MD/PHD or don't bother?

[TeenRoyalty154]

Hi all,

I am in a weird position. So I have a undergraduate GPA 3.5. I'm a psych and biology major. I haven't taken MCAT yet. My circumstance is that I want to pursue a MD/PHD or DO/PHD. However, I don't have significant research experience. My research experience is just 3 months in a neuroscience lab and 1 year working on a meta-analysis/ literature review paper.

I already have declared two majors. But I'm debating if I should spend an additional year in undergrad to pursue a degree in BA in chemistry-biology or a BS in biochemistry in order to boost up on research experience. And strengthening my grasps on science while studying for the MCAT.

An additional option would be to apply for the post-bac program through the NIH. Basically get paid to do research while studying for the MCAT. However, a caveat is that I would be working 40 hours and I heard it's very competitive.

Granted, I'd get more research experience through the NIH program. However, I would get a chance to boost my GPA, learn more science and prepare for the MCAT with a third bachelors in undergrad.

Let me know your thoughts ....

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[mw18]

How far along in school are you now?

 

[mw18]

I have a few questions. If you don't have a lot of research experience how do you know you want to do MD/PhD? I hope it's not for the free tuition because it's only worth it to those people because they are truly passionate about research.

I am very ignorant as it pertains to DO schools, so I'll defer to others. I've never even seen "DO/PhD" before this thread.

As far as GPA and triple majoring, I'm not sure how that would look. Maybe some of the adcoms will chime in. The reason I asked how far along in school you are is because that would shed some light on how much your gpa could stand to increase. Being a bio major, you're already going to have a ton of science classes, so I'm not sure even running the table and getting A's in all the biochem requirements would help all that much. Your GPA is fine for DO and bordeeline for MD, but I don't know about the MD/PhD part. I'm also unsure how you feel that adding a biochem major will give you more research, unless you just mean through networking. I know some people take research for credit, but I don't see why you couldn't graduate and then take a gap year doing research with your school or the NIH if you can swing it. The gap year would also give you the flexibility to truly study for the mcat.

 

[OrdinaryDO]

I am very ignorant as it pertains to DO schools, so I'll defer to others. I've never even seen "DO/PhD" before this thread.

There are several..just to name a few:
Rowan
Oklahoma State
Ohio State
MSU
Michigan

 

[mw18]

There are several..just to name a few:
Rowan
Oklahoma State
Ohio State
MSU
Michigan

Oh yeah I wasn't doubting their existence at all, just saying that since this is the first time I've seen a thread with it mentioned I wouldn't have anything constructive to add.

 

[OrdinaryDO]

Oh yeah I wasn't doubting their existence at all, just saying that since this is the first time I've seen a thread with it mentioned I wouldn't have anything constructive to add.

Yeah, true.

I would expect that a MD/DO PhD program would require significant research; at least a year of solid research is what I have been told. That should be a minimum I would guess. What is your reasoning for wanting to do this dual degree?

 

[KO_TV]

I'm not sure about DO/PhD but I know MD/PhD is very very very competitive. To give you an idea, my friend was URM, did research for four years in undergrad, had 4 papers published, 42 on old mcat, 3.87 cGPA and roughly same sGPA, and only got accepted to one MD/PhD program. You absolutely need research experience and even with a surmountable amount, it's still hard.

 

[OrdinaryDO]

I'm not sure about DO/PhD but I know MD/PhD is very very very competitive. To give you an idea, my friend was URM, did research for four years in undergrad, had 4 papers published, 42 on old mcat, 3.87 cGPA and roughly same sGPA, and only got accepted to one MD/PhD program. You absolutely need research experience and even with a surmountable amount, it's still hard.

Not to discount what you just said, but I have a "friend" (more like someone I took many classes with and socialized with time to time) that is beginning his first year at Texas A&M in the MD/PhD program they have there and he is only 17 years old with around a 3.7 cGPA and a 35 MCAT. But, it is very competitive.

