MD International student help with school list!

[ZZZ the foxbat]

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An international student attending undergraduate in the states, applying this cycle. Would really appreciate it anyone can help me trim down/ modify my school list!

Some basic info:

East Asian international student, male Midwest public school
Cell bio major GPA/sGPA: 3.99/4 MCAT: 524
200 hours of clinical volunteering
200 hours of community service
130 hours of shadowing
3000 hours of basic science research, 1 pub
Tutoring, and some leadership experience in student org

School list (based on matriculant info on MSAR):

(MD)
Columbia
Harvard
Stanford
Hopkins
UCLA
Duke
Northwestern
Yale
UChicago
Cornell

Mount Sinai
Albert Einstein
Georgetown
Boston
Virgina
Pitts
Cleveland Clinic

Dartmouth
Penn State
Thomas Jefferson
Wisconsin
SUNY Upstate
Franklin
Tulane

I was trying to apply to all MD/PhD programs but figured might be tough for international students and also the door to research will be wide open for at least a while. So at the end decided to apply to 5 non-MSTP schools on top of the MD schools:

(MD-PhD)
WashU
Penn
Emory
Vanderbilt
UT Southwestern

Thanks a lot!

 

[nonamesleft]

I was trying to apply to all MD/PhD programs but figured might be tough for international students and also the door to research will be wide open for at least a while. So at the end decided to apply to 5 non-MSTP schools on top of the MD schools:
WashU
Penn
Emory
Vanderbilt
UT Southwestern

... I think these are all MSTP schools?

Also, MD/PhD programs are OK if they accept internationals. Some schools (including some top 10) don't because they only use MSTP money, which comes from the NIH, and the student has to be US citizen/permanent resident to use the money. Other schools, even if they are MSTP, will still take international students because these schools have a separate pot of money to fund internationals.

 

[bannie22]

lol. u will get in someone. just apply broadly.
i would just focus on getting into medical school.
many med schools will let u switch to a mdphd track if u show enuff interest and a good plan

 

[nonamesleft]

lol. u will get in someone. just apply broadly.
i would just focus on getting into medical school.
many med schools will let u switch to a mdphd track if u show enuff interest and a good plan

in seriousness though -> this is an option IF the MD/PhD program accepts internationals. The MD/PhD program is not looking for the same person as the MD program though, so it may be easier to apply MD/PhD initially. The combined program values research more (and it looks like this is your strongest EC)

 

[bannie22]

in seriousness though -> this is an option IF the MD/PhD program accepts internationals. The MD/PhD program is not looking for the same person as the MD program though, so it may be easier to apply MD/PhD initially. The combined program values research more (and it looks like this is your strongest EC)

he has the perfect app.
4.0 40
clinical volunteering check
community volunteering check
shadowing check
publication check
teaching check

lacking leadership.

but man. he will get in somewhere in the top 30 unless hes bad at interviewing

any school he applies mdphd he shud also apply md of course.

 

[ZZZ the foxbat]

heck
teaching check

... I think these are all MSTP schools?

Also, MD/PhD programs are OK if they accept internationals. Some schools (including some top 10) don't because they only use MSTP money, which comes from the NIH, and the student has to be US citizen/permanent resident to use the money. Other schools, even if they are MSTP, will still take international students because these schools have a separate pot of money to fund internationals.

The first list is MD schools, and the last 5 (WashU, Penn) are non-MSTP MD-PhD programs. It seems like from the MSAR that these 5 schools are pretty international friendly (taking >1 every year). Do you have any suggestions on my MD list or just things in general? Thanks!

 

[krukshanks]

Hey fellow international student here! I just finished applying (MD only), and I think your school list is pretty similar to mine. If you want to feel safer and add a couple more low-yield schools to your MD list, I'd recommend Stony Brook, Saint Louis University, and Kentucky.

Also just out of curiosity: for the MD PhD schools you are applying to, are you also considering applying to their MD programs?

 

[ZZZ the foxbat]

he has the perfect app.
4.0 40
clinical volunteering check
community volunteering check
shadowing check
publication check
teaching check

lacking leadership.

but man. he will get in somewhere in the top 30 unless hes bad at interviewing

any school he applies mdphd he shud also apply md of course.

Yes, that is my thinking too. The research option will be wide open for a while and I can either app internally, do a post-doc etc. I am also worried b/c I'm more focused on research during my undergraduate but the MD-PhD programs are harder to get in. It's a difficult decision for me.

 

[ZZZ the foxbat]

Hey fellow international student here! I just finished applying (MD only), and I think your school list is pretty similar to mine. If you want to feel safer and add a couple more low-yield schools to your MD list, I'd recommend Stony Brook, Saint Louis University, and Kentucky.

Also just out of curiosity: for the MD PhD schools you are applying to, are you also considering applying to their MD programs?

Hey there! That is great to know! Yes, I am also thinking about that I might have applied to too many top schools. I will def take those three into consideration. Um yes, I would check the box for those 5 schools to consider me for MD if not accepted to MD-PhD. Did you apply to any MD-PhD programs in the past cycle?

 

[krukshanks]

Hey there! That is great to know! Yes, I am also thinking about that I might have applied to too many top schools. I will def take those three into consideration. Um yes, I would check the box for those 5 schools to consider me for MD if not accepted to MD-PhD. Did you apply to any MD-PhD programs in the past cycle?

No I applied MD only, but I have international friends who applied MD PhD and got in during the previous cycle(s). One got into BU in the past cycle, and one got into HMS a couple years ago (yup they basically only take 1 international each year). I think one of my other friends got into Sinai MD PhD this past cycle, although I'm not entirely sure about this one.