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Hey all, a long-time lurker and a first-time poster here hoping to glean some advice from the SDN community. Also, warning: long, rambling post
I am a recent grad looking to apply to either PhD, MD/PhD, or both sometime in the future. My stats are as follows:
3.3 cGPA from one of the top-3 liberals arts colleges
5 summers of research - three in GU pathology, two in flight biomechanics
2 publications - one middle-author in Histopathology; one first-author in the Journal of Experimental Biology
2 posters at national conferences; 1 oral presentation at a national conf.
About 100 hours of volunteer work at a medical mission abroad
2 week-long shadowing experiences
Two research-related awards from my undergraduate institution
Sigma XI nominee
Fulbright finalist (this is probably inconsequential)
Previously a contributing writer for my college's newspaper
I still need to take the MCAT, orgo II, and biochem. For the purposes of this post, assume these turn out well.
Right now I'm working as a research assistant in a top (not my words) neuroscience lab and plan to continue doing so for at least two years, maybe more. I'm simultaneously taking classes that are pertinent to graduate school and medical school (think along the lines of statistics, computer science, and chemistry).
I'd ideally like to apply to a combined (MD/PhD) program. I'm committed to a career in both medicine and science, and feel like this is the best, albeit the most competitive, route for me. However, after looking and identifying labs of interest at schools that offer combined programs, I've found very few that align with my current research interests. This may be due to my studying a relatively small and new field (motion-detecting and distance-estimation circuits in Drosophila). I encountered some labs that conduct similar research in mice, but I much, much (ad infinitum) prefer using Drosophila as a model system. Furthermore, the majority of the labs that do this type of research as located in very selective (think UWash, Columbia, Yale) or PhD-offering only (Janelia Farm - the joint program with JHU) institutions.
I doubt that I have a reasonable shot at these kinds of places with my current stats, even with additional publications (pretty much guaranteed as I am only doing independent research) and stellar grades in the undergrad and grad classes I'm taking. This leaves me with four conceivable options: a) apply to MD/PhD programs; b) just PhD; c) both at the same time; d) apply broadly to MD/PhD programs and settle with doing research in a field I am not particularly interested in.
To me, working and completing my dissertation in a field and lab that I am 100% committed to is far more attractive than biting the bullet and matriculating into a program that I am lukewarm about just because I'll get both degrees at the end of the (long) road. Where (the type of lab) I might do research is far more important than where I receive my medical training (all medical schools have a similar curriculum).
To this end I am most strongly considering applying to PhD programs first, and then any MD (including specialized PhD-to-MD) programs after I receive my degree. I have also entertained the idea of applying to both PhD and combined programs at the same time to hedge my bets. I do not want to apply to MD-only programs first because I want to continue my research pretty much immediately after I conclude my assistantship. I also do not feel that my resume is currently geared towards MD-only programs. Again, I am committed to a career as a physician scientist, but research is definitely my priority.
Of course I also realize that getting into PhD only programs at selectives places is no easy feat, especially with my stats, but I've been reassured by multiple PI's in my field that my application is competitive, and that graduate school places greater emphasis on actual research credentials because grades are only a proxy for this metric. Perhaps this is misguided, but from these experiences I tend to feel I have a better chance at PhD-only than MD/PhD programs, hence my consideration of a non-traditional route.
TL;DR: I need advice. Should I continue with my current line of thinking? Should I stop being so picky and just apply broadly to MD/PhD programs? Should I reconsider the "MD first, leave of absence for PhD, then finish MD" route? Should I drink some water and calm TF down??
All advice welcome!
I am a recent grad looking to apply to either PhD, MD/PhD, or both sometime in the future. My stats are as follows:
3.3 cGPA from one of the top-3 liberals arts colleges
5 summers of research - three in GU pathology, two in flight biomechanics
2 publications - one middle-author in Histopathology; one first-author in the Journal of Experimental Biology
2 posters at national conferences; 1 oral presentation at a national conf.
About 100 hours of volunteer work at a medical mission abroad
2 week-long shadowing experiences
Two research-related awards from my undergraduate institution
Sigma XI nominee
Fulbright finalist (this is probably inconsequential)
Previously a contributing writer for my college's newspaper
I still need to take the MCAT, orgo II, and biochem. For the purposes of this post, assume these turn out well.
Right now I'm working as a research assistant in a top (not my words) neuroscience lab and plan to continue doing so for at least two years, maybe more. I'm simultaneously taking classes that are pertinent to graduate school and medical school (think along the lines of statistics, computer science, and chemistry).
I'd ideally like to apply to a combined (MD/PhD) program. I'm committed to a career in both medicine and science, and feel like this is the best, albeit the most competitive, route for me. However, after looking and identifying labs of interest at schools that offer combined programs, I've found very few that align with my current research interests. This may be due to my studying a relatively small and new field (motion-detecting and distance-estimation circuits in Drosophila). I encountered some labs that conduct similar research in mice, but I much, much (ad infinitum) prefer using Drosophila as a model system. Furthermore, the majority of the labs that do this type of research as located in very selective (think UWash, Columbia, Yale) or PhD-offering only (Janelia Farm - the joint program with JHU) institutions.
I doubt that I have a reasonable shot at these kinds of places with my current stats, even with additional publications (pretty much guaranteed as I am only doing independent research) and stellar grades in the undergrad and grad classes I'm taking. This leaves me with four conceivable options: a) apply to MD/PhD programs; b) just PhD; c) both at the same time; d) apply broadly to MD/PhD programs and settle with doing research in a field I am not particularly interested in.
To me, working and completing my dissertation in a field and lab that I am 100% committed to is far more attractive than biting the bullet and matriculating into a program that I am lukewarm about just because I'll get both degrees at the end of the (long) road. Where (the type of lab) I might do research is far more important than where I receive my medical training (all medical schools have a similar curriculum).
To this end I am most strongly considering applying to PhD programs first, and then any MD (including specialized PhD-to-MD) programs after I receive my degree. I have also entertained the idea of applying to both PhD and combined programs at the same time to hedge my bets. I do not want to apply to MD-only programs first because I want to continue my research pretty much immediately after I conclude my assistantship. I also do not feel that my resume is currently geared towards MD-only programs. Again, I am committed to a career as a physician scientist, but research is definitely my priority.
Of course I also realize that getting into PhD only programs at selectives places is no easy feat, especially with my stats, but I've been reassured by multiple PI's in my field that my application is competitive, and that graduate school places greater emphasis on actual research credentials because grades are only a proxy for this metric. Perhaps this is misguided, but from these experiences I tend to feel I have a better chance at PhD-only than MD/PhD programs, hence my consideration of a non-traditional route.
TL;DR: I need advice. Should I continue with my current line of thinking? Should I stop being so picky and just apply broadly to MD/PhD programs? Should I reconsider the "MD first, leave of absence for PhD, then finish MD" route? Should I drink some water and calm TF down??
All advice welcome!
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