WSU Involvement
I've been involved with all of my student organizations this year, which include Golden Key Co-president, St. Vincent de Paul Vice President, and Student Honors Association Volunteer Service Coordinator. You can always find me at meetings and most events. Research has been a big part of work and course work this year (BIO 495). I'm usually in a lab at least 20 hours/ week. The most exciting course I have taken this year is UH 203: Working toward sustainability. It was offered as a winter intercession course, which lasted for the four weeks of winter break. We discussed sustainability the first two weeks of class and then had a service learning trip in New Orleans for the third week of class. We learned about Hurricane Katrina and witnessed the destruction it caused. I got to help implement sustainable solutions in the form of radiant barrier in individuals' homes. Radiant barrier helps insulate homes to keep energy costs down, which is good for individuals and the environment. This was one of the most interesting classes I've taken at Wright State and I highly recommend it. Both the material and the professor (Hunt Brown) were excellent.
Application and Interviewing Experience
I applied for the M.D./ Ph.D. program at WSU, but the interviews are held separately. Since other students will address this interview, I will skip it.
I interviewed for M.D./ Ph.D. positions at the University of Cincinnati and The Ohio State University. The following is a break down of the interview weekends with my reactions.
UC
I interviewed here first so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I drove down on Thursday night and checked in to the hotel in the late afternoon. I met with other candidates as they arrived; it was a bit intimidating to find that the other candidates were from prestigious universities, such as Northwestern and Johns Hopkins. We met with students from the program who took us out to a nice dinner at a local restaurant.
On Friday morning some of the program faculty gave brief presentations about their current research. After lunch we had two interviews. (Applicants who chose M.D. if rejected from M.D./ Ph.D. will have a third interview.) My interviews were pretty laid back and allowed me to talk about my research and my undergraduate career. There were no tricky questions. After the interviews we met with the students of the program. Two of the students briefly presented some of their research. Then there was a question and answer session, which allowed us to ask questions about living in the city, commuting, significant others, and anything else we wanted to know. There were no afternoon activities; I slept until we met to go out that night. The students from the program took us out to a local bar that night. Drinks were covered by the program and the pool table was free. They provided wings and potato wedges as well as beer and alcohol. Feel free to have a good time and stay out late. I played an inordinate amount of pool, drank a number of beers, and stayed until 2 a.m. This is a great opportunity to see if you fit with the other students in the program so take advantage of it.
On Saturday morning we had breakfast at the home of one of the students in the program. The students made a really great breakfast for us. After relaxing over breakfast we had student interviews. Two students, one advanced and one relatively new, conducted a very informal interview. They asked about my research and personal interests. I was also free to ask them any questions that I might have had. This was a great opportunity to ask them about their personal experiences in the program and their recommendations. Then we took a tour of the medical campus and research facilities, which are brand new; the medical school building will open next year and the newest research building opened in December 2007. The afternoon offered a few hours to rest our, if interested, tour other facilities on or off campus. Most of the group chose to indulge in Graeter's ice cream and then relax before dinner. The dinner was hosted by a member of the faculty. The meal was provided by a local catering company. The meal was wonderful. This was a great opportunity to have informal conversations with the faculty members. I took the opportunity to meet with Dr. Myatt, the director of the program who discussed past program students. He clearly cared about the students in the program; he recalled humorous situations and difficulties involving past and present students. The house we were at had dart boards, a pool table, whack-a-mole, foosball, and air hockey.
I left the next morning feeling confident about my chances at being accepted and anticipating the next weekend interviewing at The Ohio State University.
OSU
I drove to Columbus on Thursday afternoon to meet my student host. Since he had friends in some of the labs I was interested in, he took me to the new research building and introduced me to some neuroimmunologist students. They were kind enough to show me around the labs and tell me about some of the researchers and their work. Thursday night is the faculty dinner at the faculty lounge. This starts with a program introduction by the program director, Dr. Allen Yates. Having developed the program he is certainly knowledgeable and willing to answer any questions. The program introduction is followed by an opening dinner with program faculty. It is wise to take this opportunity to meet faculty members from the fields you're interested in. I met with some of the immunology, neuroscience, and neuroimmunology faculty and learned more about their research.
