MD/PhD: Good stats, no pubs -- chances for top schools?

[md2be1122]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Looking at top MD/PhD Programs (I want to study neuroscience). Don't really have a strong sense on what really great MSTPs are looking for / if they just pull from Ivy undergrads w lots of pubs. I'm wondering if my lack of pubs will hurt me for MD/PhD programs?

I just graduated from a lower-tier state school, and am currently enrolled in a MPH program at the same state school. My stats are: 3.97 cGPA, 3.94 sGPA, 519 MCAT.

Research: 3 years in neuroscience lab
No pubs
Presented posters a lot at my university (5 times) and at one state-wide and two national conventions

• Shadowing: 85 hours
• Clinical Exposure (Medical Volunteering): 200 hours
• Volunteering (Non-medical): 75 hours

ECs: exec board global health group (+ month-long global health internship abroad)
tutor for genetics
student government
campus tour guide

If anyone has any recommendations for schools to look at, that would also be appreciated! 🙂

 

[gyngyn]

Look here:
What are my chances? Read before asking.
https://www.aamc.org/data/facts/enrollmentgraduate/
I you'd like me to move your thread to the physician-scientist forum, let me know!

 

[Fencer]

You should be competitive but even a 8-15% of people with your stats do not get into MD/PhD programs in a cycle. I have met and advised (after the fact) to some of them. Often their failure is to be "too elitist", applying to a small number of highly competitive MSTPs.

Check out the number of applicants per matriculant of last year's cycle: https://www.aamc.org/download/321544/data/factstableb8.pdf
You realize that MSTPs and many large MD/PhD programs (non-MSTP) are difficult to get in.

You must apply to 10-15 dream (top MSTPs given your stats), but at least 5 match MSTPs (based upon stats), and another 3-5 safety programs based upon your area of interest.

 

[md2be1122]

You should be competitive but even a 8-15% of people with your stats do not get into MD/PhD programs in a cycle. I have met and advised (after the fact) to some of them. Often their failure is to be "too elitist", applying to a small number of highly competitive MSTPs.

Check out the number of applicants per matriculant of last year's cycle: https://www.aamc.org/download/321544/data/factstableb8.pdf
You realize that MSTPs and many large MD/PhD programs (non-MSTP) are difficult to get in.

You must apply to 10-15 dream (top MSTPs given your stats), but at least 5 match MSTPs (based upon stats), and another 3-5 safety programs based upon your area of interest.

Hi Fencer,

That's great advice -- thank you! I will definitely be applying to a broad swath of schools. I am, though, having a hard time finding information specific to MSTP Programs' stats (except for a few schools which publish figures on their websites). I have included below some schools that I am tentatively looking at now -- in no particular order within each category. Would you mind commenting on how well my list corresponds to dream/match/safety? And maybe if you know if any of these schools are particularly strong in neuroscience? Thanks so much for your help!!

Dream:
UCSF
Washington in St. Louis
Michigan
Stanford
Johns Hopkins
Harvard
Duke
Columbia
Penn
Yale

Match:
Case Western
NYU
Pitt
UCSD


Safety:
Ohio State
Cincinnati
Miami-Miller
Indiana

 

[Fencer]

Keep in mind that all of these are still MSTPs and great programs. I hope that your LORs are as strong as you believe they are.
Good luck!