MD/PhD programs

[b2007]

Would it be possible to be accepted to a MD/PhD program with a 3.0 GPA, 4.0 Graduate GPA, and 3 publications?

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[j-weezy]

yes, it is possible.

 

[b2007]

So if it is possible, is it also likely?

Thanks for the reply.

 

[GreenMudPhud]

depends on your MCAT score?

3.0GPA is kinda low for undergrad GPA, the 4.0 grad will help, the pubs are good, so it all depends on your MCAT and extracurriculars to determine how competitive of an applicant you are.

 

[b2007]

I'm new to the MD/PhD programs, and I have noticed that most schools accepts anywhere from 5-12 students. Is this the norm for these programs, and are there schools that accept more?

thanks!

 

[Mountain Cow]

WashU takes a lot of students, but that's because they are good at training physician scientists (and have $$). It's not safe to equate large number of students accepted with easy to get in.

If you haven't seen it already, www.intransit.us has some good info on MD/PhD programs.

I'm new to the MD/PhD programs, and I have noticed that most schools accepts anywhere from 5-12 students. Is this the norm for these programs, and are there schools that accept more?

thanks!

 

[Jorje286]

I think if there were special circumstances that lead to the 3.0, your chances could become better. Or for example if you had one or two really awful years, but improved later.

Overall, I think outstanding research experience and MCATs (in the 13s and above) might offset the undergrad GPA.

 

[solitude]

I'm new to the MD/PhD programs, and I have noticed that most schools accepts anywhere from 5-12 students. Is this the norm for these programs, and are there schools that accept more?

thanks!

I hope this isn't patronizing, but it isn't clear that you understand that just because the school "accepts" (i.e., matriculates) 5-12 students generally does not mean that they only accept (i.e., grant admission to) 5-12 students. Most schools accept 2 or 3 times that many because admittees choose to go elsewhere.

There is certainly a chance you could be admitted to MD/PhD programs with your background. Your best bet is to apply to a very wide range of programs and see where you are invited to interview, then go from there. You have an outside chance at the big-name programs (especially if your research is stellar), but it will be difficult to overcome your undergrad GPA at those schools. On the other hand, there are a fair number of less "prestigious" medical schools that may not have a formal MSTP but do have MD/PhD program and, because their medical school admissions requirements are less rigorous (i.e., significantly lower GPA and MCAT), you would stand a better chance of acceptance.

To echo what others said, if you're serious about this, you should first scrutinize this forum and intransit.org thoroughly. Then study like a champ and rock your MCAT. Apply as early as humanly possible, to a wide range of schools. Slave over your secondaries (at this point, you will be better served by presenting yourself well than by ekeing out another experiment or two). Then cross your fingers and hope for the best.

 

[Mr. Tee]

I hope this isn't patronizing, but it isn't clear that you understand that just because the school "accepts" (i.e., matriculates) 5-12 students generally does not mean that they only accept (i.e., grant admission to) 5-12 students. Most schools accept 2 or 3 times that many because admittees choose to go elsewhere.

Unless you're talking about Harvard

 

[solitude]

Unless you're talking about Harvard

I know right? And once they set aside the obligatory 4-6 for Harvard/MIT grads, the odds are abysmal to put it mildly.

 

[j-weezy]

I know right? And once they set aside the obligatory 4-6 for Harvard/MIT grads, the odds are abysmal to put it mildly.

Which is why I'm going there under no delusions....

 

[Dodo23]

That many?!?! I thought it was more like 2-3.

I've heard drastically different and wildly speculative estimates of the number of Harvard grads who apply every year to MD-PhD programs (including Harvard med). These estimates range from a dozen (a conservative estimate IMO) to well over 40! So if it's any comfort at all, and if the rumor-mills are any indication, even those Harvard/MIT grads probably aren't fancying their odds.

 

[Maebea]

Hijacking...

