are you a... dun dun dun.. NEUROTIC pre-med?

[Primate Bonobo]

So I keep hearing stereotypes of neurotic, anal pre-meds, and I think it makes sense. A lot of overachievers are a bit anal and neutrotic by the average person's standards.

So be honest.. How many of you in here are secretly (or not so secretly) really anal and obsessive about getting straight A's and doing perfect work? 😛

Me: I get what I need to done, and I get pretty good grades, but I go through periods of weeks where I'm lazy as hell and periods of weeks where I'm working really hard, back and forth...

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[Neurocentric]

I'd have to say I'm just a neurotic student in general. In high school I was really a crappy student - never studying or doing homework, cutting class, etc. But when I finally realized that I wanted to go to medical school (took me long enough, really, since I was obsessed with medical things as much as I am now) I decided to turn it all around, and when I went to community college to get my grades up before a four year university, I was completely anal and competitive, and I doubt that will change.

I've always been competitive by nature anyway, so it wouldn't be shocking if I tried to get the best grades in any class I was in. I can't say I'll try to boast about being a pre-med, because it really means nothing unless I get into medical school, but I definitely will strive to be the best I can, because that gets me accepted.

 

[christina30]

Not me - I must be an anomaly. I have some obsessive/neurotic tendencies, but getting perfect grades is definitely not one of them. I never had that kind of problem as an undergrad - I was perfectly happy to just pass sometimes.

 

[Earl Grey]

Not really... I do try to get the best grades I can but for the most part but it's not the end of the world if I don't get into med-school. It's not that I'm not motivated enough, it's just that there are many career alternatives that include helping others and saving lives.

 

[Stewie32]

I think that as soon as I make a complete committment to getting into med school I will become extremely neurotic. As it is, I am just trying to figure out what I am going to be doing with the rest of my life.

 

[ducki303]

I definitely have the occasional neurotic behaviors, but it's more to my need for neatness/organization.

... on occasion I've redone a post-it tab 3-5 times to either have it located in the proper place, stick out the proper length or written in the right configuration.

 

[christina30]

I definitely have the occasional neurotic behaviors, but it's more to my need for neatness.

... on occasion I've redone a post-it tab 3-5 times to either have it located in the proper place, stick out the proper length or written in the right configuration.

I have similar problems, haha. I rewrite notes, and pretty much everything if it's not up-to-par.

 

[Neurocentric]

I definitely have the occasional neurotic behaviors, but it's more to my need for neatness/organization.

... on occasion I've redone a post-it tab 3-5 times to either have it located in the proper place, stick out the proper length or written in the right configuration.

I have similar problems, haha. I rewrite notes, and pretty much everything if it's not up-to-par.

I am definitely the same way, for both of these. My OCD tendencies tend to get the best of me.

 

[NickNaylor]

I am. I do a pretty good job of keeping it under wraps except for my closest friends, though.

 

[insane]

Wouldn't you want your doctor to be anal and neurotic.

 

[Narmerguy]

Eh, I don't get why competitive and self-motivated have to become synonymous with anal and neurotic. Nothing wrong with wanting to be the best and wanting to be #1 at what you do. It's only a problem when your behavior becomes destructive towards others, which isn't always the case.

Naturally, I would describe myself as pretty competitive and I sure as hell try to get straight A's. Why wouldn't I? If I don't get it (never have) it's not the end of the world but I'll try my hardest to get there.

 

[AH3]

I'm on SDN...does that count?

 

[figmentj]

I have similar problems, haha. I rewrite notes, and pretty much everything if it's not up-to-par.

Me too. I actually think this tendency ends up being pretty helpful, as rewriting is a great way to get things into memory. But I do it because I can't stand that scratched out word in the left column.

I've definitely become more obsessed with perfect As since I decided on med school.

 

[rosydoll]

Not really... I do try to get the best grades I can but for the most part but it's not the end of the world if I don't get into med-school. It's not that I'm not motivated enough, it's just that there are many career alternatives that include helping others and saving lives.

Yup, this is how I feel too! I want to go to med school BUT there are also 487302 more possibilities out there.

I don't care tons about getting 100% straight A's. As long as I have not shirked my studying or assignments, I'm satisfied. If I get a B because I didn't care as much I should have, then it's a problem.
But I still try very very hard to do my best.

 

[Primate Bonobo]

I'd have to say I'm just a neurotic student in general. In high school I was really a crappy student - never studying or doing homework, cutting class, etc. But when I finally realized that I wanted to go to medical school (took me long enough, really, since I was obsessed with medical things as much as I am now) I decided to turn it all around, and when I went to community college to get my grades up before a four year university, I was completely anal and competitive, and I doubt that will change.

I've always been competitive by nature anyway, so it wouldn't be shocking if I tried to get the best grades in any class I was in. I can't say I'll try to boast about being a pre-med, because it really means nothing unless I get into medical school, but I definitely will strive to be the best I can, because that gets me accepted.

I notice some of the most competitive and hard-working pre-meds are the ones that did a ****ty job in high school.

 

[Hifey]

My twin sister (pre-law) describes me as neurotic and competitive because I often skipped social engagements in order to study. However, at the time she didn't realize that it was the sheer volume of work that kept me from going out, not because i was anal about doing it.

then when I was applying, she thought I was neurotic cause I was on SDN all the time and talking about schools etc. Then she applied to law school haha. She was on the law forums ALL THE TIME and always talking about it. She got in so she understands what a huge deal it all is. I still tease her about this.

As far as my own personal craziness though, I'm actually not at all. I'm only competitive when it's crunch time. I'm not particularly concerned with other people or how they're doing as long as I do well. When I'm feeling lazy in the library and see someone studying the same subject, I use it as motivation in that they're going to beat me and I'll be unprepared so I MUST study lol. As long as I'm ahead of the curve I'm good 🙂


I don't mind getting A-s. B+s I don't love so much. Then again, my lack of analness may be why I have a 3.67 instead of a 4.0 🙂

 

[surftheiop]

If I want to I can really easily come across as "not having a care in the world" but deep down I always am planning/worrying to a degree. Except for the few folks who are just straight up genius, not many people make it to med school w/o working/planning really hard

 

[johncalvin]

I'm on SDN...does that count?

You know, I used to be completely chilled out until I found SDN. My neuroticism has since shot up to insane levels.

 

[Xinlitik]

I don't think so. School comes fairly easily to me, so that could be why. I definitely felt quite neurotic while studying for the MCAT.

 

[Poliscidoc]

You know, I used to be completely chilled out until I found SDN. My neuroticism has since shot up to insane levels.

+1

How in the hell am I going to match up to these Ivy League 4.0, 43 MCAT people?

 

[Neurocentric]

I notice some of the most competitive and hard-working pre-meds are the ones that did a ****ty job in high school.

Yeah, that's me in a nutshell, really.

 

[FirefighterDoc]

So I keep hearing stereotypes of neurotic, anal pre-meds, and I think it makes sense. A lot of overachievers are a bit anal and neutrotic by the average person's standards.

So be honest.. How many of you in here are secretly (or not so secretly) really anal and obsessive about getting straight A's and doing perfect work? 😛

Me: I get what I need to done, and I get pretty good grades, but I go through periods of weeks where I'm lazy as hell and periods of weeks where I'm working really hard, back and forth...[/QUOTE]
+1

Usually my periods of working really hard come at times where i cant sleep. I just stay up all night cleaning and studying. Not to mention i write better papers the night before theyre due (I thrive on pressure😀). Other than that, im pretty chill. I work a lot so im already too busy to be stressing out.