Temple Alumni

Daniel Jovin ('21)

Current Institution: Yale School of Medicine
Gap Year: No
Undergraduate Major: Bioengineering
Contact: Email at d.jovinmed@gmail.com I'd be happy to talk more about my experience and give advice for finding opportunities in undergrad, applying, or choosing a program; Twitter: @DanielGJovin

Advice: Mentorship is one of the most important things you can receive in undergrad. Try to talk to professors you have that do interesting work or seem approachable and don’t be afraid to reach out to students, trainees, or faculty you come across if you feel like you could learn from them or they could help you. Search for undergraduate research opportunities in labs with PIs who care about mentorship and like mentoring undergraduates and the experience will likely pay off no matter what you study. Also, try and get research experience as early as you can. It can help you figure out what you do and don’t like and give you good experiences to help you find other research opportunities if you want them (summer REU positions or switching to other labs). No matter what, the most important thing for preparing for a PhD or MD/PhD is that you can think independently about your projects questions, limitations, and translation.

If you can try, apply as early in the cycle as possible because that means your application is evaluated when there are more interview spots available. Try and have practice interviews that are more research, science, and career goal-based rather than medicine-based because most MD/PhD interviews focus on the former, but still be prepared for why medicine? Why MD/PhD? and clinical interest/experience questions.

Gillian McGuire ('21)

Current Institution: Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine
Gap Year: No
Undergraduate Major: Bioengineering
Contact: Email at gillian.mcguire@temple.edu or cell phone at 610-716-6844

Advice: My advice is to get research experience early on in UG not only for the experience but to know if this is something you would like to do, because you may realize that you prefer only working with patients or that you would rather just go straight into a PhD program. For those currently applying, I would recommend applying early in the cycle and researching the school’s research labs and funding before applying. You don’t want to have little lab options due to lack of funding and you want to be at an institute with research opportunities that excite and interest you.

Neil Chada ('19)

Current Institution: Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Gap Year: Yes, research at Vanderbilt
Undergraduate Major: Bioengineering
Contact: neil.chada@vanderbilt.edu

Advice: My biggest recommendation is to get involved with research early on and to look for projects that interest you even if they may not yield publications right away. I know a lot of people look for projects based on how they might get published but I don’t think you learn a lot about the scientific process and your actual project this way. I’d also suggest trying different projects/labs to really try and find something that connects with you - it could happen on your first experience but you never know!

Carolina Caban Rivera ('17)

Current Institution: Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine
Gap Year: Yes, research at Human Brain Collection core at the National Institute of Mental Health
Undergraduate Major: Neuroscience (Cellular & Molecular)
Contact: For students interested in learning more- email carolina.caban@temple.edu and let me know you are going to send a text to 7873560516 (that way I won't miss it).

Advice: Take your time to make the decision to apply, there is no rush, consider doing a full time research internship/postbac/job prior and incorporate a clinical experience to that time where you have direct patient contact.

Geyon Garcia ('17)

Current Institution: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Gap Year: Yes, research at NIH-funded Penn PREP program
Undergraduate Major: Biology
Contact*: GLG25@pitt.edu
*minority and low-income students are specifically encouraged to reach out

Advice: Consider a gap year (or two). In my two years between undergrad and MD/PhD I reconnected with myself, built my CV, and increased my research experience. Taking the time to prioritize myself was necessary and a key skill to have considering the free time available to us will be limited going forward.

Jacklyn Huhn ('17)

Current Institution: Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine
Gap Year: Yes, continued as technician in undergraduate lab at Fels Institute at Health Sciences Campus and Care Team Assistant at CHoP
Undergraduate Major: Biology and Chemistry
Contact: jmh@temple.edu

Advice: Prior to applying - One of the most important parts of any MD/PhD application is your research experience. The earlier you can get your foot in the door somewhere, the better. The Undergraduate Research Program at Temple is an amazing opportunity for this, but if for some reason you cannot find a lab this way there are other ways to do so. The Health Sciences Campus has countless labs that are always willing to take on undergraduate students, and it's as simple as just sending an email to the PI to express interest. Feel free to email me if you have questions about any labs at HSC to get set up with!

During applications - 7-8 years is a very long time. As you are applying, and going through the application cycle the most important thing to remember is to find the place where you feel you are going to be best supported for this period of your life. Of course financial support from your institution is amazing, but do not forget the importance of social and mental health support from the medical school and the ability to have support from friends and family, because medical school can be strenuous and isolating at times.

Amanda Peluzzo ('17)

Current Institution: Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine
Gap Year: Yes, working for ERT as a Cardiac Safety Specialist for clinical trials
Undergraduate Major: Biology
Contact: tuf03340@temple.edu

Advice: In my opinion, you are going to become a doctor no matter what program you join, so try to find a school that fits your research interests so you are happy during your PhD years. Your happiness is most important - especially make sure you have a support system no matter what school you attend! As far as applications, don't forget to emphasize your uniqueness outside of school. Have things that you enjoy and never give up on them.

