I need help with a big decision...

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harrothere

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Hey guys, I would appreciate some input on a big decision that I have to make pretty soon. I graduated in June 2008 and I am planning on taking a 2 year gap before starting medical school. Last week I would have had an easy decision (only option #1 was on the table), but I've been doing some job hunting and now I'm at an impasse.

These are my current offers and a little bit of info about each:

1) Do a "Special Masters Program" at Tufts for a Masters in Public Health/Biomedical Sciences. Its an 18 month grad program, specifically based on beefing up application credentials (primarily MCAT and GPA) to get into a medical school. My major gripe is that it costs close to 40K and may be very competitive. It definitely would help me strengthen my application's biggest weaknesses though (the statistics).

2) Accept a research assistant job in a medical school cardiology lab and take night classes for a MPH, which would be almost entirely free because of an employee tuition remission program. This is a clinical research position that is very relevant to the field of medicine and would beef up the research part of my application. The MPH would also probably help beef up the academic part of my application, but the degree of its impact may be less than that of option #1. The benefits and modest pay would also be a plus.

3) Accept a research assistant job at a hospital with a Harvard medical school professor who bet me "1 million dollars" that he would get me into a medical school if I worked with him for two years. It was an interesting interview... The research is also clinically relevant. I could also take inexpensive online classes from some state/tech/comm. schools during this period and probably restudy for the MCAT. This position would beef up my research experience and would leave me the time to volunteer on weekends. The online courses could marginally help my academic record. This option sounds the most risky, but the guy said he had a 100% track record of getting people into medical school, so I'm going to have to trust his word if I choose this route.

Some info about me:
My stats are pretty average. About 3.5 overall and science GPA. 28O MCAT (which probably calls for a retake). Plenty of research (summer/semester internships) and clinical experience/volunteering (worked as a volunteer EMT while an undergrad). Shadowing, etc. White male non-smoker :)


So which one would you choose if you were in my shoes? I'm pretty split on the whole decision. I'm leaning toward one of the two research assistant position more lately because I would be getting a paycheck and still have the opportunity to be a part-time student (and thus put off loan repayment) I think my goal of medical school could be accomplished with the help of any route, but it's primarily a question of structured vs. non-structured and which is the safest/surest bet.

Thanks for any advice :)
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I'll take "Harvard Medical School Professor" for $1 million, Alex.
 
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Well duh. Take option 3, sabotage own med school application, collect 1 million from Harvard professor, reapply the year after and forget about getting a LOR from said professor =D

Seriously though, definitely one of the not-costing-40k options. MCAT improvement is all about yourself and less about any program. And your GPA isn't like horrible or anything. Are there any other differences between the two research positions? I don't really see a good reason for picking one over the other.
 
I would definitely go with choice 3. You can't go wrong there and just like everyone else said take the bet lol. Good luck
 
Option 2.

Let's be honest - the professor will not get you into medical school, you will. His 100% success rate is most likely due to the strong applicants that worked with him.

You'll be a part of a good clinical research and will hopefully improve your academic record while getting MPH along the way. If everything goes well, you will not need that professor's help in admissions, you'll get in on your own merit. Plus, chances of getting your hands on that million seem rather slim :laugh:
 
The Harvard guy is either going to get you into medical school, or get you 1 million dollars. sounds like a win-win to me.
 
Hi there, I have a question. What is it about you that the professor guarantees the admission?? I'm asking you because no one wants to risk his reputation for dingbats (I'm not saying you're one of them), but it sounds a little strange. Whether you get an admission or not, #3 sounds like a good option since you'll get research experience + LOR from a prof.
 
It seems like with either research option it would make more sense to spend your off time studying for the MCAT than getting a MPH, unless you want to work in public health.
 
