<p>MD/PhD is much more focused on your potential as a researcher. You should have at least 2 years of research experience. I think it’s a small pool of self-selecting and high-achieving students that are in MD/PhD programs. I think that’s a better explanation for the high stats of students accepted into those programs. I wouldn’t read too much into a 7 on the MCAT, there have been numerous studies that report a relatively weak correlation between MCAT scores, performance on the USMLEs, and performance in medical school. I doubt you lack any comprehension skills since you did fine on the other 2 portions of the MCAT, meaning that you can read and understand the passages there. </p>
<p>If I was in your shoes, I would try and re-take the test. If you don’t get above a 10 the second time around, I would still try and apply for MD/PhD programs as long as your GPA is high (>3.8) and you have significant research experience. There’s no one portion of your application that will make or break your acceptance, but I think that schools will scrutinize every part of it to make sure that you want to become a physician-scientist. It’s a long and arduous path, and it’s not for the feeble-minded. </p>
<p>I would apply to a wide range of schools, and a lot of them (20-30) because MD/PhD acceptances hinge of more than just your stats. Again, RESEARCH EXPERIENCE is one of the most, if not the single most important factor that influences your acceptance into an MD/PhD program. Without it, you have no hope.</p>