Setting Things In Motion

[medception]

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Hi everyone,

Apologies for the long post in advance; please with me.

It's finally time to set my MD/Ph.D path in motion once and for all, however I would like some advice as to how to approach this reasonably. I've been working as a consultant at a health policy consulting/research firm in DC for the past 2.5 years, and I was accepted to the one-year, full-time Johns Hopkins M.P.H. program yesterday morning - I'll be matriculating this June 2017, and will be concentrating in Health Leadership and Management.

My ultimate goal is to get the MD degree and Ph.D. (in Biostatistics), either at the same school or at two separate schools (is this even possible)? I know this is going to be a long road, but come hell or high water, I want both and will do whatever it takes to make it happen!

Alittle about my background:
1) Graduated from college May 2012, majored in Biochemistry/Economics, took all medical school pre-reqs between September 2007 - May 2009 (Overall & Science GPA = 3.65). Resident of Maryland.

2) Applied once to medical school during the 2014 cycle to around 40 schools, but obviously didn't get in anywhere because of an MCAT score of 16 (yes, you read that correctly, no judging please).

3) Taken lots of upper-level economics, chemistry, and biology courses with A's (Physical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Advanced Organic Chemistry, Cancer Biology). I've taken two Psychology courses, but no Sociology courses.

4) For the Biostats Ph.D, I've taken several upper-level applied mathematics courses (Math Economics, P. Chem, Game Theory, Econometrics), Linear Algebra, Calculus I & II. Have not taken Calc III or Probability.

My profile is below:

Undergrad School: Loyola University Maryland (Graduated May 2012)
Undergrad GPA/Major GPA: Overall: 3.64/Math Economics: 3.65/Biochemistry: 3.57
Major/Minor: Double Major - Math Economics & Biochemistry
Experience/Research:
- Currently working at a health policy consulting firm (staffed on two health insurance exchanges as operations consultant, claims data analyst for state medicaid redesign project) - 2.5 years
- Telemetry CNA and Patient Transporter at large hospital in Maryland - 1.5 years
- Assistant Disability Program Manager for U.S. Air Force (worked with Pentagon to represent disabled civilian employees and active duty personnel) - 1 year
- Volunteered at HIV/AIDS foster care facility in college - 4 years
- Volunteered at 3 separate hospitals in Baltimore area - 2 years total
- Started, and was president of, my school's chapter of Hillel - 4 years
- Research:
1) Organic synthesis (study abroad in India through Harvard) - 2 months
2) Organometallic chemistry (undergrad credit) - 5 months
3) Oral infectious disease (post-undergrad, UMD Dental School) - 7 months
4) Economic modeling (post-undergrad, NIST internship) - 2 months

Thanks!

 

[kraskadva]

Hi everyone,

Apologies for the long post in advance; please with me.

It's finally time to set my MD/Ph.D path in motion once and for all, however I would like some advice as to how to approach this reasonably. I've been working as a consultant at a health policy consulting/research firm in DC for the past 2.5 years, and I was accepted to the one-year, full-time Johns Hopkins M.P.H. program yesterday morning - I'll be matriculating this June 2017, and will be concentrating in Health Leadership and Management.

My ultimate goal is to get the MD degree and Ph.D. (in Biostatistics), either at the same school or at two separate schools (is this even possible)? I know this is going to be a long road, but come hell or high water, I want both and will do whatever it takes to make it happen!

Alittle about my background:
1) Graduated from college May 2012, majored in Biochemistry/Economics, took all medical school pre-reqs between September 2007 - May 2009 (Overall & Science GPA = 3.65). Resident of Maryland.

2) Applied once to medical school during the 2014 cycle to like 40 schools, but obviously didn't get in anywhere because of an MCAT score of 16 (yes, you read that correctly, no judging please).

3) Taken lots of upper-level economics, chemistry, and biology courses with A's (Physical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Advanced Organic Chemistry, Cancer Biology). I've taken two Psychology courses, but no Sociology courses.

4) For the Biostats Ph.D, I've taken several upper-level applied mathematics courses (Math Economics, P. Chem, Game Theory, Econometrics), Linear Algebra, Calculus I & II. Have not taken Calc III or Probability.

