Buying your way into med school

[Predocmd]

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Gosh, poor Ben is probably going to have a lousy time during the first year orientation festivities. Did he go to second look and party hearty?

Dude, I TOTALLY saw him at the Second Look activites. He's got a lot of nerve if you ask me.--Don't get me wrong , I do feel for him in a way but HE NEEDS TO WITHDRAW. He didn't apply within the correct timeframe or do what what was necessary to be able to be admitted (neither through the Junior Honors program nor UF's regular admission), so it follows that he must not really want it like everyone else.

This is going to RUIN UF's reputation and it is unfair to those who already go there or will be going there who have worked so hard to make it only to have the quality of their degree decrease because of this.Even for his own sake and self respect, Benny needs to WITHDRAW (and do something to try and redeem himself). It's not fair, it's not right, and at least have some self respect, man.

Like a lot of others said, he HAS the connections;the least he could have done was complete the darned application, do the MCAT etc. I mean damn, did he not have ANY confidence in himself at all? Guess what, everyone was scared to death of the MCAT and we STILL took it. Have some class!

Oh, and yeah Machen is to blame but Kone should have said "no" or stepped down or something--but he'd rather keep the title of Dean at the expense of any respect for himself, the adcom members, or medicine--yeah remember medicine. The boot for him. And why is it that his decision can override that of the adcom again????

Who's to say Ben won't buy himself some A's while he's at it once he decides he is too overwhelmed from any attempt at learning?! We're not too far away from that folks! I'm tired of corrupt people pulling stunts like this. Next thing you know, I'll turn around and Anna Montana will be sitting next to me at graduation cuz she felt like it.

So, I propose that :
-Ben leave UF
-Kone leave UF
-LET UF KEEP IT'S INTEGRITY,REPUTATION, AND QUALITY STUDENT BODY

 

[wally47]

You bring up a scary point. Will it ever be bad enough that students can buy(monetarily or not) A's. It must happen in undergrad (sleeping with the TA, ect). For Med School I doubt it... but then again I doubted that being "connected" could get students more than an undeserved interview.

For those who went to the second look, did anyone address the issue or did they just pretend it never happened?

I added this in the FLorida thread but it is more appropriate here.

Quotes from the UFCOM website:
Every applicant must take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) at a time that enables scores to be received by the Admissions Office prior to the application deadline.
Applicant must receive a Bachelor's degree, from a Council on Higher Education accredited institution prior to matriculation in the University of Florida College of Medicine.

 

[ninjapenguin]

This is going to RUIN UF's reputation and it is unfair to those who already go there or will be going there who have worked so hard to make it only to have the quality of their degree decrease because of this.

I am curious to know what the current and future UF students are doing about this whole situation. Are they petitioning to have him removed, or is there just a general feeling of apathy towards the whole situation?

 

[Predocmd]

You bring up a scary point. Will it ever be bad enough that students can buy(monetarily or not) A's. It must happen in undergrad (sleeping with the TA, ect). For Med School I doubt it... but then again I doubted that being "connected" could get students more than an undeserved interview.

For those who went to the second look, did anyone address the issue or did they just pretend it never happened?

I added this in the FLorida thread but it is more appropriate here.

Quotes from the UFCOM website:
Every applicant must take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) at a time that enables scores to be received by the Admissions Office prior to the application deadline.
Applicant must receive a Bachelor's degree, from a Council on Higher Education accredited institution prior to matriculation in the University of Florida College of Medicine.

-Nobody addressed it at Second Look. And there's a facebook group called UF class of 2012 and the article is linked there! And Ben is a member! And only one person really posted any comment about it. From what I've heard, the students are not liking this. I just hope to God that this kid really does have something "exceptional" about him that even makes him qualified--like maybe his grades...but I think I'm just pulling at loose strings here.

 

[Norua]

I don't see anything about the situation on the UF COM Class of 2012 Facebook group page. Did they actually delete it?

