Just humor me...

[xanthines]

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I just want someone to humor me and tell me I haven't wasted a large amnount of money...

I applied EDP to my state school and didn't get in. Since I have 3 years of full-time research experience including one paper (5 in the pipes, 1 1st author), I only applied to MSTP programs plus a non NIH-MSTP where I know the graduate director. I applied to 12 schools with a GPA3.48 and 32MCAT.

This isn't a "What are my chances?" thread. Just a "tell me what I want to hear" thread. 🙂

-X

 

[huseyin]

I just want someone to humor me and tell me I haven't wasted a large amnount of money...

I applied EDP to my state school and didn't get in. Since I have 3 years of full-time research experience including one paper (5 in the pipes, 1 1st author), I only applied to MSTP programs plus a non NIH-MSTP where I know the graduate director. I applied to 12 schools with a GPA3.48 and 32MCAT.

This isn't a "What are my chances?" thread. Just a "tell me what I want to hear" thread. 🙂

-X

Hey,

Given the fact that you have a solid research background, I think you have good chances. However, you should have some reasons why your GPA is under 3.8. The MSTP student that I worked with and my mentor are both in the review comittee for MSTP applications.From what I learned what they say, genereally there is a cut of for our schools application. But, there are some exceptions. I mean there are tons of schools and I am sure their procedures may vary. I hope you will get into a good MSTP program.

hk

 

[Neuronix]

Out of curiousity, where was that EDP MSTP? I'm curious because I'm not aware of many MD/PhD programs that have EDP (though it seems to be a growing trend).

 

[xanthines]

Sorry for the ambiguity. I applied to an MD-only EDP. I originally thought I'd go through the MD only route of research. I figured since I have significant research expereince (including a 1st author pub, knock on wood) including working on and reviewing both grants and manuscripts, that a PhD wasn't wholly necessary. Certainly helpful and fulfilling, but not necessary. In fact, originally (before my first "originally") I wanted to do the MD/PhD route, but I didn't think I would be competitive, hence the MD-only EDP.

Thanks for the encouragment, huseyin. You wouldn't want to tell me where your school happens to be, do you? 😉

-X

Out of curiousity, where was that EDP MSTP? I'm curious because I'm not aware of many MD/PhD programs that have EDP (though it seems to be a growing trend).

 

[huseyin]

Sorry for the ambiguity. I applied to an MD-only EDP. I originally thought I'd go through the MD only route of research. I figured since I have significant research expereince (including a 1st author pub, knock on wood) including working on and reviewing both grants and manuscripts, that a PhD wasn't wholly necessary. Certainly helpful and fulfilling, but not necessary. In fact, originally (before my first "originally") I wanted to do the MD/PhD route, but I didn't think I would be competitive, hence the MD-only EDP.

Thanks for the encouragment, huseyin. You wouldn't want to tell me where your school happens to be, do you? 😉

-X

hey xanthies,

I am a junior at University of Michigan.
huseyin

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Go Blue!

 

[tr]

I just want someone to humor me and tell me I haven't wasted a large amnount of money...

I applied EDP to my state school and didn't get in. Since I have 3 years of full-time research experience including one paper (5 in the pipes, 1 1st author), I only applied to MSTP programs plus a non NIH-MSTP where I know the graduate director. I applied to 12 schools with a GPA3.48 and 32MCAT.

This isn't a "What are my chances?" thread. Just a "tell me what I want to hear" thread. 🙂

-X

Jeez, things are getting tougher and tougher out there. Your stats don't stand out of the pool, but with such a strong research background I'd never suspect a rejection from your state school. I think the average undergrad GPA for med students across all schools is something like 3.4, and MCAT around 30, and I would have thought your research would have bumped you up a bit.

1) Is your state school in California, by any chance? That could make things tougher.

2) Are you sure there isn't something about you that might have turned off an interviewer? You could try doing a mock interview to see if the other person picks anything up.

