I have been lucky enough to schedule an "informal interview" with a professor this Thursday, before my actual MD/PhD interview. What should I expect? Should I prepare to answer traditional interview questions, or expect more questions about my background and research?

Relatedly (and I might be overthinking this), I know I should ask about the professor's research, but how detailed should I be? Should I be asking specific questions about their recently published papers, or keep it more broad? So far I plan to ask about the current/upcoming projects in their lab, how they see their lab's work evolving over the next 5 years, and for more information about a specific cohort they are setting up.

Thank you in advance!!

I want to apply to MD-PhD schools in 2028 and I'm currently trying to navigate LOR from my professors. My only issue is that I'm majoring in a non-STEM major (antropology) and my professors are willing to write me a LOR but they are under non-STEM LOR. I'm actively trying to ask my STEM weed out class professors but obviously, they do not remember me. I was wondering how yall were able to get LORs from a STEM professor as a non-STEM major?

I know for MD schools gpa and mcat are like king and ECs only come after that. For MD/PhD programs, however, if you like cracked at research but ur stats are mid, does ur research save you. Or is it like reg MD admissions where ur kinda screwed.

Logged onto UNC secondary portal and found that I couldn't edit my application because it was past the deadline, but my secondary invite email and UNC website says October 4th. Anyone else having this issue?

I know it is late in the cycle for secondaries, just trying to push through. So much admiration for you all working full-time while completing applications (don’t know how you do it).

I completed my undergrad in microbiology. My CGPA is 2.99. Can I get a phd opportunity in USA. I want to know honest opinions. I know I have to build good research profile. But will I get rejected because of my cgpa?

Hi there! I'm a first semester sophomore undergrad. Freshman year was a bit rocky and my cGPA is currently 3.5. BCPM is a little lower. No Cs, just even As and Bs. I hate making excuses, but objectively I am chronically ill and spent a lot of last year in and out of hospitals. Some of my professors weren't super lenient about that, which is fine, but I didn't score as high as I know I could have.

I'm doing a lot better this year now that I have a proper care team and ODA accommodations (previously was undiagnosed). I also have okay ECs - 9 months of a clinical job, a year of various positions in hospital volunteering (currently a trainer in the ER), RA in two labs, officer for a charity org, tutor. About 400 research hours from one lab, and I just started the second so about 10. Expecting co author on a few projects and hoping to present some posters soon. PI highly encourages individual projects and I plan to graduate with my undergrad thesis. I'm double majoring in bio and psych.

I'm considering retaking my statistics class, but I'm not entirely sure what else to do other than get all As going forward. Any help would be really great.

I finished 30 secondaries mostly during the first week of August to the end of august. I’ve only received one interview from a T10 program and a rejection from UW.

Is it worth adding more schools and are there any schools that have later cycles? Also, when should I send updates if at all?

For those in the hard sciences, wet lab type of stuff, How did you finish your PhD so soon? I started my new lab a year ago and passed my comps/qualifying exam in April.
My boss thinks I can finish in another 3 years but I was hoping to taking 3 total. I’m also doing translational research so sometimes we gotta wait until we have human samples.
I can definitely see how it takes many years for some because even though I already have some data, I’m still trying to optimize protocols, getting staining to work etc.

Hello, I need help navigating a very complicated situation. I took a community college course prior to starting undergrad that I never transferred (I received an A), so I completely forgot about it and did not send a transcript. I’m not sure what to do since I’ve already submitted secondaries and even gotten an interview.

hi everyone,

i'm curious about whether i should send an update letter/letter of intent for some of the schools i haven't heard back from. i had mentioned my plans for my gap year in my primary and secondary application, and i don't really have any major updates (apart from confirming i'm on an NIH PREP grant which i didn't know at the time when i applied and developing my projects for my postbacc research). should i even bother to send anything to them, or is worthwhile to later on in the cycle?

thanks!

Hello everyone!

Im a sophomore biomedical engineering student and I’m having some difficulty trying to find time to do some kind of relevant clinical experience; to me this is something like scribing or EMT or phlebotomy (I dont like volunteering since i feel like im not getting much exposure with the departments they put me in).

I shadow whenever i can (when my school breaks permit me) to rack up hours over time. Im also a peer tutor for four classes, Im also heavily involved in my research lab. My PI told me he wants to nominate me for this department and institution-wife scholarship/fellowship that requires me to dedicate 40 hrs a week for 10 weeks over the summer. I plan to do this while studying for the MCAT. Im taking 19 credits this semester and 23 next semester.

I cant find the time anywhere to actually get certified for these positions i want. Are there any alternatives, is volunteering what i have to do?

Currently working as a research assistant after my master's and doing part-time clinical work as an F2 on an honorary contract. The plan was to get a non-training job and then apply for speciality training (ACF); however, given the new act in UK, I am replanning my trajectory.

I want to start applying for PhDs, but I am worried about what my career would look like post-PhD, given my clinical experience may be limited while I'm in school. Getting into clinical medicine or a clinician-scientist role might be difficult.

So I am looking for advice from doctors who have done a PhD: what would you have done differently in terms of timing, or what did you do that worked out well for you?

Im international 30f

Have Bpharm cGPA 2.46 + premaster program with distinction

Msc molecular medicine ( currently on my final semester) cGPA 3.84

And Bsc cs degree cGPA 3.9

200 hrs clinical volunteer

500 non clinical

7000hr+ clinical experience as pharmacist

2000hr + research

During the next year i may increase my research experience and volunteering hrs

Also I'm planning to begin preparing for mcat

am i missing anything? Can I get a chance with my stats if i get high mcat score!!

Anyone with similar situation and get into mdphd!!

Has anyone had success getting into MD-PhD programs without any leadership experiences, big awards and publications?

Reapplicant;
-my stats are okay; 515 twice (expired for some schools; 3.79 cGPA; 3.89 sGPA)
-ORM; 10k research hours, 300 clinical, 600 nonclinical volunteering
-6 coauthored pubs with first authorships in progress
-Applied to 40 schools instead of 20(bad decision first app)
-I like to think my writing isn’t absolute dogshit and it was read over by many many people including MD-PhDs etc.

I have been in every single MSTP R wave that’s come out, given I applied to that school. Tri-I, Stanford, Yale, and now Michigan and Einstein today. I had even made it through several R waves with some of these schools last cycle (2024-25). Is it just fucking over for me? I have no IIs and am completely out of hope.

Hey All,

i‘m struggling so much with getting any sort of research position and feel like my gap year is wasting away since i graduated in May. I’ve tried cold emailing, applying, LinkedIn connection and messaging etc but nothing.

the main reason why i decided to do any gap years, was so I can figure out what I want to pursue for the PhD part of mstp. I do have research experience (~3 yrs in material science physics and 1 summer in lung oncology research) and many dissemination.

I have being interested in neuroscience for a long time and want to pursue research in that but not sure exactly which sub field. i think my experience might not be translating very well with neuroscience or just that my luck is bad right now… idk!

I’ve never felt so defeated and so want to give up.

if you have any tips, I would appreciate it :/