Pre-Med =/= Doctor!!!

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Anyone hate when as a pre-med someone asks you for medical advice? When you give your answer, which could either be A) "You should ask a doctor." or B) "I have no idea." they inevitably respond with, "Wait - I thought you were in medical school."

This inevitably leads to the discussion of the fact that you're in training to be accepted so you can go to medical school, a 4-year task you must complete before you can start residency where you receive even more training before you can finally be a practicing physician, a discussion that will leave you wholly depressed at the vast amount of obstacles yet to overcome 😱.

Anyone else constantly having to explain to people that we are idiots and know nothing?
 
I have a really simple solution...don't tell people you're pre-med.

I absolutely hate the term pre-med...it means absolutely nothing and people who use it look like tools. When people asked me what I was studying during undergrad, I told them what my major was and that was about it. If they were really nosy and asked what I was going to do after graduating, I would tell them I was thinking about graduate school.

There's no such thing as "pre-med". It's a stupid term and it should be abolished.
 
DarknightX said:
I have a really simple solution...don't tell people you're pre-med.

I absolutely hate the term pre-med...it means absolutely nothing and people who use it look like tools. When people asked me what I was studying during undergrad, I told them what my major was and that was about it. If they were really nosy and asked what I was going to do after graduating, I would tell them I was thinking about graduate school.

There's no such thing as "pre-med". It's a stupid term and it should be abolished.
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I think I love you😍
 
DarknightX said:
I have a really simple solution...don't tell people you're pre-med.

I absolutely hate the term pre-med...it means absolutely nothing and people who use it look like tools. When people asked me what I was studying during undergrad, I told them what my major was and that was about it. If they were really nosy and asked what I was going to do after graduating, I would tell them I was thinking about graduate school.

There's no such thing as "pre-med". It's a stupid term and it should be abolished.
Click to expand...

👍
 
DarknightX said:
I have a really simple solution...don't tell people you're pre-med.
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more about everything you had to say, but my parents have a big mouth and told everyone we knew for me. So constantly have people asking me about "how med school is like" and asking medical advice. Damage is already done 😛 Good news is I'm applying this year so I wont have to deal with it for long (hopefully!)

Oh, and I forgot another possible response. I've noticed some pre-meds actually attempting to give medical advice to laypeople. That makes me more upset than the question itself!
 
People are dumb. Deal with it
 
Yup people ask me for advice all the time. I give them a gentle reminder that not only am I not a doctor, but I don't play one on tv and I didn't even stay at a holiday inn express last night (unless I did, in which case all bets are off). I'm a nurses aid, so I'll check your blood pressure or perform CPR all day long, but that is about as useful as I am clinically.

I've heard before that even an MS2 is about as useful as a boy scout.
 
DarknightX said:
I have a really simple solution...don't tell people you're pre-med.

I absolutely hate the term pre-med...it means absolutely nothing and people who use it look like tools. When people asked me what I was studying during undergrad, I told them what my major was and that was about it. If they were really nosy and asked what I was going to do after graduating, I would tell them I was thinking about graduate school.

There's no such thing as "pre-med". It's a stupid term and it should be abolished.
Click to expand...

I hated the term too. I hid I was pre-med, not only because it absolutely meant nothing but it carried all these connotations of being a gunner, nerdy, etc. all of which I decried and wanted no connection to. The minute you tell them you're premed, they form the worst impressions about you.

If people asked me what I studied, I gave my major and said I was pursuing biotech, which was only a 80% lie...
 
I also get these questions sometimes. My usual response is "Sure, I'd love to help! Can you wait ~7 years?"
 
Sometimes, I see people wear t-shirts that say, "Trust me, I'm pre-med."

...:bang:
 
Another thing I see that disturbs me more is lay people giving medical advice that they are obviously not qualified to give. Usually I just keep my mouth shut unless it is something that would be harmful. Ejemplos:

Me: I've been able to catch up on sleep lately. This summer I've slept an average of 9 hours/night
One of those know it all mom type lay people: You're probably anemic
Me: uh thanks I'll consider that (not)

My significant other: I had an infection but now I'm feeling better.
Different know it all friend: You should stop taking those antibiotics and save them for a different infection later.
Me: Hell no don't stop taking them because blah blah blah

I think one of the most important aspects of an education is to teach you not only what you know, but what you do not know. You have to know that there are things that you do not know. Maybe as pre meds we realize this more readily as we stand at the beginning of a long educational journey. But then again maybe not because I know those pre meds that LOVE the attention that their sick friends give them 🙄
 
DarknightX said:
I have a really simple solution...don't tell people you're pre-med.

