Which PhD programs have the highest acceptance rates?

[InquisitiveOne]

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I am curious as to where you get your information on Computational Biology and other related fields being easy to get into… these fields are actually very hot right now and extremely fast growing. Computational Biology and Bioinformatics programs are very competitive to get into as this field is in demand and and also the competition is fierce: you are competing against bio, comp sci, and math students for the spots in these programs. I spent the past summer in an NSF funded program for Computational Biology and it had a 4% acceptance rate.

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<p>Oh okay. Well, it’s much easier to get research with a theoretical/computational biologist than it is to get with a regular biologist (especially one in the health sciences). But that’s also because you’re not competing with the premeds (who will just apply for med schools).</p>

<p>As for the computational biology field though, I’m relying on hearsay from someone I know from another forum.</p>

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There are several that make use of computational biology, and I’d imagine so few people with that background apply that your friend would stand a good chance. Mine is going to be more centered around infectious disease (I hope), but, I’ve got a background in enzyme kinetics, protein chemistry, biophysics, and tissue culturing. So you can imagine it some pretty wide fields. Several people get their PhD part in Public Health, or alternatively is something as different as a social science.</p>

<p>They take between 6 and 9 years, usually about 7. 1-2 years of MD, then the PhD part, then finish up MD. The best thing about them is that unlike regular medical school which costs 50,000 a year or so, these pay you 30,000 a year for whole time you are there. The best 40 or so programs are federally funded. They focus mainly on GPA/MCAT scores/Research experience/medical experience and volunteer work, on an equal level all around. Other factors like involvement and strength of undergrad program also matter.</p>

<p>I would say they have more in common with PhD programs than MD programs, but, you usually have to make it through interviews with both the MD and the graduate school wanting to have you at the school.</p>

<p>Here’s an example of one I’m interviewing with in early Jan:</p>

<p>[MSTP</a> - Medical Scientist Training Program - Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas](<a href=“http://www.bcm.edu/mstp/mstp_main.html]MSTP”>http://www.bcm.edu/mstp/mstp_main.html)

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<p>But that guy is also a premed so he probably gets all his impressions from premeds. So it’s probably unrepresentative.</p>

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<p>But if computational biology is quickly expanding, then doesn’t it mean that more and more slots are being created for it? It’s possible that there might be a time lag between increase in supply and increase in demand - if increase in supply comes first, then these programs might be easier to get into - but it’s the opposite if increase in demand comes first.</p>