Consulting · Academic

PhD and graduate school admissions advising

For applicants to doctoral and research-based master's programs in the biomedical sciences — focused on research fit, faculty alignment, scientific narrative, and interview preparation.

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Graduate admissions in the sciences runs on a different logic than college admissions. It isn't about being well-rounded — it's about research fit, faculty alignment, intellectual maturity, and clear evidence that you're ready for independent scholarship. The strongest applicants explain not just what they've done, but why it matters and where it points next. I help applicants to research-based programs in the biomedical sciences do exactly that.

Why graduate admissions is different

Research fit matters

Programs admit students they can train and place. Faculty read your application asking a concrete question: could this person succeed in my lab, or in ours? Fit — not polish — is the currency.

Faculty and program alignment matter

You're applying to specific people and their science, not just a brand. Naming the right faculty, for the right reasons, signals that you understand the field and where you belong in it.

The statement of purpose is not a personal essay

It's an argument: here's the research I've done, here's what I learned to do, here's the question I want to pursue, and here's why this program is where I can pursue it. Narrative serves the argument, not the other way around.

Why work with me

A Harvard PhD in Biological and Biomedical Sciences.
Doctoral research at Harvard Medical School / Joslin Diabetes Center.
An NIH F31 Predoctoral Fellowship recipient.
A published scientist in metabolic disease, cellular plasticity, and pancreatic / islet biology, with translational work.
Postdoctoral research experience at UT Health San Antonio / Texas Diabetes Institute.
Years mentoring MD, PhD, and undergraduate trainees in research, experimental design, scientific communication, and academic pathways.
A first-generation college graduate from Brownsville, Texas; bilingual English / Spanish.

I wrote the statements that opened these doors for me, and I've helped trainees frame their own research clearly. I know the biomedical sciences from the inside — and I'm candid about where my expertise is strongest.

Who this is for

Applicants to PhD programs in the biomedical sciences, biology, molecular and cellular biology, physiology, neuroscience-adjacent fields, translational science, metabolic disease, and public-health-adjacent research programs.
Applicants to research-based master's programs.
First-generation applicants considering graduate school.
Applicants with real research experience who are struggling to explain it clearly.
Applicants weighing MD/PhD, or deciding between graduate school and medicine.

How I help

Program and faculty-fit strategy — building a list around science and people, not rankings alone.
Research narrative & statement-of-purpose coaching — turning your research into a clear scientific argument (the statement is one deliverable inside the strategy, not the product itself).
Personal or diversity statement coaching, where a program asks for one.
CV and research-experience framing.
Faculty outreach strategy — who to email, when, and what to say.
Interview preparation — research talks, faculty meetings, and fit conversations.
Fellowship-aware strategy — thinking in NSF GRFP / NIH F31 terms where it applies, so your materials do double duty.

Where AI helps — and where it does not

AI can get you unstuck — a rough outline, a first pass, a way past the blank page. What it can't do is the part that actually decides a PhD application: judging whether your research interests, the faculty you're naming, and your own preparation genuinely line up. That judgment is most of the work.

You stay the author. I won't write your statement, and I'd never hand a committee something that doesn't sound like you — they can tell, and so can I.

Packages & investment

Founding 2026 rates, available for a limited number of applicants while this service line is launching. Every engagement begins with a free 20-minute intro call.

The packages are designed as a ladder. Some applicants need one focused session. Some need a structured roadmap before they decide where to apply. Others need hands-on application strategy. The most comprehensive package adds broader scientific mentoring: communication, networking, career direction, and how graduate training connects to academia, medicine, biotech, consulting, or industry.

Graduate Research Strategy Session$300/hr

Founding 2026 rate · pay-as-you-go

A focused session for one decision or bottleneck: PhD vs master's vs MD/PhD, program list, faculty/lab fit, statement direction, faculty outreach, interview preparation, or career direction after graduate school.

Graduate Research Pathway Plan$950

Three-session roadmap · diagnostic strategy package

Best for applicants who need a structured roadmap before committing to a full application package.

