School Profile: University of Utah School of Medicine MD/PhD Program

Today, we are excited to interview an accomplished UMD alum: Ashley Zachery-Savella. While at UMD, Ashley was part of the Gemstone Honors Program and graduated with a dual degree in Biochemistry and Neurobiology. She is currently in the second year of her neuroscience PhD, working in the Karen Wilcox Lab. She attends University of Utah School of Medicine (colloquially known as the U) as part of the MD-PhD program with a specific interest in epilepsy research. As a member of her school’s admissions committee, Ashley is here to share the ins and outs of her program. 

Why MD-PhD (not MD or PhD)?

Ashley wanted to do research going into college; working in a lab and doing her thesis within the Gemstone Honors Program reaffirmed her passions for a PhD. She switched to the MD-PhD pathway halfway through college- explaining that she wanted to make a difference not only long-term, through research and investigation, but also short-term through the direct medical treatment of patients. She is especially drawn to translational research, as it provides an avenue for research beyond just patient charts and basic science work; an MD-PhD was the perfect mix of both! 

“I ASK DIFFERENT QUESTIONS...I APPROACH PROBLEMS DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE OF THIS TRAINING AND I THINK THAT’S SOMETHING WE REALLY NEED IN THE FIELD.”

Ashley believes her MD-PhD training, in particular, allows her to fill a gap that currently exists in research. When reading and analyzing journal articles, her PhD classmates may choose to critique, for example, the animal sample size of an experiment- but her concern is how transferable these results may be to human patients. “Did they look at sex differences? Because there’s going to be different drug effects on hormones when you apply these to patients and not just rats…or are the drug’s side effects typically seen in humans being addressed in these animal trials?” These are the sorts of questions clinicians would ask due to their training, and this analytical lens toward research is what excites Ashley about an MD-PhD. 

Program Structure: 

Similar to other MD-PhD programs, the U is 2 years medicine, 4-5 years research, and then a final 2 years of medicine. What’s especially enticing about her school is that the MD-PhD is a less stringent program compared to the MD when it comes to GPA/MCAT cut-offs. Admissions still considers applicants who are a little below the cutoff if they have interesting essays or outstanding extracurriculars. Additionally, unlike the MD program, the MD-PhD program is not as limited by the number of in-state applicants, so there is a fairly high representation of out-of-state students at the U.  

Research: 

According to Ashley, the University of Utah is especially strong in their research pertaining to genetics and cancer with the Huntsman Cancer Institute. The University also has a unique interdepartmental approach to their neuroscience program! So as a PhD neuroscience student, Ashley has the ability to work in a pharmacology lab with a colleague who is a bioengineering PhD student. This sort of interdisciplinary approach is great for those who are interested in combining their various academic passions. What makes the program’s neuroscience program even more robust is the fact that University of Utah is well funded with the Epilepsy Drug Development Contract from the U.S. government for the past 40 years!  

Clinical: 

“The match rate for our MD-PhD program is excellent with most people here getting their first choice, including the Ivy’s.”

At the U, there is a program called CMC where students are assigned to a clinical mentor that remains with them throughout their four years of medical school and clinical skills classes. In addition, students have access to work in some of the best hospitals, all within walking distance of each other; these institutions include the Moran Eye Center , Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital, and the Huntsman Cancer Institute. There is also a brand new women’s hospital as well as the new Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital. Students also have access to the VA and all the clinics downtown. In fact, most students volunteer with the homeless population at clinics and also act as Spanish translators. As you can see, there are a lot of opportunities to work as a student doctor in varying settings thanks to the school’s malpractice insurance. What’s also amazing is that students get to observe a variety of cases in the hospital that you typically wouldn’t see in the city- like medical injuries that come from farm machinery. 

