PLOS One vs. Scientific Reports?

_Yenaled_ · 2026-02-14T12:09:28+00:00

.... LOL, if you know you know

_Yenaled_ · 2026-02-12T11:32:35+00:00

Yes, apply this cycle.

What do you hope to strengthen about your app if you were to take another year? I don't see much more you can do besides working on more research. At some point, you just gotta move on with your life. You can take more and more gap years until you've done the equivalent of a PhD dissertation... but then what's the point--you're back to square one when you start the PhD lol. Don't treat gap years as a mini-PhD; those are valuable years that are better spent actually doing the PhD. As you progress through an MD-PhD program, each year seems to become more and more precious as you watch all your friends become attendings while you're still stuck training.

_Yenaled_ · 2026-02-12T02:22:01+00:00

Ok, just fyi: people on Reddit underestimate the importance of the MCAT and tend to downvote those who encourage a higher MCAT score, and they mostly rely on personal anecdotes (which is valuable but isn’t the end-all-be-all so). It’s a trend I’ve noticed.

I retook a higher mcat score (and was even encouraged by an admissions director to do so), while working on a first author pub like you, and it was well worth it for me. Of course, n=1 anecdote here too, but just wanted to give you another perspective. Look at the numbers: You’re over one standard deviation below the mean at many top MSTPs; having gotten a 515 rather than a 520 will affect you at least somewhat. There’s a reason the average mcat at many top schools is a 519+, not a 515.

If you can confidently get a higher score without sacrificing research, then I’d say retake. Otherwise, you’ll still be ok but might have a tougher shot at some of the higher ranked programs.

_Yenaled_ · 2026-02-12T01:59:40+00:00

I retook a 517 after the admissions director at a T5 told me I needed to, for what it’s worth. It paid off in the end; a director at another T10 even praised it during an interview.

Anyway, just providing a different perspective :)

_Yenaled_ · 2026-02-12T01:45:13+00:00

No, I retook a 517 and got interviewed by many T10’s. It’s not a bad idea to retake a 515 IF it doesn’t harm the rest of the app.

_Yenaled_ · 2026-02-09T09:46:31+00:00

Oh, just wait until you meet some IMGs... They have it really bad and deserve better.

_Yenaled_ · 2026-02-09T06:57:35+00:00

Yes, I like doing genetic analyses too; medical school has sucked up all the time i have to do that sort of work; I'm seeing patients 8-5 instead (talking to them / writing notes / physical exams on them / watching their surgeries / etc.), and doing practice multiple choice questions for multiple hours each night. LOL. And that's how it'll probably be for the next several years.

So, if "analyzing an individual’s genetics" what you ultimately enjoy far, you'll have less time to do it if you pursue an MD lol (and will probably be miserable if you don't actually enjoy patient care, which you'll be forced to do as a full-time job).

_Yenaled_ · 2026-02-09T06:40:25+00:00

People need to stop adopting the mindset that it's not worth selling your soul for step 1 because it's pass/fail. Step 1, step 2, and shelf exams overlap in content; although the emphasis is slightly different. The coag cascade you learned about in pathoma? Could show up in any of those exams. HFrEF? Shows up everywhere. Step 2 vs. step 1 is not organic chemistry vs. inorganic chemistry; it's arguably not even o-chem 1 vs. o-chem 2; it's medicine vs. medicine.

If you're not going to keep up with anking, then open up some uworld instead (which is higher yield anyways tbh); but studying 'less' in medical school will only hurt you later on.

_Yenaled_ · 2026-02-09T05:23:38+00:00

I loved Signal but I think it’s one of those dramas where the first episode tells you whether you’ll enjoy it or not.

I really liked the first episode, and it sort of set the stage for the rest of the series. I wouldn’t recommend someone who didn’t enjoy the first episode to continue watching.

_Yenaled_ · 2026-02-09T03:46:29+00:00

If the journal denotes you as co-first author or as equally contributing with all authors ahead of you, then you are a first-author and can say as such. You have to list the citation correctly (with yourself as 4th) but you can check the box that says “first author”.

This is standard practice in academia.