3) I actually think you *do* have a better chance at MSTP than at MD-only, especially if your clinical experience is weaker than your research experience. Research weighs heavily for MSTP programs. Your MCAT and GPA may keep you out of the top tiers, but you should definitely make it in somewhere.

Good luck!

 

[huseyin]

Go Blue!

hey,

What do you think about Wolverines this year? Are you at U of M?
hk

 

[xanthines]

I am from GA so my state school is Medical Coll of GA. They explicitly state their goal is to produce PCPs. Docs, not the drugs!

Interviewing? I have an informant at Emory (I work there) who managed to take a peek at my file (shhh!) and the interviewers there gave me a good review. I don't know about MCG, but I thought it actually went better than Emory. Oh and, I don't think I can get my guy to look at other apps, so don't ask.

Yeah, I think GPA is too low. The MCAT ain't great, but I don't think it's low enough to be an automatic cut-off. The GPA is too low, though. I should have been taking some classes while I was working in the lab, but I guess hindsight is 20/20.

Thanks for the comments!

-X

Jeez, things are getting tougher and tougher out there. Your stats don't stand out of the pool, but with such a strong research background I'd never suspect a rejection from your state school. I think the average undergrad GPA for med students across all schools is something like 3.4, and MCAT around 30, and I would have thought your research would have bumped you up a bit.

1) Is your state school in California, by any chance? That could make things tougher.

2) Are you sure there isn't something about you that might have turned off an interviewer? You could try doing a mock interview to see if the other person picks anything up.

3) I actually think you *do* have a better chance at MSTP than at MD-only, especially if your clinical experience is weaker than your research experience. Research weighs heavily for MSTP programs. Your MCAT and GPA may keep you out of the top tiers, but you should definitely make it in somewhere.

Good luck!

 

[momof2]

What's MSTP an acronym for? I see where you elude to the fact that it has something to do with MD/PhD but what's it stand for?

I applied EDP to MCG but with way lesser stats than you - this is my second attempt.......good luck with regular decision.

 

[huseyin]

What's MSTP an acronym for? I see where you elude to the fact that it has something to do with MD/PhD but what's it stand for?

I applied EDP to MCG but with way lesser stats than you - this is my second attempt.......good luck with regular decision.

MSTP stands for "Medical Scientist Training Program".

good luck

 

[b&ierstiefel]

hey,

What do you think about Wolverines this year? Are you at U of M?
hk

Sup huseyin,

I'm a bit worried about the Wolverines this year. They passed a tough test so far in beating Iowa...but that was at home. Minnesota will be a tough test and I think Purdue is gonna rip us apart (especially that they're playing at Purdue this year). The only way we beat Purdue is that we put some serious pressure on Kyle Orton; however, our D-line isn't all that great this year. We must also cover Stubblefield TIGHT. I predicted a 3 or 4 loss season this year for the Wolverines; let's hope they prove me wrong.

And yes, I am at U of M. Finishing up my MSTP training here; in fact, I finished my last clinical rotation last month.

AndyM

 

[huseyin]

Sup huseyin,

I'm a bit worried about the Wolverines this year. They passed a tough test so far in beating Iowa...but that was at home. Minnesota will be a tough test and I think Purdue is gonna rip us apart (especially that they're playing at Purdue this year). The only way we beat Purdue is that we put some serious pressure on Kyle Orton; however, our D-line isn't all that great this year. We must also cover Stubblefield TIGHT. I predicted a 3 or 4 loss season this year for the Wolverines; let's hope they prove me wrong.

And yes, I am at U of M. Finishing up my MSTP training here; in fact, I finished my last clinical rotation last month.

AndyM

Andy:
Boy, it is nice that medical school is over. The guy that I worked with in Dr. Fearon's lab is also in MSTP program, though he just finished his PhD. His first rotation is surgery 😱 Hey andy, do you mind if I PM you with a couple of questions.

huseyin

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Andy:
Boy, it is nice that medical school is over. The guy that I worked with in Dr. Fearon's lab is also in MSTP program, though he just finished his PhD. His first rotation is surgery 😱 Hey andy, do you mind if I PM you with a couple of questions.

huseyin

It's a small world. I know exactly who that MSTP guy you worked with is in the Fearon lab; me and him entered the MSTP the same year. Fearon was on my thesis committee too, believe it or not.

