PhD in biological anthropology before going to Med School- advice

[avatar150]

I am currently a Masters student in biological anthropology at the University of Cambridge and am considering applying for the PhD program in the same field for next year. It would be a 3-year program and am wondering how it would be viewed along with my past experiences for when i reapply for a third time to MD programs in the US?

I have applied two-times before: 1) for admission in August 2015 [to try and go directly after undergrad] and 2) for admission in August 2017 [to try and go after my postbac fellowship at NIH]

Stats from August 2015 app
B.S. biological sciences
B.A. cultural anthropology
overall GPA- 3.90/4.0
science GPA- 3.82/4.0
MCAT- 8V/10PS/10Bio 28 total
2 summer research experiences
various part-time work experiences (tutor, medical receptionist, admin assistant)
volunteering (Relay for Life team captain, Health Leads advocate)
EC- competed on ultimate frisbee team; officer for 2 years
no clinical experience

Stats from August 2017 reapplication (NEW from previous app)
B.S./B.A. degrees awarded
magna cum laude
overall GPA- 3.88
science GPA- 3.77
new MCAT- 126chem/124CR/127bio/127psych (504 total; 67th percentile)
NIH postbac fellow (started April 2015)
hospital patient care volunteer
presentations/posters at conferences added
honors/scholarships added
no clear clinical experience/shadowing?

Things in progress now and future plans
1. currently studying in a 1 year program for a MPhil (masters) in Applied Biological Anthropology- Cambridge does not have or release transcripts, just informs if a student is awarded a degree (this is what I have been told)
2. started shadowing a respiratory specialist while studying at Cambridge; will continue while studying here to get clinical exposure
3. have 2 publications from my NIH fellowship (completed July 2017; just over 2 years) and others in progress
4. plan to retake the new MCAT to boost my score to get to at least 510

Since I am here at Cambridge and am interested in the research project I am doing as part of my dissertation, I am thinking of applying to stay for a PhD if I can get full funding. My concerns though are the following:
1. How medical admissions committees might view my academic/career path up to this point and with the addition of a PhD if I am able to stay?
2. How will my multiple reapplications be generally perceived by committees and any advice on how to best address it?
3. Currently I am 24 and if I complete the PhD program would be 28/29. Would that be a hindrance if I took a year off to study for the MCAT and then apply? Or should I study and apply in my last year of the PhD program?

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[SpoiledMilk]

Solely based on what I have gathered from SDN Adcoms' advice, answers to your questions as follows:

Q1: Your pedigree would add diversity to any medical class especially research intensive med schools. Just prepare a compelling answer to a possible question of why MD now rather than stay as a PhD.

Q2: Both your two previous MCATs are at 67%. You must hit your goal of at least 510+ on your third attempt. The biggest hole in your 1st cycle was the lack of clinical/shadowing volunteerism. You have hospice volunteerism in your second cycle. But how many hours? I suggest for your third cycle, get 100+ hours of another type of clinical experience with clear patient contact (ER volunteerism perhaps). If you can, also try to get at least 50 hours of primary care shadowing experience and if you add nonclinical volunteer hours for underserved populations (soup kitchen perhaps). These are vital and will add to your hospice time.

Q3: No issues at all with age. Based on your past two MCATs, perhaps it would too much to study for it a 3rd time while doing your PhD. If you believe taking a year off to study for hopefully, your final MCAT attempt, will result in hitting the 510+ target, then it would be wise to do so and hit that triple/home run.

My $0.02, but @gyngyn @Goro @Catalystik can help you with real Adcom expertise.

GL!

 

[Catalystik]

I am currently a Masters student in biological anthropology at the University of Cambridge and am considering applying for the PhD program in the same field for next year. It would be a 3-year program and am wondering how it would be viewed along with my past experiences for when i reapply for a third time to MD programs in the US?

I have applied two-times before: 1) for admission in August 2015 [to try and go directly after undergrad] and 2) for admission in August 2017 [to try and go after my postbac fellowship at NIH]

Stats from August 2015 app
B.S. biological sciences
B.A. cultural anthropology
overall GPA- 3.90/4.0
science GPA- 3.82/4.0
MCAT- 8V/10PS/10Bio 28 total
2 summer research experiences
various part-time work experiences (tutor, medical receptionist, admin assistant)
volunteering (Relay for Life team captain, Health Leads advocate)
EC- competed on ultimate frisbee team; officer for 2 years
no clinical experience

Stats from August 2017 reapplication (NEW from previous app)
B.S./B.A. degrees awarded
magna cum laude
overall GPA- 3.88
science GPA- 3.77
new MCAT- 126chem/124CR/127bio/127psych (504 total; 67th percentile)
NIH postbac fellow (started April 2015)
hospital patient care volunteer
presentations/posters at conferences added
honors/scholarships added
no clear clinical experience/shadowing?

