doing md and phd separately as an intl student???
hello!
ik there are some similar posts abt this but i wanted to ask again for my specific situation!
i’ve lived in america all my life but im on a visa and will be on a f1 visa during my undergrad (so that i can work) with little chances of getting my greencard before 21. i was always really interested in doing an mdphd bc i love research and medicine and i knew i wanted to pursue both in my career.
however, as an intl student ik it’s exceptionally difficult to get into med schools in america, which is why i def want to take gap years before applying (also for the life experiences lmao). i don’t qualify for mstp funding and mdphd funding for intl students isn’t guaranteed.
my plan as of right now is to pursue my phd in neuroscience after my undergrad that way i have time to do more research and immerse myself in neuroscience and then apply to med school afterwards. my undergrad is at my state school on a full ride and phds are typically fully funded, so if i don’t get any funding for med school, i/my parents would have some money saved up for med school.
is this a good plan?? i would love to get others opinions on it! is there any difference btwn how physician-scientists are treated when they have an mdphd vs md and phd separately?? idk if this is the right sub for this question, but is it harder to get into md or mdphd as intl student (or are they around the same)??
i have a long way to go before applying to med school but i’m just a planner! ik a lot of people say to rethink applying to med school as an intl student but im a firm believer that unless it’s a 0% acceptance rate you will always have a chance small or big, and if there are intl students getting admitted even just a few then it’s not impossible. be optimistic!! thank you!