Md/PhD PS

[SkiUtah]

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Hey-
To all of you MD/PhD apps, how did you go about writing your PS for your primary? Did you write it as if you were a 'normal' MD app, or did you include your interest in the PhD portion also? I only ask because I beleive you write 2 extra essays yes?
Thanks!
p.s., this is not for me, but for my girlfriend who is working on applying as we speak

 

[Phil Anthropist]

Moving to the Physician Scientist forum

 

[Mr. Tee]

I wrote it as if it were for a "normal" MD app, but I included a brief paragraph about my interest in continuing research. But it basically answered the "why medicine" question with a clinical slant.

 

[mdphdhopeful]

I wrote it as if it were for a "normal" MD app, but I included a brief paragraph about my interest in continuing research. But it basically answered the "why medicine" question with a clinical slant.

thats exactly what i did

 

[Dr.Watson]

basically, you have three essays to write: why medicine? (aka PS), why md/phd?, and tell me about your research. these are also the same questions asked at nearly every interview. as others already wrote, why medicine should speak to your desire to be a doctor, talk about your clinical experience/motivation, with research mentioned albeit briefly.

i kinda thought of the three essays as one long essay with specific subsections that addressed each question. so together it flowed, was consistent with regards to my career aspirations, addressed different aspects of my application, and didn't repeat information.

 

[Ersatzious]

i kinda thought of the three essays as one long essay with specific subsections that addressed each question. so together it flowed, was consistent with regards to my career aspirations, addressed different aspects of my application, and didn't repeat information.

I went the same route. As a non-traditional MSTPer, I focused mainly on my path to medicine in the first essay with a solid section toward the end very broadly describing my interest in research to serve as a transition into the "Why MD/Phd?" essay where I elaborated more fully on those desires. With the introspection and realizations covered, I was free to be very straightforward and detailed in the research descriptions. Each essay should be able to stand on its own while fitting into the larger framework; however, avoid repetition.

Save for using the phrase physician-scientist in my conclusion (once), my "Why medicine?" essay was indistinguishable from a traditional MD-only one.

 

[chirurgino]

More generally--as an MD-PhD applicant you have to answer the question in your MD essay--why academic medicine? I broke it down into the 3 components of academic medicine: research, teaching, and patient care--and talked about my experiences and goals in each area. Pretty simple-minded, but it worked.

Your MD-PhD essay will focus more on the specifics of your research, etc.

 

[SkiUtah]

Thanks all, that is exactly what I wanted to know. Cheers!