Pre-MD/PhD Need Opinions
- Thread starter heysup
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a) and b) As long as you have some clinical experience during college, you should be fine. This is basically used to check that you know what doctors do and that you do want to learn medicine (as opposed to your straight PhD who may or may not care if research can be applied to medicine--they want medical researchers). Translational research seems to be a big theme in MD/PhD training grants lately...
c) Not sure on timing.
d) It depends on the school. Some will let you choose from any department; others lump all of biology into a single biology department and only let you do your PhD in that area. It doesn't really matter if you stay with your research in the end or not. There are a few kids in my program who knew exactly what they wanted to do before they started their PhD. Most people had some general idea of what they liked. Others started from scratch or found a new area when they did their pre-PhD rotations...
c) Not sure on timing.
d) It depends on the school. Some will let you choose from any department; others lump all of biology into a single biology department and only let you do your PhD in that area. It doesn't really matter if you stay with your research in the end or not. There are a few kids in my program who knew exactly what they wanted to do before they started their PhD. Most people had some general idea of what they liked. Others started from scratch or found a new area when they did their pre-PhD rotations...
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- Pre-Medical
Alright cool, from what I've heard its more about what you say of your shadowing experience (essay/interview) than it is having X hours of shadowing, and its also, was he just at a doctors desk, or did he see speak or work with people.
Also, I'm concerned about my lack of community service hours...I am very busy so I find it hard to just donate 5-10 hours a week to service, especially this semester with course lab, mcat study and shadowing...
I dont know if the MD/PhD programs are understanding about that, or if even in my case the lack of hours could be a deal breaker...
If anyone has volunteering suggestions also...i would only have friday nights/sat nights and sundays...(the same time i have for shadowing!)
Also, I'm concerned about my lack of community service hours...I am very busy so I find it hard to just donate 5-10 hours a week to service, especially this semester with course lab, mcat study and shadowing...
I dont know if the MD/PhD programs are understanding about that, or if even in my case the lack of hours could be a deal breaker...
If anyone has volunteering suggestions also...i would only have friday nights/sat nights and sundays...(the same time i have for shadowing!)
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- Pre-Medical
You seem to have your stuff together. I wouldn't stress too much about additional volunteering. If you can find something you'll enjoy doing go for it, but if not don't worry the most important thing is research.
As for MCAT timing, I took mine in May as well and it worked out fine for me. I got my scores in June then submitted my primary as soon as I could after that. The only problem would be if you have to take it again so just realize that going into it.
Good luck with everything!
As for MCAT timing, I took mine in May as well and it worked out fine for me. I got my scores in June then submitted my primary as soon as I could after that. The only problem would be if you have to take it again so just realize that going into it.
Good luck with everything!
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- Pre-Medical
You're in good shape, so don't stress too much. I didn't have much shadowing at all, or even the highest MCAT, and have gotten many interviews, acceptances. I think gung-ho applicants tend to forget about how important it is to have very personal, strong letters of recommendation and a meaningful personal statement. Don't forget to have hobbies that wouldn't appear on an application. My experience has been that committees would rather have you do a few things very well, especially when it comes to extracurriculars. My biggest advice would be to take the time to have personal relationships with the people who will write your letters.
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- MD/PhD Student
A few things.
1. Apply to more than 14 programs. Its expensive, but given the high volume of applicants...and the luck of the draw of the application process...it doesn't hurt. Being able to converse about your research as well as good LOR are probably some of the most important things for your MDPhD app.
2. Apply early. This is generally a great rule of thumb, but I would start writing your personal statement in your free time NOW. Same goes for your significant research experience essay. You can have professors, friends, etc. start reviewing and editing your essays now, so that you won't have to worry about writing these when it comes time. You CAN submit your primary before your MCAT scores are in.
3. What are your plans for next year? 2011-2012 for you will be your "gap" year and some schools will want to know what you're going to do with it. I would suggest something research related. Many PIs are great about allowing you to travel for interviews while doing research in their lab.
1. Apply to more than 14 programs. Its expensive, but given the high volume of applicants...and the luck of the draw of the application process...it doesn't hurt. Being able to converse about your research as well as good LOR are probably some of the most important things for your MDPhD app.
2. Apply early. This is generally a great rule of thumb, but I would start writing your personal statement in your free time NOW. Same goes for your significant research experience essay. You can have professors, friends, etc. start reviewing and editing your essays now, so that you won't have to worry about writing these when it comes time. You CAN submit your primary before your MCAT scores are in.
3. What are your plans for next year? 2011-2012 for you will be your "gap" year and some schools will want to know what you're going to do with it. I would suggest something research related. Many PIs are great about allowing you to travel for interviews while doing research in their lab.
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1. LOL I knew applying to 14 summer research programs was good practice; the summer programs I applied to will likely be the same places I apply for my MD/PhD more or less. Just finished sending all of them, organization, especially with computer docs, was very helpful.
2. Applying in May is early i think?? Can I submit my primary in may before my MCAT and before my LORs? I plan on obtaining a letter late may(from pre-health committee), and another hopefully from the PI I work with later in the summer. I just hope he/she can still submit a letter so far after I sent my primary.
Also the secondary applications, if I get sent a secondary application (I dont know when the schools do so??) Does that mean that they viewed the primary and wont see changes??? I'm concerned that they don't see the LOR from the end of the summer.
Lastly, I figure my essay will be very similar to my current statement that is 5500 characters with spaces more or less. But with commentary on clinical/volunteering experiences that I will have this semester...So hopefully writing it will mean just making some changes to what I already have written...I don't think that frowned upon? 15 applications is a lot lol. Can't write a billion essays.