 

[paranoid_eyes]

you guys are so naive....this kinda stuff happens A LOT more often than you think. may be not to this degree (no undergrad/mcat), but there are definitely ways to pay your way into med school, and it happens fairly often.

example: the dean of X school is on the board of directors of mommy/daddy's company. it'll be easy as hell for that applicant to get in (all they'll have to do is apply)

 

[gplex86]

you guys are so naive....this kinda stuff happens A LOT more often than you think. may be not to this degree (no undergrad/mcat), but there are definitely ways to pay your way into med school, and it happens fairly often.

example: the dean of X school is on the board of directors of mommy/daddy's company. it'll be easy as hell for that applicant to get in (all they'll have to do is apply)

The problem is that this degree is way too far. Anyone accepted should at least be qualified. There are hoops to demonstrate this - this individual has jumped them not.

 

[TheRealMD]

you guys are so naive....this kinda stuff happens A LOT more often than you think. may be not to this degree (no undergrad/mcat), but there are definitely ways to pay your way into med school, and it happens fairly often.

example: the dean of X school is on the board of directors of mommy/daddy's company. it'll be easy as hell for that applicant to get in (all they'll have to do is apply)

People are complaining because he technically didn't even do that. That's what's outrageous in this case.

 

[UFMed]

The University of Florida College of Medicine accepts a few students a year who have not taken the MCAT or submitted an AMCAS application. Students who are admitted this way enter via the Junior Honors Medical Program, a combined 7 year B.S./M.D. curriculum. Ben's credentials are therefore not strikingly different from other accepted students. To argue that he has taken someone's spot because he has not completed the MCAT would warrant outrage that the JHMP exists at all. Students have to complete the pre-med required courses and have a uber-high SAT score; all of which are protected by privacy laws.

The case that UF COM has somehow lost it's entire standing in the medical community, or the integrity of it's admissions committee, faculty and students has been damaged is ludicrous. The fact that this situation has received so much publicity and discussion goes to show that it rarely ever happens anywhere (especially at UF). The former dean is even quoted as saying he never overturned the committee's decisions during his tenure. The University of Florida has created an investigatory committee to look into the matter as well. But at the end there will probably be little anyone can do because Dean Kone surprisingly did not break any rules.

I am not angered that Ben did not take the MCAT or submit an AMCAS application. There are many students who enter medical school without jumping through the traditional hurdles and end up becoming fine physicians; they will still have to prove themselves in medical school.

I am not saying I condone Dean Kone's actions, but I am also aware that this situation is not as serious as many would like it to be. The fact that admissions committee's decision was not honored should be the focus of criticism, not Ben's unknown credentials.

 

[littlealex]

UFMed uh... Ben was not in the BS/MD program.
Did you catch that?

This may not destroy UF's reputation, but it will serve as black spot on it's history for sure. At the moment the whole world watches as UF plays favorites to the rich and well connected.

 

[mdgator]

The University of Florida College of Medicine accepts a few students a year who have not taken the MCAT or submitted an AMCAS application. Students who are admitted this way enter via the Junior Honors Medical Program, a combined 7 year B.S./M.D. curriculum. Ben's credentials are therefore not strikingly different from other accepted students. To argue that he has taken someone's spot because he has not completed the MCAT would warrant outrage that the JHMP exists at all. Students have to complete the pre-med required courses and have a uber-high SAT score; all of which are protected by privacy laws.

The case that UF COM has somehow lost it's entire standing in the medical community, or the integrity of it's admissions committee, faculty and students has been damaged is ludicrous. The fact that this situation has received so much publicity and discussion goes to show that it rarely ever happens anywhere (especially at UF). The former dean is even quoted as saying he never overturned the committee's decisions during his tenure. The University of Florida has created an investigatory committee to look into the matter as well. But at the end there will probably be little anyone can do because Dean Kone surprisingly did not break any rules.

I am not angered that Ben did not take the MCAT or submit an AMCAS application. There are many students who enter medical school without jumping through the traditional hurdles and end up becoming fine physicians; they will still have to prove themselves in medical school.

I am not saying I condone Dean Kone's actions, but I am also aware that this situation is not as serious as many would like it to be. The fact that admissions committee's decision was not honored should be the focus of criticism, not Ben's unknown credentials.

Noone has a problem with the JHMP because these students did abide by the rules set for them. They did submit an application, they did do so by a certain deadline, and they were subject to whatever decision the committee made regarding their applications. Benny, however, did not submit a formal app, he wasn't even considered as an applicant until well after the agreed upon deadline that every other applicant was subject to, and, as you alluded to, not only did he not follow the rules, but the committee rejected him...twice! Noone is mad about the fact that he got in simply without taking the MCAT. If he'd applied JHMP and been admitted, noone would have a problem. What people are outraged about, is that NONE of the rules applied to him.