My profile is below:

Undergrad School: Loyola University Maryland (Graduated May 2012)
Undergrad GPA/Major GPA: Overall: 3.64/Math Economics: 3.65/Biochemistry: 3.57
Major/Minor: Double Major - Math Economics & Biochemistry
Experience/Research:
- Currently working at a health policy consulting firm (staffed on two health insurance exchanges as operations consultant, claims data analyst for state medicaid redesign project) - 2.5 years
- Telemetry CNA and Patient Transporter at large hospital in Maryland - 1.5 years
- Assistant Disability Program Manager for U.S. Air Force (worked with Pentagon to represent disabled civilian employees and active duty personnel) - 1 year
- Volunteered at HIV/AIDS foster care facility in college - 4 years
- Volunteered at 3 separate hospitals in Baltimore area - 2 years total
- Started, and was president of, my school's chapter of Hillel - 4 years
- Research:
1) Organic synthesis (study abroad in India through Harvard) - 2 months
2) Organometallic chemistry (undergrad credit) - 5 months
3) Oral infectious disease (post-undergrad, UMD Dental School) - 7 months
4) Economic modeling (post-undergrad, NIST internship) - 2 months

Thanks!

What was your question?

 

[backside_attack]

You're giving away a lot of personal information, and your anonymity is dwindling quickly.

 

[medception]

What was your question?

Apologies - I know that was a bit long-winded. I understand I'll have to re-take the GRE and MCAT for much higher scores. My questions are:

1) Is is possible to do a Ph.D and an MD at two separate universities? Should I apply to one program type first before the other or both concurrently?
2) Would it be prudent to re-take any pre-req courses, since many of my courses were taken so long ago? I'm wondering if this is a good idea to get new science letters (I had a committee letter when I last applied).
3) Would taking a sociology course be a good idea? I'm not certain whether Sociology is now required.
4) Should I continue volunteering, or focus my efforts elsewhere?

 

[medception]

You're giving away a lot of personal information, and your anonymity is dwindling quickly.

I mean, I have nothing to hide. More information = more complete picture = more informed suggestions/advice. One person on SDN who graduated in my class has already figured out who I am just from my posts (haha), and we were able to re-connect. I thought it was cool.

 

[kraskadva]

1) Is is possible to do a Ph.D and an MD at two separate universities? Should I apply to one program type first before the other or both concurrently?

Yes, but not concurrently. To do 'concurrently' you'd have to do a MD-PhD program, and even that is ~8 year timeline. And you'd need a MUCH higher MCAT - 34 was the MD-PhD matriculant average a few years ago and is probably a couple points higher now (plus whatever the conversion is for the new scores). the AAMC has this data.
Also, why do you want both? what do you want to do with that training and can you still do it with one of the other?

2) Would it be prudent to re-take any pre-req courses, since many of my courses were taken so long ago? I'm wondering if this is a good idea to get new science letters (I had a committee letter when I last applied).

Course - Maybe, if you need the refresher & don't feel confident self teaching the material or want to raise your gpa a smidge.
Letters - If you contact your previous letter writers and they can't/don't feel comfortable writing you new and improved letters, then you should probably cultivate some new ones. Looks like you have a decent pool of experiences to draw from though. Regardless who writes them though, they should be updated to current and dated in the same year you apply.

3) Would taking a sociology course be a good idea? I'm not certain whether Sociology is now required.

For med schools, it's becoming a requirement, but isn't yet universal. For the new MCAT it's a necessary knowledge component. So if you haven't had any psych/socio classes, then you should take some.

4) Should I continue volunteering, or focus my efforts elsewhere?

If you're currently volunteering, then keep it up at least a few hours a week. If not currently, then add it in. Volunteer work is a pretty necessary component for med school apps to demonstrate dedication to a career in service.
Also, I see you've got the CNA work in there, but have you also done any shadowing? If not, then you should. You need to see it form the doctor's side, not just the nurse's.

 

[gamieg]

I think your number one focus should be the MCAT. knuckle down and do well on that sucker and you'll have time (and a more concrete picture in mind) to figure out the rest.

 

[AnotherLawyer]

Hi everyone,

Apologies for the long post in advance; please with me.

It's finally time to set my MD/Ph.D path in motion once and for all, however I would like some advice as to how to approach this reasonably. I've been working as a consultant at a health policy consulting/research firm in DC for the past 2.5 years, and I was accepted to the one-year, full-time Johns Hopkins M.P.H. program yesterday morning - I'll be matriculating this June 2017, and will be concentrating in Health Leadership and Management.