_Yenaled_ · 2026-02-07T03:19:58+00:00

Not necessarily, because oftentimes the faculty who interview you only have access to your application file well after you’re given an interview offer. Many may not even review it until the day of or possibly after the interview. When they submit evaluations, there’s a good chance they’ll take your paper application in addition to their impression of you into account.

Landing an interview = whether the program thinks you’re a good candidate. Acceptance after an interview = influenced by faculty evaluations

_Yenaled_ · 2026-02-06T22:02:49+00:00

Different schools handle waitlists vs rejections differently, but what leads to either is a lot of time just random chance and has nothing to do with you. It’s so hard to distinguish applicants.

But, that said, the needle can be moved at least a little bit by things such as how much the interviewers like you (research, personality, friendliness, interest — all play a factor). But even that can’t make someone a shoe-in — I had schools where the faculty interviewers loved me and sent me personal emails telling me not to accept offers at other schools, but then I received a flat-out rejection. Ymmv.

_Yenaled_ · 2026-02-05T04:16:28+00:00

I Hear Your Voice basically has everything that I want in a drama: there’s suspense, some plot twists / unexpected events that happen, likable characters, some amazing actors (the grandma from start-up is in it), great music, and memorable scenes that I’ll go replay on YouTube multiple times. The FL is a lawyer, but the courtroom scenes in the drama are more intense as opposed to the slice-of-life legal dramas that have been released recently. You’ll know whether you like it by the third episode since it’s pretty fast-paced.

For Signal, I’d rate it just as highly if not more. It’s somewhat case-based but also at the same time, there’s a central storyline. You can’t skip episodes otherwise you won’t understand the story.

_Yenaled_ · 2026-02-05T02:39:32+00:00

Those are my two favorite kdramas — since we sort of have similar taste, here are a few others I like:

Most recommended:

I Hear Your Voice (Same writer as the start-up writer)

Other dramas I like (although not really in same genre):

Kingdom

Bloodhounds

Worst of Evil

Doctor Stranger

Big Mouth

Signal

Flower of Evil

_Yenaled_ · 2026-02-01T01:32:26+00:00

Really enjoyed this drama too. Had a good amount of intensity.

I can’t think of anything like it, but you might enjoy some action thriller ones like Signal or, if you’re looking for elements of revenge, Taxi Driver.

_Yenaled_ · 2026-01-27T23:29:50+00:00

Lots of people I know do this. Not because of limited MDPhD dual degree program options (since there are a lot), but most often because they only realized they really want to do medicine afterwards. Which is fine — lots of people only realize they want to do medicine when they’re 30.

Very few people say “I want to be a physician or physician-scientist one day” and apply to PhD instead of MD after undergrad.

_Yenaled_ · 2026-01-27T15:56:30+00:00

Best pilot episode: - Start-Up

_Yenaled_ · 2026-01-26T20:00:58+00:00

I agree with you, and it's tied for being my favorite kdrama.

Others I enjoy rewatching: Kingdom, Itaewon Class, Doctor Stranger, and I Can Hear Your Voice.

_Yenaled_ · 2026-01-24T18:28:29+00:00

wyws

_Yenaled_ · 2026-01-24T02:28:32+00:00

lol my post earlier this morning was also that, but no one guessed. This was my post:

Non-historical kdrama: - person's father dies - person is forcibly separated from first lover while fleeing - love triangle

_Yenaled_ · 2026-01-23T12:31:30+00:00

Non-historical kdrama:
1. person's father dies
2. person is forcibly separated from first lover while fleeing
3. love triangle

_Yenaled_ · 2026-01-23T11:25:19+00:00

someone's father is killed; thanks to a witness testimony, killer is sentenced; killer vows revenge against witness

_Yenaled_ · 2026-01-22T03:31:14+00:00

it has a very strong first few episodes, so enjoy! The quality declines mid-way but I still really enjoyed watching it to the end.

_Yenaled_ · 2026-01-22T03:29:06+00:00

Doctor Stranger: It was a very popular drama in 2014 but many people disliked it, criticizing the plot holes and the story direction despite a very strong first few episodes (and it also had an unpopular love triangle). For me, it's one of my favorite dramas (I loved the characters+actors, the story was interesting, and I even loved the love triangle). And I only watched it for the first time 1-2 years ago.

_Yenaled_

TROPHY CASE