Here's an analogy: Obama, Clinton, and McCain run for president. November 5th (or whatever day it is) comes, and Americans all over the country vote for the candidate of their choice. But, before a winner is announced, GW Bush and some cronies get together, and (sticking with the Florida theme) they decide that Jeb Bush will be the president. Is Jeb qualified to be president? Arguably so. He could probably make just as good a case for being qualified as anyone else. But does that make it okay? No way! He didn't follow the appropriate steps. The American people didn't choose him. (Actually, I guess it would be more analogous if Jeb had run and been clearly beaten, and yet was still placed in office.) Sorry if this is a bad analogy, but my point is, this guy DID in fact take somone's spot. If he hadn't been admitted, somone who DID follow all of the rules would have been. It's a disgraceful situation.

 

[RapplixGmed]

UFMed,

I'm a BS/MD student at another school and I have been told that I still have to submit an AMCAS application to take advantage of the guaranteed admissions and that this is true for EVERY potential medical student whether they are in a special program or not.

 

[D-Bone]

Another one UFMed...this kid apparently applied to the 7 year program previously and was REJECTED. I don't see how he compares favorably to the junior honors kids.

 

[rds726]

The University of Florida College of Medicine accepts a few students a year who have not taken the MCAT or submitted an AMCAS application. Students who are admitted this way enter via the Junior Honors Medical Program, a combined 7 year B.S./M.D. curriculum. Ben's credentials are therefore not strikingly different from other accepted students. To argue that he has taken someone's spot because he has not completed the MCAT would warrant outrage that the JHMP exists at all. Students have to complete the pre-med required courses and have a uber-high SAT score; all of which are protected by privacy laws.

The case that UF COM has somehow lost it's entire standing in the medical community, or the integrity of it's admissions committee, faculty and students has been damaged is ludicrous. The fact that this situation has received so much publicity and discussion goes to show that it rarely ever happens anywhere (especially at UF). The former dean is even quoted as saying he never overturned the committee's decisions during his tenure. The University of Florida has created an investigatory committee to look into the matter as well. But at the end there will probably be little anyone can do because Dean Kone surprisingly did not break any rules.

I am not angered that Ben did not take the MCAT or submit an AMCAS application. There are many students who enter medical school without jumping through the traditional hurdles and end up becoming fine physicians; they will still have to prove themselves in medical school.

I am not saying I condone Dean Kone's actions, but I am also aware that this situation is not as serious as many would like it to be. The fact that admissions committee's decision was not honored should be the focus of criticism, not Ben's unknown credentials.

You sir, need to read the whole thread before you make ludicrous posts.
as the people above me have written, our friend Ben did not do the 7 year program (he is at Northwestern undergrad now) nor did he submit an AMCAS application (which I believe needs to be completed even if you did get into the 7 year program. At least that's the case with my alma mater's ba/md program).

 

[UFMed]

You sir, need to read the whole thread before you make ludicrous posts.
as the people above me have written, our friend Ben did not do the 7 year program (he is at Northwestern undergrad now) nor did he submit an AMCAS application (which I believe needs to be completed even if you did get into the 7 year program. At least that's the case with my alma mater's ba/md program).

I am aware he is not doing the BA/MD program. My point was that others will be admitted alongside him who have not taken the MCAT as well. Because of this, it is easier for me to be more accepting of him. There are hundreds of posts citing UF has committed the ultimate crime by not admitting a candidate without taking the MCAT. My argument is that if this is the reason for criticism then it should be pointed to all candidates that do not jump through the traditional pre-med hurdles (not only Ben). Because we usually do not attack the JHMP (and I agree, we shouldn't) we shouldn't jump to attack an institution (especially when we all agree the ADCOM/UF tried to reject him).

Let me clarify my reasons for posting. I am not defending Dean Kone, but I am defending the University of Florida as an institution. The trusted ADCOM did in fact reject this candidate (it is therefore not UF's fault). Like I have said, the action taken by Dean Kone should be the focus of criticism.

