<p>I am considering doing this.</p>
<p>I'm a sophomore at UC Davis and a Physics major. I'm taking the pre-med courses on the side.</p>
<p>Would the application process, gathering extracurrics in the separate fields of physics research and hospital volunteering along with simultaneity of taking GRE and MCAT simply be too overwhelming?</p>
<p>I would be applying to both Physics Graduate schools and Medical schools in California. Is this feasible?</p>
<p>Thank.</p>
<p>I think you should pick just one of the two and focus on it. You will end up wasting a lot of time and money if you try to apply to both types of schools at the same time. If you are genuinely interested in both research and medicine then maybe look into joint MD/PhD programs.</p>
<p>Why would you want to do this?</p>
<p>If it’s because you’re a sophomore and currently undecided about whether you want to undertake a PhD in physics and do physics research, or whether you want to be a physician - continue to take your pre-med courses and wait. You should certainly do some of the ecs in both fields (like getting an RAship with a professor in physics and volunteering at a hospital) to see which one you like better. Then decide.</p>
<p>I don’t think the actual process of applying to both PhD programs and MD programs at the same time will be so impossible. Difficult, yes. You would have to take two large exams, the MCAT and the GRE, but if you space them enough that shouldn’t be doable. Take the MCAT at the beginning of the summer between junior and senior year, and the GRE in the fall of your senior year. The application forms are just demographics. The letters of recommendation the professors can tailor (you can even ask two sets of professors to write apps for different places), and you can fix your personal statement quite easily or just write two templates that are modifiable for each program if you start early. I also don’t think it’d be too hard to develop the requisite background since there is overlap in what programs want. An REU will look good to both medical schools and physics schools. You can find a summer research program in medicine and do a physics-related medical project that will appeal to both. You can volunteer at a hospital and do an RAship with a professor, you just need to learn to balance your time.</p>
<p>I think it’s more the level of focus. The two programs are quite different. Most medical schools are preparing practitioners, so one is a very practical-based program with a very different feel. Physics PhD programs, on the other hand, are research-based programs that have a very different mission and feel to them. Most people do this decision-making process on the front end (tracking themselves to one or the other and then applying to that) rather than trying to master what will essentially be two separate application processes. Also, given the sheer number of medical school programs that you’ll have to apply to if you want to hope for admission to just one or two, it will be a lot of work.</p>
<p>Many people consider MD/PhD programs, and you can also do research with an MD, if you wanted. Also, have you considered medical physics PhD programs? You could also get an MD and an MS in physics. Many medical doctors go on to get master’s degrees in related fields after they complete their MDs - there are a lot of medical doctors getting masters’ in my program (albeit I’m at a school of public health, so it’s really relevant).</p>
<p>Sounds unconventional and stupid to me. Pick one. Or none. But not both.</p>
<p>Heard of medical physics?</p>
<p>juilette,</p>
<p>Thanks for the invaluable info. </p>
<p>and Slorg,</p>
<p>I think you may be right. I am simply wanting too much and being too selfish. I think I might pursue a PhD in physics, because that interests me much more.</p>
<p>anyways, i have until this summer to truly decide a path, as I can always take pre-med courses during the summer if need be.</p>
<p>gt,</p>
<p>yea, that would be the phd/md route. but i guess ill stick with phd for now!</p>
<p>I don’t agree that it’s “stupid”. I know of many students who have done this, applying to both grad programs and med school in their last year. As long as you can see yourself happy going into one or the other, its fine. And there’s nothing wrong with having a strong background in physics going into medicine. From what I hear, med schools like to take people with a wide range of experiences. The main thing is that you go with your interests - since you’re already thinking about the PhD route, go grab some research experience and see if you would like doing that for your career. If not, go volunteer in a hospital and see if you like that better.</p>
<p>it is possible but not recommended. I say when you finish your courses to take MCAT study MCAT and take the test. After you got the score you need for MCAT, start studying for GRE.</p>
<p>Besides the focus issue, there’s also one of time and money. You should research both application processes to understand what you would be facing.</p>
<p>For med school, you generally begin the process in the spring of junior year by taking your MCATs. I think applications deadlines are generally at the end of summer or early fall, although this may vary from medical school to medical school. Interviews, at your own expense start in September and go through January. If you go over to the pre-med forum, you’ll see that the estimated expense to apply to and interview at medical schools runs about $8,000 - $15,000, depending on the number of applications and the number of interviews. Also, fellowships for med students are rare. You generally have to pay the $200,000 or so from loans. This is not a debt to be taken lightly if you aren’t sure what you really want to do.</p>
<p>Physics PhD programs generally have deadlines starting December 1 and ending mid-January – again, depending on the school. You should take your GREs in the summer after your junior year to allow enough time to retake if necessary. If your programs interview prospective students, then they will pay for your travel. Estimated expenses to apply to PhD programs are generally around $800. If you are accepted into a PhD program, then the program generally pays tuition and all fees, plus a stipend from $23,000 to $30,000 for living expenses.</p>
<p>So let’s say you do both and have good results. You will be filling out applications from July to December, with your medical school supplemental forms due at the same time as your PhD applications. You will be interviewing at medical schools in the fall (and missing tons of classes) while you are filling out PhD applications. And if your physics programs interview, you will start going on those at the end of January. </p>
<p>I suggest that you choose one or the other by the spring of your junior year. You will drive yourself crazy with all the work. It will also be difficult to present a coherent profile if you are torn about your future direction.</p>