The MD/PhD "What do I do if I don't get in this year?" back-up plan thread

[Fabricationary]

I know this is a bit unwarranted given that it's only the end of August, but I assume that most of us here want to be MD/PhDs enough that if we don't have a successful application cycle this year, we will definitely re-apply in the next year or two.

In the worst case scenario that you get rejected from every program you've applied to this year, what do you plan to do before trying again to boost your likelihood of getting accepted the next time you apply? (It would also be really interesting to get some advice from folks who were successful MD/PhD re-applicants on what they did the second or third time around that clinched their success).

For me, I would set aside a few months to study and re-take the MCAT to aim for a mid-30s score. When I took the MCAT after my sophomore year, I had just finished finals and was working full-time, giving me very little time to cover everything I needed to (I self-studied with a Kaplan book). I might try relocating to the area of the country where I'm more interested in pursuing an MSTP (the Midwest, probably IL) and get a one-year research position at a clinic or university. I have 4 years of research experience already, but I want to demonstrate my genuine interest in research by continuing to pursue it post-undergrad.

Does anyone know anything about 1-year master's programs in medical-related fields? Do you think they would be helpful in improving the competitiveness of an applicant, in lieu of getting a research job, in the case of an unsuccessful MD/PhD application cycle?

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[CancerKiller007]

I think about the same situation as well. I do not want to think about it, but you know you got to be prepared for anything. To avoid this particular scenario, applied to 24 schools.

In any case, I do not know the answer as it depends on many different variable. For example, if I get rejected from Stanford MSTP but get accepted in MD, I would seriously think about attending and than try to get as internal applicant. However, if do not get into in of my dream schools or reach schools, I will reapply next cycle.

 

[sunshine8i8]

Hopefully we'll all gain admissions to MD/MD-PhD schools. =)

But if I don't, I'm thinking of doing research for a year, get some papers published (from those projects trailing after undergrad), probably NIH post-bac.

 

[ToStrikeInfinit]

I have a stack of video games that I've put off due to...well, premed. If I reapply, ~700 hours of Xenosaga, Metal Gear, and Final Fantasy await me.

Seriously though, I think I'd keep working in my current lab (my PI already told me he'd pay $15/hour if I stuck around), publish papers, sharpen my essays (which got progressively better the later I submitted), and get a bunch of hospital volunteer experience.

 

[Synplast]

I have moments when I think this will happen to me and my heart starts pounding....

I would most likely try to find another laboratory to work in, stay in my undergrad lab, and do some more clinical shadowing. Post-bac at NIH does sound fun though....

I guess I said nothing new, but any one else have any other ideas? I suppose it's way to early to think about this, but then again we are MudPhuds....

 

[sunshine8i8]

=D post-bac at NIH is really fun! (I haven't done one, but one of the girls in my lab has)
The NIH offers many cool classes that may or may not pertain to your research, and often enough your PI or the post-bac program will fund your class. Research at the NIH is phenomenal; they have lots of the new cool toys to play with. The Bethesda and DC area are superb! I'm pretty sad I didn't apply to any schools in DC.

 

[magwi11]

The post-bacc at NIH is wonderous and I highly recommend it. And in the Washington, DC area there is more than enough opportunity to improve EVERY aspect of your application.

While I was there I got several publications, wonderful letters of rec, experience volunteering with direct patient contact, found a job that let me spend 16 hours a week in the ER, and boosted my GPA with high level science classes at the University of Maryland. I don't think that there's a chance that I would have gotten in without my NIH experience.

That being said, if it's something that you're thinking about, you should fill out the application by the end of this year, the process can take a long time, and the government is VERY VERY slow. I've posted about 1000000 times about the things that are important when applying to the program, and if you have questions/concerns you can always PM me. But this is not the kind of backup plan that you can decide to look into when you don't get in off a waitlist on May 15th. I believe that the guidelines suggest that you apply 6 months before you want to start, and most positions are going to open up sometime in the late spring early summer as old IRTAs move on to grad/med school.