MD/PhD nontrad

[MaxiVaxx]

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[wholeheartedly]

I'm in a good position to be applying to PhD programs in my field... but I also have this really strong desire to go to medical school. It got so bad that I decided not to matriculate for my PhD this cycle (also bc of the pandemic). I'd like to matriculate MD/PhD.

The issue I have is that because I was uninterested in pre-med while in college, I never prepared myself to apply to medical school. So I don't have all of the pre-requisites and haven't taken the MCAT or real clinical experience. Because I haven't prepared to apply to medical school, I have basically no way to evaluate how good of an applicant I am.

I hated school when I was younger so I rushed to get out by skipping 4 grades and going to college early. Then I rushed the beginning of college, thinking I would just do research, but then came to the realization that I enjoyed the academic part of school only at the end. When I graduated college I started working in virology/vaccine development for a year (pre-pandemic) and then my research got a whole lot more exciting last march to say the least.

I'm told that I fit the "research prodigy" stereotype, especially because I basically started doing science full-time when other people my age started 4-year college. This is the only thing I have going for me, which isn't always (or ever) what medical schools are looking for. Compared to traditional applicants I'm inconsistent in where I have been and I don't have much of the general background that they are looking for in terms of academics. However I'd say that my background is strong in areas that are directly related to medicine. For instance: I routinely preform veterinary surgical procedures, diagnostics, manufacture vaccines and other biologicals. On the other hand, I haven't officially taken prerequisites like Orgo or Physics.

Now isn't a good time for me to be taking Orgo or Physics because of the pandemic and the work I am doing. Could I successfully apply with this angle of "research prodigy"? I would take the MCAT as well (currently scoring around 515 on practice exams). Would I be scrutinized because I don't have a complete academic background? Some med schools don't even let you apply.

What is it about the idea of going to medical school that appeals to you? That’s the starting point for the rest of the discussion.

 

[MaxiVaxx]

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[Goro]

I guess it's two things. I'm (1) interested in the medical education and content itself (especially MS1-MS2) and I'd like to take that opportunity to broaden my understanding of biomedical knowledge and (2) the actual technical practice of medical disciples mainly in surgical procedures and infectious disease practice. I'm already sold on the technical challenge and I've been exposed to it, directly in my own experience and also growing up around physicians who share my appreciation for this aspect of medicine- but surgical specialties in particular.

I'm not getting the sense that you want to have anything to do with patients.

The vibe I'm getting this of someone who would be much happier in a PhD lab.

 

[wholeheartedly]

Do you want to actually have appointments with patients, care for patients, diagnose and treat patients? Your wording doesn’t really seem to indicate that, which is totally ok but means you should focus on the research piece. If you aren’t sure you should get some hands on experience working with patients, then decide. (Not shadowing for this)

If you get a PhD you be able to learn whatever content is relevant to you research at a very in depth level. An MD isn’t necessary for that.

 

[MaxiVaxx]

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[MaxiVaxx]

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[LunaOri]

If you want to go to medical school, start by doing your prerequisites and extracurriculars. Shadowing, too. I'm not sure what you want to do with your career that you can't do with just a PhD.

 

[Dral]

So you didn't enjoy academics until the end of undergrad?

Please just be sure you're not just telling yourself that because you've decided on medical school. The analogy everyone uses is that undergrad is a trickle and med school is a full on fire hydrant.

Also keep in mind, that once you commit to medical school, you commit to:

MCAT
Step I
Step II CK
Step II CS
Shelf exams
Step III
Also COMLEX (if DO). I'm unsure if this will stick around with the merger.
In service exam yearly for at least three years
Specialty Boards
Other boards if you decide to subspecialize
Possible re-cert exams depending on specialty

It is A LOT of studying and memorization. It can get very tedious (MCAT, Steps, and Boards in particular)

I did a PhD before Med school and they are very different in terms of what you are studying; style of learning and knowledge acquisition is very different.

Find out as much as you can about the academic side of what it takes to get an MD or DO before you commit.