Applying For Md Vs Md/phd For Us Schools To Increase Chances?

[g4m3r2]

Hey guys,

I have a friend (from Canada) who applied to the MD/PhD at a bunch of US schools, then opting out of the PhD option when getting accepted. He said the reason for this is a lot of schools do not take Canadian students unless they apply for the MD/PhD.

 

1. Are you able to bail out without any repercussions?

2. Is this a widespread practice? 

3. Does this increase your chances of getting into med school overall?

 

I did a quick search on the forums, but couldn't really find the answer I was looking for (although I might have missed it). Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

[JohnGrisham]

It may vary by school, but I usually think you have to be accepted by the med program and the grad program simultaneously. Dont forget that PhD funding for internationals is much more difficult.

 

Its probably just the case your friend was independently competitive for MD anyways. I dont think them applying MD PhD somehow made them more competitive or more likely to get in.

[JohnGrisham]

MD PhD is usually more difficult if anything to get accepted to.

[soporific]

This is a ridiculous idea. As others have already said, at any school, it's much harder to get accepted to MD/PhD, especially for an international. Also, there are many more schools that accept internationals for only MD than there are that accept internationals for only MD/PhD.

 

Furthermore, if a school doesn't accept any internationals for the MD, they're most likely not going to let an MD/PhD applicant drop the PhD.

[bearpuppy]

Hey guys,

I have a friend (from Canada) who applied to the MD/PhD at a bunch of US schools, then opting out of the PhD option when getting accepted. He said the reason for this is a lot of schools do not take Canadian students unless they apply for the MD/PhD.

 

1. Are you able to bail out without any repercussions?

2. Is this a widespread practice? 

3. Does this increase your chances of getting into med school overall?

 

I did a quick search on the forums, but couldn't really find the answer I was looking for (although I might have missed it). Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

 

 

1. Depending on the school, maybe, but definitely not after you've started (unless you want to start paying back the $$$$$ they spent on you)

 

2. Not at all. 

 

3. No. Definitely NOT.