"Funny quotes from 'less informed' pre-meds," On-Topic Edition

[Lannister]

Lol I love all the posts about misinformed parents. My mother was very shocked when, a few months ago, she found out that medical school is four years long. "FOUR YEARS!? I thought it was two years long, like law school" "Uh no, mother, neither law school nor medical school is two years long".

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[oshanimalia]

Pa's are vital to the structure of our health care system. There isn't enough doctors to go around. They are also educated very thoroughly. To think otherwise is being ignorant to those facts.

A nurse practitioner told me a PA saved her life. He noticed an irregularity in her skin on one of her feet. Turned out to be melanoma that they caught early. Don't be so quick to dismiss other health professionals.

Not disagreeing with you by any means, but it's stuff like this that makes the questions like "why doctor and not PA? " that much harder. How would you answer that.

 

[Cotterpin]

Yes, because doing surgery and taking the MCAT are totally analogous scenarios.

With the MCAT, if you for whatever reason mess up the first time, you can still go back and take it again as long as you have time to do so. If you know this might be a possible chain of events, building into your schedule time to take it again is the intelligent thing to do. If you don't you're stuck either waiting a cycle or applying with a bad score, both of which might be less favorable to you. If you don't need to take it again, then great, use that time to do something else instead. That's why I don't think it's something a misinformed premed would say. Now, perhaps if the person said "oh I'm definitely going to take it twice just like the SAT! The first test will just be for practice!" then that would be more misinformed, but this person merely entertained the possibility of needing to take it again and wanted to plan for that possible result.

I met a girl during lunch break at the MCAT who told me she was taking it on that day specifically with the intention of voiding it and using it as a practice test.

 

[Spinach Dip]

Lol I love all the posts about misinformed parents. My mother was very shocked when, a few months ago, she found out that medical school is four years long. "FOUR YEARS!? I thought it was two years long, like law school" "Uh no, mother, neither law school nor medical school is two years long".

Legal Assistant training is 2 years I think....

 

[narvik2016]

I met a girl during lunch break at the MCAT who told me she was taking it on that day specifically with the intention of voiding it and using it as a practice test.

THIS! This is the craziest thing and I have seen a handful of people here on SDN who have done this.

 

[Cotterpin]

THIS! This is the craziest thing and I have seen a handful of people here on SDN who have done this.

I'm just hoping that they got some sort of fee assistance that made this possible. I can't imagine spending $300 and a whole day sitting for the MCAT just for practice.

 

[Spinach Dip]

I'm just hoping that they got some sort of fee assistance that made this possible. I can't imagine spending $300 and a whole day sitting for the MCAT just for practice.

Well if daddy has the money....

 

[Holmwood]

Lol I love all the posts about misinformed parents. My mother was very shocked when, a few months ago, she found out that medical school is four years long. "FOUR YEARS!? I thought it was two years long, like law school" "Uh no, mother, neither law school nor medical school is two years long".

I hope you told your mother about residency too. : O

 

[Buck Winters]

I'm just hoping that they got some sort of fee assistance that made this possible. I can't imagine spending $300 and a whole day sitting for the MCAT just for practice.

I'd rather they not waste the fee assistance on something so stupid.

 

[MrLogan13]

I met a girl during lunch break at the MCAT who told me she was taking it on that day specifically with the intention of voiding it and using it as a practice test.

That's an expensive practice test.

 

[DrPatriot]

My dad hired a new employee who just started college and introduced him to my brother (who is is nursing school) and I (recently accepted to med school).

Guy: You guys are both in going into the healthcare field? Cool.
Guy asks my brother: You're in nursing school?
Bro: Yep
Guy: What are you trying to be?
Bro: ...Uh....a nurse
Guy: I'm going to med school. I'm going to be a.....what's it called?....a....an Ami-nesi-ologist
Me: Nailed it
Bro: I think you mean Anesthesiologist?
Guy: Yeah that one!

