MS in ChemE at MIT?

Getting into Med School is Hard? Not with BeMo.
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ChemE 4 Life

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Undergraduate School: UC Berkeley
Major: Chemical Engineering & Materials Science Engineering

cGPA: 3.98
sGPA: 4.00

GRE: Q-170, V- 164, AW - 5.0
MCAT: 15 BS, 14 PS, 12 VR (41T)

1. ~900 Hours of volunteering in several hospitals in EMS & Hospice departments
2. ~160 Hours of Physician shadowing: 6 Physicians
3. ~350 Hours of volunteering for PALS & Habitat for Humanity
4. ~800 Hours of working as Paid ER Scribe (Different from 1)
5. Volunteered in a Missionary abroad for Blind & Under served Children for 3 Summers and 1 Winter (24 Weeks Total) - I started in high school.
6. Paid Peer Tutor in Calc I&II, Physics Mech & Elec, Gen Chem I and II, and Orgo I for 6 sem.
7. Paid TA for Physics: Mechanics & Electricity and Gen Chemistry I & II for 4 sem.
8. Paid Library Worker for 5 semesters
9. Cofounder & President of Active Minds for 2 years
10. Founder & Director of a Non-Profit Organization (Pretty Successful)
11. Several academic and research awards
12. Conducted Research in 3 Laboratory settings under four professors(1 passed away and I won't be able to get rec letter) for 3 years
13. Published 2 Papers (1 FA, 1 SA) on ChemE & Physics (Both were hypothesis based), submitting another FA manuscript
14. Authored 2 Posters that were presented in Energy and Resources Conference & Biomedical Engineering Symposium
15. Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Undergraduate Summer Research Internship - 10 Week Program (will most likely conclude with another pub according to research directors)

I found out earlier this week that I've been accepted to Chemical Engineering Masters program at MIT (thesis based) w/ 31K funding per year !!!! :D Initially, I was going to apply to several MD/PhD programs this summer (using the gap year), but I've been really thinking about HMS - MIT MD/PhD. This is really my ultimate goal and I can't afford getting rejected from here for ANY reason. I know a couple of people who are doing their MSTP at HST and they are absolutely outstanding people and I feel my application at the moment wouldn't compete with theirs. If I do this master's program, I'll have an extremely competitive application w/ more research(thesis), publications, TA experience, and more notable recommendation providers. It'll be two years long and I'll be applying the summer after I finish my 1st year of the program.

I basically have three questions:

1. Is this plan advisable or should I just apply straight for MD/PhD straight through? I'll be an extremely competitive applicant with a great chance of being accepted if I complete the masters. I don't really care about being older than other matriculants, especially because the average age is 24.

2. If I complete the masters program (w/ a concentration in Biological Engineering) and get accepted to HST MD/PhD, will I be able to complete the entire program in 6 years instead of 8. I'm saying 6 years because I would already have my masters in my desired research area (BioE). If it isn't 6 years then I might have to reevaluate this plan.

3. Would going to MIT for grad school and getting a 4.0 increase my chances of getting into HST?
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Are you serious. Insane stats OP. I think you're probably good to go. Although for Harvard, nobody knows.
 
1) Overkill

2) Overkill

3) I would direct your question about years being truncated or not directly to the HST folks. They're open to questions like this.

Really evaluate what you want out of all this. Why must your MD/PhD be from Harvard/MIT? What will you do if for some reason you don't get in?
 
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Lamel said:
Are you serious. Insane stats OP. I think you're probably good to go. Although for Harvard, nobody knows.
Click to expand...

I Lol'd. I think he only wants HMS. Every other school is garbage ;)
 
are you really that dead set on Harvard? Obviously with your stats, especially in your major, Harvard is well in reach, but you just never know. It's pretty much a guarantee that you will get some love from some AMAZING top 10 schools, so why waste 2 years just to try and get into one school? For all you know after that 2 years you still won't get into Harvard. I say skip the masters, apply immediately, you will be extremely successful.
 
:barf: lol when you say you have 31k funding a year is that funding for your research or is it a full scholarship for you to attend? Because if it is near full tuition, then I don't see why not just do it, especially since you don't mind being older and entering medical school.