Yongjoo (Jennifer) Cho ('16)

Current Institution: Medical University of South Carolina MSTP
Gap Year: No
Undergraduate Major: Biology
Contact: choyo@musc.edu

Advice: My advice is to get involved in research early, find a research topic that you're passionate about, and try to work on a project you can build and develop over the years. It's important to have significant research experience prior to applying (so you know this track is right for you and so you can demonstrate your commitment to research) and taking a gap year to build research experience is an option. Take advantage of opportunities to present your research. Seek out mentors that can guide you through the process and can give insight on the physician scientist path. It's important to talk to MDs (perhaps ones that do research), MD/PhDs, and PhDs to determine the best fit for you. Try to set yourself apart with unique experiences and hobbies. Try to play up your strengths (high standardized test score, strong research experience, extensive shadowing, for example) to balance out your weaknesses (low GPA for example). Don't let certain weaknesses in your application deter yourself from trying. Believe in yourself and apply when you feel ready-- you never know what will happen!

Elorm Agra ('15)

Current Institution: Emory University School of Medicine, Georgia Institute of Technology
Gap Year: No
Undergraduate Major: Biochemistry
Contact: elorm.agra@emory.edu

Advice: Do your best to find good mentors. Mentors are arguably the most important part of career development as they help you make decisions, find research and training opportunities, build your network, and may provide reference letters. Make an effort to go to office hours and strike up conversations with professors and any faculty working in your field or interest or an interesting topic.

Make sure you can talk intelligently about your research project and can bring up the translation, limitations, challenges, and way to mitigate and overcome these limitations and challenges.

Be a leader. It doesn’t matter what sphere. If you see a problem, work to fix it. It's even better if you work with others to solve problems as a team!

Kate Rahbari ('13)

Current Institution: University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago
Gap Year: Yes, research at NIH IRTA program
Undergraduate Major: Biology
Contact: krahba2@uic.edu

Advice: Undergraduates, enjoy your time and find what you're good at and what you're interested in. Start building your network and keep in touch with professors as some may become lifelong mentors.

To those considering MD/PhD, don't be afraid to take time off to get more experience. It's a long road, and you want to be sure it's the right path for you.

To those entering graduate school, don't compare yourself to others! Be gentle and forgiving with yourself. Graduate school and medical school are really hard, but when you look back on it it's awesome to see how far you've come.

Jessica Tan ('12)

Current Institution: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Gap Year: Yes, 2 in Master's in Biotechnology program at Temple and 1 working and applying to MD/PhD programs
Undergraduate Major: Biology
Contact: jessica.tan@icahn.mssm.edu; Twitter: @Jessica-S-Tan
Advice: Pursuing a career as a physician scientist is exciting and rewarding, but it will also be exhausting and demanding. This path is too long to put our lives, happiness, and health on hold. Figure out what you value most and what is most important to you so that you can allocate your time and resources to optimize those things. I learned very early on in my medical school that P=MD (pass = MD) and have always tried to study just enough to feel sufficiently prepared to pass (and the amount of studying varied dramatically depending on the assessment and the content it covered). Find and stay connected to the people who will celebrate your successes with you, advise you through academic/professional challenges, rage with you against the injustices of the system, cheer for you because you're you, and give you the support you need even when you don't know what that is.

Jessica Douthit, MD, PhD ('11)

Current Institution: OB/GYN and RS Residency at University of California San Francisco
MD/PhD Training: New York University School of Medicine
Gap Year: No
Undergraduate Major: Neuroscience (Cellular & Molecular)
Contact: jessica.douthit@ucsf.edu

Advice: Join a supportive program and immerse yourself into the school's community. Go to an institution where your cohort can become like family. It is essential to have that support to become a successful physician scientist and making it through this long process! Don't forget to live your life while in school as well. Pick a school that has rigorous academics, but will be fun too!

Once you are in your MD/PhD program, there are many paths that your education can take. Do not compare yourself to others and stay open to experiences along the way. You never know where new opportunities can take you! I never would have thought I would be an OB/GYN today when I started medical school.

M. Elle Saine, MD, PhD, MA ('09)

Current Institution: Internal Medicine Residency, Physician Scientist Pathway, at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
MD/PhD Training: University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
Gap Year: completed a MA in Anthropology: Human Skeletal Biology Track from NYU (2009-12). Then attended the Post-Bacc Pre-Health Program at UPenn (2012-14). From 2014-15 was a Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Research Analyst at UPenn
Undergraduate Major: Anthropology, Human Biology Tract
Contact: msaine@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Advice: There is no "singular" path to becoming a physician-scientist. Find the path that is right for you and a program with mentors who will support you in your journey. Carve out time in your training to explore areas of both science and medicine that you are unfamiliar with and be open to new experiences and ways of thinking. Both science and medicine are about teamwork; collaborate with your colleagues and listen to your patients. Do not be afraid to ask for help or say "I don't know;" this is how we learn. And, most importantly, enjoy the journey; where we end up is what we do, but how we got there helps make us who we are.

Zachary Wilmer Reichenbach, MD, PhD ('07)

Current Institution: Gastroenterology and Hepatology Fellowship at Temple University Hospital
Residency: Internal Medicine, Temple University Hospital
MD/PhD Training: Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine
Gap Year: No
Undergraduate Major: Biology
Contact: zachr@temple.edu

Advice: Students pursuing MD/PhD degrees absolutely need to love research and should be well experienced in the research process prior to applying. They should have had substantial laboratory exposure including some degree of autonomy in working on projects to fully gauge their interest in the research process. With that said, those applying should not be intimidated by the timeline (7-8 years) as the work and outcomes can be very rewarding if that is the type of career that you desire.