A General Rant about this ENTIRE process

[cavalier329]

So I figured this would be a healthy way to relieve some stress. It is simple. Just write what upsets you about being premed and the whole process in general. I shall go first!

I hate that there is a pressure to answer essay and interview questions so that the person who is reading them will like it rather than it actually being completely what you want to say. So maybe your reason to be a doctor is cliche...so be it. I suppose this is what you get when you have so many people applying for so few spaces though...

It is a constant struggle to be unique when you are applying to medical school and I feel like this leads to disingenuous behavior. Everyday I see people working as EMTs or volunteering in hospital simply for the sake of putting it on their resume. They forget why these jobs ACTUALLY exist.

While these comments in no way are meant to apply to everyone, it just flat out sucks to see and its almost disheartening.

It also sucks to see people majoring in things for the sake of med school. While it is pretty known that this DOESNT HAVE TO BE THE CASE...we all know people do it anyway and then they are miserable.

Eh...the many wonders of being premed

 

[Greonis]

I'd say that those rants are applicable to just about anything that is competitive these days. Such is the way of life.

 

[drmonti]

yeah

 

[armybound]

I hate how people can't use simple common sense to figure out how to accomplish anything for their applications.

 

[linguini]

I hate the lack of green in my wallet.

 

[silverhorse84]

I hate the stereotype of premeds. I can't tell you how many coworkers have been surprised to find out I want to go to medical school and they site the reason to the surprise as "but you're not a complete a****** and you're actually down to earth, not looking at us from a pedestal."

 

[vadd0]

I hate the stereotypes of Doctors, and I hate how expensive this past year has been.

 

[theslave]

Going to college after working in the real world for a few years, I have to lough at a lot of the stuff pre-meds worry about. Help some random Joe that sits to your right, left, in front, or in the back of you is not going to hurt your chances of getting into medical school. What will hurt your chances of getting into medical is YOUR OWN performance.

Chances are that when a person asks for help on a topic they don't understand the topic. So even helping them understand a topic won't lead to them automatically getting more points on an exam.

The MCAT is the greatest equalizer out there. You can have the greatest GPA you want, but if you screw up the MCAT you hurt your chances. The skills, knowledge, work ethic, and all of the rest of your days in college comes down to those few hours in front of that computer testing YOUR ACUMULATED knowledge.

I always laughed at the pre-meds who sat with their head in the o-chem textbook for eight hours straight.

I went to college with a lot of people who were pre-med and are still pre-meds. Most of them major in biology or biochemistry because there is a way to take some very easy courses and get a killer GPA. As so they think. Many of these students only need to take 12 credits outside of the general chem, o-chem, physics, and general biology courses to graduate. So they just take A&P, nutrition, biotechnology, immunology and pathology and graduate with a killer GPA (unless they sucked at the chemistry courses). Out of all of the pre-med students that I knew in college (around 25), I only know of one student that got into medical school. Why? Because their MCAT scores suck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and they went to college at a crappy small liberal arts college.

Being pre-med is not that hard folks. If you have the desire, the want to be a doctor, have the ability to learn complex material, and are a good test taker and work hard towards the MCAT, you can get into medical school.

General chemistry is easy. About all you do is solve math problems and other similar equations.

General biology: this course is easy. All you really do is learn the very basics of biology.

Physics: again, can you solve math problems.

O-chem: this class is actually hard because of the nature of the material.

Biochemistry: this class can be hard depending on the professor. But memorize the book and you will do just fine.

Immunology, pathology, and A&P: Just memorize the material and you will do just fine.

Need to volutneer at a hospital? Easy. call up or email doctors asking if you can spend a few hours a week shadowing them. Heck, I spent 300 hours shadowing the professionals in the field I"m workign to while taking classes, working, and having a social life.

Want to do research? Try to find a student job in a lab and learn how science is done. Don't need a job to pay bills? Volunteer in a lab until you get a paid position.

Need a job to pay bills? Get a job that does not require much work. Why not work in the library.

DO YOUR SUMMER INTERNSHIPS PEOPLE.

Get around a 3.6 GPA, get above a 30 on the MCAT, do some research, volunteer, and you are bound to get into A medical school.