 

[GoGreen2014]

Just discovered this thread. Love it

When I was a freshman undergraduate I took Chem I my first semester to get the gauntlet of Pre-med classes rolling. This is widely known as our universal "weeder" class for kids coming from HS looking to go into medicine, and they told us this on day one. I was somewhat nervous myself as to what I was getting into. The classroom is a large 400 person lecture hall 4 chalk boards wide with a HUGE periodic table above it that everyone in the lecture hall can read. I had a basic understanding of chemistry from HS but nothing special. In front of me sits two what I call "Uggs and a Northface" girls who are loudly talking before class starts: This is what I hear.

Girl 1: My name is X , are you Pre-med?
Girl 2: Yeah, my dad's a XX (specialty physician)
Girl 1: Awesome, So have you taken chemistry before?
Girl 2: Yeah, I took AP Chem in HS which I heard was basically identical to this class
- Now the two move on to brushing up on the elements from the huge periodic table in the front of the room -
Girl 1: H , that's Hydrogen
Girl 2 : Ne , yeah that's Neon
Girl 1: W? , what the heck is W.
Girl 2 : I'm pretty sure it's WOOD.
Girl 1: Yeah , I think your right.

ME -[facepalm]

- These girls must have sat somewhere different in Chem II because I did not see either one of them ever again-

 

[Gandyy]

Just discovered this thread. Love it

When I was a freshman undergraduate I took Chem I my first semester to get the gauntlet of Pre-med classes rolling. This is widely known as our universal "weeder" class for kids coming from HS looking to go into medicine, and they told us this on day one. I was somewhat nervous myself as to what I was getting into. The classroom is a large 400 person lecture hall 4 chalk boards wide with a HUGE periodic table above it that everyone in the lecture hall can read. I had a basic understanding of chemistry from HS but nothing special. In front of me sits two what I call "Uggs and a Northface" girls who are loudly talking before class starts: This is what I hear.

Girl 1: My name is X , are you Pre-med?
Girl 2: Yeah, my dad's a XX (specialty physician)
Girl 1: Awesome, So have you taken chemistry before?
Girl 2: Yeah, I took AP Chem in HS which I heard was basically identical to this class
- Now the two move on to brushing up on the elements from the huge periodic table in the front of the room -
Girl 1: H , that's Hydrogen
Girl 2 : Ne , yeah that's Neon
Girl 1: W? , what the heck is W.
Girl 2 : I'm pretty sure it's WOOD.
Girl 1: Yeah , I think your right.

ME -[facepalm]

- These girls must have sat somewhere different in Chem II because I did not see either one of them ever again-

Wood?????!!!!???

 

[Cotterpin]

Wood?????!!!!???

Lol, right? How did they even get into college?

 

[Gandyy]

Lol, right? How did they even get into college?

Well they slapped the word "WOOD" across their college applications of course.

 

[JessebenBenjamin]

Lol, right? How did they even get into college?

I know right? Everybody with even the most basic chem understanding knows that W stands for Water.

 

[Gandyy]

I know right? Everybody with even the most basic chem understanding knows that W stands for Water.

No it stands for WOOD

 

[Spinach Dip]

I know right? Everybody with even the most basic chem understanding knows that W stands for Water.

No it stands for WOOD

No it stands for GOLD. (It comes from the French)

 

[GoGreen2014]

@Gandyy @Spinach Dip
I wanted to chime in and tell them that it stood for "Wind" , but I didn't have the guts back then. WOOD has since been my favorite transition metal. My favorite element of all time has to go to Pl .. you know, PLASTIC. Volkswagen has been buying that stuff up for use in auto catalytic converters.

 

[Gurby]

I met a girl during lunch break at the MCAT who told me she was taking it on that day specifically with the intention of voiding it and using it as a practice test.

