Two More Weeks!

I take the MCAT in two weeks. Two weeks! It hit me today that it is right around the corner. I hope I am ready by then. If you have been wondering why it seems I have fallen off the face of the earth, that is the reason. I have been busy studying, writing my research proposal, and competing in track, as well as keeping up in all my classes and working in the office.

I did get to go home for Easter, which was a much needed break. I decided not to do any homework or studying and focus on relaxing and spending time with my family. It was a great decision, although I have only been back for a week and already feel burned out.

Track has been going okay. My back is continuing to bother me, which has been interfering with me performing my best, but I just keep pushing through it. I had a pretty good practice today even though the rest of the week wasn't so hot, so hopefully it carries into tomorrow's meet. I can't wait for summer so I can get this fixed!

Speaking of summer, there are only two weeks of class and three final exams standing in the way. Very exciting, but also very stressful. Definitely looking forward to relaxing a bit once school is finished. I still have yet to find an internship, job shadow experience, or job for the summer, but I still have a few options.

I also have many options in the paths I will be taking to become a physician-scientist. Sometimes it seems like too many options. Since the application will be available soon, I have been stressing over it a little. My main concern is my lack of research experience. I haven't had the year or two in research that most schools are looking for, and although I know I will be a dedicated researcher, it is going to be very hard to prove to admissions committees. I have been doing some personal research on alternate paths I can take since I don't want to spend the money to apply if I am not going to be a competitive applicant. Luckily, most of the schools I am looking into allow their students to apply to the combined degree program during their first or second year of medical school. Therefore, I can apply to medical school right now and will hopefully be accepted, engage in research during my first year, and apply to the program then. This way seems a little more reasonable at this time since I have not spent much time in research. It also takes a little stress away.

I better get back to studying. Just wanted to update you all on what has been going on. Thanks for reading!

"My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me."
-Psalm 62:7

Maybe One Day I'll Make Up My Mind

I did it again. I changed my mind. I'm back on the path to becoming an MD/PhD. Why? Because I talked to an adviser, and she thinks it would be in my best interests to go for the combined degree. After an hour long discussion, the conclusion we came to was that at the age of thirty, having both degrees would be a great advantage. I do love school, so I don't think the length of time would be a problem. Also, it is hard to say whether I would get enough patient interaction by just doing a PhD program. I really love working with people, especially at older ages, and I think working with Alzheimer's patients would be really rewarding. By getting both degrees, I wouldn't necessarily need to use both. I could use one or the other, but would have the correct training to utilize both if I needed to. I still think working with patients would be excellent motivation to apply to my research.

With that said, the professor I talked to has confidence in me about getting accepted into such a prestigious program, which is quite encouraging. She has been to medical school and has her MD, so she knows what it is like and what it takes to get there, and she believes I am on the right track. While I am at school, I will be focusing on my coursework, grades, research, and extracurricular activities, and on my breaks I will be focusing on volunteering and preparing for the MCAT. I actually can't wait to get back to the senior village to volunteer again over Thanksgiving break.

I am, of course, still a little nervous about getting accepted into a program. Everyone keeps telling me that I won't have a problem, but it is extremely competitive. However, if I do not get accepted, I can still apply to PhD programs or take a year off to do research. I would rather not take a year off, but there is no way to tell what is going to happen.

This summer is going to have to be very productive if I want to get into a program. The application for the research program in St. Louis I really want to attend comes out this week! I am really hoping I get accepted into the program. It would be such an awesome experience. I have a backup plan with a neuroscience summer research program in Maryland, and beyond that I am going to have to make some phone calls. If anyone has any connections in the field of neuroscience, I would love to spend some time with them.

On a more personal note, classes are going okay. It has been a rough semester just out of business, but I'm hanging in there. Track has officially started and it should be a really good season. I am still having tons of fun dancing. Our last football game is next Saturday and then we switch gears to basketball season. Halloween weekend was pretty disappointing this year, but I got some relaxing in so I can't really complain.

Well I am off to organize my life and get some homework done. Thanks for reading.

