Post-Bac Research

[ratherberocking]

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Hey,

I want to pursue an MD/PhD and have done two and a half years of research. However, my research has mostly dealt with chemistry, and I would like to transition to biology based on research I conducted in a summer research program. Many people have advised me to do a one year post-bacc research program. I've heard of PREP, NIH INRA, and other programs like Dana-Farber, Baylor SMART, etc. I've also thought of a MA in Biotech. So my questions are

Which do you think is better for MD/PhD: Post-bac research or MA in Biotech?

What other post-bac research programs are good and advisable to pursue?

Thanks!😀

 

[Wylde]

I am also interested in this (well, I am thinking about doing post-bacc research and then PhD-only).

Would it be better to do a 2 year program, since you would be applying when you are starting your post bacc research (and therefore cannot really have any publications/lors/etc. from it). I guess what I mean is: can a 1 year program even be significantly beneficial?

 

[noplacelikehome]

I've heard many good things about the longer NIH IRTA programs. They're several month to two year postbacs (you can decide on the duration once you've applied and decided on a lab and all of that, as long as your PI agrees to it). I did about a five month long one, I learned a ton, and really got something done. It was a HUGE help applying, so I'd say a shorter postbac probably would still be worth it. I don't know if that would be better than a master's. I'd think the only real difference would be the coursework in the master's, and a thesis. Maybe if you haven't taken much biology coursework as an undergrad? Just a thought - biotech masters program where I am is very geared towards industry and tech positions, so if you do that, I'd make sure to look for an academic program (I assume you've already thought about that and know more than I do).

 

[ratherberocking]

Thanks for your reply! I'm glad to hear post-bac helps! I guess I'll just end up doing that if I can get into one. I want to go into academic medicine, maybe even be a PI one day (dream...)
Anyways, THANKS!

 

[tiedyeddog]

I am also interested in this (well, I am thinking about doing post-bacc research and then PhD-only).

In my experience I would say you don't need to do a post-bacc in order to get into PhD programs. Hell, a grad student in a lab I work in had no wet bench work and got into her grad program which is entirely based on wet bench research....

 

[Wylde]

In my experience I would say you don't need to do a post-bacc in order to get into PhD programs. Hell, a grad student in a lab I work in had no wet bench work and got into her grad program which is entirely based on wet bench research....

I know. I want to do post-bacc research because I am not sure that my current subfield of biology is the one that I want to pursue a PhD in. Also, itll increase my competitiveness for some of the better programs.

I still have some thinking to do 🙁

 

[biophysicianai]

Dana-Farber and NIH IRTA seem to be the only programs on ratherberocking's list that are for people who have completed a bachelors. SMART and PREP (I think) are for undergrads. Am I wrong about this?

Any other post-bacc programs that people know about?

I'd like to re-raise Wylde's question:

Would it be better to do a 2 year program, since you would be applying when you are starting your post bacc research (and therefore cannot really have any publications/lors/etc. from it). I guess what I mean is: can a 1 year program even be significantly beneficial?

As the answer to this question probably depends heavily on the case, let's assume we're all "normal" MD/PhD apps- 2ish years of undergrad research, 3.7ish (not 3.9ish), and 35ish MCAT (no 43 S.O.B.s)