If you have some amount of disposable income, I think this is actually a great idea, especially given that there is only 1 (maybe 2 now?) official full length available right now. For $300 you get the most representative practice test possible, some measure of where you stand with your preparation, you can keep the score if you feel like you crushed it, and otherwise having already taken it once will help a lot with nerves come actual test day. You can use it as a test run for what food you'll bring, when to arrive at testing center, caffeine vs bladder balance, etc etc.

I'm pretty sure I've wasted $300 on worse...

 

[7331poas]

If you have some amount of disposable income, I think this is actually a great idea, especially given that there is only 1 (maybe 2 now?) official full length available right now. For $300 you get the most representative practice test possible, some measure of where you stand with your preparation, you can keep the score if you feel like you crushed it, and otherwise having already taken it once will help a lot with nerves come actual test day. You can use it as a test run for what food you'll bring, when to arrive at testing center, caffeine vs bladder balance, etc etc.

I'm pretty sure I've wasted $300 on worse...

Do you get the score if you void it?

 

[GoGreen2014]

If you have some amount of disposable income, I think this is actually a great idea, especially given that there is only 1 (maybe 2 now?) official full length available right now. For $300 you get the most representative practice test possible, some measure of where you stand with your preparation, you can keep the score if you feel like you crushed it, and otherwise having already taken it once will help a lot with nerves come actual test day. You can use it as a test run for what food you'll bring, when to arrive at testing center, caffeine vs bladder balance, etc etc.

I'm pretty sure I've wasted $300 on worse...

I'm pretty sure we could mutate this whole thread into whats the worst way you've ever blown 300$ lol

 

[Gurby]

Do you get the score if you void it?

No, and there are definitely people who feel bad coming out of the test but still end up with good scores (and vice versa). So it's far from perfect, but it might give you a better idea of how to direct/change your studying if need be.

 

[WedgeDawg]

I'm pretty sure we could mutate this whole thread into whats the worst way you've ever blown 300$ lol

Yeah, but let's not, okay?

 

[GoGreen2014]

Yeah, but let's not, okay?

I'm itchin' what your scratchin'.

 

[samac]

Just discovered this thread. Love it

When I was a freshman undergraduate I took Chem I my first semester to get the gauntlet of Pre-med classes rolling. This is widely known as our universal "weeder" class for kids coming from HS looking to go into medicine, and they told us this on day one. I was somewhat nervous myself as to what I was getting into. The classroom is a large 400 person lecture hall 4 chalk boards wide with a HUGE periodic table above it that everyone in the lecture hall can read. I had a basic understanding of chemistry from HS but nothing special. In front of me sits two what I call "Uggs and a Northface" girls who are loudly talking before class starts: This is what I hear.

Girl 1: My name is X , are you Pre-med?
Girl 2: Yeah, my dad's a XX (specialty physician)
Girl 1: Awesome, So have you taken chemistry before?
Girl 2: Yeah, I took AP Chem in HS which I heard was basically identical to this class
- Now the two move on to brushing up on the elements from the huge periodic table in the front of the room -
Girl 1: H , that's Hydrogen
Girl 2 : Ne , yeah that's Neon
Girl 1: W? , what the heck is W.
Girl 2 : I'm pretty sure it's WOOD.
Girl 1: Yeah , I think your right.

ME -[facepalm]

- These girls must have sat somewhere different in Chem II because I did not see either one of them ever again-

.... For reals though Is W Tungsten? I haven't looked at a periodic table in years. . . . Maybe that's what I get for owning a northface.

 

[Annabell Lee]

An older coworker was talking to me about my major and plans after undergrad. When he found out I want to go to med school he was very supportive but a little confused.

"Oh, this is such a great state for that, because if you are a resident of this state and make a certain GPA you are guaranteed a spot."

No. I wish. I explained to him that the state schools have matriculating GPAs a little below average and there is a strong preference for state residents but that no one is actually "guaranteed" a spot. We work with a lot of pre-meds so I'm wondering if any of them actually believe this or if he just decided that's how it works.