What I'm Doing Now to Prepare

I studied A LOT today. I'm trying to get a lot of studying for the MCAT out of the way over my summer break because I know time will be limited once school starts in two months. I am doing a few things either every day or at least regularly to prepare myself for the admissions process:

1. I have been "attending" class at http://www.wikipremed.com/. This site has a completely free MCAT course to take online. It features online videos in a spiraling curriculum to cover topics in physical and biological sciences. A spiraling curriculum means that you don't just cover one science group at a time, but rather look at each topic in the entire context of the sciences. That way, you can more easily see how everything in your science courses tie in with each other. The site also has many more resources for premeds (such as review cards, crosswords, vocabulary, etc), and none of the site is restricted. Printed material is available to purchase if you learn better that way, or just want even more practice. I would highly recommend this site to anyone preparing for medical school. It would be a really helpful resource to everyone in the undergraduate sciences, but it definitely takes a lot of time as there are hours of video review. I have been taking notes on the videos and have put together a binder with the outline of the course so I can have all the notes in one place. 
2. I downloaded the "MCAT A Day" app on my IPod Touch. I have this huge dry erase board in my room and every morning when I wake up I write the MCAT question of the day from the app along with the date and a bible verse (usually from the app "365 Devotions"). This is great because I am in the habit of practicing at least one MCAT question every single day. It even gives you an explanation of the correct answers and why the other answers were wrong. Also a highly recommended resource for future medical students. 
3. I bought and read The Medical School Admissions Guide by Suzanne M. Miller, MD, and use it as a resource. It is a week-by-week guide to medical school admissions written by a Harvard graduate who has been through it all and is now helping other students pursue their physician dreams. In the book, Dr. Miller discusses everything from the money you will spend during the admissions process, to recommendations, MCAT preparation, applications, essays, interviews, and decisions. It is a fantastic resource on the entire process, although not specifically geared toward MD/PhDs. 
4. I keep a virtual journal called iDailyDiary. You can download it from http://download.cnet.com/iDailyDiary-Free/3000-2124_4-10211308.html?tag=mncol;1 and it is totally free. I use this to take note of any volunteer, work, academic, or volunteer experiences so I can discuss them in detail later if ever asked to write an essay on any of them or asked questions about them in an interview. I also want to have enough information to be able to fill out the activities section on the AMCAS (American Medical College Application Service) in great detail. Even more, I like to use the admissions book stated above (in #3) and other resources to get examples of questions asked on essays and in interviews to brainstorm in my journal possible answers. This way I won't be forcing my brain to think about a topic enough to write an entire essay when I have never thought about it before. 
5. I have started volunteering weekly at a local hospital. It is not a clinical position (volunteers are not allowed to touch patients) but I will be spending time in a clinical setting and will have many opportunities to interact with patients and medical professionals. This will also be an experience I can add to my activities section or be able to discuss in essays and interviews. 
6. I read PreMed Life magazine at http://www.premedlife.com/ (another free resource). It gives a lot of different information for premeds and comes out about once every other month. There are many different types of articles in each issue and every issue has a list of books to read, a list of gadgets to look into, and a specialty spotlight. It also features a list of summer premed programs across the nation (and a few in other countries).
7. I have been reading medical-related books for pleasure. Some I get off the book list in PreMed Life magazine, and others I just find browsing the library bookshelves. Right now I am reading the book BioMedical Ethics, a book in the "Opposing Viewpoints" series from Greenhaven Press. This book looks at each side of many different ethical issues in medicine including stem cell research, organ transplantation, reproductive technology, and human genetic testing. I have not gotten very far yet, but may give a review later in the blog after I have finished. Recently I finished How Doctors Think by Jerome Groopman, MD. Although not exactly the most exciting read, it definitely got me thinking. It pointed out a lot of ways doctors are trained to think and how it can be good or bad in different situations, and also how you as a patient can ask questions and communicate with your doctor in order to find a correct diagnosis for any problem you may be having. It opened up my eyes to a lot of things that enhances my desire to be a communicator between physicians and scientists so we can improve the quality of medical care. 
8. I researched a lot of schools and have narrowed my list to 11 different schools. I have made a sheet for each school that includes information about the school itself, its MD/PhD program, and the location it is in. Information such as the curriculum, the graduate programs offered, and activities students participate in is included on the sheets among other things. These sheets have been placed into a binder and are ranked from my top choice on. The ranks are definitely not set in stone as I haven't even visited most of the schools yet. I plan to place all of my application and interview information and materials in the binder with its corresponding school. 
9. I have been working closely with my academic advisors to make sure I am taking all the recommended courses throughout my undergraduate career in order to make sure I am ready for the challenge of medical and graduate schools. 

