't start in earnest until after July 1-4 weekend, but apparently other medical schools want the jumpstart.)
 
It begins when accepted students are compelled to give up other seats. That points to the CYMS protocols, so April usually. We do not want a mad scramble close to our orientation dates. CYMS Commit timelines should begin in June as some schools have super-early orientation start dates by Father's Day (June 21-ish). (It used to be that most schools don't start in earnest until after July 1-4 weekend, but apparently other medical schools want the jumpstart.)
Thank you! For a ranked waitlist, would you say that for every 5 declined offers, 1 applicant is accepted from the waitlist? I am not sure what the ratio is so I appreciate any insight.
 
Thank you! For a ranked waitlist, would you say that for every 5 declined offers, 1 applicant is accepted from the waitlist? I am not sure what the ratio is so I appreciate any insight.
Every year is different, so one can't generalize it like this. It also depends on timing, program/track needs, and urgency. When the dust settles, there is a reason why admissions offices manage waitlists to re-fill the entire class multiple times (3-4x at least based on their history). The adage about "interviews three a doctor you will be" is related to managing collective waitlists, but the velocity of filling spots depends on how many offers get declined and why.

 

Thank you! For a ranked waitlist, would you say that for every 5 declined offers, 1 applicant is accepted from the waitlist? I am not sure what the ratio is so I appreciate any insight.
Waitlist movement could be more this cycle at the “at-risk” schools, both T30 and below T30.
 
Timelines for MD/PhD programs are different than MD programs. For example, our Commit to Enroll begins 21 days prior to enrollment (as per AAMC Traffic Guideline), which is agreed upon on June 1st. Our trainees do a research lab rotation. That means that our Commit to Enroll is May 11. Now, historically the number of MD/PhD acceptances is less than 30 after the second week of May out of a total of 2600 MD/PhD acceptances given to about 850 applicants.
 
Timelines for MD/PhD programs are different than MD programs. For example, our Commit to Enroll begins 21 days prior to enrollment (as per AAMC Traffic Guideline), which is agreed upon on June 1st. Our trainees do a research lab rotation. That means that our Commit to Enroll is May 11. Now, historically the number of MD/PhD acceptances is less than 30 after the second week of May out of a total of 2600 MD/PhD acceptances given to about 850 applicants.
Are schools allowed to have CTE deadline more than 21 days prior to enrollment?
 
I think the big unknown for most med applicants is financial aid. Certainly for MSTP's, the news about PhD admissions getting suspended and some funded labs getting shut down should make them worry.
A significant percentage of MD only students are already taking 1-2 research years between M2 and M3 to improve their chances of matching into competitive specialties at top academic medical residencies and that percentage is trending up. Therefore, any adverse impact to research funding will also affect them, not only the MD/PhD students.
 
The reality is that the AAMC guidelines are unenforceable... They are recommendations after April 30. I have seen matriculations made on May 1st even when candidates were alternates for my school and wanted to remain as such (It is not uncommon for me to offer NEW AC during first week of May). Regardless, there is relatively good consensus in our community (MD/PhD) that programs can require 21 days prior to matriculation OR any time after May 15. After all, we are making financial commitments to you for the following 7-9 years of training, while trainees are trusting us to maintain that commitment to them.
 
Update as overnight sync (3/24-25/2025)
We now have 721 applicants with at least one MD/PhD acceptance with average cGPA of 3.87, average Science GPA of 3.83, and average MCAT of 516.7. So the wheels are moving but now very slowly as people are hording acceptances. By end of cycle, we should be close to 830-850 acceptances with an eventual class close to 730-750 matriculants.
 
