In a bit of a pickle (I'm dumb)

[OrangeTiger]

For what it's worth: GPA ~3.86, BCPM ~3.95, MCAT 37

I am currently an M1. I applied in 2011 originally to MD/PhD programs. I got accepted to one MD program, I'm guessing due to my terrible MD essay. I thought I would just reapply to the MD/PhD at this school as an M1 or just do the MD and be happy with that. My school did not interview me and the more I think about it, the more sure I am that I do not want to do just and MD. I don't know what I should do at this point. Any advice would be appreciated.

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[Solara]

For what it's worth: GPA ~3.86, BCPM ~3.95, MCAT 37

I am currently an M1. I applied in 2011 originally to MD/PhD programs. I got accepted to one MD program, I'm guessing due to my terrible MD essay. I thought I would just reapply to the MD/PhD at this school as an M1 or just do the MD and be happy with that. My school did not interview me and the more I think about it, the more sure I am that I do not want to do just and MD. I don't know what I should do at this point. Any advice would be appreciated.

What exactly is it that you want to do 15-20 years from now, where do you want to be? What type of research? That would help a lot of people here on how to advise you. Don't forget that you can always apply for a PhD program to do in between 2nd and 3rd year of med school (or 3rd and 4th year), whether you apply separately to the PhD program at your school or another school before returning to complete medical school. Of course, there are people who have only MDs that do high quality research, so having only an MD is certainly not a disadvantage, and you should definitely be proud that you're in med school

 

[CrossCurrent]

What exactly is it that you want to do 15-20 years from now, where do you want to be? What type of research? That would help a lot of people here on how to advise you. Don't forget that you can always apply for a PhD program to do in between 2nd and 3rd year of med school (or 3rd and 4th year), whether you apply separately to the PhD program at your school or another school before returning to complete medical school. Of course, there are people who have only MDs that do high quality research, so having only an MD is certainly not a disadvantage, and you should definitely be proud that you're in med school

Bingo

 

[debateg]

Sorry about not being interviewed. That sucks. At my school, I think all internal applicants at least gets a courtesy interview.

Your best option is to take a year off to do bench research either at your home institution or away. Find a funded position; don't waste your time paying for a master's degree. I know several people who actually did that with no prior research experience and then transferred into the MD/PhD program now that they had some research and a strong letter of recommendation.

You don't have to go the MD/PhD route. You can just do one year of research and write about it in your personal statement and talk about it on interviews with some credibility. If you choose not do do MD/PhD, and anyone asks you why you didn't do MD/PhD at the get-go, just say you didn't consider it until you did that year of research, and now you're hooked.

You don't even need to take a year off. You can get into research as a fellow. Fellowship programs really like people who want to do basic research, although having some prior research experience will lend you some credibility when you try to sell yourself. Before the MD/PhD existed, that's how it worked.