Post-Bacc to MD/PhD Possible??

[whatevaittakes]

What if you want to pursue an MD/PhD and you don't feel quailified enough to get in the programs you desire. Would you suggest doing a post-bacc for one year and then a one-year masters after that and apply between the summer of the post-bacc and masters program? Or would it be best to do a program like Mount Sinai's PREP-MED. I know that my gpa for an MD/PhD is not good enough and since only a post-bacc can help the ugpa I figured I'd do that but, I also want to a masters to get more experience in the field in which I plan to get the PhD portion. What do y'll think. My ugrad gpa will be b/n >3.2 but <3.5 something when I graduate next year. Thanks for any and all advice. Best of wishes to you all.

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[isoquin]

I was wondering the same thing. Just about everyone I come in contact with is pushing me towards a Ph.D. My says I have a much better mind for it (but clearly she's biased, as a Ph.D. herself). I honestly don't know. I think I've gotten a bit down on the whole possibility, so am taking the "safe route" (aaahahahahahaha riiiiight) and just applying for MD.

 

[Stixman28]

Id say just do the post bac, and somehow raise that gpa. Also keep in mind that there are mstp md/phd programs and non federally funded md/phd programs that tend to be less competitive, (relatively of course).

the masters do you plan on applying to during the post bac? keep focused, and hopefully you can pull off what you need. I wouldnt sweat the masters, as mostly I believe that other degrees dont necessarily help with your app. Mostly, if you are so interested in research as to go through a masters etc, why do you want the md too?

Do some searching on md applicants maybe to get a taste of where you need to stand, and there's always rocking the mcat to outweigh your gpa. good luck

 

[Chauffeur2MD]

My wife is an MD/PhD student and her grades were not spectacular - 3.4 something. She was a classic example of screwing up during freshman and sophomore years and then pulled the GPA up later. She did an MS, but it was not for the grades. It was a research-based master's and there were very few courses to take.

I think the key for MD/PhD programs is research experience if you don't have stellar grades and/or if you are doing a postbac. A really high GPA is not always necessary if you have 2+ years of research.

Plus, I was in Columbia's postbac program and was told by an admissions director that MD/PhD is definitely possible coming from a postbac program.

Good luck!

 

[Instatewaiter]

Since you are trying to go to go into a research discipline I think that you should go for a normal 2 year masters program that involves a research thesis, especially if the masters program is tied to some sort of SMP or SMP-like graduate program.