joel oppenheim presentation (fall 2012)
DESCRIPTION
vbxcTRANSCRIPT
“Preparing for and Applying to PhD,
MD/PhD and MD Programs: A Dean’s
Perspective”
Presentation for the
Preprofessional Advising Center October 29, 2012
Joel D. Oppenheim, Ph.D. Senior Associate Dean for Biomedical Sciences
NYU School of Medicine
Topics to discuss….
• Introductions
• What Program Should You Be applying To?
• College preparation
• Who is looking for what
• Medical School Information
• New Changes in the Medical School Admissions Process
• The Application Process
• The Interview Process
• Some general words of advice
PhD, MD, or MD/PhD?
The Biomedical Enterprise
The Spectrum
Physical
Sciences
Basic
Biological
Sciences
Integrative
Biological
Sciences
Disease-
Oriented
Research
Patient-
Oriented
Research
Patient
Care
Rod Ulane- NYU School of Medicine
The Physical Sciences
Mathematics
Physics
Chemistry
Computational Sciences
PhD, (MD/PhD), ((MD))
Rod Ulane- NYU School of Medicine
The Basic Biological Sciences
Molecular Genetics
Cell Signaling
Structural Biology
PhD, MD/PhD, (MD)
Rod Ulane- NYU School of Medicine
The Integrative Biological
Sciences
Cell biology
Developmental Biology
Physiology
Immunology
Neurosciences
Evolutionary Biology
PhD, MD/PhD, (MD)
Rod Ulane- NYU School of Medicine
Disease-Oriented Research
Cancer Biology
Sickle Cell Anemia
Cardiovascular Disease
Auto-Immune Disease
Alzheimer’s Disease
PhD, MD/PhD, MD
Rod Ulane- NYU School of Medicine
Patient-Oriented Research
*Hypothesis-Driven
Congenital Disorders
Aortic Aneurisms
Auto-Immune Disease
Cardiovascular Disease
MD/PhD, MD
Rod Ulane- NYU School of Medicine
Patient-Oriented Research
*Observational
Epidemiological Studies
Environmental Studies
Drug Trials
Longitudinal Studies
Outcomes Research
MD, (MD/PhD)
Rod Ulane- NYU School of Medicine
Patient Care
History and Physical
Diagnosis
Treatment
MD, (MD/PhD)
Rod Ulane- NYU School of Medicine
The Biomedical Enterprise
The Spectrum...Revisited
Physical
Sciences
Basic
Biological
Sciences
Integrative
Biological
Sciences
Disease-
Oriented
Research
Patient-
Oriented
Research
Patient
Care
PhD
MD/PhD MD
Rod Ulane- NYU School of Medicine
Preparation
Freshman & Sophomore Years
• Take broad spectrum of introductory sciences courses (including laboratories): biology, chemistry, physics, math, computer sciences
• Take courses which help develop skills in reading comprehension, writing and public speaking
• For MD or MD/PhD • arrange at least one hospital experience which includes patient contact sometime
during your sophomore or junior year
• Participate in a meaningful community service activity
• Take a leadership role in some university related activity
• Establish a good relationship with your school’s health careers or undergraduate research advisors
• Get involved in research at your home institution and begin to think of off-campus research experiences (i.e. summer programs), especially at schools that you are considering applying to
• Make sure that you do not over-extend yourself and remember that ACADEMICS COME FIRST!!!
“REALITY CHECK”
Somewhere between the end of the second year and the end of the third year you must ask yourself:
“Have I prepared myself appropriately and do I have a strong enough record to apply for the graduate or professional program in which I am interested?”
