MD/PhD

My path to medical school has been quite a journey and a process where I have come to learn more about myself.  There have been many hard times, essays, discussions, interviews, expenses, and excitement...

During my Senior year in college I applied to medical school as an MD only candidate.  It was a change from my initial plans of applying MD/PhD, but while at NIH during a summer internship, I had a change of heart.  I made the snap decision to apply MD only to very few schools around home.  I was told that I would go to Madison, so I didn't even think about the possibility of not getting in.

My interview day at Madison was amazing, I was in awe of the realization that I would be attending medical school. I saw what he was achieving and was so impressed with the caliber of physicians UW-Madison was creating.  My blood was pumping so hard in my chest as I walked down the hall to meet my interviewer.  I felt as though we had connected as we talked about why I wanted to stay in Madison.  Although, I could barely talk due to nerves...

A few weeks passed, and we were dressed in red and ready to rumble!  I was walking up the stairs to my seat when my phone rang, it was my home calling.  Mom said alternate list.  It was a terrible whirlwind of anger, frustration, doubt, and heart break.  I picked myself back up and began searching for how to pull out of it. I met with my mentors and decided to work for another year in the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, a place that I absolutely adore.  It couldn't have worked out any better really, but I guess hindsight is always 20/20!

I was in Florida on vacation when AMCAS 2010 opened and I decided to apply MD/PhD.  I was too under confident the year before and  I knew I would regret it if I didn't apply to the research program, so I put my fears aside and applied. Luckily, Paul and I had the opportunity to apply together due to my year off.  This puts us a solid four years apart, which in medical training, is the lucky number!  I applied very broadly to almost all the schools with MD/PhD programs in the Midwest in an effort to be close to Paul.  I avoided Chicago and New York City to find a program where I could live and be comfortable for 8 years.  It was very expensive, and the secondaries were extremely time consuming, but I knew it would be worth ever minute...

Time passed slowly as I waited for interviews.  I wanted to interview as many places as possible to earn an acceptance and possibly more so I could be next to Paul.  We were very skeptical of our own plans.  It's too complex, two very competitive programs, and just down right scary.  Paul anesthesiology, me MD/PhD.

But, we made it!  Paul and I matched to

University of Pittsburgh

!

UW-Madison 2010 Graduation - Biochemistry & Nutritional Sciences