Indicating MSTP hurting MD only admission?

[huknows00]

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Hi, I am appyling MD/PhD to all of my medical schools this year, and I was wondering if 1) indicating your interest in MD/PhD in the AAMC personal statement 2) out-of-class experiences dominated by research 3) having mostly research oriented recommendations would hurt my chances at being considered for MD admissions if the MD/PhD fails.

Most of the schools I am looking at say that the two processes are independent and rejection form MD/PhD does not affect your MD status. I am looking at all research oriented schools, is this really true?

 

[jjmack]

varries from school to school. Need to check for each school.

 

[PostalWookie]

I applied to both MD/PhD and MD programs simulatenously, and it wasn't a problem. But that's mainly because neither side knew about the other. Not that I lied or anything, it's just that nobody ever asked.

I talked to an MSTP student in my lab who was involved in teh COlumbia admissions process, and he explained it the following way. An MD program, when it finds out that you also apply MD/PhD, will think that you will definitely go the MSTP route if accepted, and won't want you. MD/PHD programs thing that you're not serious or committed enough. Either way, you lose.

So my advice is, don't mention anything that may indicate you're applying to both types of programs, unless you're asked, in which case you tell the truth. I managed to go through all my interviews without it being brought up once. As for the personal statement, I simply wrote that I want to go into academic medicine, which is fine with both sides.

 

[microTAS]

I talked to an MSTP student in my lab who was involved in teh COlumbia admissions process, and he explained it the following way. An MD program, when it finds out that you also apply MD/PhD, will think that you will definitely go the MSTP route if accepted, and won't want you.

I agree b/c I've been there, done that before. At a certain school with separate MD and MSTP admissions (essentially near-zero communication), my interviewers loved me until 2/3 of them found out that I wasn't also applying MSTP there. If a MD program thinks you're not into their school for any reason, you lose an edge b/c they don't like to lose their admits to other schools.

 

[kristenber]

I applied to both MD/PhD and MD programs simulatenously, and it wasn't a problem. But that's mainly because neither side knew about the other. Not that I lied or anything, it's just that nobody ever asked.

I talked to an MSTP student in my lab who was involved in teh COlumbia admissions process, and he explained it the following way. An MD program, when it finds out that you also apply MD/PhD, will think that you will definitely go the MSTP route if accepted, and won't want you. MD/PHD programs thing that you're not serious or committed enough. Either way, you lose.

So my advice is, don't mention anything that may indicate you're applying to both types of programs, unless you're asked, in which case you tell the truth. I managed to go through all my interviews without it being brought up once. As for the personal statement, I simply wrote that I want to go into academic medicine, which is fine with both sides.

So did you not indicate MD/PhD on your AMCAS - how did you keep everything separate. Would really appreciate the help, I'm slightly confused about all of this. Thanks!

 

[PostalWookie]

You indicate MD/Phd for the schools you want to apply for MD/PhD. Then AMCAS tells those schools you're applying MD/PhD, and the rest are told you're applying MD.