This interview is the latest in an Accepted blog series featuring interviews with medical school applicants and students, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at top medical schools and the med school application process. And now, introducing Alex Yang…

Accepted: We’d like to get to know you! Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad?

Alex: I grew up in Saginaw, MI aka Sagnasty. I studied neuroscience at the University of Michigan. Go blue!

Accepted: What’s your favorite non-school book?

Alex: I loved reading Roald Dahl books as a child and to this day I still reminisce about them. Especially Matilda and the BFG.

Accepted: What’s your favorite inspirational quote, or quotes, to live by?

Alex: “Not every day is good, but there’s good in every day.” “Life is hard. You gotta look on the bright side of things otherwise you’ll never be happy.”

Accepted: Where are you currently going to school? What year are you?

Alex: I’m in my first year of graduate school at Wayne State University.

Accepted: What made you ultimately decide on the MD/PhD program at Wayne?

Alex: Despite the bad publicity, Detroit is great city to live that offers a unique experience. With medical school rotations, you want to immerse yourself with a large diversity of patients and Wayne allows me to do just that. For the research, Wayne is second only to University of Michigan here in Michigan in terms of research ranking. Also staying close to my family is a plus! Thank you Wayne State for allowing me to pursue my dreams of becoming a physician scientist.

Accepted: How did the application process go for you? Did you experience any challenges? Do you wish you would have done anything differently?

Alex: The process was grueling, but you just have to grind it out. I wish I had taken the MCAT earlier, because the applications were released in June. Ideally you should have your scores ready by June, so May is the optimal to take the MCAT.

Accepted: The MCAT is something that all applicants worry about… How did you prepare? Did you feel ready on test day?

Alex: I prepared reading Kaplan’s books, but I heard the Berkeley Review books are the best quality. I did all the AAMC practice tests, since they are the closest to the real thing. I did not take the new format of the MCAT, though.

Accepted: Lastly, can you share some advice for undergrad students who are considering applying to MD/PhD programs?

Alex: I would like to give a shout out to the APSA undergraduate mentoring program that I’m a part of. Anyone that is interested should sign up as a mentee, and we will try to pair you up with either a MD/PhD student or a faculty member near you. Applications are closed for this year but save this link for next year!

If you want to talk about if it’s the right track for you, you can always shoot me an email at acyang@med.wayne.edu. I’ll be happy to give you any advice to you! It’s a long program, but the delayed gratification is worth it!

You can continue to follow Alex’s story by following him on Twitter (@MDPhDinProgress). Thank you Alex for sharing your story with us – we wish you much success!

For one-on-one guidance on your med school applications, check out our catalog of med school admissions services.

Do you want to be featured in Accepted’s blog? If you want to share your med school journey with the world (or at least with our readers), email us at bloggers@accepted.com.

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Related Resources:

• Choosing a PhD Program: 3 Tips
• Time Management Advice & More From A Very Busy (And Organized) MD/PhD Student
• Deciding When to Take the MCAT