Thanks for everyone who clicked on this thread! I'm in the fortunate (but agonizing) position of having to decide between these institutions. I'm personally interested in business and innovation and how these concepts can be applied toward improving healthcare delivery--as well as biomedical research. In fact, I have MSTP offers from all schools except Harvard. Part of my paralysis is I'm not completely sure I would like to run my own lab in an academic setting...Thanks in advance for your opinion!
HMS vs. Yale vs. Duke vs. Cornell
- Thread starter LilyN26
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Sounds like you want the MSTP though, correct? If so, would definitely avoid Harvard since that's not what they offered you.
Congrats on a killer season! A few questions though: are you in HST at Harvard, or Pathways? How much would you have to pay.
Harvard is seriously incredible, but if you're going to pay a ton and really want the research experience, then maybe the other options (equally incredible) are better. Cornell has Tri-I, Yale is Yale (aka huge and awesome and respected), and Duke is just as cool.
How much do you value you name, and what about the schools attracted you most when visiting? Harvard is probably the best for interdisciplinary things like coordinating biomedical research with healthcare delivery (look at the Center for Primary Care!) but none of them will hold you back. Again, think about school fit more, and money saved! Good luck!
Harvard is seriously incredible, but if you're going to pay a ton and really want the research experience, then maybe the other options (equally incredible) are better. Cornell has Tri-I, Yale is Yale (aka huge and awesome and respected), and Duke is just as cool.
How much do you value you name, and what about the schools attracted you most when visiting? Harvard is probably the best for interdisciplinary things like coordinating biomedical research with healthcare delivery (look at the Center for Primary Care!) but none of them will hold you back. Again, think about school fit more, and money saved! Good luck!
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If you are smart enough to be choosing between these, you are smart enough to know they are all great and it hardly matters which you go to. Pick the one in your favorite area or the one with the cheapest COA or some mixture of the two.
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I personally think Harvard is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I also think that if you're not sure about research, you probably don't need to do MSTP. There are many MDs that also have labs and never did a PhD.
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Congrats on the amazing options! Given that, I would go with Harvard. HMS is the best in the world, and if you decide to run a lab in the future, you won't have any problems.
Plus, Harvard's match list is unparalleled even compared to other top 10 schools: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/match-list-2016.1189265/page-2
Unparalleled if you want to live in Boston
If you go to HMS and decide you still want to do MD/PhD, you're pretty much guaranteed a spot in the program through Cycle II funding. They also find ways for you to get the last two years of your MD curriculum funded as well, so you'd only have to pay for the first 2 years of MD. That being said - the first two years of MD are expensive so if cost is a concern then the MD/PhD options are definitely more desirable.
If you're interested in business and innovation though, it sounds like an MD/MBA would be a better dual degree option for you, and there's no better place to get an MD than HMS and no better place to get an MBA then HBS.
Also - congrats on all those amazing options! Hope you find some time to celebrate your achievements 🙂
If you're interested in business and innovation though, it sounds like an MD/MBA would be a better dual degree option for you, and there's no better place to get an MD than HMS and no better place to get an MBA then HBS.
Also - congrats on all those amazing options! Hope you find some time to celebrate your achievements 🙂
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If I was accepted at a top school for md/Ph.D. I would do it. Even if you don't want to run a lab just get in a "factory" lab and crank out your Ph.D. in 3 years and you're debt free with an extra degree instead of spending more than 3 years trying to pay down your debt.
All are great schools. I'm not sure if Harvard does this but I know at Yale and most others you can apply to MD/phd internally after the first year if you're set on it. Also Harvard md/mba is top notch if that's something you're considering. Ours is good too but some people do end up taking time off to do it at Harvard or Stanford (we have a 5 year agreement with Stanford's business school though if you want to do it elsewhere and still only take one extra year).
If you have specific questions about Yale PM me!
All are great schools. I'm not sure if Harvard does this but I know at Yale and most others you can apply to MD/phd internally after the first year if you're set on it. Also Harvard md/mba is top notch if that's something you're considering. Ours is good too but some people do end up taking time off to do it at Harvard or Stanford (we have a 5 year agreement with Stanford's business school though if you want to do it elsewhere and still only take one extra year).
If you have specific questions about Yale PM me!
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If you're not sure you want to use a PhD background, don't do an MSTP.
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Seems like the question here is really whether you want to get the PhD or not. While MSTP grads go into all types of fields, the ultimate point of the program is to train physicians who also run their own labs. The PhD is a waste of time (and money in the long run) if your goal is to do something other than that, which it sounds like it is. So I vote the non-MSTP (Harvard).
I think Harvard would be best. Whether you're in HST or Pathways, there will be ample time for research. If you're not sure about running a lab, just do the MD, and if you decide you want to run a lab you can either enter the affiliate MD/PhD program (if you get some fellowships + 2nd cycle funding the gap is not that much), do a 5th year of funded research (maybe plus HHMI funding), or just do more research later during fellowship or residency. There is also an NIH loan repayment program for physician-scientists in certain research fields. If you're in HST, MIT would be a plus too. Boston is definitely the place to be for healthcare innovation!