Again, I will quote my first post:
"I am not saying I condone Dean Kone's actions, but I am also aware that this situation is not as serious as many would like it to be. The fact that admissions committee's decision was not honored should be the focus of criticism, not Ben's unknown credentials."

I do not condone the Dean's actions. I am simply pointing out that this thread should be directed towards the Dean's overturning of the ADCOMs decision, and not used to attack another pre-med or school.

 

[UFMed]

Another one UFMed...this kid apparently applied to the 7 year program previously and was REJECTED. I don't see how he compares favorably to the junior honors kids.

Again D-Bone (for we already had this discussion elsewhere) I am not saying Ben is a JHMP student. But at the least I understand he is not the only guy coming in without taking the MCAT. Therefore he is not the only person who has "proven himself" in the eyes of the traditional pre-med. This makes this story a little less crazy, although unfortunate. And it makes Ben a little less evil. None of us know the full details of this case. It is an unfortunate case, one that is being dealth with I might add, but it's also not the University of Florida (the institution) fault that a Dean overturned it's ADCOM's decision.

And the ADCOM should have the final say whether a student is accepted, waitlisted or rejected. No argument there-

 

[ChimpanzeeMinky]

Again D-Bone (for we already had this discussion elsewhere) I am not saying Ben is a JHMP student. But at the least I understand he is not the only guy coming in without taking the MCAT. Therefore he is not the only person who has "proven himself" in the eyes of the traditional pre-med. This makes this story a little less crazy, although unfortunate. And it makes Ben a little less evil. None of us know the full details of this case. It is an unfortunate case, one that is being dealth with I might add, but it's also not the University of Florida (the institution) fault that a Dean overturned it's ADCOM's decision.

And the ADCOM should have the final say whether a student is accepted, waitlisted or rejected. No argument there-

Exactly whose fault is it then? Is it not ultimately the University's responsibility the actions taken by its administrators?

 

[LizzyM]

The issue is that the administration acted in a manner contrary to their published admissions requirements and did not have the approval of an admissions committee made up of medical school faculty, as required by the LCME (accrediting body). It is also evident that political pressure may have been brought to bear on this application given the LORs from two major political figures (governor & a powerful state senator) and the applicant's financal support of the governor's election campaign (not to mention his dad's financial support of the governor at an early stage in his candidacy and later, a position on the governor's transition team).

Overall, this has a terrible stink about it. The applicant and the institution can't help but be affected by the stink.

 

[UFMed]

Exactly whose fault is it then? Is it not ultimately the University's responsibility the actions taken by its administrators?

In this case NO it is not. He is the dean of the college of medicine and has the authority to overturn decisions. Is it right for him to do so? No. But the University of Florida (and it's students and faculty) shouldn't be bashed because of his actions.

 

[ChimpanzeeMinky]

In this case NO it is not. He is the dean of the college of medicine and has the authority to overturn decisions. Is it right for him to do so? No. But the University of Florida (and it's students and faculty) shouldn't be bashed because of his actions.

It looks like having granted him that authority when it risks the school's accreditation wasn't the best idea, and it's going to be the university administration that will have to fix it so that doesn't happen again.

Whether or not you agree it's right to bash the entire school, that doesn't change the fact that it will be the entire school that suffers from the fallout of his actions.

 

[UFMed]

The issue is that the administration acted in a manner contrary to their published admissions requirements and did not have the approval of an admissions committee made up of medical school faculty, as required by the LCME (accrediting body). It is also evident that political pressure may have been brought to bear on this application given the LORs from two major political figures (governor & a powerful state senator) and the applicant's financal support of the governor's election campaign (not to mention his dad's financial support of the governor at an early stage in his candidacy and later, a position on the governor's transition team).

Overall, this has a terrible stink about it. The applicant and the institution can't help but be affected by the stink.

No. The issue is that a sole PERSON overturned an admission's committee's decision (twice). How can you blame the entire administration Lizzy? Is it really their fault their boss rejected their decision?
I am very surprised you have resorted to accusing an entire university of foul play, you yourself being an ADCOM member. If you and your colleagues rejected an applicant, at whatever institution you happen to belong to, and the dean went ahead and overturned your decision, would it be fair to antagonize you and your peers, or your entire university?

