MD vs MD/PhD for international application

[chailinchou]

Hi Everyone,

Brief Stats:

Canadian Citizen (BC)
B. Sc. in Microbiology & Immunology from the University of British Columbia
M. Sc. in Nutrition from Columbia University (New York)
4 years research, 4 publications (non first author)

I am wondering whether it is more competitive to apply to MD/PhD programs as an international student. I do not have US residency but have finished a M. Sc. in Columbia University. Currently on OPT visa working at the Eye Institute at Columbia University Presbyterian Hospital.

I want to maximize my chances of getting into a US medical school and I am wondering which route is more favorable for an international student.

Thanks!

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[Ariodant]

MD/PhD is a serious commitment and is always more competitive, be sure you want the PhD and don't mind the extra years before going down this path.

As for application, you can apply to a mixure of both. Some MSTP programs (like all UCs) don't accept international students, but some others do. You can give MD/PhD a shot at schools that have parallel admissions, and schools that you feel you are fairly competitive at. Apply to some MD-only as a back up.

 

[chailinchou]

Thanks for replying.

I enjoy research and would like to obtain the PhD degree if possible. However, my priority is the MD. Would applying to MD/PhD programs put me at a disadvantage as compared to applying only to the MD track?

I have seen many successful medical researchers without a PhD so I will be happy with just applying to MD programs.

 

[Ariodant]

If you serch the MD/PhD forum, there are many good threads discussing this. First, schools have different admission processes that require different strategies. Some schools have parallel admissions, meaning the MD and MD/PhD committees will each receive a copy of your application and consider it separately, and you will be treated just like your MD only buddies by the MD committee, so you won't be at a disadvantage in terms of timing. At some other schools, if you apply MD/PhD, then the MD committee won't see your application unless you have been rejected by the MD/PhD committee, post-secondary or post-interview. This puts you way behind the MD-only applicants at those schools, especially if you are rejected post-interview, at which point the MD class is more or less filled up. Thus IMHO, you should feel free to shoot for MD/PhD at the schools with parallel admissions, and consider more carefully when it comes to MD/Phd-then-MD schools.

Other than the timing problem with the second type of schools, I don't see any other disadvantages that will be imposed on you should you apply MD/PhD.

 

[161468]

MD/PhD students are awarded MSTP grants from the NIH, which are not available to international students. You will have a very difficult time getting accepted to an MD/PhD program as a non-US citizen, as your funds would be provided by the school. The only school that I know of that accepts international students for MD/PhD is Harvard, and they only accept a max of 1 per year.

 

[Ariodant]

UT Southwestern is known to accept quite a few Canadians each year. Hopkins also accepts international students. Non-MSTP MD/PhDs don't have such restrictions, so you should fell free to apply to them.

 

[hzjames]

Wrong thread sorry.