I know we've all sad this a gajillion times but the whole "Oh do you want to be a nurse?" thing has only recently started bugging me.

Yes, I'm already a nurse, but here I am at our school, which does not have a nursing program, working on becoming a nurse.

 

[waka flocka flame]

High school student. "I want to go to West Point. Major in Electrical Engineering and Pre-Med. Then go to medical school." Good luck with that, bro.

 

[Goro]

Quick!!! What does the W actually stand for? Why is the symbol W and not Tg, Tu or similar??

.... For reals though Is W Tungsten? I haven't looked at a periodic table in years. . . . Maybe that's what I get for owning a northface.

I interview about one service academy graduate/year, and in my first year teaching at my school we had a service academy grad in the class. So this isn't so far-fetched.

High school student. "I want to go to West Point. Major in Electrical Engineering and Pre-Med. Then go to medical school." Good luck with that, bro.

 

[TBV]

No, and there are definitely people who feel bad coming out of the test but still end up with good scores (and vice versa). So it's far from perfect, but it might give you a better idea of how to direct/change your studying if need be.

I had no money and no time to void my mcat but at the moment I submitted it I would have gladly voided it, I thought I bombed it. Thankfully I did quite the opposite but that's the nature of the beast. Couldn't imagine how blown I would have been voiding the score I actually got.

 

[GoGreen2014]

Quick!!! What does the W actually stand for? Why is the symbol W and not Tg, Tu or similar??

I looked into this 5 years ago after the debacle. I think it had to do with different countries discovering the same element around the same time and naming it different things?

 

[Cotterpin]

Quick!!! What does the W actually stand for? Why is the symbol W and not Tg, Tu or similar??

I got curious so I looked it up. Tungsten is also called wolfram because it's found in the mineral wolframite.

 

[GoGreen2014]

I got curious so I looked it up. Tungsten is also called wolfram because it's found in the mineral wolframite.

That makes me think of Calculus.. and Wolfram Alpha, and I grin knowing there is not going to be any calculus in Med school next year.

 

[Goro]

We have a winnah!
Some more elemental trivia:

What do the elements gold, silver, antimony, iron, lead, mercury, copper and tin all have in common?

I got curious so I looked it up. Tungsten is also called wolfram because it's found in the mineral wolframite.

 

[Cotterpin]

We have a winnah!
Some more elemental trivia:

What do the elements gold, silver, antimony, iron, lead, mercury, copper and tin all have in common?

That's easy. Their symbols are all from their Latin names.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

What do the elements gold, silver, antimony, iron, lead, mercury, copper and tin all have in common?

They can all be found in Volkswagon exhaust?

 

[Goro]

They can all be found in Volkswagon exhaust?

 

[Gandyy]

They can all be found in Volkswagon exhaust?

Thats pretty good.

 

[TheZaLord]

Girl 1: My name is X , are you Pre-med?
Girl 2: Yeah, my dad's a XX (specialty physician)
Girl 1: Awesome, So have you taken chemistry before?
Girl 2: Yeah, I took AP Chem in HS which I heard was basically identical to this class
- Now the two move on to brushing up on the elements from the huge periodic table in the front of the room -
Girl 1: H , that's Hydrogen
Girl 2 : Ne , yeah that's Neon
Girl 1: W? , what the heck is W.
Girl 2 : I'm pretty sure it's WOOD.
Girl 1: Yeah , I think your right.

ME -[facepalm]

- These girls must have sat somewhere different in Chem II because I did not see either one of them ever again-

YEEEESSSSS.

Reminds me of the time my intro class was given the "gimme" question of "What's the chemical formula for water?"

Annnnnnnnd...30% of the class got it right. Like, what?

Speaking of misinformed parents, I've had to explain to my dad at least 2-3 times that medical school doesn't have a night school program, so no, I couldn't just keep working during the day (IF I get in).

