MSTP EC's

[Reimat]

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Of course research is most important- but in terms of other important EC's, are they generally different from a typical med. school applicant? I guess I wonder because some school MSTPs say that you must first be admitted into the medical school before being considered in the dual degree program. Most prospective MSTP applicants have sacrificed summers of doctor shadowing for research, as well as traded possible hours volunteering in a hospital for hours in a lab. In order to be a competitive applicant, does it stand to reason that you must have the EC's of a typical med school applicant, but the research of a PhD applicant? 😕

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Of course research is most important- but in terms of other important EC's, are they generally different from a typical med. school applicant? I guess I wonder because some school MSTPs say that you must first be admitted into the medical school before being considered in the dual degree program. Most prospective MSTP applicants have sacrificed summers of doctor shadowing for research, as well as traded possible hours volunteering in a hospital for hours in a lab. In order to be a competitive applicant, does it stand to reason that you must have the EC's of a typical med school applicant, but the research of a PhD applicant? 😕

Research is definitely the most important factor in your application. Most MD adcoms will defer the decision to the MSTP (i.e., they will either wait-list you or accept you knowing that if the MSTP does decide to accept you, you're set). Usually you shouldn't get flat out rejected by the MD program unless there is something egregiously wrong with your application or you make a total ass of yourself during the interview.

My application was mainly research...just a few little EC's here and there but adcoms quickly got the impression that research was my major activity at university. Focus on the research...a few little EC's can only help...but don't go too far out of your way to get those ECs (i.e., work in the lab during summers and during the school years...don't feel obligated to work at soup kitchens or foster homes, etc.)

 

[Habari]

it depends on the school, and the field of applicants. obviously, if any school can stand to get students with both strong research and ec's, then of course they will be higher choices. furthermore, some schools (urochester, ucsf, harvard come to mind) require applicants to be accepted independently in order to be admitted into the mstp. i know that for my school, while the admissions are independantly reviewed by the mstp committee, every student accepted has at least the ec's of a straight med student. and as andy mentioned, research is a prerequisite, and everything else strengthens your application.