If the answer is “no” it is time to candidly re-examine your career goals, your learning strategies or your educational goals
Junior Year
• Take advanced level science courses: biochemistry, cell biology, molecular
biology, genetics, microbiology, physiology, organic chemistry,, etc. These
courses will prepare your foundation for all graduate and medical school
curriculum
• Take liberal arts courses that expand your comprehension of behavioral science,
economics, psychology, sociology, etc • Expand your research experiences
• For PhD and MD/PhD you must carry out in depth research at your home institution
• Summer research programs (summers between your sophomore and senior years)
• Chose a program directed at your career interest
• Chose a program at a school you are interested in attending
Junior Year…
• Begin preparation for MCAT or GRE: take preparation courses (Kaplan,
Princeton Review, etc.),
• MCAT is a computerized exam which is given 22 x a year beginning in
January; it should be taken before you submit your AMCAS application
• GRE exams are also computerized and you can take most any time; fall of
your senior year is most common; also must check if schools require a
subject test
Senior Year
• Submit your applications early (be realistic in your choice of programs)
• File AMCAS application for MD or MD/PhD by earliest possible date
(early June); apply to ~14 schools
• File individual grad school applications in early fall; apply to 6-8 schools
• If possible, visit the schools that interest you before applying
• For MD and MD/PhD applicants expect the fall semester to be very demanding (and expensive): be sure to take this into account when planning class schedules and other social commitments; most MD/PhD interviews are between Sept 15 - Jan 30
• PhD interviews are usually paid for by the visiting school; between Jan 15 -March 15 • For PhD and MD/PhD bound students be sure to take advanced level science courses,
especially those which are research and techniques oriented and complete any ongoing research projects
• Take “life-enriching” courses that you will enjoy: art history, religion, etc.
• Be sure to graduate!
Who’s looking for
what?
What students should be looking for
Academic Considerations: • Does the program offer a curriculum that meets your needs
MD programs:
- traditional or problem based learning
- research or primary care based medical school
PhD programs: umbrella vs. departmental
• PhD and MD/PhD programs
- are there sufficient faculty choices in the research areas you are interested in
- is there flexibility within the PhD to change directions
• Do you feel comfortable with the program’s structure and organization; this is
especially important for MD/PhD applicants
• Are there adequate university research support systems to carry out the type of
research you are interested in (library, computer facilities, specialized equipment, etc.)
What students should be looking for…
Special MD Considerations
• Does the school offer (and/or encourage) specialized programs that could
enhance your medical school experience:
o combined degree programs (MD/MPH, MD/MA, MD/JD, etc.)
o research opportunities for medical students (NIH Honors Programs, HHMI, Sarnoff,
etc.)
o international clerkships
o educational and clinical opportunities outside the normal curriculum (humanities and
social science events)
• New 3 year MD programs
What students should be looking for…
Financial Considerations • Can you afford it….This is not usually a consideration for students
pursuing PhD and MD/PhD programs, but is a major issue for MD
applicants (though it really does not have to be)
• Anyone can afford to go to medical school… It becomes a question of how
much debt you are welling to incur (the average medical school graduate
in has a debt of >$180,000)
• There are many ways of financing your medical education (loans, stipends,
work study). Seek the help of the Financial Aid Office
• Alternate ways of funding your education (i.e. National Loan Repayment
Program, Armed Forces and PHS support, etc.)
• Indirect funding: attend you state university medical school: this will save
you >50%
What students should be looking for...
Other Considerations
• Geographic location of the school
• Campus environment
• Size of the class
• Appropriate support systems (advisors, tutoring-services, etc.)