 

[cavalier329]

OMG WHY IS IT SO EXPENSIVE!

if its not books for the prereqs, its MCAT prep, then the MCAT, then apps, then med school itself.

Who is motivated enough to calculate the expense of JUST being a premed?!

 

[p30doc]

So much hate! I love the fact that I am going to be a doctor! I dislike all the hoops that needed to be jumped through to get to this point and the costs associated with them. Also higher education in this country should be essentially free and publicly funded like it is in many other countries. There are a lot of financial barriers to entry along the way that I am sure stop a lot of good folks from pursing this field.

 

[cavalier329]

actually thought about that this morning when I spent 225 bucks on my MCAT...rediculous

 

[theslave]

OMG WHY IS IT SO EXPENSIVE!

if its not books for the prereqs, its MCAT prep, then the MCAT, then apps, then med school itself.

Who is motivated enough to calculate the expense of JUST being a premed?!

Here is a rough estimate:

Tuition and room and board: 4*20,000= 80,000
Books: average 100 dollars*4 books a semester=400 dollars a semester * 3,200 dollars
MCAT Prep: too much variance
Application costs: too much variance
Travel expenses for interviews: Too much variance

 

[linguini]

Going to college after working in the real world for a few years, I have to lough at a lot of the stuff pre-meds worry about. Help some random Joe that sits to your right, left, in front, or in the back of you is not going to hurt your chances of getting into medical school. What will hurt your chances of getting into medical is YOUR OWN performance.

Chances are that when a person asks for help on a topic they don't understand the topic. So even helping them understand a topic won't lead to them automatically getting more points on an exam.

The MCAT is the greatest equalizer out there. You can have the greatest GPA you want, but if you screw up the MCAT you hurt your chances. The skills, knowledge, work ethic, and all of the rest of your days in college comes down to those few hours in front of that computer testing YOUR ACUMULATED knowledge.

I always laughed at the pre-meds who sat with their head in the o-chem textbook for eight hours straight.

I went to college with a lot of people who were pre-med and are still pre-meds. Most of them major in biology or biochemistry because there is a way to take some very easy courses and get a killer GPA. As so they think. Many of these students only need to take 12 credits outside of the general chem, o-chem, physics, and general biology courses to graduate. So they just take A&P, nutrition, biotechnology, immunology and pathology and graduate with a killer GPA (unless they sucked at the chemistry courses). Out of all of the pre-med students that I knew in college (around 25), I only know of one student that got into medical school. Why? Because their MCAT scores suck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and they went to college at a crappy small liberal arts college.

Being pre-med is not that hard folks. If you have the desire, the want to be a doctor, have the ability to learn complex material, and are a good test taker and work hard towards the MCAT, you can get into medical school.

General chemistry is easy. About all you do is solve math problems and other similar equations.

General biology: this course is easy. All you really do is learn the very basics of biology.

Physics: again, can you solve math problems.

O-chem: this class is actually hard because of the nature of the material.

Biochemistry: this class can be hard depending on the professor. But memorize the book and you will do just fine.

Immunology, pathology, and A&P: Just memorize the material and you will do just fine.

Need to volutneer at a hospital? Easy. call up or email doctors asking if you can spend a few hours a week shadowing them. Heck, I spent 300 hours shadowing the professionals in the field I"m workign to while taking classes, working, and having a social life.

Want to do research? Try to find a student job in a lab and learn how science is done. Don't need a job to pay bills? Volunteer in a lab until you get a paid position.

Need a job to pay bills? Get a job that does not require much work. Why not work in the library.

DO YOUR SUMMER INTERNSHIPS PEOPLE.

Get around a 3.6 GPA, get above a 30 on the MCAT, do some research, volunteer, and you are bound to get into A medical school.

Ohhhh so that's how to do it...it's simple really!

So glad the master on all things premed has bestowed this wisdom upon us.

 

[cbrons]

I guess the thing I hate most about the process is having peers like you guys. How do you like that SDN? Well heres cbrons saying you're all just a bunch of phonies in silk suits. Take your ochem books and shove em!