No one need to attend UF in order to practice medicine in Florida. Many excellent applicants have choices and many may choose a different school over UF given the unfavorable publicity that the school has experienced this month. Who wants to carry a diploma from a school with a reputation for these shenanigans?

And may I ask where you received your MD from?

I think it is very shameful for a supposed ADCOM member at a sister institution to insinuate that UF has a reputation for this sort of practice. The ADCOM rejected the candidate & the Dean overturned it's decision. The fact that it is receiving publicity is proof it rarely, if ever, happens. The former dean, Dean Tisch, is even quoted as saying he has never overturned a decision. It is hardly the University of Florida's fault. To say that the most respected university in the state of Florida should be disgraced is very low of you.

It is very easy for you to sit on your high horse on an ADCOM and assert that a degree from UF is joke. Shame on you LizzyM.

 

[UFMed]

It looks like having granted him that authority when it risks the school's accreditation wasn't the best idea, and it's going to be the university administration that will have to fix it so that doesn't happen again.

Whether or not you agree it's right to bash the entire school, that doesn't change the fact that it will be the entire school that suffers from the fallout of his actions.

I agree with you there. And I might add the problem is not fully resolved yet. I suppose all universities can learn from this case and re-examine the extent of their dean's authority.

Since you are on the outside looking in it is easy for you to simply lay the blame on the entire university without making the distinctions. But since I am on the inside I can see how the university is reacting to it and what the general attitude is towards this case.

 

[LizzyM]

No. The issue is that a sole PERSON overturned an admission's committee's decision (twice). How can you blame the entire administration Lizzy? Is it really their fault their boss rejected their decision?
I am very surprised you have resorted to accusing an entire university of foul play, you yourself being an ADCOM member. If you and your colleagues rejected an applicant, at whatever institution you happen to belong to, and the dean went ahead and overturned your decision, would it be fair to antagonize you and your peers, or your entire university?

Do you know what the word "antagonize" means? I don't think that is the word that you want. Do you mean "demonize"?. The Dean made a decision and it appears based on his infamous late night e-mail that he did so with the knowledge and consent of the university's president. So I wouldn't call it the decision of a sole person. That said, the leader of the institution represents the institution and when something as unseemly as this occurs the integrity of the institution is called into question.

I find no fault with the adcom; I empathize with their situation.

And may I ask where you received your MD from?

You may ask but it is none of your business. I don't give out personal information on a message board.

I think it is very shameful for a supposed ADCOM member at a sister institution to insinuate that UF has a reputation for this sort of practice.

No one said that they had a reputation for this sort of practice but that there is evidence that LCME requirements have been breached.

The ADCOM rejected the candidate & the Dean overturned it's decision. The fact that it is receiving publicity is proof it rarely, if ever, happens. The former dean, Dean Tisch, is even quoted as saying he has never overturned a decision. It is hardly the University of Florida's fault. To say that the most respected university in the state of Florida should be disgraced is very low of you.

The administration brought disgrace upon itself by its actions. I'm just surprised that Kone still has a job.

It is very easy for you to sit on your high horse on an ADCOM and assert that a degree from UF is joke. Shame on you LizzyM.

I never said or insinuated that a degree from UF is a joke. What I was trying to communicate was that having a student admitted through political patronage could create a situation where one wonders if the person holding a UF diploma came up on merit or was the a beneficiary of political cronyism.

 

[UFMed]

Do you know what the word "antagonize" means? I don't think that is the word that you want. Do you mean "demonize"?. The Dean made a decision and it appears based on his infamous late night e-mail that he did so with the knowledge and consent of the university's president. So I wouldn't call it the decision of a sole person. That said, the leader of the institution represents the institution and when something as unseemly as this occurs the integrity of the institution is called into question.

I find no fault with the adcom; I empathize with their situation.



You may ask but it is none of your business. I don't give out personal information on a message board.



No one said that they had a reputation for this sort of practice but that there is evidence that LCME requirements have been breached.



The administration brought disgrace upon itself by its actions. I'm just surprised that Kone still has a job.



I never said or insinuated that a degree from UF is a joke. What I was trying to communicate was that having a student admitted through political patronage could create a situation where one wonders if the person holding a UF diploma came up on merit or was the a beneficiary of political cronyism.