I absolutely hate the term pre-med...it means absolutely nothing and people who use it look like tools. When people asked me what I was studying during undergrad, I told them what my major was and that was about it. If they were really nosy and asked what I was going to do after graduating, I would tell them I was thinking about graduate school.

There's no such thing as "pre-med". It's a stupid term and it should be abolished.
Click to expand...

That was I did, I never ever ever used the term "pre-med" nobody ever asked me ****. They said, "Psychology?" uhuh uhuh **dummy chuckle** "What are ya, tryin to analyze me huh? uhuh uhuh


Eventually I just started saying undecided and everyone left me the **** alone.

How about the dummies who introduce themselves to classes and the instructor asks on the first day what everyone's major is. They're like, "PRE MED!!!!" I sat in the back of the room with my hands covering my face.
 
DarknightX said:
I have a really simple solution...don't tell people you're pre-med.

I absolutely hate the term pre-med...it means absolutely nothing and people who use it look like tools. When people asked me what I was studying during undergrad, I told them what my major was and that was about it. If they were really nosy and asked what I was going to do after graduating, I would tell them I was thinking about graduate school.

There's no such thing as "pre-med". It's a stupid term and it should be abolished.
Click to expand...

"Don't label me bro" sentiment from high school. You want to be a doctor and that's what you're planning your education toward. What is wrong with telling people that? Oh right, we're gunners, we don't let people know our ambitions weaknesses.

(obviously I tell people my major when they ask.. the following question is always "what are you going to do with that?" my answer "I'm going to/(am now) apply to medical school")
 
organdonor said:
Another thing I see that disturbs me more is lay people giving medical advice that they are obviously not qualified to give. Usually I just keep my mouth shut unless it is something that would be harmful. Ejemplos:

Me: I've been able to catch up on sleep lately. This summer I've slept an average of 9 hours/night
One of those know it all mom type lay people: You're probably anemic
Me: uh thanks I'll consider that (not)

My significant other: I had an infection but now I'm feeling better.
Different know it all friend: You should stop taking those antibiotics and save them for a different infection later.
Me: Hell no don't stop taking them because blah blah blah

I think one of the most important aspects of an education is to teach you not only what you know, but what you do not know. You have to know that there are things that you do not know. Maybe as pre meds we realize this more readily as we stand at the beginning of a long educational journey. But then again maybe not because I know those pre meds that LOVE the attention that their sick friends give them 🙄
Click to expand...

Why don't you just let your dumb friends give their incorrect advice and carry on? The mark of a weak man is always correcting other people. The mark of a very weak, very insecure man is always trying to correct people even when you have no credentials yourself.
 
cbrons said:
Why don't you just let your dumb friends give their incorrect advice and carry on? The mark of a weak man is always correcting other people. The mark of a very weak, very insecure man is always trying to correct people even when you have no credentials yourself.
Click to expand...

Right, because telling your loved ones to finish their antibiotics is a terrible, weak thing to do. All you need is to have taken microbiology or chatted with a PC doc to know it's a big problem when people don't finish their antibiotics, both for society and the person in particular.
 
FlowRate said:
Right, because telling your loved ones to finish their antibiotics is a terrible, weak thing to do. All you need is to have taken microbiology or chatted with a PC doc to know it's a big problem when people don't finish their antibiotics, both for society and the person in particular.
Click to expand...

It says, "Continue taking until all are taken" on the bottle you schmuck. Pharmacy sig: TAT
 
cbrons said:
It says, "Continue taking until all are taken" on the bottle you schmuck. Pharmacy sig: TAT
Click to expand...

Your point? People think that's so drug companies can sell more drugs. If you can explain to them that they're trying to keep antibiotic resistant bacteria from developing, they might be willing to listen, since, I assume, you may have developed a good rapport with your mom/girlfriend/sister.
 
