wait a year or apply now?

[trisonj]

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I am a biomedical engineering undergraduate. Right now I am not sure whether or not I should apply for the upcoming M.D.-Ph.D programs or wait a year to gain more research experience/clinical work. I am in my 4th year but I will be taking a 5th year to continue my current research and to finish my degree.

So far here are my qualifications:
GPA: 3.88
MCAT: unknown (I will take this in July)
Research: 6 months neuroscience lab abroad (Scotland), and 4+ months current research (both laboratory and clinical at my home school).
Clinic: Shadowed a doctor for 2 weeks.
Extra: I am satisfied with this portion.

Should I wait until I am finished with my undergraduate degree/research (5th year) to apply or should I apply (to at least my top choice) this summer?

Thanks.

 

[MiniPanda]

wait a year : )

 

[PfNO22]

Should I wait until I am finished with my undergraduate degree/research (5th year) to apply or should I apply (to at least my top choice) this summer?

No point applying a year before you graduate.

 

[jc235693]

No point applying a year before you graduate.

He would have to apply this upcoming cycle in order to matriculate after graduation. Waiting a year to apply will give him a gap year, which of course could also be a good thing.

OP, I think you have a decent application, and you'll be able to put that you're going to continue doing research next year on your app. Although extra research experience will certainly help you. Are you doing any research this summer? If so you you'd probably have enough to apply in the upcoming cycle and get in somewhere if you apply broadly. That said, if you apply this cycle you probably will have only one shot at the MCAT. Waiting a year would definitely have a lot of benefits. A chance to re-take the MCAT if something goes wrong, an extra year in the lab that might yield some publications, and if you find something good to do during the gap year that would also strengthen your app. I think it entirely depends on how patient you are. Do you want to go into a program immediately and perhaps have to settle on a school lower on your list, or wait a year and possibly get into one of your top choices.

 

[Maebea]

Your research experience is a bit light. If you had been in your current lab since last summer, you would have had more of a longitudinal research experience. This would have allowed you to gain more depth in a particular area of research and given you a more complete story to talk about. This is important to MD-PhD admissions committees. We have to evaluate your potential to become an independent investigator. One of the ways we do this is by looking at your level of scientific sophistication. Controlling for intellectual abilities and passion, the individual who has spent more time on a project should exhibit a higher level of scientific sophistication than an individual who has spent less time. The vast majority of successful applicants to our MD-PhD program have been working in the same lab since at least the beginning of their junior year (which, in effect, is the level you are at since you will be a 5-year graduate). Individuals who have spent less than an academic year in a single lab at the time of application are at something of a disadvantage. There are exceptions, of course, but your chances of admission are better if you conform to the norm.

If you are at an institution that has a MD-PhD program, you might talk with the program director to see if they encourage you to apply this year.

 

[obscurehero]

OP, I would wait and take a gap year to do research. Apply next cycle.

The reason is two-fold. First, to Maebea's point, you really need some more experience unless the work you've done already is exceptional or you can talk about it in an exceptional kind of way ("scientific sophistication"). Second, you can get more clinical experience. Just because you have incredible criteria for a PhD application doesn't mean you do for both. Volunteering and more shadowing wouldn't hurt.

So, applying this cycle means that by matriculation (hopefully), you'll have all that experience, however, you won't have it soon enough to list on your application or discuss at possible interviews. As depressing it sounds to wait, its not that bad.

 

[MiniPanda]

Also, if you're getting your MCAT results back in August, it puts you a little behind in the application cycle. Some people will argue that the difference between June & August isn't that big of a deal, but I have seen it be a real problem for a lot of people. If you're already disadvantaged in terms of not having as much research experience as most applicants, the disadvantage of applying later than most people might limit your options even further.

 

[trisonj]

Thanks for the advice. Applying for the next cycle seems like the best option. Location and the types of joint Ph.D. programs are also very important to me. I would rather build a stronger application than rush into a program that does not suit my needs.
Thanks again!