 

[CCLCMer]

Ha, it only gets worse with expenses and stupid hoops you have to jump through once you get here. The MCAT is a bargain compared to the USMLE Steps, which cost $500 each for the computer portions. This semester, I will be forking over $1100 for the so-called privilege of registering for Step 2 CS (where you get evaluated on seeing actors who are pretending to be patients) on top of the $500 I have to pay to take Step 2 CK on the computer. And that doesn't include my travel expenses or hotel room for CS because this test is not offered in Cleveland. Oh, and did you know that a lot of people have to take out extra loans for several thousand dollars while they apply for residency? Yeah, that blows hard too. Something for me to really look forward to in another year and a half.

 

[vadd0]

I guess the thing I hate most about the process is having peers like you guys. How do you like that SDN? Well heres cbrons saying your all just a bunch of phonies in silk suits. Take your ochem books and shove em!

You're just jealous you had to have your silk suit re-tailored for the SDN ball.

 

[cbrons]

You're just jealous you had to have your silk suit re-tailored for the SDN ball.

:cry:

 

[dr zaius]

Words words words

I suppose if you classify something as simple based on being able to sum it up in a few sentences you would be correct. Physics is a bit more than "solving math problems," unless you took a very bad physics course. You have to understand the underlying concepts behind the equations and how/when to apply them to a problem. It's a good deal of critical thinking. The same goes with gen. chem. There is definitely a learning curve to that process. It comes naturally to some, but others have to work for it.

Anyway, I'm applying this summer and what really bugs me about the process is the cost. I asked for nothing for christmas other than assistance if I need it during applications/interviews

 

[phospho]

Here is a rough estimate:

Tuition and room and board: 4*20,000= 80,000
Books: average 100 dollars*4 books a semester=400 dollars a semester * 3,200 dollars
MCAT Prep: too much variance
Application costs: too much variance
Travel expenses for interviews: Too much variance

it was a rhetorical question

 

[mkitty09]

i hate the constant, unyielding, ever lasting stress, the nagging question that was always at the back of my mind, "am i going to get in?"

now that im in, obviously the stress is off, but oh man it was so annoying.

 

[236116]

I guess the thing I hate most about the process is having peers like you guys. How do you like that SDN? Well heres cbrons saying you're all just a bunch of phonies in silk suits. Take your ochem books and shove em!

ilu cbrons.

I hate how people can't use simple common sense to figure out how to accomplish anything for their applications.

qft.

I hate the stereotype of premeds. I can't tell you how many coworkers have been surprised to find out I want to go to medical school and they site the reason to the surprise as "but you're not a complete a****** and you're actually down to earth, not looking at us from a pedestal."

i hate that the stereotype is true faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar more often than not.

and also i hate almonds.

 

[RoyBasch]

Being pre-med is not that hard folks. If you have the desire, the want to be a doctor, have the ability to learn complex material, and are a good test taker and work hard towards the MCAT, you can get into medical school.

This is not a short order my friend. If you pay even the vaguest attention to this board you will see that the people who have gotten in have accomplished tremendous things for people in (for the most part) their early 20's.

Get around a 3.6 GPA, get above a 30 on the MCAT, do some research, volunteer, and you are bound to get into A medical school.

I have done all these things and more and it looks like I will probably be reapplying. Before someone says it, I applied early and broadly mostly to mid to lower tier schools.

I'm sorry if I sound pessimistic, but this is a rant thread right?
-Roy

 

[cyclin M]

Going to college after working in the real world for a few years, I have to lough at a lot of the stuff pre-meds worry about. Help some random Joe that sits to your right, left, in front, or in the back of you is not going to hurt your chances of getting into medical school. What will hurt your chances of getting into medical is YOUR OWN performance.

Chances are that when a person asks for help on a topic they don't understand the topic. So even helping them understand a topic won't lead to them automatically getting more points on an exam.

The MCAT is the greatest equalizer out there. You can have the greatest GPA you want, but if you screw up the MCAT you hurt your chances. The skills, knowledge, work ethic, and all of the rest of your days in college comes down to those few hours in front of that computer testing YOUR ACUMULATED knowledge.

I always laughed at the pre-meds who sat with their head in the o-chem textbook for eight hours straight.