FlowRate said:
Your point? People think that's so drug companies can sell more drugs. If you can explain to them that they're trying to keep antibiotic resistant bacteria from developing, they might be willing to listen, since, I assume, you may have developed a good rapport with your mom/girlfriend/sister.
Click to expand...

ahhhh alright I'll lay off cause you have good quotes in your sig
 
cbrons said:
How about the dummies who introduce themselves to classes and the instructor asks on the first day what everyone's major is. They're like, "PRE MED!!!!" I sat in the back of the room with my hands covering my face.
Click to expand...

Yup. Anyone here the urban legend where someone hands a professor their card the first day of class and it has written "Dumbo Namerson" - Pre Med.

A guy did that very same thing in my bio class to my soon-to-be PI. Her face progressed through several emotions in a few seconds. First 😀 then 😕 then 🙄 then regained herself and told the pre-med she appreciated his card. I asked her a few months later after she became my PI what she thought about that incident and she showed me the pre-med's card. It was posted up on the wall of her office, apparently she looks at it whenever she needs a good laugh.
 
Who can blame them for asking medical questions when every freakin' pre-med has themselves in scrubs as their facebook profile pic as if scrubs are A. important and B. useful at the pre-medical level. They always have stupid status updates about how they're going in to shadow today and start talking like they're doctors already...who can blame the lay person for trying to get some free healthcare advice from someone who is (apparently) qualified? If you wanna dress up and play doctor, people are gonna play along with you.
 
Im definitely with DarknightX.
I have always hated the term pre-med... it sounds stupid. I always tell people i am a biochem major, and sometimes they ask what I am planning to do with the degree- If they ask, then I tell them I plan on applying to med school, if they dont ask I just leave it at biochem major. It is that simple.
 
Another thing that bugs me every year.

Upper class student: Hey man, what are you plan to major here?
A first year freshman who thinks he's know-it-all: Oh you know, pre-med.

... ignorant? Yes.
 
When people ask what I do, I tell them I'm in medical school. To which they follow with "so you're going to be a nurse?" Sigh.
 
rafflecopter said:
Anyone hate when as a pre-med someone asks you for medical advice? When you give your answer, which could either be A) "You should ask a doctor." or B) "I have no idea." they inevitably respond with, "Wait - I thought you were in medical school."

This inevitably leads to the discussion of the fact that you're in training to be accepted so you can go to medical school, a 4-year task you must complete before you can start residency where you receive even more training before you can finally be a practicing physician, a discussion that will leave you wholly depressed at the vast amount of obstacles yet to overcome 😱.

Anyone else constantly having to explain to people that we are idiots and know nothing?
Click to expand...

Yes, all the time. Mostly from family, but sometimes from friends too.

I also get the question of "why did you graduate with a biology degree then?" from a lot of people back home, as in "why didn't you apply straight to MD".
 
Baron Samedi said:
Who can blame them for asking medical questions when every freakin' pre-med has themselves in scrubs as their facebook profile pic as if scrubs are A. important and B. useful at the pre-medical level. They always have stupid status updates about how they're going in to shadow today and start talking like they're doctors already...who can blame the lay person for trying to get some free healthcare advice from someone who is (apparently) qualified? If you wanna dress up and play doctor, people are gonna play along with you.
Click to expand...
Scrubs are serious business. I just wear a labcoat and stethescope whenever I'm at work and just walk into patient rooms randomly and look at charts. I then shift my face from interest to concern to sadness. I then promptly look at the patient, keeping the same look, and walk away shaking my head.

Sometimes I sigh relief....sometimes
 
Kaustikos said:
Scrubs are serious business. I just wear a labcoat and stethescope whenever I'm at work and just walk into patient rooms randomly and look at charts. I then shift my face from interest to concern to sadness. I then promptly look at the patient, keeping the same look, and walk away shaking my head.

Sometimes I sigh relief....sometimes
Click to expand...

Kind of torn between :laugh: and 🙄.
 
When someone asks me for advice I tell them to just to rub some dirt on it and take some pain pills.
 
I told people I was a science major. My Ochem professor did not like premeds because in his opinion, they were taking up space in his chemistry class without having the aspirations to actually become chemists. I respectfully neglected to inform him that I was one such.
 
Pre-med is equal to pre-President, or pre-Astronaut, or pre-professional-football-player.
 
Dbags who wear the "premed" title like a badge of honor or the weiners who lie about wanting to go to medical school?
Click to expand...

I think it was in my best interest to not say more than was necessary.
 