Anyways, feel free to shoot questions my way (PM or on the forums, it don't matter to me)...I'll do my best to answer them.

Surgery can be brutal but makes for a good first rotation actually. It's a lot of hours depending on which month you're on (I believe he's on GI surgery which tends to be a busier service than others). I lucked out when I did surgery last year...I got the two easiest months. One month was home call and the other month was a joke (but I was interested in endocrine surgery so I enjoyed that quite a bit).

 

[huseyin]

It's a small world. I know exactly who that MSTP guy you worked with is in the Fearon lab; me and him entered the MSTP the same year. Fearon was on my thesis committee too, believe it or not.

Anyways, feel free to shoot questions my way (PM or on the forums, it don't matter to me)...I'll do my best to answer them.

Surgery can be brutal but makes for a good first rotation actually. It's a lot of hours depending on which month you're on (I believe he's on GI surgery which tends to be a busier service than others). I lucked out when I did surgery last year...I got the two easiest months. One month was home call and the other month was a joke (but I was interested in endocrine surgery so I enjoyed that quite a bit).

Are u serious? Oh man!! Yeah, I worked with the pro for 1 year and after that I became more independent. I have my own project now, but you know these damn experiments do not work 70% of the time( am I overestimating 🙂 Whatever, I need to ask you a question: So my PI told me that I will be working with a new undergrad student. So, I said we will be working together right. Nope, he said she will be asisting you. Does that mean that I have to go through everything with her? Man, she does not have any experience. So what the hell am I gonna do? Hey Andy, for you these things should be like oh I saw these 6 years ago. ADVICE?

huseyin

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Are u serious? Oh man!! Yeah, I worked with the pro for 1 year and after that I became more independent. I have my own project now, but you know these damn experiments do not work 70% of the time( am I overestimating 🙂

30% of your experiments work?!?!? Damn yo, you're doing something right. Seriously, in my experience 90% of experiments don't work but the 10% of experiments that DO work are pretty sweet.

Whatever, I need to ask you a question: So my PI told me that I will be working with a new undergrad student. So, I said we will be working together right. Nope, he said she will be asisting you. Does that mean that I have to go through everything with her? Man, she does not have any experience. So what the hell am I gonna do? Hey Andy, for you these things should be like oh I saw these 6 years ago. ADVICE?

Yeah, I had to work with an undergrad when I was an undergrad...then I worked with several rotation students when I was a grad student. Lemme tell, in some respects, this is challenging but in other respects it's fun. If the student is excited to learn, I'm more than happy to teach I say. Now if the student is a lazy piece of crap, then the work still gets done. My biggest advice to you is to be flexible and accommodating. You never know what you'll get...perhaps you'll get the very motivated, enthusiastic, quick learner. For those students you can step up their responsibilities and let them run with the wind. This however is not common. You may end up getting a student who just shows up to show up, only thinking of pay or credits. For them, the key is for them to not hold you up.

Teaching students especially in the lab requires a lot of patience. Hopefully you'll like it. Personally I loved working with students (except one, he was lazy and hardly ever came in and I just did the work without him...no harm done).

Now in your case, your student is brand spankin new. Focus on breaking her in gently in the lab. Don't overwhelm her. Have her watch you do stuff the first several times you do stuff. Have her play around with some DNA, go through making a few constructs with her. Then she'll get to have fun with doing minipreps. My usual progression with rotation students is to sit down with them for an hour or two over lunch. I discuss the project, the goals, and the methodology to answer the research question. Usually this involves making a construct or two. Then I have the student do some protein work (IPs, SDS-PAGE)...basic stuff. Then if they're flying, I have them do some tissue culture.

We work pretty much in the same building...we can discuss this more if you got more questions/issues. Hope this helps.