Academics: 

In terms of academics, the first two years are pass/fail, and midterm tests are not for a grade (only the final). Students will take midterm tests to monitor their progress, but the final is what counts for the total of their final grade. Third and fourth clinical years are graded based on a pass/high pass/honors pass system. There is also the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society ranking system in which grades count, but Ashley emphasizes that when it comes to studying, the program is extremely collaborative. Students also have the opportunity to pursue the Pathways Program: graduate-level classes that count on a 4.0 scale where students can receive a certificate at the end. Ashley is part of the Personalized Medicine pathway which trains students in innovative medical treatment planning that accounts for individual differences in people’s genes, environments, and lifestyles. 

Life at the U: 

It’s very affordable! The stipend goes pretty far, as the cost of living is less. Ashley is paying less living in a house with pets (and without roommates) than she did living in a 2 bed/2 bath in Silver Spring, MD (with a roommate). 

“There’s great public transport (not as extensive as DC metro but doesn't catch on fire as often haha), and most of the buildings are new (they're even about to build an even NEWER medical school). Most buildings around here also have really nice views of the mountains. My lab’s building has floor to ceiling windows all the way around with lots of natural sunlight which was a nice step up from my old undergrad chem labs in the basement! We're in a big city with shopping centers, bars, and restaurants but also 30 minutes away from mountain trails, olympic parks, and the ski resorts. There's even foothill trails right behind the medical school. I used to commute on 495, so I definitely asked about traffic when I interviewed at places. Again, not the end of the world if places don't have that kind of stuff, but I know I appreciate my short commute, pretty environment, and nice lecture halls pretty much every time I use them.”

What is the program looking for? 

Ah yes, now that we have learned about all of the amazing things at the U, here are some specifics Ashley mentioned the admissions committee is looking for: 

1. Applicants who have a deep understanding of the commitment it takes to pursue an MD/PhD (time, effort, personal sacrifice, ect.) and the need for MD/PhDs. It isn’t enough to just enjoy shadowing and benchwork; applicants should be able to display a keen understanding of the holes this role would fill in the field. 

2. DIFFERENTIATE yourself-- this could be where your letters of recommendation and  essays can help you stand out. Letters of recommendation that simply say “they were the top X of the students I’ve worked with” do little in comparison to letters that specifically mention how you contributed to research; this is because each person has a different definition of excellence, and qualitative descriptions help bridge the gap of knowledge between letter writer and reader. As for essays, Ashley recommends taking every opportunity to write a secondary because it allows the admissions committee to learn more about you and shows you are committed to their program and not just “copying and pasting” responses from other applications. 

3. For the cultural competency essay question, it’s important for one to be in touch with the fact “I had a great upbringing and here’s how I want to help others because I had so many opportunities...” Admissions wants to see you will be able to empathize with those different from you when interacting with patients. 

Hopefully, this gave folks insight on the University of Utah School of Medicine MD-PhD Program and encouraged you all to add it to your school list. Let us know any success stories in the comments if you choose to apply and/or attend. If you liked this post, look out for next week as Ashley details what you should be asking programs when you apply. Until next time, stay healthy! 

With care, 

Gus

**Tip from Ashley: Ask programs about how successful students are at getting funding/grants! At the U, students are required to apply for F30 grants and, impressively, about 66% of students get their F30s. Even more students are fully funded through things like training or departmental grants. If you get an F30, the program also gives students a raise in their stipend. If you are going to be an MD-PhD, Ashley says you want to make sure you are well prepared for applying for fellowships and grants in the future, so looking for grant-writing workshop opportunities will only prepare you for success. Ashley believes one of the reasons why students at Utah do so well is because previous F30 winners teach a class for those getting ready to apply, and they tell them what the reviewers are looking for and give good examples to follow.

You can even get this exposure now as an undergraduate researcher! One of our blog editors learned from Dr. Millner that undergrads and graduate students should reach out to major research professors and ask them how they get funds outside of what UMD provides. Students can even ask these seasoned professors if there is an opportunity to get involved in any part of their team’s grant writing process to get some hands-on experience and learn about how a team approach to the process can work.