I went to college with a lot of people who were pre-med and are still pre-meds. Most of them major in biology or biochemistry because there is a way to take some very easy courses and get a killer GPA. As so they think. Many of these students only need to take 12 credits outside of the general chem, o-chem, physics, and general biology courses to graduate. So they just take A&P, nutrition, biotechnology, immunology and pathology and graduate with a killer GPA (unless they sucked at the chemistry courses). Out of all of the pre-med students that I knew in college (around 25), I only know of one student that got into medical school. Why? Because their MCAT scores suck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and they went to college at a crappy small liberal arts college.

Being pre-med is not that hard folks. If you have the desire, the want to be a doctor, have the ability to learn complex material, and are a good test taker and work hard towards the MCAT, you can get into medical school.

General chemistry is easy. About all you do is solve math problems and other similar equations.

General biology: this course is easy. All you really do is learn the very basics of biology.

Physics: again, can you solve math problems.

O-chem: this class is actually hard because of the nature of the material.

Biochemistry: this class can be hard depending on the professor. But memorize the book and you will do just fine.

Immunology, pathology, and A&P: Just memorize the material and you will do just fine.

Need to volutneer at a hospital? Easy. call up or email doctors asking if you can spend a few hours a week shadowing them. Heck, I spent 300 hours shadowing the professionals in the field I"m workign to while taking classes, working, and having a social life.

Want to do research? Try to find a student job in a lab and learn how science is done. Don't need a job to pay bills? Volunteer in a lab until you get a paid position.

Need a job to pay bills? Get a job that does not require much work. Why not work in the library.

DO YOUR SUMMER INTERNSHIPS PEOPLE.

Get around a 3.6 GPA, get above a 30 on the MCAT, do some research, volunteer, and you are bound to get into A medical school.

Finally some straight talk. "How do I improve my GPA?" I mean...come on people. Someone sticky this post so people can stop asking simple questions that can be solved w/common sense.

 

[PreMedP]

I hate how much of a toll interviewing took on my grades. I didn't turn in half of my homeworks for Pchem because they were all due on Fridays that I was in a different city interviewing.

I know these grades don't matter, but it still sucks to maybe not graduate with the honors I feel I deserve.

 

[RevivedPreMed]

I hate that my GPA defines me. I also hate getting diagnosed with a learning disability 21 years too late. It's really fun to have to relearn how to learn after so many years. Now I'm fighting an uphill battle because medical schools won't give a crap.

I hate people that use my knowledge and preparedness for their benefit but won't help me the very few times I need it (aka. cut-throat pre-meds).

 

[RevivedPreMed]

I also really hate that I have not had time to read for fun since high school. :-\

It's taken me 2 years to read 50 pages into Anna Karennina.

 

[236116]

I hate that my GPA defines me. I also hate getting diagnosed with a learning disability 21 years too late. It's really fun to have to relearn how to learn after so many years. Now I'm fighting an uphill battle because medical schools won't give a crap.

I hate people that use my knowledge and preparedness for their benefit but won't help me the very few times I need it (aka. cut-throat pre-meds).

ugh, suck. i'm guessing dyslexia or dyscalculia?

 

[VneZonyDostupa]

I think Michael Scott sums it up better than I ever could (replacing Toby with AMCAS/AAMC, of course):

"AMCAS/AAMC, why are you the way that you are? Honestly, everytime I try to do something fun or exciting...you make it not...that way.

I hate, SO much, about the things that you choose to be..."

(Starts at 2:18)
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO87KW-jM9A[/YOUTUBE]

 

[87138]

Going to college after working in the real world for a few years, I have to lough at a lot of the stuff pre-meds worry about. Help some random Joe that sits to your right, left, in front, or in the back of you is not going to hurt your chances of getting into medical school. What will hurt your chances of getting into medical is YOUR OWN performance.

Chances are that when a person asks for help on a topic they don't understand the topic. So even helping them understand a topic won't lead to them automatically getting more points on an exam.

The MCAT is the greatest equalizer out there. You can have the greatest GPA you want, but if you screw up the MCAT you hurt your chances. The skills, knowledge, work ethic, and all of the rest of your days in college comes down to those few hours in front of that computer testing YOUR ACUMULATED knowledge.