You don't have to share your info here. I wasn't really asking you to. I just think you should've risen above the common pre-med attitude and use a little patience & courtesy with respect to a sister institution's reputation. LCME protocol was breached and future deliberations are on it's way. It's not fair to pass final judgment until both the UF faculty committee & the LCME handle this. And I apologize if I don't want to resort to destroying the student and causing anymore chaos at my university. Obviously this situation has not scared the accepted applicants at UF, who I suppose are exhibiting a little more realism, optimism and maturity than you have given them credit for. That imaginary situation where my future patients are going to devalue my education in 10 years because of Ben is.... well...what can I say... I'm not worried about it. 🙂
But I'm happy you cleared up your thoughts from your prior posts LizzyM! I didn't mean to antagonize you 😉

 

[mdgator]

UFMed: What Dean Kone did was highly unethical. Mendohlson, (forgive me if I misspell his name), did not deserve to get into medical school. (He may do well, and he may be qualified, in the strictest sense...but he did not deserve it at this time.) What happened was truly disgraceful. And I think it is a bigger deal than you would like to believe. You seem to think that Ben is just like any of the JHMP students who did not take the MCAT...but he's not. He was exempt from the rules because of who he knows. Med school admissions is as selective and competitive as it is for a few reasons: 1) People's lives may very well hang in the balance. 2) You, I, and everyone else who has gone through this process has already spent thousands of dollars and a good portion of our young lives to earn a spot in med school. Therefore it is outrageous for someone simply to waltz in, skipping half of those steps, simply b/c one man thinks they're qualified. If you looked at it objectively, you'd undoubtedly understand why it infuriates many people. 3) Our country desperately needs physicians. There are limited sources to devote to training them. Therefore, those resources should only be devoted to the most qualified people. For all of these reasons, there are guidelines for how the qualified are to be chosen. For most, the MCAT and the AMCAS application are a very big part of that. For a few, these steps may be bypassed. But even for these people, there are still very specific, rigorous hurdles to overcome. I don't know what exactly those hurdles are, but I do know that a committee, whose sole purpose is to make that decision, decided that Ben Mendohlson was NOT qualified at this time. THAT is why people take issue with this situation.

I disagree with anyone who says that Ben is not qualified b/c he didn't take the MCAT. He is not qualified, if for no other reason, b/c the committee said he wasn't. The fact that he received nauseatingly special treatment for no other reason than his father gave money to the governor, is just a disgusting aside.

I disagree with anyone who says that UF is anything less than an amazing institution. UF Med's dean appears to be unethical, and IMO, should lose his job. UF's president appears to likely be of equally questionable character. But, with all that said, UF is a great school that will offer you tremendous opportunities. You should be extremely proud to be a part of the UF Class of 2012, and no one should tell you any different. This situation is bad publicity for UF, and there may potentially be consequences. But when all is said and done, you will receive an amazing education at UF, and four years from now, UF will still have one of the best public med schools in the southeast, and it will still be one of the best public universities in the nation. It sounds as if you are being a little bit defensive b/c people are calling the school's reputation into question....you have no reason to be defensive. Even those of us from Fl who are outraged by this situation would feel honored to attend UF Med, and you obviously do as well. I would never encourage anyone to mistreat Ben Mendohlson b/c of the special treatment he received. If you can be friendly with him and respect him as a classmate and future colleague, then good for you. I think that is admirable. I, personally, think I would have trouble doing so, because I don't think he's earned anything, and I know I would be resentful due to how hard I have had to work...b/c nothing was handed to me. But that's me.

Good luck at UF...it's still a great school, and you seem to be very enthusiastic about it...I'm sure your positive attitude will serve you well.

 

[191440]