My ultimate goal is to get the MD degree and Ph.D. (in Biostatistics), either at the same school or at two separate schools (is this even possible)? I know this is going to be a long road, but come hell or high water, I want both and will do whatever it takes to make it happen!

Alittle about my background:
1) Graduated from college May 2012, majored in Biochemistry/Economics, took all medical school pre-reqs between September 2007 - May 2009 (Overall & Science GPA = 3.65). Resident of Maryland.

2) Applied once to medical school during the 2014 cycle to around 40 schools, but obviously didn't get in anywhere because of an MCAT score of 16 (yes, you read that correctly, no judging please).

3) Taken lots of upper-level economics, chemistry, and biology courses with A's (Physical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Advanced Organic Chemistry, Cancer Biology). I've taken two Psychology courses, but no Sociology courses.

4) For the Biostats Ph.D, I've taken several upper-level applied mathematics courses (Math Economics, P. Chem, Game Theory, Econometrics), Linear Algebra, Calculus I & II. Have not taken Calc III or Probability.

My profile is below:

Undergrad School: Loyola University Maryland (Graduated May 2012)
Undergrad GPA/Major GPA: Overall: 3.64/Math Economics: 3.65/Biochemistry: 3.57
Major/Minor: Double Major - Math Economics & Biochemistry
Experience/Research:
- Currently working at a health policy consulting firm (staffed on two health insurance exchanges as operations consultant, claims data analyst for state medicaid redesign project) - 2.5 years
- Telemetry CNA and Patient Transporter at large hospital in Maryland - 1.5 years
- Assistant Disability Program Manager for U.S. Air Force (worked with Pentagon to represent disabled civilian employees and active duty personnel) - 1 year
- Volunteered at HIV/AIDS foster care facility in college - 4 years
- Volunteered at 3 separate hospitals in Baltimore area - 2 years total
- Started, and was president of, my school's chapter of Hillel - 4 years
- Research:
1) Organic synthesis (study abroad in India through Harvard) - 2 months
2) Organometallic chemistry (undergrad credit) - 5 months
3) Oral infectious disease (post-undergrad, UMD Dental School) - 7 months
4) Economic modeling (post-undergrad, NIST internship) - 2 months

Thanks!

As you already know, your MCAT score is a huge concern. Until you are confident (as opposed to hopeful) that you can obtain a competitive MCAT score, you should be very hesitant to derail your current career or invest large amounts of time or money in pursuing medical school.

It sounds like the MPH may be in furtherance of your career giving you a fallback, which is good. If so, take the opportunity of having the schedule of a student to study like mad for the MCAT. If you can score well, you should do fine.

 

[medception]

As you already know, your MCAT score is a huge concern. Until you are confident (as opposed to hopeful) that you can obtain a competitive MCAT score, you should be very hesitant to derail your current career or invest large amounts of time or money in pursuing medical school.

It sounds like the MPH may be in furtherance of your career giving you a fallback, which is good. If so, take the opportunity of having the schedule of a student to study like mad for the MCAT. If you can score well, you should do fine.

Thank you! This is very helpful. I agree that the MCAT is a major concern - when I took it last, it was during a fairly dark period of my life, and I really can't explain why I didn't just void my score, as I already had a feeling that I didn't do very well. I feel like I should have an explanation?

I'm in the process of negotiating a part-time (3 - 5 hours/week or something) status while I'm at Hopkins (concentrating in Health Leadership & Management), so that I can come back to the same company. My supervisor told me that she may be able to push through a second promotion for me when I come back.

I'm just concerned that the previously very low score is going to dramatically pull me down, regardless of how much better I do on the MCAT. Like, what score range would help my case/help Adcoms to overlook the 16?

 

[medception]

I think your number one focus should be the MCAT. knuckle down and do well on that sucker and you'll have time (and a more concrete picture in mind) to figure out the rest.

Agreed. Now I just need to find the time to make it happen. Not sure how that's going to work out. Obviously, I'm not applying again until I have a much higher score.

 

[medception]

Yes, but not concurrently. To do 'concurrently' you'd have to do a MD-PhD program, and even that is ~8 year timeline. And you'd need a MUCH higher MCAT - 34 was the MD-PhD matriculant average a few years ago and is probably a couple points higher now (plus whatever the conversion is for the new scores). the AAMC has this data.
Also, why do you want both? what do you want to do with that training and can you still do it with one of the other?