The top 11 undergraduate schools for producing MD-PhD matriculants for the period 2004-2007 were:

Harvard - 76
Stanford - 63
Yale - 60
Cornell - 58
UC-Berkeley - 54
Duke - 52
MIT - 44
Wash U - 44
Hopkins - 43
Chicago - 40
Princeton 40

In the past 4 years, Harvard MSTP has enrolled 53 students. Their undergrad institutions were:

Ivy League - 45%
Harvard - 13
Princeton - 5
Yale - 4
Columbia - 1
Penn - 1

Private, Non-Ivy - 38%
MIT - 8
Stanford - 6
Brandeis - 1
Chicago - 1
Hopkins - 1
NYU - 1
Rice - 1
Wash U - 1

Public University 15%
UCLA - 2
Indiana - 1
Maryland - 1
Minnesota - 1
Puerto Rico - 1
Purdue - 1
Wisconsin - 1

Liberal Arts College 2%
Ripon - 1

 

[j-weezy]

so 40% of Harvard MD/PhD students from the past 4 years went to either Harvard or MIT for undergrad.....

 

[meowkat444]

based on anecdotal evidence from back when i was considering cog science phd, harvard is like that for phd-only as well. yale, on the other hand, never takes anyone into their psych dpt who went there for undergrad.

not necessarily true for yale's other departments, maybe.

 

[Maebea]

so 40% of Harvard MD/PhD students from the past 4 years went to either Harvard or MIT for undergrad.....

And then they stay there for residency, fellowship, etc. That's why they call it "Preparation H"

 

[solitude]

Awesome data. I presume they don't share this sort of thing with anybody but program directors, but it would make for very interesting reading if they did.

Hijacking...

The top 11 undergraduate schools for producing MD-PhD matriculants for the period 2004-2007 were:

Harvard - 76
Stanford - 63
Yale - 60
Cornell - 58
UC-Berkeley - 54
Duke - 52
MIT - 44
Wash U - 44
Hopkins - 43
Chicago - 40
Princeton 40

In the past 4 years, Harvard MSTP has enrolled 53 students. Their undergrad institutions were:

Ivy League - 45%
Harvard - 13
Princeton - 5
Yale - 4
Columbia - 1
Penn - 1

Private, Non-Ivy - 38%
MIT - 8
Stanford - 6
Brandeis - 1
Chicago - 1
Hopkins - 1
NYU - 1
Rice - 1
Wash U - 1

Public University 15%
UCLA - 2
Indiana - 1
Maryland - 1
Minnesota - 1
Puerto Rico - 1
Purdue - 1
Wisconsin - 1

Liberal Arts College 2%
Ripon - 1

 

[Neuronix]

Would it be possible to be accepted to a MD/PhD program with a 3.0 GPA, 4.0 Graduate GPA, and 3 publications?

Nobody ever really answered your question I think.

The answer is we don't know. When did you get the publications? What PhD are you looking for? What graduate program did you do? Where did you go to school? Do you have an upward trend? Is there a big split in your grades? Are there extenuating reasons why your GPA is low? What is your MCAT score?

I'm sure there's more I'm forgetting. So the first answer "Yes it's possible" is right on. We don't have enough information to tell you in your case.

Also, in response to your later post, just because a MD/PhD program is larger doesn't mean it's less competitive. Yes most programs are 5-12. Though if anything, the larger MD/PhD programs are even more competitive than the smaller ones. That's a generalization that doesn't hold true in all cases and may be a weak generalization, but you don't want to think of it as large vs. small. To a very rough approximation of competitiveness just go down the USNews rankings for those schools that have MD/PhD programs and add competitiveness points for those in desirable locations (large coastal cities) and subtract points for less desirable locations.

Then again if you were asking that question for a different reason let me know and I can address why you were asking it. The largest programs are #1 WashU and #2 UPenn to the best of my knowledge.

 

[b2007]

Since I will be at a disadvantage because of my low undergrad GPA, what are some of the least competitve programs?

 

[Fencer]

depends on your MCAT score?

3.0GPA is kinda low for undergrad GPA, the 4.0 grad will help, the pubs are good, so it all depends on your MCAT and extracurriculars to determine how competitive of an applicant you are.

As faculty in a selection committee, I agree.

 

[j-weezy]

The largest programs are #1 WashU and #2 UPenn to the best of my knowledge.

Up for debate - I think Penn has the largest in terms of NIH funded slots but WashU has the largest overall due to absurd amounts of private funding....

not really in keeping with the thread, but a topic that's come up in the past