This video is about what it takes to be a competent and competitive MD/PhD applicant. When I started to get serious about enrolling in one of these programs, I watched a lecture by Dr. Olaf Anderson, who is the director of Cornell’s MSTP in New York City. Little did I know that I would eventually meet him in person, then get waitlisted by his program a couple of weeks later. His presentation was very clear and to the point. MD/PhD programs are for students who are brimming with passion about research and medicine. Due to the 8-year commitment that this program requires, they are not for the faint of heart, nor are they for the academically challenged (to put it politely). That was my cheesy way of saying that you need to have great stats to get to where you want to go. Perhaps, I should put emphasis on where YOU want to go. Just because I was willing to sacrifice city life for Silicon Valley, doesn’t mean that that should be a priority for you too. It is totally OK if you have no desire to apply to big names schools like Harvard, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, etc., and I hope that you never feel unduly pressured to do so. If you are simply interested in schools close to home, or schools in low cost-of-living areas, or schools with low profiles, then do what will help you reach your fullest potential. That being said, whether you want to go to the University of Chicago or the University of Iowa, it’s important to understand what type of scores your dream school typically accepts. If the mean MCAT is a 522 and your MCAT is a 515…need I say more?

Of course, you all already know how I feel about stats. Shoot for a 4.0 and a 528 at all times.

Nevertheless, as an MD/PhD applicant, you’re going to need a lot more than bare stats in order to get an interview. The most important part of your application will be your research. Most people would agree that having at least two years of research will be good enough to apply to most MD/PhD programs, but ultimately, the more research you have under your belt, the better off you’ll be. Research experience is invaluable for a number of reasons. Doing years of research, whether in the same lab or in different environments, can help you get familiar with how research is done in your field (or in general) and can help you better understand why you’re interested in research and what your long-term goals are. This helps to increase your competence and competiveness as an applicant, since you will be able to talk genuinely about how you plan to incorporate research into your career.
It’s also a great idea to shadow doctors who specialize in fields that you’re interested in, so that you can better understand if the specialty is well suited for physician-scientists. As you all know, I am interested in neurosurgery and research on neural prosthetics, and I have been told a number of times that it is impossible to mix the two in one career. Now, it’s important to understand that certain specialties (like neurosurgery) make it harder to do research on the side, however, it is not impossible. You have to think about what type of lifestyle you would like to have as a working professional and what is worth your time. It would be misleading for me to tell you that you can easily practice thoracic surgery on a regular basis, run your own lab, have a fulfilling social life, be completely present at all times with your family, and also have time to sleep, read, and catch up on other hobbies. What I can tell you is that your life is in your hands, and what you decide to do with it is completely up to you. The more informed your decisions are, the better choices you will probably make, and that will most assuredly shine through during your interviews.

MD/PhD Talks:
   • MD/PhD Programs: Olaf Andersen, M.D. ...  
   • M.D./Ph.D.: Is it for YOU? - José E. ...  

General Channel Description: Welcome to MDPhDandMe! My name is Chelsea Nnebe, I am a URM student at Stanford’s MD/PhD program, and I want to take you on a journey with me as I train to become a physician scientist. This platform is meant to be interactive. I want to hear from you! Whether you’re a pre-med, a high schooler, an MD/PhD student, a full-fledged physician-scientist, or just a curious on-looker, I want to know what you all think. Feel free to like my videos, leave a comment, give me (constructive) feedback, and tweet me your questions if you have any. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Twitter:   / mdphdandme  
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com
Facebook:   / mdphdandme