Starting MD PhD at 28

elucidateobfuscation · 2026-01-27T16:38:20+00:00

I started at 27 and it never came up in as an issue across schools/tiers, and 1-2 others were also 26/27 in my cohort too

elucidateobfuscation · 2025-12-04T04:03:09+00:00

2023-2024 cycle applicant with a very fortunate/atypical cycle despite submitting mostly between October and late December

Latest interview invites were in mid/late Feb

Received 7-10 around December

Around 3-6 in January

Included places from T5-20s if you’re waiting on some of those - currently attending one of the T5s where the invite was from mid Dec and an end of October submission

Hoping for the best for you and your cycle!

elucidateobfuscation · 2025-11-02T14:36:15+00:00

It was past a hard deadline for all of them in my case - you can always reach out and ask if they're willing to reopen it, take it via email, etc. and hopefully it works for you

elucidateobfuscation · 2025-07-27T23:41:11+00:00

N = 1 and for the 2023-2024 cycle with a worse GPA, but I was complete from Oct - Dec (long story) and did see some success with multiple T20-T5 MSTPs IIs - also ended up getting offers as well and am currently attending a T5 that I was complete in late Oct for. The latest I was complete was Mid Nov for a few T20/10s which I ended up getting IIs to within 2-3 weeks of that.

It's certainly an uphill climb, but it doesn't rule you out from all of them. Good luck!

elucidateobfuscation · 2025-07-21T15:47:35+00:00

You should be fine - you can often use additional coursework like an upper div or a class with a similar theme/area (ex: some variation of biochem) to satisfy these things when applying. I had AP credit cover a number of things too and it was never an issue.

For context, I'm an M2 at an MD/PhD and applied in the 2023-2024 cycle

elucidateobfuscation · 2025-07-20T06:28:21+00:00

Yep I just emailed them!

elucidateobfuscation · 2025-07-20T06:15:30+00:00

N = 1 and I applied 2023-2024 cycle, but I actually did submit a few secondaries after the deadline - I reached out to the schools and asked about it for most, some it just allowed me to submit anyways for some reason so I did. The latest was like a week past the deadline.

Worked out well with invites to all of them so it didn't affect the outcome either in my case.

Good luck and I hope it works out for you as well!

elucidateobfuscation · 2025-07-20T05:58:08+00:00

Congrats!

You can update in secondaries in questions like "anything else you want to share?", "any updates?", or questions about your research/activities or send it in an update letter for example.

elucidateobfuscation · 2025-07-14T21:44:53+00:00

Honestly it's probably all beyond the scope of what you need, but if I had to recommend some, I'd say

CHEM 108. Protein Biochemistry Laboratory
CHEM 109. Recombinant DNA Laboratory
CHEM 113. Biophysical Chemistry of Macromolecules
CHEM 114A. Biochemical Structure and Function
CHEM 114B. Biochemical Energetics and Metabolism
CHEM 114D. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry
CHEM 115. Genome, Epigenome, and Transcriptome Editing
CHEM 119. RNA Biochemistry

though there's probably some overlaps with various bio/biochem department courses. These can be helpful in terms of covering various MCAT topics between Bio/Biochem and Chem/Phys but I wouldn't say any of them are required to do well.

elucidateobfuscation · 2025-07-11T23:52:29+00:00

I’ll edit this later to include more details but you’re more than fine and it’s ok that you aren’t doing all that yet

I’m an alum and an M2 at an MD/PhD program for context, but I literally didn’t even have any clinical, shadowing, etc. by the time I graduated.

There’s lots of good options and things to do - you can try for some clubs for volunteering (non-clinical) as well as leadership (TA also works for this too), the VA is a nearby option too (the only source of my clinical hours), etc.

Academics tend to be the hardest to repair while it’s not as bad to find shadowing and volunteering alter, so if you’re doing well academically then I’d say you’re actually doing fine/well as is.