3. Plans for 2011/2012 would be to continue in research and I'll likely continue to volunteer/clinical experience over the fall, because I know interviewers will want to make sure I didn't slack off. According to my track, I will be presenting work in November, and in the spring. Then graduate with a Honors in Bio (Thesis Paper required). I currently have no results/presentations/publications...Mice/Cancer take time sadly.
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This score probably neither helps nor hurts you. The writing subscore is the least important. Just keep doing what you're doing. Only a few applicants are ever going to be absolute shoo-ins; becoming one needn't be your goal.
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IMHO, you should not be focusing on the perceived "tier" of any given institution. Focus on finding a program or department that you want to work in. For a start, look for journal articles that interest you, and then figure out if any of the authors of those papers are faculty at a school that has an MD/PhD program.
You can also use NIH's RePORTER website (http://projectreporter.nih.gov/reporter.cfm) to search for grant information. Input keywords that you're interested in into the "Term search" field. Or just type %T32% (with the percent symbols) into the "Project number" field, and it will spit out a list of active training grants.
If you really want to do research, then the "tier" of the institution where you get your degrees will matter far less than how good your research turns out. Trust me: People go to "top" schools but after they leave they have trouble getting funding because they were just being propped up by their PIs. On the other hand, plenty of people fail to get accepted by these "top" schools, but then have great careers.
That's why it's best to find research that you are interested in. Your commitment to finding answers to questions that interest you will allow you to succeed in your research career. If you go to a "good school" then you'll always have that name stamped on your CV, but it might not end up doing you much good if you're not really that interested in the research and so you're not as productive.
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- Pre-Medical
this makes me feel a bit better.
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IMHO, you should not be focusing on the perceived "tier" of any given institution. Focus on finding a program or department that you want to work in. For a start, look for journal articles that interest you, and then figure out if any of the authors of those papers are faculty at a school that has an MD/PhD program.
You can also use NIH's RePORTER website (http://projectreporter.nih.gov/reporter.cfm) to search for grant information. Input keywords that you're interested in into the "Term search" field. Or just type %T32% (with the percent symbols) into the "Project number" field, and it will spit out a list of active training grants.
If you really want to do research, then the "tier" of the institution where you get your degrees will matter far less than how good your research turns out. Trust me: People go to "top" schools but after they leave they have trouble getting funding because they were just being propped up by their PIs. On the other hand, plenty of people fail to get accepted by these "top" schools, but then have great careers.
That's why it's best to find research that you are interested in. Your commitment to finding answers to questions that interest you will allow you to succeed in your research career. If you go to a "good school" then you'll always have that name stamped on your CV, but it might not end up doing you much good if you're not really that interested in the research and so you're not as productive.
this is a great tool!!! thanks!!!
The only reason I focused on tier, is because I really didn't know how else I could make my comparison other than maybe if I knew that university did xyz research, but this tool really helps clear that up.
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- Pre-Medical
Now I am trying to "rank" or prioritize where I apply...I have a list of 37 schools and I need to limit that to say 15 or so...(costs so much to apply....)
In this process I am basing my choices based on
1) Do I fit? (My Scores, GPA, how large is the program etc)
-Either I am above Average, Average or Below.
-Might try to limit the number of small programs I apply to...(5 or less spots) since the chances become smaller...
-Also Will I be fully funded??
2) Prestige (Top 10 School Research/Med? Y or N *Many different rankings depending on dept. and what medicine I know, or MSTP?)
3) Research (Are they doing the research I want to do??, probably since I am interested in Cell Biology, Cancer, Stem Cell Research...but I am looking in depth here)
-The tool posted above is great!
-Trying to see how I can tell who is doing "better" research in these fields. I don't think I can pick schools based on PI's (at least not out of 37 schools...I'll probably look at the PI's of the schools I get into since that will be a much smaller list than who I apply to...) *Need help trying to see who has better research in the fields I am most interested in....any thoughts?
any other ideas or thoughts/comments/recommendations???
Note: I am not basing my rankings on prestige/name alone at all. But I'm not ignoring it either.. I am trying to pick 5 schools that my stats are above average for, 5 that are average, and 5 that are probably reaching big name schools that are highly competitive; with the 5 being picked on what I mentioned above.
Massive colorful excel sheet going on here...
In this process I am basing my choices based on
1) Do I fit? (My Scores, GPA, how large is the program etc)
-Either I am above Average, Average or Below.
-Might try to limit the number of small programs I apply to...(5 or less spots) since the chances become smaller...
-Also Will I be fully funded??
2) Prestige (Top 10 School Research/Med? Y or N *Many different rankings depending on dept. and what medicine I know, or MSTP?)
3) Research (Are they doing the research I want to do??, probably since I am interested in Cell Biology, Cancer, Stem Cell Research...but I am looking in depth here)
-The tool posted above is great!
-Trying to see how I can tell who is doing "better" research in these fields. I don't think I can pick schools based on PI's (at least not out of 37 schools...I'll probably look at the PI's of the schools I get into since that will be a much smaller list than who I apply to...) *Need help trying to see who has better research in the fields I am most interested in....any thoughts?
any other ideas or thoughts/comments/recommendations???
Note: I am not basing my rankings on prestige/name alone at all. But I'm not ignoring it either.. I am trying to pick 5 schools that my stats are above average for, 5 that are average, and 5 that are probably reaching big name schools that are highly competitive; with the 5 being picked on what I mentioned above.
Massive colorful excel sheet going on here...