A 1200 isn't a "super high SAT." I got a 1350. I think 1200 is probably 65th percentile or something. And you're just wrong, so lay off. I'm glad I was rejected from UF despite being from Gainesville. I'm pretty turned off by the WHOLE med school application process in the US and fairly thankful to be going to medical school in PR. Applying to medical school in PR involved: 1) Having decent grades and test scores; 2) Being motivated to study medicine; 3) Showing potential to be a good doctor and 4) Having good experience. For all I know I was rejected from UF to make room for this kid who I'm clearly better at in every sense. Does he speak 4 languages? Has he been to 55 countries? Has he worked for a year in Africa? 3 months in Thailand? Does he have an MPH in infectious disease/global health? Recommendations from 7 professors and researchers and one from somebody who received CDC's highest medal and founded the public health school I went to? The difference between Ben's "recommendation" from the governor was that the governor doesn't know Ben. He knows Ben's money. My recommendations didn't involve money. They involved intellect, hard work and dedication. UF deserves the criticism. Like other state schools, UF is placing athletics and money over education. Why else is the med school ranked 55? Plenty of athletes get into UF undergrad because of their athletic prowess, not smarts or potential. When you make that choice you don't deserve to be an intellectual power like University of Chicago or Harvard. Universities aren't supposed to be businesses or show football games; but UF has made that choice. And if you want to criticize my knowledge of UF - I lived in Gainesville for 15 years, grew up there, went to high school there, brother attends UF, mother teaches there and I left the first chance I got.

 

[ninjapenguin]

The milk in my cereal was sour too when I had breakfast this morning.

 

[UFMed]

UFMed: What Dean Kone did was highly unethical. Mendohlson, (forgive me if I misspell his name), did not deserve to get into medical school. (He may do well, and he may be qualified, in the strictest sense...but he did not deserve it at this time.) What happened was truly disgraceful. And I think it is a bigger deal than you would like to believe. You seem to think that Ben is just like any of the JHMP students who did not take the MCAT...but he's not. He was exempt from the rules because of who he knows. Med school admissions is as selective and competitive as it is for a few reasons: 1) People's lives may very well hang in the balance. 2) You, I, and everyone else who has gone through this process has already spent thousands of dollars and a good portion of our young lives to earn a spot in med school. Therefore it is outrageous for someone simply to waltz in, skipping half of those steps, simply b/c one man thinks they're qualified. If you looked at it objectively, you'd undoubtedly understand why it infuriates many people. 3) Our country desperately needs physicians. There are limited sources to devote to training them. Therefore, those resources should only be devoted to the most qualified people. For all of these reasons, there are guidelines for how the qualified are to be chosen. For most, the MCAT and the AMCAS application are a very big part of that. For a few, these steps may be bypassed. But even for these people, there are still very specific, rigorous hurdles to overcome. I don't know what exactly those hurdles are, but I do know that a committee, whose sole purpose is to make that decision, decided that Ben Mendohlson was NOT qualified at this time. THAT is why people take issue with this situation.

I disagree with anyone who says that Ben is not qualified b/c he didn't take the MCAT. He is not qualified, if for no other reason, b/c the committee said he wasn't. The fact that he received nauseatingly special treatment for no other reason than his father gave money to the governor, is just a disgusting aside.

I disagree with anyone who says that UF is anything less than an amazing institution. UF Med's dean appears to be unethical, and IMO, should lose his job. UF's president appears to likely be of equally questionable character. But, with all that said, UF is a great school that will offer you tremendous opportunities. You should be extremely proud to be a part of the UF Class of 2012, and no one should tell you any different. This situation is bad publicity for UF, and there may potentially be consequences. But when all is said and done, you will receive an amazing education at UF, and four years from now, UF will still have one of the best public med schools in the southeast, and it will still be one of the best public universities in the nation. It sounds as if you are being a little bit defensive b/c people are calling the school's reputation into question....you have no reason to be defensive. Even those of us from Fl who are outraged by this situation would feel honored to attend UF Med, and you obviously do as well. I would never encourage anyone to mistreat Ben Mendohlson b/c of the special treatment he received. If you can be friendly with him and respect him as a classmate and future colleague, then good for you. I think that is admirable. I, personally, think I would have trouble doing so, because I don't think he's earned anything, and I know I would be resentful due to how hard I have had to work...b/c nothing was handed to me. But that's me.

Good luck at UF...it's still a great school, and you seem to be very enthusiastic about it...I'm sure your positive attitude will serve you well .

Thanks a lot mdgator! I respect your opinion and I thank you for your comments. You've shown a lot of good insight and intuition and for that i am grateful.🙂
I don't agree with what Dean Kone did- and I hope I've been able to make that clear. I'm just not ready to throw my acceptance in the trash because of this situation. And I'm not ready to damn a school I've grown to become a part of. It's true- I am defensive because I've found UF to be such a perfect fit for me... and to see my school criticized because of one man's decision is unfortunate. No one would wish this on their home- and so it's hard to sit idle.
Thanks again for your kind words.