Heck yeah #3. Working at Harvard, AND a chance to get a million dollars if you mess up your application? What's there to lose? You either get 2 years' worth of money and a medical school entrance, or 2 years' worth of money, and a million dollars to reapply the year after. Even the Joker's laughing!
 
harrothere said:
3) Accept a research assistant job at a hospital with a Harvard medical school professor who bet me "1 million dollars" that he would get me into a medical school if I worked with him for two years. It was an interesting interview... The research is also clinically relevant. I could also take inexpensive online classes from some state/tech/comm. schools during this period and probably restudy for the MCAT. This position would beef up my research experience and would leave me the time to volunteer on weekends. The online courses could marginally help my academic record. This option sounds the most risky, but the guy said he had a 100% track record of getting people into medical school, so I'm going to have to trust his word if I choose this route.
Click to expand...

I think almost all Harvard employees can take classes at Harvard Extension (and maybe some other Harvard divisions) for next to nothing. You have to pay tuition upfront (HES is cheap anyways), but then if you get a certain grade (C or better for undergrad classes, B or better for grad level??), you get reimbursed at the end of the semester and only pay ~$90 per class + cost of books. I think the classes have to be somewhat related to your job at Harvard, but if you took upper level bio classes or public health classes I'm sure they'd be approved. I knew people who took only tenuously related courses and they got them paid for. I think it's called the "tuition assistance program" if you want to look it up.

I never took any classes because I already had all my pre-reqs and in my lab it was sort of a pain to get from Longwood to to Harvard Sq early enough to get to class in the evening, but if you'll be at MGH (or if your division of Harvard pays for your LMA shuttle) or it would be easier.

So basically it seems like option 2 = option 3. Pick the lab that does more interesting research because you're going to have to hear all about it allllll the time.
 
Great advice guys, thanks again :)

Hah I like the idea of sabotaging the application, taking the money and running. I'll consider it if things are looking tough around the time I apply.

The two research positions are pretty similar as far as lab techniques. The cardiology lab works with a human model, the other lab works with a mouse model. One major difference is that option 3 will offer a chance to get published, option 2 will not. Both will get me a good letter or recommendation, but the publication + recommendation may be a great asset to my application. With option 2, I'd be kind of a hired lab hand, part of a larger group. Option 3 is a smaller and more intimate environment. Both are intriguing projects. What a stalemate!
 
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harrothere said:
Hey guys, I would appreciate some input on a big decision that I have to make pretty soon. I graduated in June 2008 and I am planning on taking a 2 year gap before starting medical school. Last week I would have had an easy decision (only option #1 was on the table), but I've been doing some job hunting and now I'm at an impasse.

These are my current offers and a little bit of info about each:

1) Do a "Special Masters Program" at Tufts for a Masters in Public Health/Biomedical Sciences. Its an 18 month grad program, specifically based on beefing up application credentials (primarily MCAT and GPA) to get into a medical school. My major gripe is that it costs close to 40K and may be very competitive. It definitely would help me strengthen my application's biggest weaknesses though (the statistics).

2) Accept a research assistant job in a medical school cardiology lab and take night classes for a MPH, which would be almost entirely free because of an employee tuition remission program. This is a clinical research position that is very relevant to the field of medicine and would beef up the research part of my application. The MPH would also probably help beef up the academic part of my application, but the degree of its impact may be less than that of option #1. The benefits and modest pay would also be a plus.

3) Accept a research assistant job at a hospital with a Harvard medical school professor who bet me "1 million dollars" that he would get me into a medical school if I worked with him for two years. It was an interesting interview... The research is also clinically relevant. I could also take inexpensive online classes from some state/tech/comm. schools during this period and probably restudy for the MCAT. This position would beef up my research experience and would leave me the time to volunteer on weekends. The online courses could marginally help my academic record. This option sounds the most risky, but the guy said he had a 100% track record of getting people into medical school, so I'm going to have to trust his word if I choose this route.

Some info about me:
My stats are pretty average. About 3.5 overall and science GPA. 28O MCAT (which probably calls for a retake). Plenty of research (summer/semester internships) and clinical experience/volunteering (worked as a volunteer EMT while an undergrad). Shadowing, etc. White male non-smoker :)


So which one would you choose if you were in my shoes? I'm pretty split on the whole decision. I'm leaning toward one of the two research assistant position more lately because I would be getting a paycheck and still have the opportunity to be a part-time student (and thus put off loan repayment) I think my goal of medical school could be accomplished with the help of any route, but it's primarily a question of structured vs. non-structured and which is the safest/surest bet.

