Safty Schools for MD/PHD

[dl2dp2]

What are some of the easlier MD/PHD programs to get into? I know all the programs are very strong. But suppose you have reasonable stat, what are some schools that are easlier to get into?

Also, I know that there is no residency restriction for MD/PHD programs. So does that mean that it'd be pointless to apply to my state school?

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[none]

Pointless to apply to your state school? Not hardly! Look, the goal is to get in ANYWHERE that's a U.S. med school with an MD/PhD program, getting in to an MD/PhD program initially is just icing because you can always apply later and have a much, much higher chance of success. Apply to your state school!! That said, the safety schools for MD/PhD are the same as the safety schools for MD, just weed out the ones (like NYMC) that don't have a funded MD/PhD program. Start out with Finch.

 

[Detroit Mick]

One thing the previous admissions cyce has taught me is there is no such thing as a "safety school."

Bottom Line: Apply to your state school(s).

 

[Neuronix]

Now if only Delaware had a state school.

Don't anyone say Jefferson either, the amount of consideration they're giving Delaware residents outside of the UDel BA/MD program is pretty small.

 

[dl2dp2]

I should point out something that people should take into consideration. I talked to my pre-med advisor today, and he informed me that it is extremely important to only apply to schools that one would want to go to. Because M.D./Ph.D. programs consist of a small community, chances are if you were accepted the previous year and didn't go, ADCOMS would know about it and would see it as something not particularly positive.
Medical schools would probably question your commitment.

Thus, I think that it makes much more sense to not apply to too many less competitive schools like Finch or other lower ranked state schools if one has a realistic shot at some of the better programs (i.e. ~3.6 GPA ~35 MCAT) I think it's much better to be rejected the first time around than getting stuck in a place you don't like for eight years. Having the rest of your scientific career tarnished by the lack of quality of your Ph.D. thesis is DEFINITELY not smart. I can't say that I know much about the system at work in clincial practice, but it seems like in the academia the name of the institution and the thesis advisor is VERY important. It's possible that phycians trained by Chicago Med/Finch may have equal standing in the medical community, but I have very little doubt that it would be next to impossible to find a good academic position after a Ph.D. from Finch.

I'd also like to point out that many public schools such as U Wisconsin and U Iowa and U N. Carolina have very nice programs in many Ph.D. departments.

 

[jot]

thats a good point. my list was contingent on the idea that if i was accepted to anyone of them i would be thrilled. luckily there are quite a few places i'd be happy at. makes common sense though, it is a long time.

 

[abords]

I always get a tremendous amount of joy reading posts like those previously added to this thread. It shows a tremendous lack of knowledge when someone says that PhDs from Finch are somehow lesser in the world of academia. PhDs from Finch are found on faculties of Northwestern, Baylor, UIC, University of Colorado, Duke, etc. As long as a person is willing to work hard and publish, the institution that their PhD comes from carries less weight than one might think. Additionally, look at the match list for MD/PhD students from Finch. This year alone they matched at Brigham & Wom. Hosp, Mass General, Duke, UCLA, and Stanford - hardly anything to laugh at. Before one calls a program lesser, easier, or inferior, they should look at the facts.

 

[dl2dp2]

I'm terribly sorry. I think I might have said some inappropriate things in my previous post. There is probably no such thing as a safty school. From what I've heard, it is possible to be accepted by top 10 and get rejected by Finch/Chicago (not this school in particular, of course). It is, however, easier as far as the numerical measure goes, to be accepted by a lower ranked school than a top 10. (For that I point you to MSAR) I have no doubt that students at Finch/Chicago Med can succeed later in their careers if they try hard enough, but I think there is a realistic hindrince, especially in academic medicine. True, it is all about publications--but it's much easier to publish in prestigious journals if your advisor is well known. (In fact, PNAS only accept NAS member communicated articles.) I don't know how many NAS members Chicag/Finch has, but it would be at least inconvinient to carry out the research of the same caliber.

Of course the top students at Finch eventually do become great physicians, but it may be much more difficult. Top residency departments are generally filled with people from top programs. This is even truer for graduate departments in the basic sciences. The bottom line is, where your Ph.D. degree comes from may become a large factor later in your career.

Again, I have no intention to offend. The school of a graduate student ought to have very little to do within the context of evaluating the student. But realistically, this is not the case. Admission to medical schools is a completely personalized process. I just want to remind some applicants that if you were accepted to any Md/Phd programs in the first cycle, you must go or you will not be accepted later by ANY program, except under rare circumstances. Md/Phd programs are very long and very committed, please consider all your options carefully before making the decision.