• Diversity of student body
• Intangibles for PhD and MD/PhD
- time to degree (national average 6 yrs for PhD, 8 yrs for MD/PhD)
- % completions
Record on placement of graduates
- MD and MD/PhD: Residency placement
- PhD: postdocs, industry, government, etc
- outcomes (# in academic positions)
What schools are looking for
• Strong undergraduate academic performance as indicated by
• Strength of course load & GPA (compared to other candidates from the same
institution)
• MCAT or GRE scores
• For PhD and MD/PhD applicants, sustained research experience(s)
• Letters of Recommendation from appropriate individuals (and/or Committee
Letter)
• Highly motivated students, who understand why they are applying
• Students who can clearly express themselves both in writing and orally
• For MD applicants, students who understand the social and economic
implications of the career they have chosen and who have demonstrated leadership capabilities
What schools are looking for…
• For PhD applicants, superior preparation in the discipline for which the
student is applying
• For MD/PhD applicants, an understanding of why you are applying to a
combined program
Medical School
Information
National Applicant Data: for Fall 2011
By Gender and Ethnicity*
• Number of accredited medical School 141
• Total Number of MD Applicants 43,919** (increase 2.8%)
MD/PhD Applicants 1,813 (4%)
• By Gender:
Male 23,135 (53%)
Female 20,780 (47%)
• Underrepresented students 7,257 (~16.5%)
Hispanic 3459
Black 3365
Native American 433
• Non US 1,646 *From AAMC database
**Total # of Applications = 609,312 (14 application/applicant)
MCAT (mean ave.)
GPA (mean ave.)
- Science
- Non Science
Applicants Matriculates
28.2/P
(31.1 Q)
31.1/Q
(34.4/Q)
3.53 (3.61)
3.43
3.65
3.67 (3.76)
3.61
3.74
*Source AAMC database
(MD/PhD data)
National Applicant Data: Fall 2011
Applicant vs. Matriculate Data*
National Applicant Data: Fall 2011
Medical School Matriculants*
• Total: MD & MD/PhD 19,230 (43.6%)** MD/PhD 633 (3.3%)
• By Gender:
Male 10,193 (53%)
Female 9,037 (47%)
• Underrepresented students 2,957 (15.5%)
• Non US Citizen & Perm Res 228 (1.2%)
*AAMC Database
**3% increase in matriculates from 2010
2012 Admissions Data Highlights
• As of fall 2012 there qre 141 accreditied US medical schools
• More than 45,000 students (45,266) applied to attend medical school in 2012,
an increase of 3.1 percent.
• All major racial and ethnic groups saw increases in applicants and enrollees
this year. A record number of Black/African American students (3,824) and
Hispanic/Latino students (3,701) students applied to medical school and both
groups reached new highs in enrollment of 1,416 and 1,731, respectively.
• Asian applicants increased by 5.6 percent and enrollees by 5 percent.
• The number of men applying to and enrolling in medical school increased
across all racial and ethnic groups, with strong gains among Black/African
Americans and Hispanic/Latino. The number of women applicants and
enrollees remained relatively unchanged.
• At the current pace of enrollment gains, medical schools are on track to
increase total enrollment 30 percent by 2016.
Medical Student Qualities: Admissions Assessment
Professionalism
Academics
Interpersonal
Skills
Motivation/
Investigative Mind Experience
□ Interpersonal
Communication
□ Empathy / Compassion
□ Teamwork Skills
□ Teaching Skills
□ GPA/MCAT Scores
□ Problem solving /
analytical reasoning
□ Academic Improvement
□ Consistency
□ Work ethic/Discipline
□ Integrity
□ Maturity/Insight
□ Time management skills
□ Ethical Decision- Making
□ Cultural Competency/Sensitivity
□ Commitment to Service
□ Leadership
□ Care of underserved
□ Exposure to different
cultures/ diversity
□ Patient Care Experience
□ Extracurricular Activities
□ Scientific aptitude
□ Intellectual Curiosity
□ Enthusiasm
□ Self-Motivation
New Changes in the Medical School
Admissions Process
New MCAT Examination
There will be a significant change in the MCAT
examination over the next 3 years (2013-2015) •As of 2013 there will be four sections on the exam and there will no longer be a
writing sample Writing Sample
• Physical Sciences
• Verbal Reasoning
• Biological Sciences
• Trial Section (beta test of questions for upcoming exam; this section will not be graded)
•As of 2015 the test will dramatically change
• Biological & Biochemical Foundations of Living systems
• Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
• Psychological, Social, & Biological Foundations of Behavior (new section)
• Critical Analysis & Reasoning Skills (new section)
Potential New Changes in Curricular
Requirements for Admissions
Parallel to the changes in the MCAT the AAMC & the
HHMI have recommended a dramatic change in the
undergraduate curriculum to match the new type of
physician that is envisioned for the future. The new
physician is expected to understand not only the hard
sciences but also have an understanding of the
behavioral and socio-cultural determinants of health. This
means that applicants must have courses in psychology
and sociology. In addition, they must be able to integrate
all facets of the natural and biological sciences.
