Starting PhD now: hurting my chances?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

Onward

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2009
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
I suddenly started agonizing over something that I can't believe I never realized: that starting a PhD now could hurt my med-school chances.


I decided earlier this year that I wanted an MD/PhD; I simply had to, I believe; it was my life's goal and it was nagging me.

I was facing several situations:

- my application needed to be strengthened (3.4 ugpa, 3.0 bcmp).
- I was in financial straights and could not afford anything that required a tuition

Because PhD progams would be relatively quick and easy to apply to, and would be paid for, I decided I could save a year by getting started on the PhD immediately. So I applied for the PhD programs first, and I got in, with a great stipend and full tuition. I planned to take a few more undergraduate science courses here and there to boost my uGPA, then apply to med school after two years, enrolling after my 3rd year of my PhD program by which time course requirements would be done.

It is only now dawning on me that this was probably not very smart.

First of all, will it look to med schools that I don't know what I'm doing? What if I get into a med school that's different from where my PhD is?

Also, I just moved into my new college town and am starting my PhD program next fall, and I rented a room from a med student who mentioned that her post-bac program really helped her. Now I'm realizing that post bac then MD/PhD applications might have been smarter.

I have no money: I just spent all of it moving and buying furniture, and wouldn't have had money anyway. If I do a post-bac, it probably won't be until the spring if not next year.

What do I do? Avoid mocking my convoluted and unintelligent thought process so far; I feel sheepish enough as it is.

Members don't see this ad.
 
I wanted a PharmD and MD. Most told me I was nuts or just pick but I wanted two doctorates so I am just doing it!

I told the main med school I am interested in my plan and they said ok. I think if you show you can handle doctorate work then that is good enough with a little undergrad GPA bump and a competitive MCAT.

Just explain to the admin com why you got your PhD and how you want to use them together.

I would stay the course and volunteer in an ER and work on the MCAT. Some undergrad GPA work would help too!

Most times they are understanding.....
 
I was in a similar situation as yourself, except that I didn't apply to MD/PhD programs the first time around because I didn't know about them. During my first year of grad school, I found out about the MSTP at my school and tried to apply for a transfer. They interviewed me, but in the end told me that I need to finish my PhD first, and then they would be happy to have me in the medical school. This is what I ended up doing (although I'm at a different medical school and took some time off in the interim to work).

You basically have three options:

1) Try to transfer into MD/PhD from PhD. Not likely to be successful in most cases as my example illustrates, but not necessarily impossible either. If you choose to try this, your next action after reading my post should be to email your school's program director to find out what their policy is and what you should do to make the transfer application successful.

2) Finish your MS instead of your PhD, and then apply to med school during your last year of the MS. Of course, you could drop out right now if you really wanted to, but I'd advise against that for a couple of reasons. First, you might burn some bridges at your host school. Second, and more importantly, you're not prepared to apply to med school right now anyway. Doing the MS will give you a couple of years to get your s*** together.

3) Finish your PhD entirely, and then apply to medical school. This is a long and convoluted way to do an MD/PhD, but it's not uncommon. Keep in mind that if you do this, you will still need to have the same shadowing and other ECs required of traditional applicants coming straight out of college.

Hope this helps with regard to getting you started on some plan-making. Also, if you haven't already, scroll down and visit us in the Physician Scientists forum. Best of luck to you. :)
 
What do I do? Avoid mocking my convoluted and unintelligent thought process so far; I feel sheepish enough as it is.

Oof. Reading your post is like revisiting my own past.

A PhD program for the financially poor student of borderline GPA:

Pros:
- Will definitely give you time to mature.
- Can yield connections with important people.
- Some med school admission folks are really into the whole "research" thing.
- A 4.0 grad school GPA won't help you much, but it still looks pretty awesome on your transcript.

Cons:
- Years of your life will be sucked away.
- Often you have to finish before you actually apply to med school.
- Attrition is high... for a number of reasons.
- Abject poverty. Mucho.

Franky, if I had to do it over again, a post-bac (which I didn't even know existed) would have been preferential to the six years of Hell I endured for my doctorate. But that option only works if you are intelligent and dedicated enough to make it work.
 
Top