You’ve spent countless dollars and massive amounts of energy have been drained on MCAT tutors/MCAT prep, applications and application consulting, and interviews. All this, to secure one of those coveted spots in a prestigious MD/PhD program. I can tell you from past experience, with that letter in hand, relief washes over you. However, that feeling is soon replaced by anxiety, when you realize that your preparations have paid off and you must now choose where to pursue your advanced degree. After months of interviewing, and conversations with admissions staff and students (all of whom want to tell you how great their programs are), it can be hard to know what really makes any one program the right choice.
So how do you know what the right choice is?
Our post will put everything into focus, and give you the most important factors you need to consider when making this HUGE decision.
It’s all about LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION.
The old adage rings true, not just in real estate but when it comes to making a decision about where to spend the next seven to eight years of your life (truly formative years). Given the importance of this time in your development, it’s important that your choice reflect who you are. Ask yourself a few questions:
- Do I like big cities or am I small town person?
- Do you like being outdoors or is a night out on the town your idea of a great time?
- Do you absolutely hate driving? Do you prefer taking mass transit when possible?
There is no doubt that school requires a lot of time and effort, but work-life balance is extremely important. The place you live should give you access to all the things you like to do in your spare time (now is the time to rediscover the hobbies and interests you may have lost as a pre-med student in college!). Many students I’ve spoken placed a lot of emphasis on location in making their decision. In my own experience, the choice to study in a major city has been crucial in making me a HAPPIER (and hopefully more productive) student.
Presence of Research Faculty is important
Remember, the purpose of this program is to generate highly skilled physician-SCIENTISTS, and so the research faculty present at a school and available to you is extremely important. Many of us come in “knowing” what field we would like to work in (microbiology, neurobiology, etc.). However, in my experience, I’ve seen numerous students completely change their minds, and end up with a PhD in a field they said they would never enter. It’s important to select a school with a wide range of potential faculty mentors in a range of fields. As you learn more, your interests will evolve, and having a program which grants you flexibility to pursue these changing interests will be important.
Your interview is the chance to ask questions
So ask the students in the PhD program about their experiences. MD/PhD students tend to end up in the same labs and so it’s likely you will end up there. So, ask about the experience and the mentorship, to determine where students are ending up and if they are happy! Often, we see prospective students citing a particular faculty member as a reason for being interested in a particular school.
DO NOT make your decision based on the presence of a single person at an institution
You may find, that professor you HAD to work with has left, has no space, or is a horrible mentor. Your main concern is getting sound scientific training. So LISTEN to what current students have to say to get a sense of what the mentorship experience is like.
Rankings are NOT everything
Students have a tendency to go straight to US News & World Report rankings. Which school is ranked highest that year? Then that’s where I’m going! I advise you NOT to use these rankings. There are a host of other factors that go into this decision. Often, these rankings are based on funding from the government. While these rankings are a good indication of how successful the faculty are at securing research funding, says NOTHING about the student experience there, and furthermore doesn’t say much about the success of students going through that program. However, when you are there, ask a few questions:
- What are the average STEP 1 (medical licensing exams) scores?
- Can I see the match list for the past year? (this will give you a sense of where students are going for their residencies)
What does this really tell you? Well, past success is a good indication of future success. If you’re school is churning out qualified students going to top residency programs, and obtaining stellar scores, then their teaching method/curriculum is highly effective, and you’re sure to be successful.
Is there an MD-PhD Community?
Many programs try to create a community of MD-PhD students. You are a unique group, and you spend a significant amount of time together, while everyone else (your med school counterparts) move off to other places. You all share a unique experience, and so it’s important to build relationships with these people (for both personal and professional reasons). Some schools really attempt to put in place activities for students to interact with each other. At the same time other schools don’t spend so much time thinking about this aspect. Determine if this is important to you, and ask some questions:
- Do you hang out with your classmates often?
- Does the program sponsor events for you to socialize with other students
- Do you interact with the older students? (these individuals are a great source of information and can help you navigate down this confusing path).
Those are the MAJOR factors that need to be considered when making this all important decision. In the end, GO WITH YOUR GUT! You’ll know if a place is or isn’t right for you. Good Luck!
Comments