At 7:30 Friday morning the interview day begins. You will meet with a individual from the M.D. program, a research (you can request someone that you're interested in), and a member of the Ph.D. program you're interested in. My M.D. and Ph.D. interviews went very smoothly. I chose to interview with Phillip Popovich for my research interview since I am very interested in the work in his laboratory; I didn't realize before hand that he typically doesn't like interviewees. He questioned me on my intentions, forced me to justify the need for a M.D./ Ph.D., and asked about my perceptions of graduate school as well as my future goals. At the end of the interview he revealed that he was quite impressed with my level of understanding and maturity; he asked me to consider a rotation in his lab. I write this because I want to emphasize that going into an interview prepared can have a big impact on the outcome; my interview my help establish my position in a top notch laboratory. Also, a researcher who is interested in a candidate can have a lot of sway on an admissions committee (or so I am told). After lunch we had the student interviews. One of my interviews went very well, but one did not. Be advised that some of the students who volunteer to interview candidates and not necessarily the best suited individuals for the position. I was warned ahead of time that my second student interviewer was one of these particular individuals; he asked the tricky ridiculous questions so that he could watch me squirm. Luckily I was warned and I do well under pressure, but watch out for this type. Remember that the students have little say on the admission of the candidate. After the interviews we went out with the students in the program for some fun. I once again encourage you to have fun with the students. However, OSU will not pick up the tab.
On Saturday morning we met at a local restaurant for breakfast. After breakfast they took us on a driving tour of the city. You are free to leave whenever you need to.
Acceptances
During the UC interview I was told that initial acceptances would be offered two weeks after each interview weekend. Out of 12 interviewers/ weekend, approximately 2-3 would be offered spots in UC's M.D./Ph.D. program. I called on the Monday two weeks after my interview weekend to check on the status of my application; I was told that I had been accepted into their program. I have set up a second look weekend, which will allow me to learn more about the research that individuals are doing at UC.
OSU does not offer any acceptances until both interview weekends have been completed. I interviewed at the beginning of January and the second weekend is at the end of February, which means that I have a long wait. At the beginning of February, I followed up my interview by emailing my research interviewer (Dr. Popovich) and the program director (Dr. Yates). I let them both know how excited I am about the program and how eager I am to hear good news. Dr. Popovich returned an encouraging reply. Dr. Yates let me know that the admissions committee had met to discuss the candidates. Some individuals were rejected, but no one would be ranked until the last week in February. I was excited to hear that the "Admissions Committee looked quite favorably on [my] application."
Advice for New Undergraduate Students
The best advice that I have for any students who are interested in medicine is to get involved in and outside of the classroom. Talk to your teachers and discuss your coursework when you are interested in it. I went to many of my professors to discuss subjects that I am particularly interested in. While this requires extra work on your part I promise that it is truly worth it. By speaking to my professors I was able to learn about other opportunities and additional classes that I might be interested in. My interest in philosophy led to my enrollment in a UH 400 course titled The Brain, The Mind, and the Soul. Through this course I became interested in neuroscience. Through neuroscience I became involved in immunology. Through my research I became interested in neuroimmunology, which is what I hope to conduct research in. Without pursuing my interests I would not be where I am today.
My other recommendation is get involved outside of the classroom. It doesn't matter what you do as long as you do something. I have been involved in hospital volunteering, which lets you know more about the medical field; both the people working in it and those being served by it. I have also been involved with Boy Scouts, volunteer organizations like St. Vincent de Paul, and honor societies like Golden Key and Student Honors Association. All of these offer opportunities to help in the local community in one way or another. Service learning, integration of volunteer work as part of course curriculum, is becoming a big movement at Wright State. Take advantage of classes that allow you to volunteer as part of your curriculum. These opportunities will help build your resume and understand more about the class material.
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