I’ve already requested my LORs and they’ve been written already on the basis that I would be doing an MSTP/MD-PhD. However, upon recent reflection, I realize I don’t really want the PhD, and I chose it based on a misguided understanding of what such a program looks like and will do for me, as well as based on the encouragement from my research mentor and professors.
I’m applying this cycle. If I submit these letters, am I screwed?
Is it not that one needs to be admitted to a MD program first before one gets an interview for the PhD part of MD/PhD ? You may have to explain now why do not you want to do PhD. Have they been sent yet ? May be you can request LOR writers to change them if they have not been sent yet. To whom are they being sent to AMCAS or some where else. Are you sending a packet of LORs or a committee LOR packet from your health professions office to AMCAS ?
Individual letters, writers finished them and I’ve sent them to the AMCAS through Interfolio.
Not exactly, you’re considered for both degrees at the same time. If MD/PhD rejects you, they can send your app along to regular MD. It’s seen as one “unit,” not two separate things.
I’m not sure I can get them to rewrite them.
For a particular medical school, there may be only one admission committee for MD which selects both MD only and MD/PhD applicants for MD portion. Why would your application go to twice for MD portion ? If they select you to interview for MD part, they will invite you while PhD admission committee is separate and will decide on PhD part. Correct ? What happens if MD admission committee rejects your application. It should never go to PhD admission committee. Correct ?
This procedure may vary for different medical schools. You may have to check with each medical school you are interested in applying. Applications have not been forwarded yet to medical schools.
Idk, all websites say is if you’re not considered for the dual degree, you can request to be considered just for MD. That makes it seem like a committee for the dual degree is separate from that of regular MD. Plus, most people say you’ll be at a disadvantaged if you don’t get into the dual degree because your app to MD will be late.
I think after the PhD part takes you—although it’s not just the PhD half, it’s a committee considering you for the whole thing—the regular MD must accept you. But, I don’t think they’re separate entities.
Check with all the medical schools you are interested. It is not always the way you are understanding or saying it here. MD and PhD are not the same program so it is not necessary that if PhD accepts you, MD has to accept you. There are separate requirements for MD and PhD programs. Please do your own due diligence and do not assume anything at face value.
[quote=“grtd2010, post:6, topic:2094737”]
https://medicine.umich.edu/medschool/education/md-phd-program/md-phd-admissions/mstp-admissions-faq
https://medicine.yale.edu/mdphd/prospective/faq/
https://gradprograms.med.wayne.edu/pdfs/md-phd_handbook_full_11_14_2019_draft-for-website.pdf
Those are just three of my top choices/dream schools. All have an MD/PhD committee, and consider you for Md/PhD and MD separately. They’re not considering you for the MD and PhD separately.
It’s funny that you’re accusing me of not doing my homework, when I extensively have. If you have contradictory information, then post it, otherwise I’ve done my research.
That was my point - One has to be accepted into MD and PhD programs separately. How this is done logistically may be dependent on the institution.
From the link
MSTP applications are reviewed separately by the Medical School Office of Admissions, and applicants must be acceptable to both in order to receive an offer of admission to the MSTP.
Most MD/PhDs have a separate selection process to shortlist candidates. Some schools allow you to downgrade your application to MD only once you have been eliminated from interview consideration but it may be too late for MD by then and so people usually apply to both, only one to maximize their chances. So you can see people applying to MD/Phd at 15 schools, both at 5 or 10 and exclusively for MD only at some when they are serious about MD/PhD.
The letters dont necessarily need to be different unless all the letters are research oriented. The schools dont always know that you have not applied for MD/PhD anywhere (they will assume you did what most people do - applying to MD/PhD where you have a shot - the schools you listed above are very elite) and you applied rest as MD only.