I want both because I'm committed to becoming trained in statistical and health policy research methods. And because I love learning - my current job has inspired me to pursue both routes (as I now have post-college relevant work experience in both - I'd like to leverage the training and work experience combination to both treat patients and move into hospital management/administration and/or health policy think tanks.

Course - Maybe, if you need the refresher & don't feel confident self teaching the material or want to raise your gpa a smidge.
Letters - If you contact your previous letter writers and they can't/don't feel comfortable writing you new and improved letters, then you should probably cultivate some new ones. Looks like you have a decent pool of experiences to draw from though. Regardless who writes them though, they should be updated to current and dated in the same year you apply.

Agreed - I guess what I was getting at was - are there any MD programs that require your science courses to be very recent? (I believe Albert Einstein has this policy - my dad went there). I'd like to apply to the widest range of schools possible. I think Creighton also requires Human Anatomy, and I've taken Organismal Biology (which is the equivalent of Biology II as the traditional medical school the pre-requisite course), but I'm not sure if that even counts.

For med schools, it's becoming a requirement, but isn't yet universal. For the new MCAT it's a necessary knowledge component. So if you haven't had any psych/socio classes, then you should take some.

I've taken two psych courses, but I'm wondering if courses like Organizational Behavior in my MPH program would count as a sociology course.

If you're currently volunteering, then keep it up at least a few hours a week. If not currently, then add it in. Volunteer work is a pretty necessary component for med school apps to demonstrate dedication to a career in service.
Also, I see you've got the CNA work in there, but have you also done any shadowing? If not, then you should. You need to see it form the doctor's side, not just the nurse's.

I forgot to add in my shadowing experiences - over 100 hours across multiple specialties, including shadowing a surgery. I have significant volunteering experiences in college and afterwards (see profile), and then stopped when I got my current job because the hours were so demanding. Would schools consider this experience too old? I can add always it back in, but I would like to be volunteering towards a cause I feel passionate about/committed to.

 

[kraskadva]

Thank you! This is very helpful. I agree that the MCAT is a major concern - when I took it last, it was during a fairly dark period of my life, and I really can't explain why I didn't just void my score, as I already had a feeling that I didn't do very well. I feel like I should have an explanation?
...
I'm just concerned that the previously very low score is going to dramatically pull me down, regardless of how much better I do on the MCAT. Like, what score range would help my case/help Adcoms to overlook the 16?

Yes, you should have an explanation ready if asked.
However, it the next score you get is 514+ (92nd%ile, ~=33+ on the old MCAT) then I doubt there will be many questions asked, especially after the significant time lapse, other than "how did you swing such a huge improvement?".
F0r MD schools >510 (84th%ile) is competitive. MD/PhD programs like %iles in the mid-high 90s. This is not easy to get, and you should not sit for the MCAT again until you're reliably (2-3 time in a row) hitting your target range on practice tests. Dig up old form MCAT practice tests and start with those, work your way towards the newer versions, and take the most recent AAMC practice tests last. These are the most predictive, but only the first time you take them, so you don't want to squander them on your initial attempts.

I want both because I'm committed to becoming trained in statistical and health policy research methods. And because I love learning - my current job has inspired me to pursue both routes (as I now have post-college relevant work experience in both - I'd like to leverage the training and work experience combination to both treat patients and move into hospital management/administration and/or health policy think tanks.

Ok. Just be prepared to discuss those future goals in great detail and to answer why both with insight and coherence, since you could do those end jobs with either degree, and if/once you move up to those positions the likelihood of you still having time to also treat patients drops to nil.

Agreed - I guess what I was getting at was - are there any MD programs that require your science courses to be very recent? (I believe Albert Einstein has this policy - my dad went there). I'd like to apply to the widest range of schools possible. I think Creighton also requires Human Anatomy, and I've taken Organismal Biology (which is the equivalent of Biology II as the traditional medical school the pre-requisite course), but I'm not sure if that even counts.

There are a few (~5 to my knowledge) that have a time limit on prereqs, but not enough to worry about it for the sake of just pleasing those schools, unless one of them is your top choice. I don't think Einstein is one of them, but you can check that on their website.
There are a couple that require Anatomy, but again, unless one of those is a top choice for you, it's not worth worrying about.
If your Organismal Biology was one semester of a 2 semester 100 level sequence that bio majors are required to take, then it counts.

