Md/phd essay and research essay concerns

[castr0]

I am applying for fall of 2013 medical school class I have everything done except my md phd and research essays. I am so worried about what I should include in my essay so it's different that my personal statement and my research essay. What is some advice to say in concerns to that.

Also how do I go about commencing the 10000 character research essay. My research was on stem cells and the effect of knocking out p27 gene and the correlation to how this has some benefits for cancer Research . We focused on the retina and the pluripotent properties of the stem cells. We wanted to find ways of forming cells that could be placed into areas that would allow proliferation of cell growth and improve vision. That's is a very brief description of what we did how should I commence the research essay for my medical application.

Please help I'm at a road block

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[xroc]

The MD/PhD essay is answering the question of why you want to pursue the MD/PhD route (i.e. why is the M.D. route insufficient and why is the Ph.D. route insufficient?)

The research essay is meant to focus on your overall research experience (describe where you do research, under whom, what your project is, what you have done with your project (i.e. poster presentations, conferences, etc), how these experiences have impacted you perhaps? There are some guidelines on amcas on what should be included in each ... this is the general pattern I followed for mine (I didn't mention any significant research experiences in my PS, so I saved them all for these essays)

 

[red doctober]

I am applying for fall of 2013 medical school class I have everything done except my md phd and research essays. I am so worried about what I should include in my essay so it's different that my personal statement and my research essay. What is some advice to say in concerns to that.

Also how do I go about commencing the 10000 character research essay. My research was on stem cells and the effect of knocking out p27 gene and the correlation to how this has some benefits for cancer Research . We focused on the retina and the pluripotent properties of the stem cells. We wanted to find ways of forming cells that could be placed into areas that would allow proliferation of cell growth and improve vision. That's is a very brief description of what we did how should I commence the research essay for my medical application.

Please help I'm at a road block

Just basically expand and elaborate on what you just said. Give a little background so who ever reads it can understand the basics (intro) and say how you did it (methods), what you accomplished (results), and its significance (discussion.) I wouldn't go into the detail equivalent of a published article, but make sure it sounds like you truly know the ins and outs what you were doing.

Some other things:
Don't feel as if you need to use the whole 10000 characters. Be succinct, and don't write extra to fill space.

The style can be slightly more relaxed than what would be in a journal article. For instance, you can say things like "I did this..." or "I found that..."

I personally wouldn't put stuff in here that's personal such as your motivations for doing research. Leave that in the "Why MD/PhD" essay.

In the "Why MD/PhD" essay, you should probably address why you think that both degrees will benefit your career as a researcher. Plenty of MDs do research, and plenty of PhDs do translational research. Explain why you're choosing MD/PhD over these other routes.

 

[Lil Mick]

Send me a PM. I'm editting them again this year and can let you know if what you have is sufficient/needs more/is on point 🙂

In general:

MD essay--Why clinical medicine? Why not just a PhD? Touch on doing research, though.

MD/PhD essay--Why both? How will you fit them together in your career?

Research essay--What were your projects? What sorts of things were you in charge of (lit review, lab work, statistical analyses)? What did you like/not like about that experience? Where do you see yourself going with the projects/area of research/other area of research?

 

[castr0]

When starting my md/phd I want to talk about my heart condition and also how my grandmother had a heart condition. She was only Spanish speaking, I am bilingual, so I always had to translate and it was very hard because the dr didn't share an ethnic background with her and it made her uncomfortable. This situation sparked me to pursue md phd. Researching to find cures for conditions like mine and also how I witnessed the huge barrier between the physician and my grandmother and want to be a physician that can connect personally with his patients, and not let patients feel that seclusion I had to go through with my grandmother

 

[castr0]

Critique, pros cons?

 

[soundnin]

that is more like a traditional cookie cutter "why md" essay. it doesn't really say anything about why you want/need a phd.

