How to approach MD interview?

[Roo2]

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I got rejected from the MSTP program at WUSTL, but invited for an MD interview next week. If I do get accepted there, I would wish to apply for a transfer to the MD/PhD program. Because of my career goals, I have a lot of research experience, but very little clinical experience. When I will inevitably be asked "Why MD instead of PhD", or "Why so little clinical", am I supposed to say that my goal was MSTP? I realize that you're supposed to have a lot of clinical experience for MSTP as well but I was late in deciding to apply MSTP instead of PhD, so I did what little I could. Is there any way for me to survive the WUSTL interview?

 

[justgo]

Yes. You will survive the interview.....accepted though, I could not say. At WashU they will ask you the hard questions. The MD interviews are open and your interviewers will have combed your applicaiton and will know everything about you (on paper). If there is a flaw to find that was not explained they will find it and they will ask you about it, so the best way to prepare is to know those holes, practice standing your ground, and answer honestly. Explain why you decided to do MD/PhD over PhD later in the game, explain why you are fully committed to the MD pathway.....DON'T get flustered. They will maybe ask if you have enough experience to know that you want to be an MD and they might ask why you wouldn't go straight PhD.....I would be honest, and firm. I came out of my MD interview at WashU thinking the interviewer hated me.....she actually loved me. The key I think is that I stood my ground. I've had to answer these sorts of questions at lots of campuses even as an MSTP applicant because my research is sort of overpowering....the saving graces is that I also have more clinical experience than the average MD applicant. But even with that they have asked about all the single degree options.

As an aside; I am accepted at WashU MSTP and am as happy as a lark because it is such an amazing program so this is not meant to discourage, but I have already met two applicants on the trail who are holding MD-only acceptances here and hoping to apply into the MSTP after the first year. You would therefore make a third and I'm not sure how many others are out there. I would assume that WashU can't fill three of its seats with internal applicants a year from now so I would be very careful and talk to the admin folks about what the likelihood of switching into the MD/PhD is (I might do this AFTER being accepted). WashU is amazing and seems able to do things that most other campuses just can't but I still think three internal transfers might be a lot for one year. If you get other MSTP acceptances it would be important to very seriously consider them.

 

[MSTPlease]

I would assume that WashU can't fill three of its seats with internal applicants a year from now so I would be very careful and talk to the admin folks about what the likelihood of switching into the MD/PhD is (I might do this AFTER being accepted). WashU is amazing and seems able to do things that most other campuses just can't but I still think three internal transfers might be a lot for one year. If you get other MSTP acceptances it would be important to very seriously consider them.

I wanted to emphasize this. I don't know if you have any MD/PhD acceptances yet, but regardless, at some point you need to really think about how much of a risk you're willing to take that the MD/PhD at WashU never materializes. It's by no means a guarantee or (probably) even "likely" that you would transfer into the program if you were to attend.

Depending on your financial situation, you may even want to think about it before you book everything for the interview since even an acceptance at WashU MD only is by no means an easy feat.

 

[Roo2]

Tickets are already booked (for tomorrow no less). I figured it's worth a shot, and will be good practice regardless of the outcome. I have 4 other interviews coming up (and 1 last week), so no acceptances yet. Two of them are within driving distance and at least one of the others is paying for my trip, so I'm in the position where I can afford to go for the experience. That said, I don't want to waste my time and I do want to maximize my chance of acceptance.

I'm still a bit unclear as to what tone I should take. I'm assuming they will know that I applied for MSTP judging by my personal statement... should I reiterate my commitment to get to MSTP, and that I'm willing to work through the MD curriculum to get there? Should I pretend that I had a change of heart and want to be a practicing physician? I don't think that's a good idea; it would be dishonest to myself and the school, but that's kind of the vibe I got from justgo's post. Any last minute advice?

