Minimal clinical experience -- interview questions

[mudphudwannabe]

Hi all -- I'm currently interviewing for MSTP's, and a question that has consistently come up is my lack of clinical experience (I have a couple months of volunteering at the hospital, and some non-clinical volunteer experience)...specifically, interviewers have questioned whether the MD is really necessary for me. I think that it is, both because the expertise in human medicine physicians have is important for applying basic research and identifying new questions, and because interacted with patients and other physicians would be very fulfulling (the personal aspect of medicine, etc). So, this response seems to be enough to satisfy my interviewers for MD/PhD interviews, but I just had my first set of straight MD interviews at Medical College of WI -- I don't think the interviewers were quite convinced. I had to stay for an extra interview because one of my first two MD interviewers was "unsure." There is really nothing else in my record to be unsure about (37 MCAT, 3.87 GPA, honors classes, etc). I don't want to make excuses, but the reason I have so little clinical experience is because the unit I volunteered at didn't know what to do with me, so I decided to devote that time to studying for the MCAT, research, etc, instead of wasting a lot of time (I only decided I wanted to do an MD/PhD in my junior year). In retrospect, I should have been more diligent about finding another clinical volunteer position. But, it's too late for that now..so, any words of wisdom for my upcoming interviews? Thanks again for your help. 🙂

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[b&ierstiefel]

Do you have any experiences before college that made you desire medicine as a career?

I too didn't have much clinical experience. I also had scant volunteer experience but I overplayed and oversentimentalized those experiences. I did have an experience which really inspired me to do medicine back in high school. So during interviews, I would talk about how I came into college thinking premed all the way and then how my research experience during college threw a wrench into my thinking process. Then I would end my story with how my discovery of these MD/PhD programs was perfect timing.

Also, one question I got almost everywhere I went, probably given my background, was this: "If there was no MD/PhD program and you had to choose between PhD vs. MD, what would you choose?" At my initial interviews, I would say, "This is a tough choice because I appreciate the best of both worlds...but I would lean towards PhD." WRONG ANSWER!!!!!!! You have to say MD all the way! Remember, you can still do research with an MD 🙂 You have a PhD and you're shut out from the medicine world.

 

[mudphudwannabe]

Do you have any experiences before college that made you desire medicine as a career?

I too didn't have much clinical experience. I also had scant volunteer experience but I overplayed and oversentimentalized those experiences. I did have an experience which really inspired me to do medicine back in high school. So during interviews, I would talk about how I came into college thinking premed all the way and then how my research experience during college threw a wrench into my thinking process. Then I would end my story with how my discovery of these MD/PhD programs was perfect timing.

Also, one question I got almost everywhere I went, probably given my background, was this: "If there was no MD/PhD program and you had to choose between PhD vs. MD, what would you choose?" At my initial interviews, I would say, "This is a tough choice because I appreciate the best of both worlds...but I would lean towards PhD." WRONG ANSWER!!!!!!! You have to say MD all the way! Remember, you can still do research with an MD 🙂 You have a PhD and you're shut out from the medicine world.

The thing is, before college, I wanted to be a vet. Now, you would think that's kind of related..but I think it's a totally different "calling" than human medicine. 🙁 I'm starting to think I'm screwed...maybe I'm just being too honest on these interviews. Not that I should be dishonest.. I don't know...Sorry. I will reread this when I have a little more positivity. I'm just kind of bummed that I might not even get into MCW, which is probably the least selective school I applied to. Well, thanks for your help!

 

[b&ierstiefel]

The thing is, before college, I wanted to be a vet. Now, you would think that's kind of related..but I think it's a totally different "calling" than human medicine. 🙁 I'm starting to think I'm screwed...maybe I'm just being too honest on these interviews. Not that I should be dishonest.. I don't know...Sorry. I will reread this when I have a little more positivity. I'm just kind of bummed that I might not even get into MCW, which is probably the least selective school I applied to. Well, thanks for your help!

make something up then...do you want this thing or not?

 

[gwang]

I'm just kind of bummed that I might not even get into MCW, which is probably the least selective school I applied to.

You'll most likely get in several MSTPs. Then why do you care if you get in MCW or not? I've had the question too and I've been honest about if there were no MSTPs, I would go into a PhD program. It hasn't negatively impacted me yet. Good luck. You'll be fine.

 

[surge]

I've had the question too and I've been honest about if there were no MSTPs, I would go into a PhD program. It hasn't negatively impacted me yet. Good luck. You'll be fine.

It turns out that most MSTPs seek to train researchers. I actually have my own thoughts about that, and it's something that I have had numerous debates with program directors and interviewers (my own PD still brings it up occasionally). But that's a whole different story.
Anyway, the point is that a lack of clinical experience is actually not something that will keep you out of the MD/PhD program. That's not to say that you won't be asked about it, as you should be. Usually MDs will give you a harder time about it.
Don't worry about what happened at MCW. They're not MSTP and a research powerhouse. You'll come across a completely different set of attitudes at big research institutions.
As far as MD vs. PhD goes, I found that PhD is actually the preferred answer, because they are affraid of people who do MD/PhD and then never do any research (or drop out of MD/PhD and just do MD). But, as always, be honest and argument your case. A place that doesn't take you because of how you feel is not a place you want to be at anyway.
Good luck, you'll undoubtedly do well.

 

[lynnier79]

When I graduated from college I was in a simialr position to you -- and instead of trying to figure out how to answer those questions I decided to NOT head directly in to MD/PhD programs. Instead, I took a full time clinical position because, in fact, I need to know for myself if the medical and patient care side of the career was as important to me as the research side. Turns out that it was, and its easier to more confidently talk about that with interviewers now.

Now, I realize that this might not help you as you interview for the MSTP right now. And certainly there are many programs who will not worry about your lack of experience, either. But, I would just suggest that for yourself you carefully go over those experiences that you HAVE had, and make sure that you know what you are getting into both clinically and research wise. In the end, its about doing in life what makes you happy -- not getting in to a program.

And, of course, I may not graduate until I'm 40, but 34, but I'd rather start a program now, at 26, knowing what it going to happen, then realize at 26 that I am in the wrong program.

lynnie

 

[ImmunoANT]

mudphudwannabe,
you are actually in a (much) better position than i was. i only had 2 months of volunteering when i applied. if anyone questioned about my clinical experience, i simply told them that i believed 2 months in an ER was enough for me to get a feel of working in a clinical setting. and then i quickly digressed by saying "hey do know if you knock out XXX-XX gene, T cells actually become ....." seriously though, surge is right: clinical experience is not the biggest thing a MSTP looks for.

relax, w/ your credential, you're likely to get into lots of MSTPs. 👍