Potential MD/PhD applicant in need of advice...

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killerTcell

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Hello,
I applied MD only during the 2018-2019 cycle and was waitlisted (and then finally rejected) by the 5 schools I interviewed at. Alongside my interest in medicine has always been a passion for science and following the rejections I decided to take a job at a biotech startup and eventually pursue a PhD. Now I'm having second thoughts and am considering reapplying MD/PhD (in 2021) because I feel it combines both my interests and is a better overall fit for my application. Do you think this stint outside of academia may hinder me? For some context, here is some more info...

3.7 c/sGPA, 518
~2 years undergrad research in a mol bio lab (highest thesis honors, middle author pub from separate project)
1 year of half clinical/half bench research (during application cycle...middle author pub outlining results of the clinical trial is under review)
100 hours clinical volunteering
Varsity athlete
Now at the biotech startup (potential for publications, but that's obviously not the main focus in industry)

Thanks in advance!

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No, the stint outside academia will NOT hinder you. You seem to have done enough. However, as many applicants can tell you, you need to be intentional. Several school obviously saw enough to interview you for MD/PhD. Are you a better applicant today? More mature? More presentations, publications or other scholarly work? Talk about it. I have 3 matriculants who got in as re-applicants. Each of them was clearly stronger in their re-application.
 
No, the stint outside academia will NOT hinder you. You seem to have done enough. However, as many applicants can tell you, you need to be intentional. Several school obviously saw enough to interview you for MD/PhD. Are you a better applicant today? More mature? More presentations, publications or other scholarly work? Talk about it. I have 3 matriculants who got in as re-applicants. Each of them was clearly stronger in their re-application.

Thanks for your reply, Fencer. I applied MD ONLY my first round, so my application has not been viewed through the MD/PhD lens, but as I look back it seems that it would have originally been a better fit...
 
Thanks for your reply, Fencer. I applied MD ONLY my first round, so my application has not been viewed through the MD/PhD lens, but as I look back it seems that it would have originally been a better fit...
If I could just give some reassurance, I also applied MD-only first time around a few years back, interviewed, and didn't get in. I took a break, finished a master's, and am accepted MD/PhD this past cycle. While my previous application was asked about, it didn't hold me back IMO. If anything, it offered an opportunity to demonstrate my maturation and commitment to the physician-scientist pathway during interviews.
 
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