Well I think that's pretty much all I've been doing so far (not that it isn't enough). If I think of something else I will add it later. Now I will list just a few things I plan on doing in the near future to help me prepare:

1. Make flashcards for the MCAT
2. Review for the MCAT using my notes and a review book
3. Take practice MCATs
4. Start a research project
5. Continue to do what I have already started

I think I have a pretty good list here. It may seem like a lot, and it is, but it doesn't seem so bad when you do a little at a time. It also helps that it is impossible to get a summer job around here. I'm doing odd jobs for a few bucks here and there, and may be increasing my volunteer work this summer. Totally unrelated to my preparation for an MD/PhD program is that I am training year-round as a hammer and discus thrower on my track and field team. I have potential to compete at the national competition, so I am working hard! I have found it very difficult to find motivation to work out a lot of days during the summer, but if I want to get to California to compete next season, I know I have to suck it up, step it up, and work as hard as I can for it. I think that's all for now. Thanks for reading!

So What's a Combined MD/PhD Program Anyway?

As the title suggests, at the end of the program you will come out with two degrees: MD and PhD. The PhD is usually in one of the biomedical sciences, but doesn't always have to be. Such a program usually takes 7 or 8 years and is very challenging (which is probably why I am so attracted to it).

Who should consider an MD/PhD program?

Basically, a good candidate loves science, loves research even more, loves medicine, and loves caring for other people. Also, if you have any interest in teaching medicine, this program can definitely help get you there. You must also enjoy a challenge because a 7 or 8 year academic commitment is a big deal.

Why am I considering an MD/PhD program?

• I have a passion for helping others
• I love working in the lab
• I have a passion for learning new things
• I love puzzles and challenges
• I love teaching others what I know
• I am a great organizer and have great time management skills
• I am a great communicator and want to use this skill for bridging the gap between physicians and scientists
• When I found out about this program, I had an "AHA!" moment

What is the curriculum like?

Each individual school has their own curriculum, but most follow the same general path. Basically, you can plan to spend two years in medical school, then transition to graduate school to take graduate-level courses, do research, and work on your thesis, and return to medical school to finish your clinical training upon finishing  your PhD work. 

What does it take to be accepted?

These programs are very competitive and take a lot of hard work to be a part of. There is no direct path, as all kinds of different people make up the MD/PhD community. However, to better your chances, you should have a pretty high GPA, a great MCAT score, and be able to demonstrate how much you love research (by being able to discuss research experiences you have engaged in). You will need to meet the requirements for both medical and graduate school, so be sure to look individually at each program you are interested in. 

An extra perk:

Although definitely not a reason to apply to MD/PhD programs, an added perk is that they usually will pay your tuition and fees and provide you with a stipend. Most also cover your insurance or at least subsidize it. Many schools get funding through the NIH (National Institutes of Health) and call their program MSTP (Medical Scientist Training Program).

Introduction

Hello. My name is Jamie. I am a chemistry and premed student at Trine University. I have decided to start a blog about my journey in my goal of being accepted into a combined MD/PhD program. Mostly my reason behind this is that as I became interested in this type of program, I could not find very many resources out there for the admission process. There is a ton of information for getting into medical school, but limited information is available for future physician-scientists. I am hoping to blog about everything from my work and volunteer experiences, to research and classes, to preparing for the MCAT, to the application and interview process, and everything in between. Comments and questions are always welcome, and I hope my experiences can provide valuable information to anyone else interested in this combined degree program.