Kaustikos said:
Scrubs are serious business. I just wear a labcoat and stethescope whenever I'm at work and just walk into patient rooms randomly and look at charts. I then shift my face from interest to concern to sadness. I then promptly look at the patient, keeping the same look, and walk away shaking my head.

Sometimes I sigh relief....sometimes
Click to expand...



it's possible this is the best comment on SDN, evar!
 
And to everyone who says not to label yourself pre-med, oftentimes you don't need to do it yourself, people do it for you. If you've visited your pre-medical advisor on campus she will forever label you "pre-med." If you ask anyone for a letter of rec and say its for medical school, they will forever label you "pre-med". If they ever discuss this in front of your peers, they will forever label you as "pre-med." If someone sees you with an EK Physics book, you will be labeled "pre-med."

Even if you don't label yourself, other people will do it for you. Labels are used by human beings to categorize things and help them make sense out of everything. They have existed for thousands of years and will continue to exist whether people like them or not.
 
Don't half ass it bro - say you're pre-neuro. When your friends ask about stomach problems or joint pain it'll be outside your pre-specialty and no pressure on you
 
DarknightX said:
I have a really simple solution...don't tell people you're pre-med.

I absolutely hate the term pre-med...it means absolutely nothing and people who use it look like tools. When people asked me what I was studying during undergrad, I told them what my major was and that was about it. If they were really nosy and asked what I was going to do after graduating, I would tell them I was thinking about graduate school.

There's no such thing as "pre-med". It's a stupid term and it should be abolished.
Click to expand...

Couldn't have said it better myself - 100% agree.

Unfortunately, my undergrad had a reputation as a pre-med program (though it wasn't) so the moment I mentioned my major everyone just assumed I was going to be a doctor so I got the medical questions all the same. Got to the point that a lot of the times I'd just tell people I was "in the sciences".
 
if you claim you are pre-med you are a tool. if you constantly talk to people about you need to know x,y,z for the MCAT you are a tool.

I've learned that there is no better answer than "we'll see" because that's the truth, not "omgz like after undergrad im going to medical schoolz to be a doctor so people will think I'm cool, did I mention im pre-med?"<those people usually don't make it
 
YouNeverKnow22 said:
if you claim you are pre-med you are a tool. if you constantly talk to people about you need to know x,y,z for the MCAT you are a tool.

I've learned that there is no better answer than "we'll see" because that's the truth, not "omgz like after undergrad im going to medical schoolz to be a doctor so people will think I'm cool, did I mention im pre-med?"<those people usually don't make it
Click to expand...

Sadly I know people who act like this and have been accepted.
 
DarknightX said:
I have a really simple solution...don't tell people you're pre-med.

I absolutely hate the term pre-med...it means absolutely nothing and people who use it look like tools. When people asked me what I was studying during undergrad, I told them what my major was and that was about it. If they were really nosy and asked what I was going to do after graduating, I would tell them I was thinking about graduate school.

There's no such thing as "pre-med". It's a stupid term and it should be abolished.
Click to expand...

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍


Another thing to note...

Even the people in medical school (1st and 2nd year students) don't feel comfortable giving medical advice. As a rising 2nd year, I can tell you that I don't know much at all, and the information that I do know make me a liability if anything.


For future reference, don't tell people that your major is "pre-med". Out on the interview trail, I have led several of these douche bags around campus, and laughed most of the way. If a medical student asks what your major is, tell him what your major is. If you decide to pull this pre-med card out, we will pimp your ass right then and there (which was even more funny imo).

Today we had the NYLF come to our school. When the Dean of Admissions for the SOM asked who wanted to be a physician, only about half of the group raised their hands. His followup question then asked then to state what they wanted to be.... The answers?

Psychiatrist
Orthopedic Surgeon
ENT
Neurologist
Cardiologist
CT Surgery
etc.

God it was funny seeing this happen.
 
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am I the only one who knows normal pre-meds on this board? Most of the pre-meds I know/knew (since some are starting this fall) either don't mention it at all or are very casual about it. I never mention that I'm pre-med. Just my major. Unless I'm at the hospital and someone asks me what my future plans are.

I do get the medical questions though. My friend just asked me last night to identify something on her leg and I was like uhm....ask your doctor. Nobody thinks I'm in medical school yet though.
 
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