A. Things in progress now and future plans
1. currently studying in a 1 year program for a MPhil (masters) in Applied Biological Anthropology- Cambridge does not have or release transcripts, just informs if a student is awarded a degree (this is what I have been told)
2. started shadowing a respiratory specialist while studying at Cambridge; will continue while studying here to get clinical exposure
3. have 2 publications from my NIH fellowship (completed July 2017; just over 2 years) and others in progress
4. plan to retake the new MCAT to boost my score to get to at least 510

B. Since I am here at Cambridge and am interested in the research project I am doing as part of my dissertation, I am thinking of applying to stay for a PhD if I can get full funding. My concerns though are the following:
1. How medical admissions committees might view my academic/career path up to this point and with the addition of a PhD if I am able to stay?
2. How will my multiple reapplications be generally perceived by committees and any advice on how to best address it?
3. Currently I am 24 and if I complete the PhD program would be 28/29. Would that be a hindrance if I took a year off to study for the MCAT and then apply? Or should I study and apply in my last year of the PhD program?

Are you a US citizen?
Was your undergrad completed in the US or Canada?
Did you also apply to DO medical schools?


A. 1) AMCAS and AACOMAS don't accept international transcripts, anyways.

2) Shadowing a doc in another country is fine, but your physician shadowing experiences should be dominated by US docs. Agree with the need for primary care provider shadowing to be included on your list, but it needn't be all 50 hours.

4) Many med schools average multiple MCAT scores. I suggest you aim for way better than a 510 for MD schools.

B. 1) I agree with DV-T.

2) You address your multiple applications by showing continued improvements in your stats and experiences. What were you thinking to apply without decent clinical experience and shadowing? A lack of hands-on volunteering that assisted those in need is something else to address.

3) Your age will not be a hindrance. Don't apply again until you have the whole package. There's no rush.

 

[avatar150]

Thank you @DV-T and @Catalystik for your feedback. It has definitely been very helpful. To address some points you brought up I figure I would just post separately and tag you in it.

I am a US citizen and completed my undergrad education in the US. I did not apply to DO schools either time. I wasn't aware of them the first time, and then the second time was not familiar with them relative to MD schools. After more research I plan to apply to both MD and DO schools in the future.

Regarding why I applied the first time without the clinical experience, I didn't have much guidance the first time and thought it was more based on coursework and other things. I have since learned from my misinformation and have been trying to take steps on it which I thought I did the second time. For my hospital patient care volunteering, I had about 60 hours by the time I applied and maybe got another 30 or so after in total. I have roughly 90 hours lets say from there. I also had included being a Health Leads advocate which is a community service organization helping link people with social services they were eligible for and assisting with the application process. From that I had about 50 hours and it was included on my first cycle. Again, learning experience yet again from the second time and now hoping that the third time I apply will be the last one when I do.

I had a follow up question for anyone to address regarding recency of experiences. I've been out of undergrad for almost 3 years now and had team officer and volunteering from then that I listed on both apps. When I apply again it could be about 6-7 years since undergrad. Is it beneficial to still list these experiences (team officer, volunteering, etc) or better for me to engage in more recent experiences and list those instead?

 

[SpoiledMilk]

From my own personal experience this cycle, I far exceed your 6-7 years since undergrad. I listed a combo of both past and present experiences. I don't think listing past experiences will hurt as long as those experiences were meaningful/substantive and helped shaped the person/applicant you are at the time you apply again.

 

[Catalystik]

I had a follow up question for anyone to address regarding recency of experiences. I've been out of undergrad for almost 3 years now and had team officer and volunteering from then that I listed on both apps. When I apply again it could be about 6-7 years since undergrad. Is it beneficial to still list these experiences (team officer, volunteering, etc) or better for me to engage in more recent experiences and list those instead?

It's fine to list older experiences (if you have the space), but you must have recent experiences too.

 

[amuseddoughnut]

Agree with all of the above suggestions. I think you should take some time off to study for the MCAT. It's very difficult to compete with people who are taking time off to study when you aren't.