 

[SBR249]

Tickets are already booked (for tomorrow no less). I figured it's worth a shot, and will be good practice regardless of the outcome. I have 4 other interviews coming up (and 1 last week), so no acceptances yet. Two of them are within driving distance and at least one of the others is paying for my trip, so I'm in the position where I can afford to go for the experience. That said, I don't want to waste my time and I do want to maximize my chance of acceptance.

I'm still a bit unclear as to what tone I should take. I'm assuming they will know that I applied for MSTP judging by my personal statement... should I reiterate my commitment to get to MSTP, and that I'm willing to work through the MD curriculum to get there? Should I pretend that I had a change of heart and want to be a practicing physician? I don't think that's a good idea; it would be dishonest to myself and the school, but that's kind of the vibe I got from justgo's post. Any last minute advice?

I'd say emphasize why MD but don't pretend you've had a change of heart and wants to be a PCP or whatnot. Be honest, if people asks about research, then tell them you want to do it. Otherwise, I think WashU is a research-focused school as a whole anyway, so it wouldn't be too out of character for their med students to really love research.

 

[justgo]

I DEFINITELY did not mean to imply that you should pretend you want to be a "practicing physician" but as MD/PhDs we do practice ideally......so maybe you should go straight PhD. You should be "committed" to the MD pathway if you are going to follow it. And if you are not, then I think perhaps you need to face that you did not get accepted MD/PhD here and it is therefore not the place for you. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise and you can refocus and go back to a PhD track. Why did you decide to go MD/PhD?

I think you should be HONEST. But stand your ground. That is what I said. Clear, honest, and stand your ground.

 

[Roo2]

Ah. In my hurry to post before going to class, I made the same mistake as I did at my last interview. Please let me clarify. I am aware that MD/PhDs generally practice in the clinic, and I would really like the opportunity to do so. Though I don't have very much clinical experience, I did spend some time just a couple weeks ago in the heme/onc ward at a local hospital and I absolutely loved my shadowing there, to the point where leaving to go back to school was an emotional experience. I enjoyed it more than I thought possible. That said, I've been committed to research the last four years, and that is still my top priority. I know of the famous 80/20 (or 90/10) split, and I know that I want research to occupy the majority of my working time.

If I do get accepted, I will think long and hard about going to WUSTL (assuming I have other opportunities). Thank you for clarifying just how difficult it is to transfer into MSTP; I'll cross that bridge if I get there. In the mean time, I feel like you don't just turn down an interview from a place like Wash U, even if it is not for the program you applied to. I'll take the suggestions here, make a good honest effort at the interview, and then just see what happens.

 

[ablavar]

Roo2, I am in exactly the same shoes as you. I was offered an MD invite but was rejected MSTP, and interviewed very recently. You have absolutely nothing to worry about for your MD interview. My interviewer was extremely conversational and barely touched on my decision to attend the MD interview in spite of an MSTP rejection. Just about every interviewee I spoke with also had very laid back experiences. Though, I have much more service experience than the average applicant, which worked well in my favor for my interview.

As justgo says, though, you should not count on an MSTP acceptance later in the game. The number thrown around by the students I have met here on internal transfer acceptances to MSTP is 80%, but I take this with a grain of salt. I met one student who applied twice after enrolling and was rejected both times, and another student who deferred his MD acceptance a year and re-applied MSTP the next year in order to get into the program.

You have nothing to lose by attending this interview. Good luck!

 

[Roo2]

Thanks to everyone for the advice. The interview didn't go nearly as poorly as I had feared. My interviewer was very polite and attentive, and I think I explained my reasons for going MD pretty well. I think I'm a long shot to get in, but probably not due to my interview. My only mistake this time, as far as I could tell, was that after the interview I was sitting at lunch with a couple other applicants and describing my previous interview impressions. I mentioned a very awkward interview last week where my interviewer had absolutely no questions for me, and appeared disinterested in the questions I had for her. Right as I said, "that was the most awkward interview I ever had", my interviewer came up behind me and joined our table. I quickly clarified that I wasn't talking about the present visit, but I'm not entirely sure she believed me.

Thanks to all who replied in this thread. You helped me a great deal with my interview strategy.