I'll let more qualified people answer your other questions but doing a two year masters degree for the sole purpose of getting into Harvard HST MD/PhD program seems a bit rash to me. If you're doing it because you would be fine with attending another top schools MD/PhD program then I understand that. But if you have the attitude of Harvard or nothing, then you might find yourself very disappointed.

I'm not saying you don't have what it takes, but there is just no guarantee no matter how many masters degrees/publications you have.
 
This is pretty crazy, but I'm assuming this is legit. If so, that's really damn impressive.
ChemE 4 Life said:
1. Is this plan advisable or should I just apply straight for MD/PhD straight through? I'll be an extremely competitive applicant with a great chance of being accepted if I complete the masters. I don't really care about being older than other matriculants, especially because the average age is 24.
Click to expand...
That's a personal call. as you said, you'd be really competitive with that (not that youre not already). Is this just a 1 year difference? that's not that big a difference, itll be another nice addition to your app, and more importantly, would doing this make you ok with going elsewhere for an MD/PhD (or just MD) since you will at least already have an advanced engineering degree from MIT?
2. If I complete the masters program (w/ a concentration in Biological Engineering) and get accepted to HST MD/PhD, will I be able to complete the entire program in 6 years instead of 8. I'm saying 6 years because I would already have my masters in my desired research area (BioE). If it isn't 6 years then I might have to reevaluate this plan.
Click to expand...
if you stayed in the same lab i could see that being possible, especially since it would be easier also to continue the same research during the first 2 years of med school (albeit less actively)
3. Would going to MIT for grad school and getting a 4.0 increase my chances of getting into HST?
Click to expand...
probably, but who knows what they may accept or reject someone for.
 
I've been so paranoid about this for the past few weeks. What kind of people get into their mstp program? I've got a genuine background and a great personality. Going to Harvard has been a dream for my entire life. I was rejected in my senior year of high school, and now I have the chance to apply again. For some reason I been having a mentality that no other school compares to it. That's what drove me to do everything I did for the last four years of my life. I'm trying hard to get rid of that notion, but honestly, even if I got into their NP program, I would take it and withdraw from every other mstp program immediately. I would just stick with doing research as a medical student using the hms facilities for a competitive residency.
 
ChemE 4 Life said:
I've been so paranoid about this for the past few weeks. What kind of people get into their mstp program? I've got a genuine background and a great personality. Going to Harvard has been a dream for my entire life. I was rejected in my senior year of high school, and now I have the chance to apply again. For some reason I been having a mentality that no other school compares to it. That's what drove me to do everything I did for the last four years of my life. I'm trying hard to get rid of that notion, but honestly, even if I got into their NP program, I would take it and withdraw from every other mstp program immediately. I would just stick with doing research as a medical student using the hms facilities for a competitive residency.
Click to expand...

Well you can apply NP and HST and I would think you could apply MD/PhD as well. I know that the NP and HST committee's do not interact so your kind of applying twice to their school when you think about it although there are fewer spots for HST. That broadens your chances. I don't know if the MD/PhD interacts with HST or NP though.

I just hope you don't do something crazy if you don't get in. We all want you to get in and its clear you have a competitive application, but we don't want you to kill yourself if you're rejected either because that may very well become a reality.
 
ChemE 4 Life said:
Undergraduate School: UC Berkeley
Major: Chemical Engineering & Materials Science Engineering

cGPA: 3.98
sGPA: 4.00

GRE: Q-170, V- 164, AW - 5.0
MCAT: 15 BS, 14 PS, 12 VR (41T)