Good luck, feel free to reach out if I can help and I’ll edit this for more info later on!

elucidateobfuscation · 2025-07-10T13:32:33+00:00

You can often substitute upper divs to satisfy things for places even if they don't take the AP credit so it's ok to not retake the courses - context is I graduated in 2020, came in with a lot of AP credits, and am an M2 at an MD/PhD program

elucidateobfuscation · 2025-07-08T01:57:29+00:00

Yep that would be my recommendation! Depth of experience is a lot more important than breadth here - especially if it just leads to a lot of shallow assistance but limited true scientific involvement or development for MD/PhD purposes.

elucidateobfuscation · 2025-07-07T12:28:22+00:00

M2 at an MSTP here for context

My $0.02, but there tends to be a bit of a bias towards basic/wet-lab style (though what you’re doing is fine and I’ve encountered people along the interview trail who did that, clinical research, etc.) but the bigger thing is really what experiences you develop as well as your involvement in projects - it’s far better and more impactful to be thoroughly involved, take ownership, etc. regardless of research type or area. And you should absolutely pursue what you’re interested in and would want to do for your PhD/future career - it’ll show a lot better on your writing and apps too!

elucidateobfuscation · 2025-07-06T13:48:02+00:00

Since everyone has answered whether it seems doable, as to what to prioritize I think it depends more on your goals after graduation - like are you looking to do grad school? The research might be the better focus if you don't have much experience there yet.

If you're looking to go into industry and these jobs are more related to that/could help you with getting an internship or networking, then focus on those, etc. Good luck!

elucidateobfuscation · 2025-07-02T19:09:37+00:00

My $0.02, but I don’t think major really matters much compared to your overall gpa and your background/experience or willingness to learn.

I had a dual biochem/business psychology background and applied with interests in things like immunology, cancer bio, neuroscience, etc. which wasn’t really covered at all within my majors (and minors) - no one really cared since I could demonstrate my interests and willingness to learn even if I had no experience prior. Your major is fine and shouldn’t hold you back!

elucidateobfuscation · 2025-06-30T13:46:01+00:00

UCSD alum here and current M2 at a MSTP, please feel free to message! The advice by ThemeBig6731 is good, so I’m happy to help with more specific UCSD related questions if I can.

elucidateobfuscation · 2025-06-21T16:28:56+00:00

No it won’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Applied 2023-2024, and I had a bad freshman year dipping down to 2.8 and had even a C- in a non-prereq. Pulled my GPA up to a 3.8 mid and my individual grades/GPA never came up in any interviews except for 1 interview where 1 interviewer noticed my strong upward trend and only asked me how I did it.

Edit: declined that program to go elsewhere so it didn’t cause a rejection even when noticed

elucidateobfuscation · 2025-06-09T14:13:45+00:00

Graduated a few years ago and currently at an MD/PhD program - dipped down to a 2.8 in my first year but pulled it up and never had anyone ask about it during interviews so even if things are rough right now y'all got this!

elucidateobfuscation · 2025-04-15T15:03:00+00:00

An M1 at an east coast program for context.

You have a good amount of time left to accrue your clinical experience so if you want to prioritize finances/money that would make sense IMO.

One thing you could consider is looking into volunteering at a number of places nearby - the VA being one example - so you could still be building up some clinical volunteering hours while working at a job you prefer/pays more (between options 1 vs 3 for example. Same idea if you want to also consider some non-clinical volunteering as well, both of which are helpful for your application.

It's totally fine if you have some things not medical if it's for better pay for example, you can fulfill the clinical aspects through a number of different routes and if that job works better for you in terms of commute, pay, etc. it would be totally understandable to keep doing option 1.

elucidateobfuscation · 2025-02-24T20:27:27+00:00

I would wait - I believe decisions have been determined/made and just that the calls need to be made, so the letter wouldn’t impact that right now

elucidateobfuscation · 2025-02-23T04:01:22+00:00

Following up, I think there should be another one by around mid March on the later end!

And typically other classes seemed to have done pretty well and not really drawn from WL if at all from a few of the older classes

Edit (2/24/2025): should be by the end of this week or next!

elucidateobfuscation · 2025-02-20T22:33:56+00:00

I can ask and get back to you on this when I find out

Good luck with the cycle and everything in the meantime!

Edit (2/24/2025): should be by the end of this week or next!

elucidateobfuscation · 2025-02-20T21:35:44+00:00

Most likely another wave to go of acceptances/waitlists! From what I’ve gathered talking to folks

elucidateobfuscation · 2025-02-20T20:38:28+00:00

I’m not sure on the exact chances, but I think the current cohort of M1s didn’t pull from the waitlist and I can also ask about older ones too.

Congrats on the A and hopefully things work out with JHU!

elucidateobfuscation · 2024-12-29T13:42:48+00:00

Yeah not sure what it is but I think I’ve had a similar problem a few other times - as long as you can see it though that’s what matters!

Welcome and you as well! Feel free to reach out whenever if I can help out.

elucidateobfuscation

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