The Application Process
The Parts of Your Application
“Package” THIS IS A HOLISTIC PROCESS! EACH SEGMENT IS IMPORTANT
• Application Forms for MD and MD/PhD (entirely electronic)
- AMCAS Primary • 2 additional essays for MD/PhD
- Individual school secondary applications (range of questions)
• Application forms for PhD (mostly electronic)
• CV (PhD only)
• Transcripts
• Letters of recommendation (and/or Committee Letter)
• Statements (essays)
• National Examination results: MCAT & GRE
General Comments…
• The application represents you and your level of interest and seriousness.
• Print out and proof read carefully before you submit online. Any paper application should be neat, accurate, complete and typed.
• Read the directions completely and answer all the questions fully.
• Call the institution if an instruction is unclear to you.
• Make a copy of the completed application
• Send in all applications well before the deadline
• After you send applications in, keep track of their progress
• Are you getting notifications of completeness?
• Are you getting invited for interviews at the expected time?
• Keep records of any phone calls. With whom did you talk? (It’s okay to ask for the name.) When? What were the main points of the conversation?
Transcripts…
• Be aware that schools usually require official transcripts from EVERY
institution that you attended.
• Make sure your grades are recorded accurately on the AMCAS form and
secondary applications
• If your recent GPA, or your GPA in your major (or science courses) is
considerably higher than your overall GPA, emphasize that fact in the
application. Ask your recommenders if they would consider doing so, too.
• Requesting transcripts often takes time - plan ahead!
CV or Resume….
• PhD applications only (dialog boxes serve this purpose
on AMCAS application)
• Used to supply supportive information that you do not
have space for in your personal statement
• honors and awards
• publications and presentations
• Special skills (computer, complicated equipment,
etc)
Letters of Recommendation…
• Check and follow the directions for submission of your letters.
• Choose letter writers who know you well enough to be able to describe your suitability for the program to which you are applying.
• Find out if someone will write a good letter for you. How? Ask! “Do you think you know me well enough to write a letter of recommendation for me?”
• Choose a mixture of letter writers, whose letters will complement each other and
address different aspects of your qualifications.
• Choose letter writers who can discuss more than one aspect of your qualifications
• Choose letter writers who know you currently, or who have known you in the recent past.
• When possible, choose recommenders who can compare you with other applicants (“food chain theory”)
Letters of Recommendation… more Help your recommenders help you!
• Ask for letters well ahead of deadlines. Provide a list of schools, programs, and due dates.
• Make sure your recommenders know what you are applying for (PhD or MD/PhD).
• Give your recommenders a copy of your resume and, if appropriate, your personal statement.
• Remind them of things they might want to say about you.
• If you’ve had some academic difficulty, ask if the recommender will explain the reasons in the letter.
• Plan ahead!
The Statement of Purpose:
Some Things to Think About
Not all personal statements are created equal: Different emphasis
and content for MD, MD/PhD, PhD or MS
Every schools application are different so be sure to read
instructions carefully and answer specific questions
Your statement represents you and shows your level of interest
and commitment. .
It is expensive for schools to invest in educating you. Your goal is
to help admissions committees decide why they should invest in
you. Let the reader get to know you.
The Statement of Purpose:
Some Things to Think About
• Your statement represents you and your level of interest and commitment. It should be written in your own words, accurate and grammatically correct. Check spelling and punctuation. Be sure to stay within the word/character limitation
• Read the question(s) carefully and make sure you answer them completely.
• It is expensive for schools to invest in educating medical students. Your goal is to help admissions committees decide why they should invest in you. Let the reader get to know you.