 

[castr0]

What would be a general example of a thesis statement for an md phd essay

 

[soundnin]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=64282 + do some self-reflection.

not to sound harsh but we're not writing your essay for you 😛

(http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=927479)

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

When starting my md/phd I want to talk about my heart condition and also how my grandmother had a heart condition. She was only Spanish speaking, I am bilingual, so I always had to translate and it was very hard because the dr didn't share an ethnic background with her and it made her uncomfortable. This situation sparked me to pursue md phd. Researching to find cures for conditions like mine and also how I witnessed the huge barrier between the physician and my grandmother and want to be a physician that can connect personally with his patients, and not let patients feel that seclusion I had to go through with my grandmother

MD/PhD is primarily a research degree. The numbers that get thrown around a lot are that as an MD/PhD you'll aim to spend 80% of your time doing research and 20% doing medicine. Thus, if the focus of your essay is how much you want to be a doctor and help patients, you're going to get rejected.

There's nothing in your post about research other than "I want to cure diseases" which is a pretty unrealistic and naive goal. Virtually all of it is how you want to be a doctor. You talk about how you want to be "a physician that can connect personally with his patients" but that's going to be extremely difficult as an MD/PhD. And you say your experiences with your sick grandmother made you want to be an MD/PhD but there's nothing about that experience that seems like it could make you want to do research, only medicine. Are you sure you wouldn't be better off with an MD? Because that sounds like what you want.

Keep in mind that an MD/PhD is primarily a research degree and the expectation is that you'll primarily be a scientist. It's a PhD for people who need a medical background. It is not a degree for people who primarily want to be doctors.

 

[castr0]

My apologies I forgot to include that I have been partaking in stem cell research and how tw effect of knocking out the p27 gene effect cell proliferation. That would have helped if I included that in my I initial post.

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

My apologies I forgot to include that I have been partaking in stem cell research and how tw effect of knocking out the p27 gene effect cell proliferation. That would have helped if I included that in my I initial post.

I assumed you had done research. What I was saying is that from your post it doesn't sound like you research is your main motivation for getting the degree, it sounds like you want to care for patients.

 

[castr0]

Well I was not able to explain fully but that would seem very much as more md than dual program route


Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente
Human nature is such that our heart usually fails to engage in matters which are not immediate to us or which we don´t experience directly.

 

[nysw]

Virtually all of it is how you want to be a doctor. You talk about how you want to be "a physician that can connect personally with his patients" but that's going to be extremely difficult as an MD/PhD. And you say your experiences with your sick grandmother made you want to be an MD/PhD but there's nothing about that experience that seems like it could make you want to do research, only medicine. Are you sure you wouldn't be better off with an MD? Because that sounds like what you want..

I can actually think of a couple ways to spin his experience with his grandmother into a motivation for wanting to do research... and they'd be compelling reasons too. OP, you should talk more about why the DUAL degree is necessary - it's not just the sum of its parts.

Keep in mind that an MD/PhD is primarily a research degree and the expectation is that you'll primarily be a scientist. It's a PhD for people who need a medical background. It is not a degree for people who primarily want to be doctors.

I will disagree with this point. Depending on who you ask (and the program and their philosophy), MD/PhD programs want applicants/students who want to do both clinical work as an MD, and science as a PhD. It's a degree for people who want to do 50/50 ideally, but obviously, the ratio shifts as job demands change.

 

[castr0]

What is your point of view when saying you could spin it I had some aspects in mind of how me and my grandmother had issues with our heart and how the stem cell research could invoke practices to prevent the occurrence of this and similar issues

What was your thoughts nysm?

 

[nysw]

What is your point of view when saying you could spin it I had some aspects in mind of how me and my grandmother had issues with our heart and how the stem cell research could invoke practices to prevent the occurrence of this and similar issues

What was your thoughts nysm?

like I said, depending on how you frame the scenario, it could work, and it would add a personal element to your statement. I've read statements that copy the program's philosophy, almost word for word. that's no bueno. Pm me if you have more questions.