 

[becomingdoctor]

Hi all,

I am in a weird position. So I have a undergraduate GPA 3.5. I'm a psych and biology major. I haven't taken MCAT yet. My circumstance is that I want to pursue a MD/PHD or DO/PHD. However, I don't have significant research experience. My research experience is just 3 months in a neuroscience lab and 1 year working on a meta-analysis/ literature review paper.

I already have declared two majors. But I'm debating if I should spend an additional year in undergrad to pursue a degree in BA in chemistry-biology or a BS in biochemistry in order to boost up on research experience. And strengthening my grasps on science while studying for the MCAT.

An additional option would be to apply for the post-bac program through the NIH. Basically get paid to do research while studying for the MCAT. However, a caveat is that I would be working 40 hours and I heard it's very competitive.

Granted, I'd get more research experience through the NIH program. However, I would get a chance to boost my GPA, learn more science and prepare for the MCAT with a third bachelors in undergrad.

Let me know your thoughts ....

Usually the motivation for MDPhD is when someone have extensive research experience but don't want to give up research in medical school. You need to spend another year (full time) before fill out your application.

I'm not sure about DO/PhD but I know MD/PhD is very very very competitive. To give you an idea, my friend was URM, did research for four years in undergrad, had 4 papers published, 42 on old mcat, 3.87 cGPA and roughly same sGPA, and only got accepted to one MD/PhD program. You absolutely need research experience and even with a surmountable amount, it's still hard.

I doubt what you said is true. How likely for an undergraduate to have four publications? And 42 URM? and only one acceptance? Unless that person only applied to JHU and HMS.
Check this out. http://mdapplicants.com/profile.php...ccepted,search_school:58,psr:0,orderby:,order:

 

[KO_TV]

Usually the motivation for MDPhD is when someone have extensive research experience but don't want to give up research in medical school. You need to spend another year (full time) before fill out your application.



I doubt what you said is true. How likely for an undergraduate to have four publications? And 42 URM? and only one acceptance? Unless that person only applied to JHU and HMS.
Check this out. http://mdapplicants.com/profile.php?id=26862&refname=Search Results&refuri=search,search_appstatus:accepted,search_school:58,psr:0,orderby:,order:

Lol 100% true. Albeit he applied to mostly Ivy League med school programs but didn't get accepted to any of them (referring to the combined programs, he got accepted to the regular MD programs excluding Stanford). Didn't get into our own university's program but got into another one in-state. Whether you want to believe me or not I don't really care, but it's a lot more competitive now than before, I believe.

 

[----------12c]

Hi all,

I am in a weird position. So I have a undergraduate GPA 3.5. I'm a psych and biology major. I haven't taken MCAT yet. My circumstance is that I want to pursue a MD/PHD or DO/PHD. However, I don't have significant research experience. My research experience is just 3 months in a neuroscience lab and 1 year working on a meta-analysis/ literature review paper.

I already have declared two majors. But I'm debating if I should spend an additional year in undergrad to pursue a degree in BA in chemistry-biology or a BS in biochemistry in order to boost up on research experience. And strengthening my grasps on science while studying for the MCAT.

An additional option would be to apply for the post-bac program through the NIH. Basically get paid to do research while studying for the MCAT. However, a caveat is that I would be working 40 hours and I heard it's very competitive.

Granted, I'd get more research experience through the NIH program. However, I would get a chance to boost my GPA, learn more science and prepare for the MCAT with a third bachelors in undergrad.

Let me know your thoughts ....

My personal opinion is it is a waste of time unless you plan on doing tons of research in an academic setting.

 

[TeenRoyalty154]

I like the idea of MD/DO PHD because I enjoyed the research experiences I've encountered. I considered just exclusively MD/DO traditional programs instead of the Dual degrees. I might also mention I've been influenced by a friend of mine that was accepted into a MD/ PHD program at Colombia however, turned it down because the program just wasn't good enough for her. There is a lot definitely a lot more to consider in terms of the dual degree programs such as the type of research programs available etc. Personally to me, the added stipend is just a bonus. But I can say once again my only interest in combined program is the fact that I genuinely enjoy research.