I always laughed at the pre-meds who sat with their head in the o-chem textbook for eight hours straight.

I went to college with a lot of people who were pre-med and are still pre-meds. Most of them major in biology or biochemistry because there is a way to take some very easy courses and get a killer GPA. As so they think. Many of these students only need to take 12 credits outside of the general chem, o-chem, physics, and general biology courses to graduate. So they just take A&P, nutrition, biotechnology, immunology and pathology and graduate with a killer GPA (unless they sucked at the chemistry courses). Out of all of the pre-med students that I knew in college (around 25), I only know of one student that got into medical school. Why? Because their MCAT scores suck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and they went to college at a crappy small liberal arts college.

Being pre-med is not that hard folks. If you have the desire, the want to be a doctor, have the ability to learn complex material, and are a good test taker and work hard towards the MCAT, you can get into medical school.

General chemistry is easy. About all you do is solve math problems and other similar equations.

General biology: this course is easy. All you really do is learn the very basics of biology.

Physics: again, can you solve math problems.

O-chem: this class is actually hard because of the nature of the material.

Biochemistry: this class can be hard depending on the professor. But memorize the book and you will do just fine.

Immunology, pathology, and A&P: Just memorize the material and you will do just fine.

Need to volutneer at a hospital? Easy. call up or email doctors asking if you can spend a few hours a week shadowing them. Heck, I spent 300 hours shadowing the professionals in the field I"m workign to while taking classes, working, and having a social life.

Want to do research? Try to find a student job in a lab and learn how science is done. Don't need a job to pay bills? Volunteer in a lab until you get a paid position.

Need a job to pay bills? Get a job that does not require much work. Why not work in the library.

DO YOUR SUMMER INTERNSHIPS PEOPLE.

Get around a 3.6 GPA, get above a 30 on the MCAT, do some research, volunteer, and you are bound to get into A medical school.

I'm as cynical a bastard as you'll meet, but even I think this post is terrible.

It has a few decent points sprinkled among some really stupid self-aggrandizing.

 

[Pghboy18]

I hate some of the people who are already in to medical school and act smug about the admissions process - like a year ago they didn't worry about the things that I am worried about now, especially when we both know that it couldn't be further from the truth.

"It's no big deal... I'm sure you won't have a problem"

Really? Is that why you applied to 45 schools?

 

[236116]

I'm as cynical a bastard as you'll meet, but even I think this post is terrible.

It has a few decent points sprinkled among some really stupid self-aggrandizing.

qft

 

[phospho]

I'm as cynical a bastard as you'll meet, but even I think this post is terrible.

It has a few decent points sprinkled among some really stupid self-aggrandizing.

 

[TeamZissou]

Ah yes if someone would have told me about the ACTUAL costs involved in the process of applications/secondaries/interviewing this would have been my reaction.[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHh0rf0ojEc[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Lukkie]

I hate pre-meds!

 

[silverhorse84]

I hate the stereotype of premeds. I can't tell you how many coworkers have been surprised to find out I want to go to medical school and they site the reason to the surprise as "but you're not a complete a****** and you're actually down to earth, not looking at us from a pedestal."

i hate that the stereotype is true faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar more often than not.

and also i hate almonds.

Haha, yeah that's what I meant, but didn't quite say it right - I mean I hate the stereotype, but usually stereotypes start for a reason and this reason is still true



Really? you hate almonds? see I like almonds, not a fan of pecans though

 

[236116]

Haha, yeah that's what I meant, but didn't quite say it right - I mean I hate the stereotype, but usually stereotypes start for a reason and this reason is still true

Really? you hate almonds? see I like almonds, not a fan of pecans though

i know what you mean.
i'm allergic to them both.

 

[Forthegood]

Ah yes if someone would have told me about the ACTUAL costs involved in the process of applications/secondaries/interviewing this would have been my reaction.[youtube]NHh0rf0ojEc[/youtube]

^^^ COST OF MEDICAL EDUCATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That being said, gunners suck and way to much emphasis on MCAT score. Had a couple good friends get rejected from their less than superior performance... on the other hand, i can't name a more fair way to judge people...