1. ~900 Hours of volunteering in several hospitals in EMS & Hospice departments
2. ~160 Hours of Physician shadowing: 6 Physicians
3. ~350 Hours of volunteering for PALS & Habitat for Humanity
4. ~800 Hours of working as Paid ER Scribe (Different from 1)
5. Volunteered in a Missionary abroad for Blind & Under served Children for 3 Summers and 1 Winter (24 Weeks Total) - I started in high school.
6. Paid Peer Tutor in Calc I&II, Physics Mech & Elec, Gen Chem I and II, and Orgo I for 6 sem.
7. Paid TA for Physics: Mechanics & Electricity and Gen Chemistry I & II for 4 sem.
8. Paid Library Worker for 5 semesters
9. Cofounder & President of Active Minds for 2 years
10. Founder & Director of a Non-Profit Organization (Pretty Successful)
11. Several academic and research awards
12. Conducted Research in 3 Laboratory settings under four professors(1 passed away and I won't be able to get rec letter) for 3 years
13. Published 2 Papers (1 FA, 1 SA) on ChemE & Physics (Both were hypothesis based), submitting another FA manuscript
14. Authored 2 Posters that were presented in Energy and Resources Conference & Biomedical Engineering Symposium
15. Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Undergraduate Summer Research Internship - 10 Week Program (will most likely conclude with another pub according to research directors)

I found out earlier this week that I've been accepted to Chemical Engineering Masters program at MIT (thesis based) w/ 31K funding per year !!!! :D Initially, I was going to apply to several MD/PhD programs this summer (using the gap year), but I've been really thinking about HMS - MIT MD/PhD. This is really my ultimate goal and I can't afford getting rejected from here for ANY reason. I know a couple of people who are doing their MSTP at HST and they are absolutely outstanding people and I feel my application at the moment wouldn't compete with theirs. If I do this master's program, I'll have an extremely competitive application w/ more research(thesis), publications, TA experience, and more notable recommendation providers. It'll be two years long and I'll be applying the summer after I finish my 1st year of the program.

I basically have three questions:

1. Is this plan advisable or should I just apply straight for MD/PhD straight through? I'll be an extremely competitive applicant with a great chance of being accepted if I complete the masters. I don't really care about being older than other matriculants, especially because the average age is 24.

2. If I complete the masters program (w/ a concentration in Biological Engineering) and get accepted to HST MD/PhD, will I be able to complete the entire program in 6 years instead of 8. I'm saying 6 years because I would already have my masters in my desired research area (BioE). If it isn't 6 years then I might have to reevaluate this plan.

3. Would going to MIT for grad school and getting a 4.0 increase my chances of getting into HST?
Click to expand...

I wish I'd done ChemE or something interesting besides bio since I feel like I would have gained a lot more from it.
 
Trust me I'm not going to kill myself. :D I think I'll just do the masters program. I'll be taking a gap year anyway so one extra year to finish my thesis is not a problem. If I don't make it even after all this, I guess it wasn't meant to be. I don't know who would have a bigger loss... the adcoms or me.
 
Have you considered MSTP at UCLA/Caltech, Stanford, or UCSF/Berkeley?

Show some cali pride!
 
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ElCapone said:
I wish I'd done ChemE or something interesting besides bio since I feel like I would have gained a lot more from it.
Click to expand...

It's a great major and a great experience, but it isn't for everyone. In my opinion, most people on sdn just waste four years of their life majoring in something that they don't even like so they can take the easy way out to get into medical school. It's pretty sad.
 
MVP said:
Have you considered MSTP at UCLA/Caltech, Stanford, or UCSF/Berkeley?

Show some cali pride!
Click to expand...

Definitely! After being SDN for over an hour now... I'm starting to lose the HMS madness all of a sudden :p I <3 all of those programs and I love California!!!
 
MVP said:
Have you considered MSTP at UCLA/Caltech, Stanford, or UCSF/Berkeley?

Show some cali pride!
Click to expand...

How insulting. OP you deserve better. :thumbdown:

UCSF is like DO/PhD compared to Harvard.
 
Yes. I asked that question around a month ago before grad program decision came out. Any problem?
 
MIT's unnecessary, but I'm going to say something controversial.

You don't really want to be a physician.

Not really. I'm sure you think you do, but you don't. You want to be a prestigious researcher, with an MD as backup if that doesn't pan out. You want Harvard-MIT and all that goes with it. That's great. But you don't need an MD, and would do better to not waste your time getting one.

You'll be successful regardless of what you do. You've checked all the boxes to an almost nauseating degree. HMS won't be a guarantee if you do the MIT thing. If anything, it may make you less likely to get it, because I think they'll get the same impression I'm getting, and a masters at MIT reinforces that.

