Good Shot at MSTP Program?

[mstphopeful89]

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Sorry for a What Are My Chances thread (and yes, I've read the sticky already).

My situation:

3.76 BCPM / 3.8 CUM GPA at a top-15 school
39 MCAT

-4 years lab experience

-Will have very strong LORs from a science prof, PI, mentor, etc.

-average clinical EC's, leadership, a little shadowing, a little clinical research, blah blah blah

-2nd author JCI pub

-5th author in another journal

-A first author poster / undergrad research award

Do you think I have a reasonable shot at top-10 programs given my relatively low GPA compared to the average? I'd say my courseload was average, but not particularly strenuous (I have a lot of upper-levels bio courses though and math through diff eq and I took a few grad-level courses).

What about top-20? I'm just trying to get an idea of where to apply and what a "reach" would be for me. Do you think apply broadly in top-20 and then maybe 4 or 5 top-10 reach schools would be good? I don't want to apply everywhere and get in nowhere, so just wondering how variable this process is compared to, say, MD admissions.

Thanks in advance, and sorry to ask such an overbeaten question.

 

[Raziela]

I think you have a great shot at a top ten. I worried way too much at the start of this application cycle, but its not as difficult and stressful as it seems. The ivy-league schools are a bit of a crap-shoot, but I got into a top ten program with a GPA less than yours. Get some volunteering and clinical experience in while you still have time.

 

[BarmyArmy]

I would actually go ahead and apply to all T10 and most of the T20 schools and maybe 1 or 2 safe but good programs like Iowa/UAB/Colorado. I say apply to all T20 because MSTP process can be very variable and sometimes it just depends on how much the person reading your application likes your research. The other upside with applying broadly is that during the interview process you might find a school fits your research more than the higher ranking ones.

Cheers

 

[Shifty B]

I agree with the others. Your chances are very strong at any MSTP in the country.

 

[4moreyears]

GPAs and MCATs are used as cutoffs. You have the GPA/MCAT to get into any MSTP.

You might be a candidate for all or none, depending on your interviewing skills, letters of rec, essays, fortune cookie. The doors are open, you just gotta follow through. If I had done one of these back in the day, the advice would be that I wouldn't be in med school, let alone in an MST Program. I didn't even apply to that many. Likewise, some will present your stats, apply everywhere and go nowhere.

Unfortunately, people may think less of you if you write things like "what are my chances of getting into a medical scientist training program program?" Kidding aside, apply to programs that are good fits for you. Are there professors at ALL stages of the game that you'd love to work for? Would you be able to stand living there for 8 years? What's the reputation of the program? The med school? Are deans/chairs leaving the school to go to other places (bad) or coming in from good places (good)? How are the departments that you might be interested in? Look at match lists for the programs (and the med schools) (you want to see SOME people going to programs/specialties that you want).

No one wants the "I applied everywhere" gunners in their life. People want to feel special. So apply to places that are fits for you, and yeah, top school are fine.

 

[KPCOFGS]

No one wants the "I applied everywhere" gunners in their life. People want to feel special. So apply to places that are fits for you, and yeah, top school are fine.

Just wanted to point out that you also shouldn't be overly worried about applying to select few places to show how much you care. Committees understand that these programs are all wildly competitive, and applying to a broad spectrum is often necessary if you really want to become a physician-scientist. So that's the other side of the coin.