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The Complete MD/PhD Applicant Guide

How to Become a Double Doctor

  • Textbook
  • © 2021

Overview

Authors:
  1. Jonathan Sussman

    1. Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA

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    You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

  2. Jordan Setayesh

    1. University of Michigan Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA

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    You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

  3. Amitej Venapally

    1. Emory School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, USA

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    You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

  • Explains the MD/PhD application process from the perspective of recent applicants who share their anecdotal experiences

  • Contains a collection of example essays

  • Delineates the important differences between an MD and MD/PhD application

  • Provides helpful suggestions and resources for every step of the application process

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Table of contents (15 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xxv
    Download chapter PDF

  2. What Is an MD/PhD?

    • Jonathan Sussman, Jordan Setayesh, Amitej Venapally
    Pages 1-6

  3. What Do MD/PhDs Do and Who Should Become One?

    • Jonathan Sussman, Jordan Setayesh, Amitej Venapally
    Pages 7-16

  4. Prerequisite Requirements

    • Jonathan Sussman, Jordan Setayesh, Amitej Venapally
    Pages 17-29

  5. The MD/PhD Application Basics and Timeline

    • Jonathan Sussman, Jordan Setayesh, Amitej Venapally
    Pages 31-44

  6. Researching Schools: Where to Apply

    • Jonathan Sussman, Jordan Setayesh, Amitej Venapally
    Pages 45-53

  7. The Personal Comments Essay

    • Jonathan Sussman, Jordan Setayesh, Amitej Venapally
    Pages 55-58

  8. The MD/PhD Essay

    • Jonathan Sussman, Jordan Setayesh, Amitej Venapally
    Pages 59-60

  9. The Significant Research Experience Essay

    • Jonathan Sussman, Jordan Setayesh, Amitej Venapally
    Pages 61-65

  10. The Work and Activities Section

    • Jonathan Sussman, Jordan Setayesh, Amitej Venapally
    Pages 67-76

  11. Secondary Applications and the CASPer Test

    • Jonathan Sussman, Jordan Setayesh, Amitej Venapally
    Pages 77-88

  12. Interview Invitations: What to Expect

    • Jonathan Sussman, Jordan Setayesh, Amitej Venapally
    Pages 89-96

  13. Interview Types: Preparation and Strategy

    • Jonathan Sussman, Jordan Setayesh, Amitej Venapally
    Pages 97-117

  14. The Waiting Game: It’s Not Over Yet

    • Jonathan Sussman, Jordan Setayesh, Amitej Venapally
    Pages 119-126

  15. Acceptances, Second Looks, and Matriculation

    • Jonathan Sussman, Jordan Setayesh, Amitej Venapally
    Pages 127-130

  16. Additional Resources

    • Jonathan Sussman, Jordan Setayesh, Amitej Venapally
    Pages 131-184

  17. Back Matter

    Pages 185-189
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Keywords

About this book

This book is a student reference guide book for the MD/PhD application process. It begins with an overview of the structure of a typical MD/PhD program as well as student outcomes and career choices of MD/PhD graduates. Next is an outline of the academic and extracurricular prerequisites as well as the basic components of the application itself. The authors then address the factors that MD/PhD students should consider when selecting schools to which to apply. Continuing to the main application, examples are provided of all the different essay types that MD/PhD applicants will encounter along with comments on how to address the deliberately vague and abstract prompts while tailoring the responses to the combined-degree program. Most uniquely, included is a very detailed explanation of the many types of interviews that applicants will encounter and how to prepare for them by integrating extensive personal experience and first-hand discussions with MD/PhD program leaders. Lastly, there will be a discussion on how to cope with the year-long timeline that constitutes this application process and provide guidance regarding properly responding to acceptances and waitlist offers.

Written by a team of authors each experienced with the MD/PhD application, this book aids the prospective applicant with navigating this challenging process.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA

    Jonathan Sussman

  • University of Michigan Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA

    Jordan Setayesh

  • Emory School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, USA

    Amitej Venapally

About the authors

Jonathan Sussman graduated from the University of Southern California (USC) in 2019 with dual degrees in Biomedical Engineering and Music Performance. He has conducted Systems Cancer Biology research at USC as an undergraduate researcher and Molecular Biology research at The Scripps Research Institute as a research assistant and is now pursuing an MD/PhD at the University of Pennsylvania in the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology with an emphasis in Cancer Biology.

Jordan Setayesh graduated from the University of California San Diego (UCSD) in 2018 with a degree in Biochemistry and Cell Biology. He conducted developmental biology research as an undergraduate researcher at Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine from 2016-2020. He is now pursuing an MD/PhD degree at the University of Michigan Medical School and Rackham Graduate School.

 Amitej Venapally graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2020 with dual degrees in Biochemistry and Computer Science. He has conducted RNA biology and origin of life research at Georgia Tech as an undergraduate researcher. He is now pursuing an MD/PhD degree at the Emory University School of Medicine.

 

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: The Complete MD/PhD Applicant Guide

  • Book Subtitle: How to Become a Double Doctor

  • Authors: Jonathan Sussman, Jordan Setayesh, Amitej Venapally

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-55625-9

  • Publisher: Springer Cham

  • eBook Packages: Medicine, Medicine (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-55624-2Published: 23 September 2020

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-55625-9Published: 22 September 2020

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XXV, 189

  • Number of Illustrations: 1 b/w illustrations, 6 illustrations in colour

  • Topics: Medicine/Public Health, general, Medical Education

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