• Show that your decision to pursue a graduate/professional career is an informed decision
- how has your interest developed over time?
- what kind of training will help you reach that career goal?
- explain why you are interested in the school that you are applying to.
More things to think about…
• Describe reasonable, well informed goals, and why they’re of interest to you,
rather than naïve idealism.
• For PhD and MD/PhD show that you understand the content of your previous research projects. Sound like a scientist, rather than a “pair of hands.”
• Include examples of your independent thinking, responsibility, inter-personal skills, leadership. But…document your strengths with facts rather than editorial comment.
• Adversity is not an acceptable excuse for mediocre credentials, but it may be
given some consideration.
A few more things…
• Members of admissions committees often read dozens of applications, if not more. Write in a way that helps the reader. Keep your statement relevant, well organized, and concise. For example, an introductory sentence in each paragraph is useful. Avoid “gimmicks”; they may get the readers’ attention, but often in a negative way.
• Writing a good statement takes time - give yourself enough time to think about what you want to say, to write several drafts, and to read them critically. How does the statement sound when you read it out loud to yourself?
• Ask someone who is experienced at reading statements to review yours and discuss it with you (not a family member).
• Reread your statement before your interviews: Anything in your written application is “fair game” for an interview. Is everything that you’ve written about something that you feel comfortable discussing in an interview?
The Interview
How to prepare…
• An interview is a “conversation with a purpose”. Be ready to participate.
• There are significant differences between MD, PhD and MD/PhD interviews
• MD: usually only one person will interview you; there is usually no formulaic questions; some schools have both students and faculty interview…don’t let your guard down just because it is a student interviewing you
• PhD: usually 3-5 different scientist will speak with you from 30 - 60 minutes; these tend to be in-depth discussions on the research you have already performed
• MD/PhD: same as PhD but will also usually include an MD interviewer
• PhD and MD/PhD candidates: If requested to select faculty you would like to interview with, choose faculty who have expertise in the area of research you have conducted so you can have a relevant discussion. Do not pick faculty in an unrelated area just because they have a “big name”
How to prepare… For all:
• Review your application before the interview.
• Avoid making prepared speeches.
• Have a positive expectation about the interview
For PhD and MD/PhD applicants:
• Be knowledgeable about the scientific content of your previous research
experiences
• have an in-depth understanding of the project(s) and be able to describe it
concisely and without jargon
• be able to articulate the how individual project(s) is related to the “big picture”
• be able to clearly explain what your role was in each project
•know what the status of the project is, even though you may have only worked on
it a short period of time and are no longer in that lab
•
What to Wear…
• Dress to be respectful of the situation
• Wear comfortable clothes that give you confidence
• What you wear should not distract from what you say
• Keep your interview clothes in carry-on luggage
What to Do…
• Practice your handshake
• Make good eye contact
• Stand when you are being introduced
• Avoid “couch potato” postures
• Avoid excessive use of slang and expressions such as “like” and “you know”
• Don’t do anything that will distract the interviewer (i.e. chew gum, scratching yourself, tug on jewelry, etc.)
Some General Words of Advise
• Always remember that there are > 20 applicants for every place in most
programs…schools/programs are looking for reasons not to accept you… do
not give they reasons
• Do not be a high maintenance applicant
• It is your responsibility to be sure all documents arrives on, or better yet,
before the deadlines
• Remember, everyone you speak to or meet during the application/admissions
process, whether that be a secretary or professor, can impact your
acceptance…treat everyone with respect
Useful URL’s
• American Association of Medical Colleges: http://www.aamc.org • Official Guide to the MCAT Exam
• Medical School Admission Requirements
• All the data you will need to make an informed choice
• GRE info: http://www.gre.org
GOOD LUCK
TO ALL OF YOU!
With my thanks to Drs. Jocelyn Spragg, Roger Chalkeley and Rod Ulane as well as the countless students, faculty and administrators who I have learned from over the years.