Thanks for any advice :)
Click to expand...

I say go with the Harvard research, that seems the most rewarding to me.
 
Number three seems like a guarantee. I'd go with it.
 
jtimmer1 said:
Number three seems like a guarantee. I'd go with it.
Click to expand...

on the contrary, number three is the only one that is a non-gaurantee. No matter who they are or what they promise you, the politics of a committee can be unpredictable. This guy might pull it off, but compared to option #1 and #2, option #3 is the only one with a chance he may not get what he set out for.

If you are going to take option #3, it is extremely irresponsible to place your choice solely on the fact that he will sponsor your application. To base your choice upon the research experience gained, and publication record is much more realistic.

I would choose option #2, because a degree like a MPH is much more worth your two year efforts than a "guaranteed harvard acceptance".

Personally, I want to be in control and make my own decision about where I want to go to medical school with all my options open. With Situation #3 you are making a blind choice without considering the other great institutions you may have the option of attending( in addition to HMS/HST)

My disclaimer to all of this is that I am biased because I have taken option #3 for a doctoral program at the #1 ranked institution in the field, and did so under similar circumstances(did research and got sponsored). It was Extremely irresponsible of me to blindly put my decision in someone else's hands.
 
Yeah I have to agree with you there. I should note that he didn't specify WHICH medical school he would get me into. I recognize that Harvard would be a quantum reach with my stats, but his million will still be safe if I get accepted somewhere else, which I think is doable. I could have maybe had a fighting chance applying to a few state schools (i'm from minnesota) this time around, but I decided to take this time to explore other options.

I can definitely see that its risky to put faith in this guy's "guarantee", and I plan on doing whatever I can in the next year to make sure that my application is bulletproof, in case his guarantee winds up to be nothing more than a good letter of rec. and a pat on the back. I plan to apply pretty broadly during next summer's application cycle, so I hope to have a few options. I appreciate everyone's input :) It has been very good to hear some of your ideas.
 
definitely take #3. Your gpa doesn't really need as much improvement as your mcat. so do the research and study for a long time and you will get in!
 
I don't think option #3 meant to imply that the OP would get into HMS (that seems more than highly suspect given their numbers, no offense intended). In general, the 'i bet you $1 million i can get you into med school' really just sounds like the PI blowing hot air, BUT if you feel you have the best chance to be published there, and can take classes for cheap at HES, it seems like it is the best option (option one is garbage for the price, and an MPH is a pretty useless degree on its own, and the classes will not improve your BCPM GPA).
 
have you applied to med schools with those stats?
 
Nope, I have not applied to med school yet. I considered it, but it seemed like a headache to go through all of the hoops without being very confident of my application's strength (largely due to the numbers). Given one year, I am very confident that I can push the MCAT up and/or gussy up that GPA.

I figured that option #1 could push me over the top as far as numbers while options #2 and #3 would do a little work on the numbers (possibly more if I hit the MCAT hard) but mostly set me apart with the experience/research. I am really liking the HES option now that I'm reading more about it. It is also a very good point that the MPH classes DON'T really help my BCPM GPA! Good suggestions everyone! :thumbup:
 
I like #3 although there's nothing wrong with the others.

Do you have career plans that necessitate MPH training? If not, don't bother.
 
Personally, I don't think you have much to gain but a lot to lose with doing an SMP, you have a 3.5 which puts you within 1SD at most places so your GPA isn't that lacking and you don't have that much to prove in terms of grades. An SMP should be considered as more of an end run for those who have done everything possible to bring their GPA up (have done a formal or informal postbacc but can't realistically bring their GPA up anymore without hundreds of more hours), have all the ECs/MCAT/etc covered, and still didn't get any love. An SMP takes time, is costly, and a bad outcome will pretty much ruin your chances anywhere, including the caribbean.