 

[Climberak]

Don't get me wrong, everyone has a right to rant... but if you all are b*tching now, just wait till residency

 

[Lukkie]

Don't get me wrong, everyone has a right to rant... but if you all are b*tching now, just wait till residency

please educate us on what residency is like.

 

[Climberak]

please educate us on what residency is like.

Haven't you watched Scrubs, Lukkie?

 

[JTubule1386]

I hated having to pimp myself out to Adcoms--I'm not big on selling myself to people just to get their approval, but hey, on my own terms right?

I hated having to spend $210 dollars just to have 30 days of psychotic anticipation with a possible let down in the end and clicking a whole bunch of circles (not knowing if I was clicking the correct one) and writing two essays just for "fun". Yes people bow down to the MCAT

I hated having to take every class in undergrad so serious.

I hated paying ~$2000 dollars to basically retake classes at TPR.

I'm sure their is a whole bunch of other things I hated but these would have to be the top four.

 

[235009]

1. i hate how people complain about the process....especially writing the essays...i mean yes, some of them are stupid but these schools are trying their best to pick good doctors and what's on the AMCAS may not be enough sometimes

2. i hate how premeds think that being premed is the hardest thing you can do in college. its absolutely not. just go ask an engineer.

3. i hate how people (especially on SDN) make believe that a 4.0 at any school and in any major is some sort of amazing accomplishment. If you're a humanities major who took 1 or two math/science courses a semester and you were at a less competitive school then your 4.0 doesn't impress me.

4. i hate how people on SDN grossly understate the importance of a good MCAT score

5. i hate how people on SDN greatly underestimate the importance of which college you went to...whether its the name or the fact that you typically end up with a better MCAT score because of the rigor/competition. Its no accident that if you go to an interview at a decent med school you'll find that approx. half of the interviewees are ivy leaguers.

6. i hate how people on SDN think that "get a 4.0" or "get all As" are valid pieces of advice

7. i hate how some people on SDN are completely delusional and think that they are entitled to get into med school with < 30 on the MCAT

 

[Lukkie]

oh SNAP

 

[235009]

oh SNAP

too much?

 

[235009]

8. i hate how some people don't have a serious plan B! Especially if you have a black mark or red flag on your application! and i'm talking about a real red flag that is hard to fix (bad MCAT, sub-3.0 GPA, serious institutional action, criminal record) not the kind of things that SDNers consider to be a red flag (one C, a drinking violation freshman year, a 3.5 GPA, etc).

 

[PagingDrP]

I hate how expensive it is, and how much WAITING there is (for non-rolling admissions esp.) Ugh!

 

[Sangria]

i hate the cost of the application process and school, and especially those secondaries that cost $110 and don't even have any essays on them
I hate how stressful, slow and random the process is
I hate how you always have to make yourself seem unique: a lot of those things do not seem to indicate that you will be a better doctor
lastly, and i guess this relates purely to me, i hate how even with a great GPA and MCAT score i'm getting barely any interviews (i do have ECs, and I know I have at least decent LORs and essays)


BTW: this is the perfect time for this thread!

 

[rama kandra]

I have not yet applied (upcoming cycle ftw!) and I have to say that when I started out a pre-med in college, the big thing was getting secondaries. Supposedly a secondary was considered a big positive indicator that YOU are being looked at. Now I look at the MSAR and maybe 10 schools out of the 130ish pre-screen for the secondary.

And for those like me, who have to apply broadly to many places, I would love to be screened and not even given a secondary rather than spend 100 bucks to EVERY SCHOOL B/C THEY SEND OUT SECONDARIES TO EVERYONE! I don't want to fill out a secondary for every single school I apply to, thats just too much... and some apparently dont have essays? Talk about being strapped for cash, the med schools found a great pile of money via secondary. Bravo.

 

[SaugaDentists]

when it comes down to it, it's about money... it's never enough! never enough to pay the bills, never enough when you can buy whatever you want... good luck to everyone in med school!

 

[Narmerguy]

i hate some of the people who are already in to medical school and act smug about the admissions process - like a year ago they didn't worry about the things that i am worried about now, especially when we both know that it couldn't be further from the truth.

qft!!!