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Any knowledge of which places have rescinded MD/PhD acceptances due to the current administration? I know there's been a few, including UNC-Chapel Hill very recently, and other institutions are capping their cohort at less than intended at the start of the cycle; was wondering if the total number of spots available this year is less than in the past.
 
national mdphd stats 2019-2025.jpg
 
Some observations from the table above. I don't have total research hours. Please also keep in mind that the 2025 data is incomplete while the 2019-2024 is data at the end of the application cycle. While I do expect at least 30-50 additional applicants receiving their first MD/PhD acceptance, it is clear that there is a modest decrease around 5% in the number of training slots (comparing to some historical prior data as of May 1). The overall acceptance rate is at least as good as it is for MD applicants, currently about 37.5%, and likely will raise to around 40%.
 
Some observations from the table above. I don't have total research hours. Please also keep in mind that the 2025 data is incomplete while the 2019-2024 is data at the end of the application cycle. While I do expect at least 30-50 additional applicants receiving their first MD/PhD acceptance, it is clear that there is a modest decrease around 5% in the number of training slots (comparing to some historical prior data as of May 1). The overall acceptance rate is at least as good as it is for MD applicants, currently about 37.5%, and likely will raise to around 40%.
Matriculant MCAT average is 516.4 but Accepted MCAT average is 517.6. Does it mean that the highest stat applicants are taking longer to decide where to matriculate (highly unlikely because applicants must select "Plan to Enroll" or "Commit to Enroll" in the CYMS tool by April 30) or does the accepted group include those that got the A which was later rescinded (example NYU)? Unlikely to also be the latter because even in 2024 and earlier, the matriculant avg is lower than accepted avg. Only explanation is that some accepted students with high stats are choosing to not matriculate into an MD/PhD program. Am I missing something?
 
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I apologize... for 2025, there are NO matriculants as of yet, but the data is projected based upon those who have kept their Acceptance to MD/PhD. Those applicants who have elected to Withdraw After MD/PhD Acceptance (WA) with higher stats might be electing to take an MD-only Acceptance. In the past, it happened to me that an applicant WA to take a Harvard MD-only Acceptance. Today, we went up from 722 to 727 who are currently holding their MD/PhD acceptance with the overall group of applicants who have received at least one MD/PhD acceptance raised from 750 to 766. I contributed to that raise by giving the first MD/PhD AC to an applicant.

Regarding your comment about NYU and others, please note that this has been happening for the past 7 years (and beyond). It doesn't relate to the current environment, but to selections made by those high benchmark individuals who might be receiving substantial financial aid packages making their calculation different too.
 
Overnight, we went up to 791 applicants with at least one MD/PhD acceptance, while 749 applicants are holding at least one MD/PhD acceptance, with an increase of only 3 additional applicants in both columns over the last day. Most of the increase happened as schools adjust to applicant withdrawals due to reduction to a single acceptance.
 
Overnight, we went up to 791 applicants with at least one MD/PhD acceptance, while 749 applicants are holding at least one MD/PhD acceptance, with an increase of only 3 additional applicants in both columns over the last day. Most of the increase happened as schools adjust to applicant withdrawals due to reduction to a single acceptance.
Is there any type of program (tier, MSTP or not, etc.) that’s contributing more to the WL movement than others? All I’ve been hearing from programs is that they’re planning to take a smaller class and likely no one off the WL.
 
All program tiers contribute to this movement. It all begins at the most competitive tier. An applicant decided between two top 5 or 10 programs, the other program offers a spot from their alternate list to another MSTP applicant who is in "plan-to-enroll" to a top 30 program (but alternate to a top 10 program), and that withdrawal then opens a slot filled by another applicant who might be getting their first-MD/PhD AC (there might be 1-4 additional degrees of separation between the first and last event rather than just 2 steps affecting 3 applicants). Evidently in the past 8 days, we have had 41 applicants who received their first MD/PhD acceptance (5/1 - 750 vs 5/9 - 791). At this point, I expect that no more than 25 additional applicants to receive their first MD/PhD acceptance (i.e.: the process substantially slows down after May 10, as shown between May 9 and 10, there were only 3 new first acceptances).

Edit: actions on Friday May 9 reflected on May 10's report. Only 1 additional first acceptance. Please also keep in mind that some people who deferred from last year, and forgot to resubmit their single school application on-time, are added at the very end of cycle.
 
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