Post-PhD Medical School Application

[Spacko]

Hey Everyone,

 

I'm curious as to whether there are many people out there with a situation similar to mine. If so, I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on this stage of ones academic life.

 

I completed my BSc in BioMedical Science from Guelph back in 2002, with a modest overall GPA of 3.44, but my last couple years were around 3.7. I applied to a few Ontario schools at that time, but my low MCAT score (28R) and the fact that I avoided Organic Chem in undergrad really hurt my application potential and I was passed up for interviews at the few schools I applied to.

 

I took a year off to work, then decided to evaluate graduate school opportunities. After some hunting around from coast to coast, I accepted a position at UBC. After my first year in an MSc program I was enjoying my project, and I decided that reclassifying to a PhD would be a smoother path to a professional degree than toughing out the unpredicable world of medical school admissions.

 

For the first couple years of my PhD studies I tried to put the notion of being a medical doctor out of my mind and focused on alternate career opportunities such a academic research, biotech employment (which I've never really desired), or becoming a full-time teaching professor. However I always felt that I was 'settling' for something less than my true goal of being a medical doctor.

 

So in my fourth year of PhD studies I evaluated what it would take to create a competitive application for medical school. Even though I'm approaching 30 yrs old now, I figure I've still got a lot of good years ahead of me, and I've met many MD-PhDs during my graduate studies, known as 'Clinician-Scientists', who maintain a nice blend of both patient-vists and lab research in their careers.

 

So I decided to get my butt in gear and just go for it. In addition to a busy commitment to my thesis research, I spent mornings over two semesters getting my Organic Chem requirements completed (it was weird to go back to 2nd yr undergrad classes!) and I took two additional cracks at the MCAT this past summer, first posting another modest 29Q, but then surprising myself with a 33Q later in the summer.

 

I'm now hoping to complete my PhD in Spring 2009, and hopefully find my way into a Med School in Fall '09.

 

I can sincerely say at this point that completing a PhD wasn't a means to an end (with respect to med school), but absolutely a degree that stands on it's own. My years as a Graduate student have taught me a wealth of information about independence, maturity, problem solving skills, and many details of the scientific method that you would never really appreciate from undergraduate studies, or an MSc alone.

 

It's been a long path thus far, and with any luck, will continue to extend itself. The notion of 'patience being a virtue' is not lost on me, but I think my career in science, and hopefully medicine, will be much richer as a result of my extended path.

 

By the way, I never applied to any MD-PhD programs early in my career because I didn't think I would be competitive at that time, but in hindsight, I absolutely believe that most individuals would get a better course of training by doing a PhD independently of an MD, as the 3 yrs that most MD-PhD programs allow for PhD research is too short in my opinion.

 

I'd be interested in hearing any commentary from individuals in similar positions to myself.

[1234]

absolutely go for it!

 

just be sure that you can really deal with another 7 years of education that is in front of you with a medical degree and residency.

[UBCGuy]

As the last poster said you should absolutely go for it. Sounds like you've put yourself in a position to be a very competitive candidate.

 

I don't think the population of medical students who completed a PhD before matriculating is huge but it has definitely been done. A paediatric gastroenterology fellow at the hospital I did my research at did a PhD before medical school. He rants and raves about the preparation it gave him for a career in medicine (citing maturity and self-directedness mostly).

 

Good luck!

[1234]

biggest thing I see in my MD class is that the PhDs are the hardest working people - they know how to put in 1000% into whatever they do. It is really a pleasure to watch, and sometimes intimidating lol:o

[Laika]

Can't hurt to try... you'll never know how things turn out unless you apply.

 

I feel a PhD beforehand was a definite asset. Although, I'm not one of the hardworking 1000% people 1234 was talking about... more like one of the drunken slackers in the class. I figure we always have a career to fall back on if we flunk out of med school...