Three 60-minute advising sessions
Session 1: background, goals, research experience, and career direction
Session 2: program/faculty fit, application gaps, and research narrative logic
Session 3: roadmap review and next-step plan
CV and research-experience review
Current program/faculty list review
Research-interest and career-direction map
Identification of application and narrative gaps
Written next-step plan after the final session

This package helps you understand the path before committing to a full application package. It is a roadmap, not full application execution.

PhD Application Strategy Package$2,750

Research fit + application narrative

Best for applicants who know they are applying and need help building a coherent application.

Program and faculty-fit strategy
Shaping your research story
Statement of purpose coaching, up to 3 draft rounds
CV and research-experience framing
Faculty outreach email strategy
One mock faculty-fit conversation
Application timeline and next-step plan

This is not basic essay editing. The goal is to make the application scientifically coherent: what the applicant has studied, what questions they are ready to pursue, why those programs fit, and why a faculty member should take them seriously.

Graduate Research Mentorship Package$4,500

Application strategy + scientific career direction

Best for applicants who want both application support and broader mentoring on how graduate training connects to research, medicine, biotech, consulting, or other scientific careers.

Everything in the PhD Application Strategy Package
Up to 5 programs
Two additional mentoring sessions across the cycle
Scientific communication coaching
Faculty networking and outreach strategy
Interview preparation
Fellowship / research proposal thinking overview
Private-sector, biotech, medtech, and consulting career discussion
PhD vs MD/PhD vs industry decision support
Timeline management through submission

This package is the broader mentorship option: it includes application execution, but also helps the applicant think about the scientific career they are trying to build.

Fellowship / Research Proposal Add-OnBy consultation

NSF GRFP / NIH F31-style strategy and materials coaching. I coach your materials; I don't write them.

Each package includes up to 3 draft rounds per major document where document review is included. Additional programs, extra draft rounds, additional faculty outreach, fellowship materials, and urgent turnaround are billed at the Strategy Session rate and agreed in writing first.

Not sure which package fits where you are? That's exactly what the free intro call is for.

Book a free 20-minute intro call

Or get in touch with questions →

How the process works

Intro call — 20 minutes; goals, background, and fit.
Research-fit map — programs, faculty, and the through-line of your research interests.
Drafting & document strategy — statement of purpose and supporting materials, draft by draft. You write; I coach.
Interview & outreach preparation — faculty emails, interview practice, and research-talk feedback.
Final review — a clean, consistent application before each deadline.

Ethical standards

The applicant is the author of every document — I coach and edit, I do not write statements for applicants.
No admission guarantees. I help you make your case as strongly and honestly as possible; programs decide.
I am an independent educational consultant, not affiliated with any graduate admissions committee, with no admissions influence or access to confidential information.
I treat unpublished research ideas as confidential — your science stays yours.

Independent educational consultant. Not affiliated with any university or graduate admissions committee; no admissions influence, confidential information, or guaranteed outcomes. The applicant remains the author of all application materials.

Frequently asked questions

Is this only for biology / biomedical sciences?

That's where my expertise is strongest — biomedical sciences, molecular and cellular biology, physiology, metabolic disease, and translational research. I take adjacent fields case by case, and I'll tell you honestly if you'd be better served by a field-specific advisor.

Can you help if I don't know which faculty to contact?

Yes — finding and prioritizing the right faculty is a core part of the work. We map programs to your research interests and build an outreach plan.

Can you help me decide between a PhD, a master's, MD, or MD/PhD?

Yes. I've walked the PhD path and trained in an MD program, so I can talk through the trade-offs honestly — though the decision is always yours.

Do you write the statement of purpose?

No. You are the author. I help you clarify the scientific argument, structure the statement, sharpen the research fit, and revise — but the words and ideas remain yours.

Can you help with the NSF GRFP or NIH F31?

Yes, as a fellowship-strategy add-on. I'm an F31 recipient and can help you think in fellowship terms — and as always, I coach your materials rather than writing them.

Do you guarantee admission?

No. No ethical advisor can. I help you present a strong, honest application; programs decide.

Can you work with first-generation or Spanish-speaking families?

Yes. I'm a first-generation PhD and bilingual; I'm glad to include Spanish-speaking family in the conversation.

Book a free 20-minute intro call