Likewise I don't think you have much to gain from an MPH either, unless your backup career plans include something in policy. MPHs aren't science heavy so they don't show you can handle a heavy science courseload and grad degrees count more as a "nice" EC than anything. Doing an informal postbacc with lots of science and some health policy classes would be more effective.

Between 2 and 3, it's a toss up. Personally I've gone with option 3, my former PI (he moved so I had to find another lab), had a 6 for 6 in getting people into med school. Plus he was a lot more flexible in terms of scheduling since he knew I needed the classes, involved me more in the research past the typical lab tech stage, and gave me advice/oppurtunites to improve my app (he was on the adcom). The minuses are that, depending on the PI (all the ones I know who have lab techs gunning for med school tend to operate this way), they have a tendency to under-pay (since they know they can find a similar pre-med easily) and expect a lot more than they would from a typical lab tech such as overtime without pay/working weekends (maybe it varies by institution but they hate paying overtime here due to some grant billing issues). And since you are depending on their LOR/connections it ends up being a messy issue if you decide to leave. In my experience, it's sort of like being a grad student without the degree at the end, whereas option 2 would be more along the lines of a 9-5/40hr week job. Just a thought. In the end though, I don't think you can go wrong with either 2 or 3.
 
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3.5 and 28O will at least give you a shot this year. I vote none of the above, apply this year and every year until you get in.
 
kami333 said:
And since you are depending on their LOR/connections it ends up being a messy issue if you decide to leave. .
Click to expand...


Yeah, do be careful about this, and ask about the PI's LOR policies. Some labs ask for a certain time commitment, and if you leave early they will NOT write you a LOR.

Make sure you won't mind mouse work...Some people are really horrible at it and it's awful to watch.
 
I say take the position that has the best work environment. I am basically doing the same thing that you are suggesting; however I have been working for a year and am now applying. I had a similar set of choices last year. I was deciding b/t the SMP at Georgetown, a consulting position in Bestheda, and a clinical coordinator position at the Wilmer Eye Institute. I decided that the SMP program was not for me. Then I had to decide b/t the consulting position (which paid $10,000/ year more but was 1.5 hours from my house) or the consulting position which an amazing boss that promised publications and admittance into med. school.

I choose the coordinator position because of all of the added benefits (i.e. great boss, Tuition Remission to take some interesting classes, ability to have time to study and retake MCAT, etc). In the end I know that I made the right decision. I have been able to have a great life for the past year, get published, take classes that I enjoy, and improve my MCAT from a 26R to a 34R. Besides all of that I have been able to learn more about Ophthalmology (something that I had absolutely no interest in last year) in a relaxed, enjoyable environment. Check out my MDapps page and you can see what else I have been able to do over the past year.

I think that either Option 2 or 3 would be a great supplement to your application, however I would take the job that would give you the most while also allowing you to enjoy life and remain relaxed throughout the stressful application process. Also having a nice boss will help when interview time comes around and you have to take a bunch of random days off. Also though the MPH will help you, devoting all of your nighttime to classes and then probably the rest of your free time to studying on top of a job will not give you a lot of extra time to do things that you enjoy.

Overall I think that you have a god list of option. And obviously I do not know the outsome of my decision, but I do know that I have enjoyed the last year as much as I could have.

Good luck.

PM me if you have any additional questions.
 
harrothere said:
...


3) Accept a research assistant job at a hospital with a Harvard medical school professor...
Click to expand...

is this at Children's Boston? If so, I can give you a more detailed reply.

I was in a similar situation ~1 month ago, and decided that the Harvard professor 'guarantee' was not going to cut it...

but of course, he wasn't throwing those kinds of bets around.
 
Its at actually located at MGH East Campus. I'm curious why you decided against it?
 
Marcus Brody said:
I'll take "Harvard Medical School Professor" for $1 million, Alex.
Click to expand...


agree.

The professor has a self-stated 100% record for getting students into medical school, which is your goal. So, while it may seem as the most dangerous route, he seems to have a lot of confidence in you and that working with him will sufficiently help your application.

And even if you get rejected from med school, you'll have 1 million dollars to pay for a SMP. (kidding)
 
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