MD/PhD Chances

[Molbiography]

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Hi all,

I've read through Neuronix's chances thread, and I still have some concerns about my application. I am hoping to apply in the coming cycle (matriculating in 2019)

I graduated with a 3.85 cGPA, 3.87 sGPA, and 519 MCAT (131, 130, 132, 126).

Research:

3 years in a microbiology/molecular biology lab. Two poster presentations, a senior thesis, but no publications.
Currently a postbac at the NIH. Will have worked 2 years by the time of matriculation.​

Shadowing:

20 hours around the NIH. (estimated 45 hours by time of application, and around 100 hours by time of matriculation).
30 hours of shadowing Orthopedic surgery dept at a hospital in Beijing.
UPCOMING: 1 week full time at an university hospital (50-60 hours).
​

Clinical volunteering/exposure:

Not much currently.
UPCOMING: Starting to volunteer at a pediatric hospital, playing with patients (direct patient contact). Starts late Feb-early Mar, but I should hit ~50 hours by time of application, and 150+ total by the time of matriculation.
​

Volunteering (non medical):

40 hours scattered here and there.
Expecting to hit ~80 hours by the time of application, and just under 200 hours by the time of matriculation.
​

Extra curriculars:

3 years on the executive board of a student organization (last two years being VP, then President).
1 year as a peer mentor for the honors program.
1 year as a peer mentor for the school's Cultural Center.
1 year part of the executive board of a planning team that brought a national conference to our school (~1000 attendees from many different universities).
​

There are a few things I'm concerned about in my application.

1. My MCAT score is overall okay, but has a low PS section score. Will this be seen as problematic?
2. Does the shadowing I did in China hold any weight here?
3. Do I need more shadowing outside of research institutes? Patients at the NIH are often on some protocol or another. I don't know if it gives an accurate representation of how most physicians work, but at the same time, this is the type of work that I hope to do in the future.
4. Does the late start in medical exposure

My current school list is:

• Einstein
• Columbia
• Tri-I
• Mount Sinai
• NYU
• SUNY Downstate
• Drexel
• Jefferson
• Penn State
• Penn
• Temple
• NJMS
• RWJMS
• UMD

It's obvious that I have very heavy biases towards the NY-PA-NJ area. My home state is NJ, and my significant other of 3+ years is getting her PhD at Penn. She hopes to work in the are after she graduates. Am I shooting myself in the foot with this school list? Are there major flaws in my application that should be addressed? Is there anything I can do in the next few months?

Thank you for your help! (and sorry for the wall of text!!)

 

[Lucca]

looks like a pretty strong app overall to me with a reasonable school list too. Get that clinical exp up for the MD side. Dont need to overdo it but it would round out your app to have that box ticked

 

[HamiltonPineapples]

I am a current applicant, so I can't speak with expertise, but you seem fine. Of your schools I only applied to RWJMS, which I have an interview for. My GPA is 3.93, MCAT 518. 3 years of research, no publications or posters (hoping for a senior thesis). 12 hrs shadowing. 6 months work at a group home. And then similarly scattered volunteering in non-clinical settings.

Obviously my clinical experience is extremely low, but I applied to 8 schools, 3 interviews and only 2 formal rejections so far. If you keep going I think you should be fine. The 126 may give some schools some pause, but I think you will be competitive given you still scored a 519. Focus on writing good essays and presenting yourself well in interviews and you should be set in my opinion.

Also check the MD/PhD comments and questions thread for up to date stats on this years accepted students.

 

[Fencer]

You will be fine. I will be at NIH at end of month. Keep up with ~100-150 hrs of clinical experience prior to interviews, OITE seminars and PM me.

 

[Molbiography]

Thank you all for the inputs!

Also check the MD/PhD comments and questions thread for up to date stats on this years accepted students.

While that thread is very informative about the average applicant, are there any resources to check MD/PhD stats for specific schools? I can't seem to find this information for many schools.

 

[s_med]

While that thread is very informative about the average applicant, are there any resources to check MD/PhD stats for specific schools? I can't seem to find this information for many schools.

If you are asking about aggregate applicant or matriculant data per MD/PhD program, similar to MSAR for MD programs, that does not exist. Several programs will publish some minimal statistics on their webpages, which are worth reviewing but not wholly informative. Otherwise, your best bet is to pay for MSAR and use those stats as a reference for your applications.

The low PS section score is unlikely to be seen as "problematic" but it might get you some comments in MD-committee interviews, and probably none in MSTP- or PhD-committee interviews. You should have some answer prepared, but don't draw attention to it unless prompted. Your overall MCAT is within the acceptance range of most (if not all) MD/PhD programs.

Agree that you should get some more clinical experience. I think you can add a few more top-20 programs to your list. I understand that geography will play a larger role in your decision but there are several highly ranked programs within a 5-hour drive of NJ and I see little downside to trying for those.

 

[Molbiography]

If you are asking about aggregate applicant or matriculant data per MD/PhD program, similar to MSAR for MD programs, that does not exist. Several programs will publish some minimal statistics on their webpages, which are worth reviewing but not wholly informative. Otherwise, your best bet is to pay for MSAR and use those stats as a reference for your applications.

The low PS section score is unlikely to be seen as "problematic" but it might get you some comments in MD-committee interviews, and probably none in MSTP- or PhD-committee interviews. You should have some answer prepared, but don't draw attention to it unless prompted. Your overall MCAT is within the acceptance range of most (if not all) MD/PhD programs.

Agree that you should get some more clinical experience. I think you can add a few more top-20 programs to your list. I understand that geography will play a larger role in your decision but there are several highly ranked programs within a 5-hour drive of NJ and I see little downside to trying for those.

Thank you for your response!

I've already purchased MSAR! The amount of information MSAR provides is incredible. It's a shame nothing similar exists for MD/PhD programs.

When you say I should get more clinical experience, do you mean apart from the volunteering I will be starting in March and continuing through the next year and a half. There is an ethnic clinic that I am very interested in helping out with, but they have said they only need help starting around June. I will definitely reach out volunteer for them, but is it a little too late to be adding onto my application.

I was thinking about adding Boston schools. I have some family there, and my SO wouldn't mind working there while I finish my schooling. With regards to my current school list, do you think it's a broad enough spectrum to get by with.