I'm going to preface this by saying I'm still very much on the fence as to where I'm headed--originally I was thinking MD only but have since really fallen in love with research and realized that I really want to end up in research while still being able to be in the clinic so am planning on applying MD/PhD but realize I'm probably the average to just-below average applicant.
Planning to apply in the 2013 cycle (to matriculate Fall of 2014).
Graduated in 2011 with a double major in dance and biology. Honors in biology; honors thesis in development biology (which won a departmental award to boot!). At the time, my cGPA was a 3.68 and sGPA was 3.65.
Volunteered as a tutor with Upward Bound for all four years of undergrad. Shadowed an orthopedic surgeon senior year for 90ish hours. During senior spring, I ended up also working in his lab for another 90ish hours working on a pre-clinical project (in addition to my honors thesis in a lab at school).
Since I graduated, I've been working as a tech in a cancer bio lab. My PI is pretty well known/highly regarded in the field. I'm 2nd author on a Nature paper that will be in print soon--the lab is great about letting techs get on papers, so this is likely the first of several to come.
Haven't taken the MCATs/started studying too hard yet but have done reasonably okay (but not necessarily MSTP good) on the two practice tests I've taken (32 and 33). I also tend to test well (1350 SATs, 32 ACT) but I know it's hard to say until I actually get all my studying done/take the MCATs for real. Currently thinking of maybe taking them in August and seeing how I do--if I do really well, just applying to joint programs. If I do less well, applying to both MD/PhD and PhD only. I know I want to be in a research-focused program and would rather do PhD only then settle for less research.
Thoughts? Chance me!
Planning to apply in the 2013 cycle (to matriculate Fall of 2014).
Graduated in 2011 with a double major in dance and biology. Honors in biology; honors thesis in development biology (which won a departmental award to boot!). At the time, my cGPA was a 3.68 and sGPA was 3.65.
Volunteered as a tutor with Upward Bound for all four years of undergrad. Shadowed an orthopedic surgeon senior year for 90ish hours. During senior spring, I ended up also working in his lab for another 90ish hours working on a pre-clinical project (in addition to my honors thesis in a lab at school).
Since I graduated, I've been working as a tech in a cancer bio lab. My PI is pretty well known/highly regarded in the field. I'm 2nd author on a Nature paper that will be in print soon--the lab is great about letting techs get on papers, so this is likely the first of several to come.
Haven't taken the MCATs/started studying too hard yet but have done reasonably okay (but not necessarily MSTP good) on the two practice tests I've taken (32 and 33). I also tend to test well (1350 SATs, 32 ACT) but I know it's hard to say until I actually get all my studying done/take the MCATs for real. Currently thinking of maybe taking them in August and seeing how I do--if I do really well, just applying to joint programs. If I do less well, applying to both MD/PhD and PhD only. I know I want to be in a research-focused program and would rather do PhD only then settle for less research.
Thoughts? Chance me!