I've taken two psych courses, but I'm wondering if courses like Organizational Behavior in my MPH program would count as a sociology course.

Grad level classes do not count towards pre-reqs. Must be undergrad level, unless a specific school gives you written permission to substitute.

I forgot to add in my shadowing experiences - over 100 hours across multiple specialties, including shadowing a surgery. I have significant volunteering experiences in college and afterwards (see profile), and then stopped when I got my current job because the hours were so demanding. Would schools consider this experience too old? I can add always it back in, but I would like to be volunteering towards a cause I feel passionate about/committed to.

It's good to have, and shows long term dedication to service. Med schools still generally want recent volunteering. However, as I said above, a couple-few hours a week should suffice, especially since you have a demonstrable history of volunteering. IF what you did before doesn't appeal to you anymore, then find something new that doesn't require so much of a time commitment.

 

[medception]

Yes, you should have an explanation ready if asked.
However, it the next score you get is 514+ (92nd%ile, ~=33+ on the old MCAT) then I doubt there will be many questions asked, especially after the significant time lapse, other than "how did you swing such a huge improvement?".
F0r MD schools >510 (84th%ile) is competitive. MD/PhD programs like %iles in the mid-high 90s. This is not easy to get, and you should not sit for the MCAT again until you're reliably (2-3 time in a row) hitting your target range on practice tests. Dig up old form MCAT practice tests and start with those, work your way towards the newer versions, and take the most recent AAMC practice tests last. These are the most predictive, but only the first time you take them, so you don't want to squander them on your initial attempts.


Ok. Just be prepared to discuss those future goals in great detail and to answer why both with insight and coherence, since you could do those end jobs with either degree, and if/once you move up to those positions the likelihood of you still having time to also treat patients drops to nil.


There are a few (~5 to my knowledge) that have a time limit on prereqs, but not enough to worry about it for the sake of just pleasing those schools, unless one of them is your top choice. I don't think Einstein is one of them, but you can check that on their website.
There are a couple that require Anatomy, but again, unless one of those is a top choice for you, it's not worth worrying about.
If your Organismal Biology was one semester of a 2 semester 100 level sequence that bio majors are required to take, then it counts.


Grad level classes do not count towards pre-reqs. Must be undergrad level, unless a specific school gives you written permission to substitute.


It's good to have, and shows long term dedication to service. Med schools still generally want recent volunteering. However, as I said above, a couple-few hours a week should suffice, especially since you have a demonstrable history of volunteering. IF what you did before doesn't appeal to you anymore, then find something new that doesn't require so much of a time commitment.

Thank you so much! I really appreciate your thoughts!

 

[medception]

Hi everyone,

Back to this thread again - I'm in a bit of a bind on what to do and am looking for some suggestions. I am planning to resign from my job this May to pursue an MPH full-time at Johns Hopkins (I was also accepted to Yale's two-year MPH in Health Policy as well, but I haven't withdrawn yet to keep this as an option).

Basically my job has sucked the life out of me over the past 2.5 years and has burnt me out, and I don't see a good way to carve out time to study like mad for the MCAT between now and the end of my MPH program next May 2018 (although I get paid well, my job has made it next to impossible to focus on anything other than work).

I was wondering what others think of the idea of deferring the MPH program and doing a gap year to get off of the career bandwagon/rat race, decompress, travel, add volunteering back into my life, and ace that exam. I'm assuming I should secure a letter of recommendation from my current job before I leave as well? Thoughts? I'm wondering if this would only hurt me to have an unstructured year between work and my MPH program on AMCAS.

 

[esob]

It really depends on if you have the finances to do so first and foremost. If you haven't read it a hundred times yet on SDN, I'll restate the obvious: trying to go into medicine because you are dissatisfied/burned out with your current job is a recipe for failure/disaster (failure to begin with because you will hate the journey and disaster if you somehow get accepted because you will hate life as med student/resident).

 

[mavric1298]

I believe a previous post overstate the average matriculated MCAT. It was around a 79-80th. You want to be at 30 over above ( a 508.7 was the average MATRICULANT this last cycle). Obviously the idea of a 510 being competitive slight misses the mark, when the true average is below (5% lower in fact). While it is a right shifted bell curve, you can't have you average at the very bottom - there has to be a lower half of the curve, which people forget.