I doubt you'll end up using that MD all that much if you do get it. If you need it to fulfill whatever prestige-dependent goals you have, and can't let go of that - then yes. Go for it all.

But I don't think you really want it.
 
Bearstronaut said:
MIT's unnecessary, but I'm going to say something controversial.

You don't really want to be a physician.

Not really. I'm sure you think you do, but you don't. You want to be a prestigious researcher, with an MD as backup if that doesn't pan out. You want Harvard-MIT and all that goes with it. That's great. But you don't need an MD, and would do better to not waste your time getting one.

You'll be successful regardless of what you do. You've checked all the boxes to an almost nauseating degree. HMS won't be a guarantee if you do the MIT thing. If anything, it may make you less likely to get it, because I think they'll get the same impression I'm getting, and a masters at MIT reinforces that.

I doubt you'll end up using that MD all that much if you do get it. If you need it to fulfill whatever prestige-dependent goals you have, and can't let go of that - then yes. Go for it all.

But I don't think you really want it.
Click to expand...

I think about that everyday. I feel like I'm fooling myself at certain times. I don't even know anymore.
 
ChemE 4 Life said:
I think about that everyday. I feel like I'm fooling myself at certain times. I don't even know anymore.
Click to expand...

In that case, do the MIT program.

You may discover it's not for you, and go for an MD-only program. You may find the itch is too much to be so lightly scratched, and gun for MSTP. You may find MIT is everything you've been looking for, fall in love with your project, and continue into a PhD there. You may meet a beautiful British lad/lass and follow them to Oxbridge, or do research fellowships in Japan, China, backpack across Asia to your lab in Europe, or the US. The MIT program, those years, give you those options to play with. I wouldn't throw that away.
 
Bearstronaut said:
In that case, do the MIT program.

You may discover it's not for you, and go for an MD-only program. You may find the itch is too much to be so lightly scratched, and gun for MSTP. You may find MIT is everything you've been looking for, fall in love with your project, and continue into a PhD there. You may meet a beautiful British lad/lass and follow them to Oxbridge, or do research fellowships in Japan, China, backpack across Asia to your lab in Europe, or the US. The MIT program, those years, give you those options to play with. I wouldn't throw that away.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I decided I will do it.
 
If this is not a joke..

Good luck with whatever you end up doing (sounds like MIT), you are going places that's for sure. Incredible!
 
Good luck!! =D
 
Bearstronaut said:
MIT's unnecessary, but I'm going to say something controversial.

You don't really want to be a physician.

Not really. I'm sure you think you do, but you don't. You want to be a prestigious researcher, with an MD as backup if that doesn't pan out. You want Harvard-MIT and all that goes with it. That's great. But you don't need an MD, and would do better to not waste your time getting one.

You'll be successful regardless of what you do. You've checked all the boxes to an almost nauseating degree. HMS won't be a guarantee if you do the MIT thing. If anything, it may make you less likely to get it, because I think they'll get the same impression I'm getting, and a masters at MIT reinforces that.

I doubt you'll end up using that MD all that much if you do get it. If you need it to fulfill whatever prestige-dependent goals you have, and can't let go of that - then yes. Go for it all.

But I don't think you really want it.
Click to expand...

This made me think about why I want to go into medicine :oops:
 
What Bearstronaut said is a more articulate version of what I was going to say. OP's name is ChemE 4 life
 
Your app made me vomit in my mouth.
 
I am curious about which class brought your cGPA down from the 4.0
 
What's the secret to getting an A in organic chemistry? 4.0 sGPA is insane in ChemE. Honestly you probably have a good shot at HMS but nothing is for sure.
 
ChemE 4 Life said:
It's a great major and a great experience, but it isn't for everyone. In my opinion, most people on sdn just waste four years of their life majoring in something that they don't even like so they can take the easy way out to get into medical school. It's pretty sad.
Click to expand...

This makes me feel bad :/ I would've definitely done things different if I knew what I wanted to do earlier. But I guess that's part of the journey!
 
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