<p>I'm a junior Cell Molecular Biology major at Tulane. I'm thinking of UVA for the Microbiology, Immunology, and Infectious Disease graduate program. However, I wanted to know if I'll have enough research experience to be competitive applying directly out of undergrad or if I should get a Masters first (I would get MSPH in Tropical Medicine here at Tulane). </p>
<p>I have a good amount of research experience, but it doesn't show much commitment because I switched around a lot. My sophomore year I spent 2 semester in a physiology lab, then last summer I had a microbiology/immunology internship. Then I transferred, so I'm planning on starting in an immunology lab next semester, so I would have 3 semester in that lab before graduating (this summer I most likely will have a lab internship closer to home). I know grad schools like to see committment in one lab, so what should I do??</p>
<p>Sounds like you're really looking at one master's program, and one more program's application won't cost you much extra, so apply for the master's on top of your PhD applications. If you don't get into the PhD programs, you've got that master's. If you have any doubt about ability to get into the master's program, you should also be applying for jobs, which, conveniently enough, don't normally have application fees.</p>
<p>Every dept/school can do things their own way but when I applied to PhD programs, one school offered me MS instead. Of course, if you apply for MS, they will only consider you for MS.</p>
<p>It depends on what you want to do for a career. If you want to stay in research then you should go straight for the PhD. In my experience colleagues that went for a masters thinking that they would use it to build their resume and then go for a PhD get burned out and settled for an MS as their terminal position, which as you know doesn't afford much autonomy in this field.</p>
<p>Take your GRE, spend the money, and apply everywhere good.</p>
<p>Apply for both and make your decision later...I have a Master's degree and going through the experience of graduate school helps you decide whether or not you really want to dump 4+ more years of your life into graduate school. Also you network with professors and have an inside track into the PhD program later.</p>
<p>And you can move a tier up in schools if your research is strong etc..</p>