Anyway - the moral is your going to have to kill it. A good score you'll be fine - anyone can have a bad day/test, and you'll show it was an outlier. The fact is though, most retakes are only within a point or two difference, unless something "new" is done...so set yourself up for success and do it properly and you'll crush it


Sent from my iPad using SDN mobile

 

[kraskadva]

I believe a previous post overstate the average matriculated MCAT. It was around a 79-80th. You want to be at 30 over above ( a 508.7 was the average MATRICULANT this last cycle). Obviously the idea of a 510 being competitive slight misses the mark, when the true average is below (5% lower in fact). While it is a right shifted bell curve, you can't have you average at the very bottom - there has to be a lower half of the curve, which people forget.

Anyway - the moral is your going to have to kill it. A good score you'll be fine - anyone can have a bad day/test, and you'll show it was an outlier. The fact is though, most retakes are only within a point or two difference, unless something "new" is done...so set yourself up for success and do it properly and you'll crush it


Sent from my iPad using SDN mobile

Your numbers are true for MD, but OP was asking about MD-PhD, which is higher.

 

[mavric1298]

Which they specifically called out as being even higher than the 510 scores. 513.9 with a SD of 6.1 was the average matriculants mcat for md/phd with gpa of 3.78.

Crazy crazy competitive

OP will be fine GPA wise and EC's sound good, and a high mcat and I bet most adcoms would chalk the 16 up to a fluke. However, everyone goes into the mcat thinking they are going to crush it, so be realistic about where you actually are. You need to be getting 90th percentile plus on full length practice exams to even think of moving forward with md/phd


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[trev5150]

@medception I think you're spreading yourself way too thin here. You need to find a way to monster prep for the MCAT without any distractions. You're not an idiot, that much is clear, but you need to find a chunk of time where that's all you're doing. You got your trou dropped with that 16 and that pretty much makes you a leper. Think abut identifying a test date and location and then clearing out a lot of space beforehand to get your head in just that one thing without dealing with other things. That has to be your full time job. IT's also clear that you live in BMore, so two things. 1 - TPR is at 3121 St. Paul St. and 2 -




Ravens suck!

 

[medception]

It really depends on if you have the finances to do so first and foremost. If you haven't read it a hundred times yet on SDN, I'll restate the obvious: trying to go into medicine because you are dissatisfied/burned out with your current job is a recipe for failure/disaster (failure to begin with because you will hate the journey and disaster if you somehow get accepted because you will hate life as med student/resident).

I'm still committed to medicine regardless. Feeling burnt out was a secondary feeling that has nothing to do with wanting to pivot from health policy to medicine.

 

[medception]

I believe a previous post overstate the average matriculated MCAT. It was around a 79-80th. You want to be at 30 over above ( a 508.7 was the average MATRICULANT this last cycle). Obviously the idea of a 510 being competitive slight misses the mark, when the true average is below (5% lower in fact). While it is a right shifted bell curve, you can't have you average at the very bottom - there has to be a lower half of the curve, which people forget.

Anyway - the moral is your going to have to kill it. A good score you'll be fine - anyone can have a bad day/test, and you'll show it was an outlier. The fact is though, most retakes are only within a point or two difference, unless something "new" is done...so set yourself up for success and do it properly and you'll crush it


Sent from my iPad using SDN mobile

Thanks for your advice - the 16 was during a dark period in my life that has long come and gone, and I think I have the potential to do really well this time around with minimal distractions.

 

[medception]

Your numbers are true for MD, but OP was asking about MD-PhD, which is higher.

I think I'm going to need to walk back from my original post and say that I'm only pursuing the MD at this point. I did some additional research since I first posted this, and I think what I'm trying to do is next to logistically impossible. Would also be difficult to convince an MSTP to fund what I originally proposed.

 

[medception]

Which they specifically called out as being even higher than the 510 scores. 513.9 with a SD of 6.1 was the average matriculants mcat for md/phd with gpa of 3.78.

Crazy crazy competitive

OP will be fine GPA wise and EC's sound good, and a high mcat and I bet most adcoms would chalk the 16 up to a fluke. However, everyone goes into the mcat thinking they are going to crush it, so be realistic about where you actually are. You need to be getting 90th percentile plus on full length practice exams to even think of moving forward with md/phd


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

What would a realistic goal be regarding a good score for just MD?

