As promised, here are some points I found very useful from the last seminar (with the panelists), with additions from the seminar before, when BRAIN staff gave us presentations on grad school:
Applying to grad school is like applying for a job.
Several students in the program asked about the personal statement--what should be included, and how to make it stand out. All of the panelists agreed that an applicant could get away with mentioning a personal story of why he or she is interested in that field (for instance, that a family member is afflicted with a neurodegenerative disorder), but they see many such essays, and it should only take up a sentence or two at most. One panelist put it bluntly: "I don't really care that much about your motivation; I just want to know whether you can do the job." Indeed, graduate schools pay their students to attend, and in return, students work in the labs, contributing heavily to the research at their institution.
But it should definitely be better than a dead-end job you have just to pay the bills! Ms. Fani said that while she doesn't have quite as much to spend on hobbies or other interests, she's really excited about her research and all the hours she spends on work doesn't feel bad at all.
Also, it won't hurt you if your undergraduate research experiences aren't aligned with what you're applying for. The fact that you have research experience shows that you have a sense of what research is like, and that you may have knowledge of lab techniques and "soft skills" like teamwork and problem solving.
Finding the right fit
This came up again and again during our discussion. Ultimately, the panelists said, you need to find the place that suits your interests. A solid match between the type of work a university does and what you are passionate about is what will make your essay stand out, not fluffy attention-grabbers. To find the right place for you, talk to lots of people: professors who know your interests, principal investigators (PIs) whose work interests you, and everyone in your prospective lab, if you're invited to interview. In particular, try to speak to the graduate students in the lab you're looking to join when the PI isn't there. This way, you'll get a fuller understanding of the environment you could be spending much of your time in for the next few years.
Definitely get in touch with PIs, because they'll likely play a big role in your acceptance. Exactly how much will depend on the university, but you can get a hint by looking at the program descriptions: some may mention rotations through a few labs before students settle on one, meaning that an admissions committee or many faculty members will be reviewing applications. If students are immediately situated in a lab, then it's possible that an applicant's fate depends on the PI they want to work with.
Don't stress the GRE too much
A couple of the panelists said that there is a cutoff at their schools, but if an applicant is above that cutoff, the GRE score doesn't play a huge role in the ultimate decision. One recalled an applicant who barely made it to the interview weekend due to a GPA and GRE score that weren't amazing, but her ability to discuss science, obvious passion for the field, and charming personality made her a shoo-in.
MD/PhD programs
The ideal candidate for such a program should be competitive for both sides of the program, with a strong academic record, clinical experiences like shadowing, and serious research experience. At Emory, the MD/PhD program has students in medical school classes for the first two years, followed by two years of grad school classes, then two years back in med school.
After the panel discussion, I spoke to Dr. Ressler and asked him what factors I should consider when deciding if I want to take that route. He said that students should only really do the combined program if they're serious about pursuing research as a career path. But just going to medical school doesn't close off research in the future; after fellowships and other experiences, an MD can still solely be a researcher.
Dr. Ressler's advice only further swayed me toward pursuing just a medical degree...but of course, applications for med or grad school are still a few years off, and future experiences may change my mind!
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