Application Cycle One: 09/30/2017

• Undergraduate college: CUNY
• Undergraduate Area of study: Biological/Life Sciences

• Total MCAT SCORE: 516
• MCAT Section Scores: B/B 130, C/P 132, P/S 128, CARS 126
• Overall GPA: 3.89
• Science GPA: 3.92

Summary of Application Experience

MD/PhD:
Interviewed:
Cornell Tri-I
Pros:
Amazing biomolecular/cancer/stem research across all three institutions
MD/PhD Students years into a program were content and happy where they are
Cheap (for NYC) subsidized housing
Amazing location, everything so close
Good stipend
PIs seemed more down-to-earth than other big name schools
MSTP program seems extremely well organized and actually being an important cohesive between the institutions
Opportunity to have rotations in other Borroughs+NYP+SloanK
Cons:
Taking step 1.5 year into a program, without pre-clinical
Yale
Pros:
Students were super nice
Flexibility of the Yale System
Food carts
Amazing genetic/molecular research
Relatively cheap living
Students years into a program did not have regrets but also did not seemed pretty happy
Other interviewees were the most cheerful group I had so far
Cons:
PIs were not so nice
Yale system seemed being too lax for my taste
Solid Hospital but not a household name on its own compared to NYP, MGH etc
New Haven is a bit too quiet for me
Harvard
Pros:
Students were nice and extremely involved in med school decision-making
Amazing research in every direction possible
Cons:
Definitely felt a bit of subtle smugness and condescending attitude towards everything and everyone that does not have a Crimson H stapled on it
MD/PhD students years into program were rather jaded
Not a fan of Boston
HST seemed to be conflicting with an idea of MD/PhD
MSTP students are spread across the whole city, dont know each other outside of their friend groups.
Rochester
Pros
Great research in specific directions
Students and faculty were super super nice
Farmers market
School and hospital connected
I like snow/cold weather
Every MSTP student know each other across years
Senior students seemed to feeling fine in terms of finishing dual training
Cons
Limited choice of PIs
City seemed a bit too quiet for me
Small MSTP to MD ratio, which I am afraid can make concerns of MD/PhDs be not as significant voice as in other schools.
General thoughts: I liked Tri-I a lot on paper and my visit confirmed my thinking. I felt it was perfectly matching my vision of how MD/PhD program is supposed to be running