 

[medception]

@medception I think you're spreading yourself way too thin here. You need to find a way to monster prep for the MCAT without any distractions. You're not an idiot, that much is clear, but you need to find a chunk of time where that's all you're doing. You got your trou dropped with that 16 and that pretty much makes you a leper. Think abut identifying a test date and location and then clearing out a lot of space beforehand to get your head in just that one thing without dealing with other things. That has to be your full time job. IT's also clear that you live in BMore, so two things. 1 - TPR is at 3121 St. Paul St. and 2 -




Ravens suck!

1 - TPR sucks.
2 - The Ravens, in fact, suck as well. I will give you this.

 

[mavric1298]

Curious why you say TPR sucks - I'm sure it varies from location to location - but ours is fantastic. I'm normally a study on my own, don't read course books, very independent learner. I decided to do a course mainly for the structure it offered and keeping myself accountable. I would say though, the largest benefit was the test taking strategies. Sure anyone can go out and memorize the content, but that's truely not the hard part of the test, just like any other standardized test. There is a reason I got a 98th percentile in Verbal, and that section comes down to how you tackle it, not how you study. From my first full length to my actual score and averages towards the end, I raised my composite by 8 points in 12 weeks. Most of that had nothing to do with content. That's the main problem with self study, the different plans on here, etc - is they are all focused on content


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[mavric1298]

For example, I'm sure most people approach verbal by a) trying to do all the sections b) read the entire passages. Neither is a good idea. Stats show it pays off to do better on 7 or 8 passage and letter of the day the 8th or 9th, rather then try to rush through all of them. Once you start getting higher scores and getting your timing down, then you can try to do all of them if you are ready. Second thing, is knowing what to read from the passages and what not to read. Anything that is "evidence" or in quotes - F it and skip over it. Read the first and last couple words of sentences rather than the full thing. Do keywording and skim the question and all the answer choices first. Write down what kind of question it is; true false, opposite, double negative, definition (which if its a definition, there almost always is going to be a definition that matches how the word is usually used, and 95% of the time that's a trap answer). Etc etc etc. These are the reason why test prep companies are worth it in my expierence. Anyone can go out and memorize the Kreb cycle, but looking for the clues to why answers are trap answers isn't always intuitive, and having a systemic process in place really helps. There is a reason why they can do a score guarantee


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[medception]

Hi all,

So I've done some signifiant soul-searching over the past 8 months/finally figured out what I wanted and realized the feeling burnt out at work was a fleeting thought, and have been able to muster the energy to finally tackle the MCAT.

Things I've done since last post in January 2017:
1) Matriculated part-time into the MPH program and decided to keep my job full-time (the MPH is to supplement what I am learning at work)
2) Settled on MD/MBA, not MD/Ph.D - I think the dual degree accurately depicts the intersection of my passions for medicine, healthcare management, and public health (I have 4 years of FT work experience, and will have 7 by the time I finish the MPH).

I think before I do anything else, I need to find a way to kill the MCAT and the GMAT...while working full-time and taking MPH courses part-time. I've decided I won't leave my job until i have an acceptance in-hand.

Does anyone have any experience with MD/MBA programs? I've done my fair share of research on SDN and other websites, however I am concerned with gaining admission to even one program given the fact that two exams are required and not one.

 

[futuremdforme]

Hi all,

So I've done some signifiant soul-searching over the past 8 months/finally figured out what I wanted and realized the feeling burnt out at work was a fleeting thought, and have been able to muster the energy to finally tackle the MCAT.

Things I've done since last post in January 2017:
1) Matriculated part-time into the MPH program and decided to keep my job full-time (the MPH is to supplement what I am learning at work)
2) Settled on MD/MBA, not MD/Ph.D - I think the dual degree accurately depicts the intersection of my passions for medicine, healthcare management, and public health (I have 4 years of FT work experience, and will have 7 by the time I finish the MPH).

I think before I do anything else, I need to find a way to kill the MCAT and the GMAT...while working full-time and taking MPH courses part-time. I've decided I won't leave my job until i have an acceptance in-hand.

Does anyone have any experience with MD/MBA programs? I've done my fair share of research on SDN and other websites, however I am concerned with gaining admission to even one program given the fact that two exams are required and not one.

I would just get a regular MD and apply for an executive MBA program later if you find it is necessary. You might get more out of the MBA program after a few years of medical work experience anyway (at least having residency done).