Should I apply MD/PhD or just MD

[hopelezwanderer]

-

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[ratherbefishing]

if you're a scientist at heart, then you'll appreciate what the data can tell you. clearly, your numbersand experiences are in line with being a competitive applicant at most programs (hit or miss at the tippy top). apply broadly and you should get in somewhere.

 

[solesurprise]

I think this link - http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=539268 - has a pretty good "rubric" to help you decide how competitive you are for MD/PhD, especially this part:

What are the general guidelines for success that we moderators are thinking about?

GPA -- Excellent 3.8+, Ok 3.6+
MCAT -- Excellent 36+, Ok 34+
Research Experience -- Excellent 4+ years, Ok 2+

If you fulfill all the ok categories but no excellent categories you are a borderline applicant in general. If you have all the excellent categories, you will likely get in, again as a rule of thumb. So if you have two oks and an excellent in one category? You're looking better.

Can you be below the ok level in one of these and still get in? It depends on just how far off you are. It will help tremendously if you have excellents in the others.

Caveat: I have not yet enrolled in an MD/PhD program. But if I were you, I think I'd apply to both MD and MD/PhD programs - probably more MD than MD/PhD.

 

[obscurehero]

I know a few MD/PhD students who don't meet the criteria above, so maybe things have gotten more competitive.

I think there's an excel sheet that someone made on this board that lists program stats. That might help you apply.

As for the OP, I think if you know you want to do research in additional to clinical practice the MD/PhD was created with students like you in mind. That said, plenty of MD's and medical students do research or are involved in research. Many residencies have research components. You will not say goodbye to research if you go MD-only.

You're definitely, definitely competitive for an interview at quite a few MD/PhD programs throughout the country. I have no idea how you write, what your LORs are like, etc. However, those stats alone, so long as you don't screw something up should be enough. In your case, so long as you can talk intelligently about your research, there is little need for you to take time off before you apply (at least in terms of improving your application).

That said, if you choose to continue your current research and even publish (1st author) that can only help you. As for whether or not MD/PhD is for you, there's a lot written about that already here and elsewhere on the internet. I'd exhaust that and then consider who you are, what you want, and see how everything matches up for you. This can only help you for the interview process ahead.

 

[hopelezwanderer]

-

 

[Neuronix]

You're at 1 year, 8 months of research by my count, plus some clinical research. Seems good enough to get you to the 2 year line. Especially by the time you interview you'll be at my very arbitrary 2 year benchmark. You should apply.

Also note that MD/PhD at your state school should not be less competitive, unless it is a non-MSTP. Even then, it may not take state residency into account. MSTPs do not take location into account when selecting students. Nevertheless, applying MD as a backup should not be necessary in your case. There's no guarantees in life, of course.