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Hi everybody,
Ok so this is the first time I've posted. I apologize if any of this is redundant. I plan to apply to Md/Phd programs, entrance Fall 2007. After graduation I will have had 3 years straight of independent undergraduate research. Also, I spent one summer at the national human genome research institute and will return for 1 year on a fellowship post graduation (same lab). I'll be taking the MCAT this spring. I have a 3.68/3.70 and will be completing an honors thesis and will be an author (7th author, nothing too big) on a publication, in press, in PNAS. I've done tons of shadowing in the genetics dept (cancer and peds) at the hospital and am a companion for a rape crisis center. I'm not trying to flaunt myself but honestly want to know, based on others experiences, how competitive of an applicant I am. Will I need to settle for less competitive programs, or am I competitive for a top program? Are there any weaknesses in my profile thus far that I can work on before applying?
Also, How articulate does one have to be about expressing the desire for the dual degrees in an interview? I'm not sure how much detail they will look for. And I'm not sure what is 'obvious.' I mean, we are all interviewing to become physician-scientists, right? So do I need to make that clear? Should I discuss my desire to have strong research training, not present in the MD only route. For example, I am intrigued by human genetics and would like to study the molecular basis of human genetic disease. And of course, this is very preliminary because who knows what I may become interested in later. But one thing is for sure, I love genetics. Whether it be cancer genetics or studying the genetic basis of heart disease. Is the desire to engage in more translational research, bringing insight from the basic science part into the clinic sufficient? For example, I want to have the medical training to properly approach biomedical problems and understand the pressing issues in medicine. I feel like it would be very difficult and require all your own, outside time to gain the medical knowledge while in a PhD program. I want to have the medical background to fully undestand the problem I'm studying. A medical knowledge is necessary to undestand the biomedical question that you are asking. Unless, its very basic science.
Ok I'm done, finally, thanks! Sorry if this seems long.
Ok so this is the first time I've posted. I apologize if any of this is redundant. I plan to apply to Md/Phd programs, entrance Fall 2007. After graduation I will have had 3 years straight of independent undergraduate research. Also, I spent one summer at the national human genome research institute and will return for 1 year on a fellowship post graduation (same lab). I'll be taking the MCAT this spring. I have a 3.68/3.70 and will be completing an honors thesis and will be an author (7th author, nothing too big) on a publication, in press, in PNAS. I've done tons of shadowing in the genetics dept (cancer and peds) at the hospital and am a companion for a rape crisis center. I'm not trying to flaunt myself but honestly want to know, based on others experiences, how competitive of an applicant I am. Will I need to settle for less competitive programs, or am I competitive for a top program? Are there any weaknesses in my profile thus far that I can work on before applying?
Also, How articulate does one have to be about expressing the desire for the dual degrees in an interview? I'm not sure how much detail they will look for. And I'm not sure what is 'obvious.' I mean, we are all interviewing to become physician-scientists, right? So do I need to make that clear? Should I discuss my desire to have strong research training, not present in the MD only route. For example, I am intrigued by human genetics and would like to study the molecular basis of human genetic disease. And of course, this is very preliminary because who knows what I may become interested in later. But one thing is for sure, I love genetics. Whether it be cancer genetics or studying the genetic basis of heart disease. Is the desire to engage in more translational research, bringing insight from the basic science part into the clinic sufficient? For example, I want to have the medical training to properly approach biomedical problems and understand the pressing issues in medicine. I feel like it would be very difficult and require all your own, outside time to gain the medical knowledge while in a PhD program. I want to have the medical background to fully undestand the problem I'm studying. A medical knowledge is necessary to undestand the biomedical question that you are asking. Unless, its very basic science.
Ok I'm done, finally, thanks! Sorry if this seems long.