Also had to explain a few times to my aunts and grandma, no, I'm PRE-med, I'm not even in medical school yet, let alone an actual doctor.
Do not ask me for medical advice beyond what I know for therapy!

 

[Goro]

It gets even worse once you're actually in med school!

So be prepared for the barrage of "Uncle Heshie has cancer! What do you know about it??" questions

Also had to explain a few times to my aunts and grandma, no, I'm PRE-med, I'm not even in medical school yet.
Do not ask me for medical advice beyond what I know for therapy!

 

[TheZaLord]

So be prepared for the barrage of "Uncle Heshie has cancer! What do you know about it??" questions

 

[Whats up Doc!]

I was working out a few weeks ago and I ran into a kid I knew from freshman year who was also a pre-med, he was always extremely cocky and arrogant and quite honestly im not a spiteful person but I always knew he would never make it past college and sure enough he didnt... Any who he asked how I was doing and I explained how I was accepted to one of my top choices an osteopathic school and he stopped me and said "O nice that should be allot easier than the allopathic, I heard you dont have to study nearly as much" . I did not have the power nor the want to explain anything to him. Hes honestly one of those kids that life is just guna hand his ass to him over and over again and I figured it wasnt worth getting mad about. So I just sayed yup, smiled and walked away. Poor kid...

 

[wildzodiac]

YEEEESSSSS.

Also had to explain a few times to my aunts and grandma, no, I'm PRE-med, I'm not even in medical school yet, let alone an actual doctor.
Do not ask me for medical advice beyond what I know for therapy!

If I had a nickle for every time someone asked me since summer something pertaining to their personal oral health, I would have 75 cents.

 

[medic86]

High school student. "I want to go to West Point. Major in Electrical Engineering and Pre-Med. Then go to medical school." Good luck with that, bro.

Eh?

I know someone who went to West Point then medical school afterward.

 

[22031 Alum]

Up to 2% of each graduating class is authorized to go straight to med school if approved. Good luck with a e.e. major though... Yikes

There was a West Point alum at Vandy while I was there. So that part wasn't crazy. I believe their course requirements are so strict that you have to major in Bio or possibly chemistry in order to fulfill the pre-reqs, so EE probably isn't going to happen.

 

[amazing tekkers]

I met a girl during lunch break at the MCAT who told me she was taking it on that day specifically with the intention of voiding it and using it as a practice test.

Maybe she just wants a feel for the testing environment.

 

[akellish1028]

I was in the OR shadowing the other day, felt my phone vibrate, and after the case I looked at it:
Text from my coach:
"You need to get in the gym
Take a break from all this medical stuff [bicep emoji][bicep emoji][bicep emoji]
Stop learning the body and start building the body [bicep emoji][bicep emoji][bicep emoji]"

 

[Munty]

This wasn't from a pre-med but made me go

So this girl who I am somewhat friends with says:

"You know, surgeons work really hard and are under a lot of pressure, so I think they definitely deserve to be paid well. Now MD's on the other hand (I suppose she is referencing PCP or just non-surgical specialties), they just write down your symptoms and go type them in the computer and the computer gives them the diagnosis. They don't do anything, they get paid wayyyy to much."

I was appalled, but it made me realize that a lot of the public probably thinks the same thing...

 

[Gandyy]

This wasn't from a pre-med but made me go

So this girl who I am somewhat friends with says:

"You know, surgeons work really hard and are under a lot of pressure, so I think they definitely deserve to be paid well. Now MD's on the other hand (I suppose she is referencing PCP or just non-surgical specialties), they just write down your symptoms and go type them in the computer and the computer gives them the diagnosis. They don't do anything, they get paid wayyyy to much."

I was appalled, but it made me realize that a lot of the public probably thinks the same thing...

Sigh.... PCP's work harder than many of their specialist counterparts......

 

[Munty]

Sigh.... PCP's work harder than many of their specialist counterparts......

And I think now with many doctors taking computers into the room to collect notes for paperwork, patients think they are simply googling the problem or something...