hopefulphdgirl

@namarie Thank you very much for your detailed reply! You gave me some things to think about. The only problem is that I know some PhD programs that theoretically might make me happier but there's no guarantee I will be accepted if I reapply and turn down the MD.... A pro-con list is a really good idea though! Thank you! @Tracyb I think it's because the process is so competitive--many people want to pursue the degree and there aren't enough spots. You have to matriculate at the MD program once you receive the acceptance--you can defer but only under exceptional circumstances (such as an illness). Once you decline an MD offer, you can't really go through the process again; theoretically you can but most if not all admissions officers advise against it because they doubt your interest in the field and there are hundreds of others who want your spot. PhDs are also competitive but the difference is that the MD process is much more streamlined--all applicants go through a similar portal like the "CommonApp." There also aren't many nuanced differences between MD programs, whereas two PhD programs even in the same discipline can be really different in terms of research focus. UCSF does offer a joint MD-PhD, as do several others. Because I was already accepted to an MD program though, I can't apply to that program :-(. Thanks for the tip though!

Hi everyone, I'm hoping that some of you might be able to provide some advice regarding graduate school. I am very interested to study the intersection of medicine and society, particularly as it relates to psychiatry, from a social sciences perspective. I graduated college with a focus on biology and psychology, but I feel that my interests also cross into the field of medical anthropology. This year, I applied to both medical school and graduate school (PhD programs). I am interested in medicine from an academic standpoint and had already completed all of the prerequisites to apply to med school, but I have increasingly realized that graduate school might be a better path for me. My ideal career would involve a substantial amount of research and teaching undergraduates in a university setting, as a tenured professor. I wouldn't be opposed to performing some clinical work concurrently as a physician, but I know that my main career objective is to have a faculty position that is typically pursued by those with a PhD in the social sciences. I have been accepted to two top 20 medical schools (which provide many opportunities for research) but I was ultimately rejected from all the PhD programs to which I applied. A professor with whom I interviewed at one PhD program informed me that I was a very qualified, but my research interests were very niched and did not match any specific professors in the Department. I know that many people end up re-applying to PhD programs, but I would have to decline the MD offer in order to do this, and it would be impossible due to the medical school admissions process to ever receive an MD acceptance again. So essentially, it's a pretty big risk to decline the MD for the potential to be accepted in a PhD in the next cycle. I also think that an MD degree might provide an opportunity into academia, but it is not the typical path and I may encounter a lot of difficulty. I was wondering if anyone has any ideas on what I should do. Are any of you familiar with any MDs who teach at an undergraduate level and perform research on medicine from a social sciences perspective? Should I just go for the MD and give up on the PhD? Another possibility is applying for a PhD after my second year of medical school at a different institution and taking a leave of absence, to return to med school after completion of the PhD (the medical schools I was accepted at only offer joint MD-PhD degrees in bench science fields, so I cannot perform the PhD at the same institution). I also wouldn't receive funding for the MD--so I would be taking out $250K in loans for the MD that would accrue interest while I was in graduate school. Although I was rejected from all PhD programs, I should mention that I was accepted into the MAPSS program through my referred application and received some tuition assistance. I have heard mixed reviews on this program, and I'm worried it would just add an extra layer of debt and complication, but it is an option. Thank you very much in advance for any advice!!