 

[wally47]

Thanks a lot mdgator! I respect your opinion and I thank you for your comments. You've shown a lot of good insight and intuition and for that i am grateful.🙂
I don't agree with what Dean Kone did- and I hope I've been able to make that clear. I'm just not ready to throw my acceptance in the trash because of this situation. And I'm not ready to damn a school I've grown to become a part of. It's true- I am defensive because I've found UF to be such a perfect fit for me... and to see my school criticized because of one man's decision is unfortunate. No one would wish this on their home- and so it's hard to sit idle.
Thanks again for your kind words.

No one wants you to throw away your seat...after all it's worth about 30,000$ I would actually encourage you to go and help send a message to the Dean that what he did was unacceptable. I have heard that my thoughts and thoughts of many others on this sight mirror that of the actual med students.

 

[135892]

A 1200 isn't a "super high SAT." I got a 1350. I think 1200 is probably 65th percentile or something. And you're just wrong, so lay off. I'm glad I was rejected from UF despite being from Gainesville. I'm pretty turned off by the WHOLE med school application process in the US and fairly thankful to be going to medical school in PR. Applying to medical school in PR involved: 1) Having decent grades and test scores; 2) Being motivated to study medicine; 3) Showing potential to be a good doctor and 4) Having good experience. For all I know I was rejected from UF to make room for this kid who I'm clearly better at in every sense. Does he speak 4 languages? Has he been to 55 countries? Has he worked for a year in Africa? 3 months in Thailand? Does he have an MPH in infectious disease/global health? Recommendations from 7 professors and researchers and one from somebody who received CDC's highest medal and founded the public health school I went to? The difference between Ben's "recommendation" from the governor was that the governor doesn't know Ben. He knows Ben's money. My recommendations didn't involve money. They involved intellect, hard work and dedication. UF deserves the criticism. Like other state schools, UF is placing athletics and money over education. Why else is the med school ranked 55? Plenty of athletes get into UF undergrad because of their athletic prowess, not smarts or potential. When you make that choice you don't deserve to be an intellectual power like University of Chicago or Harvard. Universities aren't supposed to be businesses or show football games; but UF has made that choice. And if you want to criticize my knowledge of UF - I lived in Gainesville for 15 years, grew up there, went to high school there, brother attends UF, mother teaches there and I left the first chance I got.

Someone a little bitter?

 

[UFMed]

A 1200 isn't a "super high SAT." I got a 1350. I think 1200 is probably 65th percentile or something. And you're just wrong, so lay off. I'm glad I was rejected from UF despite being from Gainesville. I'm pretty turned off by the WHOLE med school application process in the US and fairly thankful to be going to medical school in PR. Applying to medical school in PR involved: 1) Having decent grades and test scores; 2) Being motivated to study medicine; 3) Showing potential to be a good doctor and 4) Having good experience. For all I know I was rejected from UF to make room for this kid who I'm clearly better at in every sense. Does he speak 4 languages? Has he been to 55 countries? Has he worked for a year in Africa? 3 months in Thailand? Does he have an MPH in infectious disease/global health? Recommendations from 7 professors and researchers and one from somebody who received CDC's highest medal and founded the public health school I went to? The difference between Ben's "recommendation" from the governor was that the governor doesn't know Ben. He knows Ben's money. My recommendations didn't involve money. They involved intellect, hard work and dedication. UF deserves the criticism. Like other state schools, UF is placing athletics and money over education. Why else is the med school ranked 55? Plenty of athletes get into UF undergrad because of their athletic prowess, not smarts or potential. When you make that choice you don't deserve to be an intellectual power like University of Chicago or Harvard. Universities aren't supposed to be businesses or show football games; but UF has made that choice. And if you want to criticize my knowledge of UF - I lived in Gainesville for 15 years, grew up there, went to high school there, brother attends UF, mother teaches there and I left the first chance I got.

So you're basically going to list all of the reasons why you should have been accepted? And then proceed to say that you left the first chance you got (as if it was your choice)? You even said you were happy you were rejected- I guess UF should say "your welcome."

I'm happy you found such a great fit in the Caribbean. Buena suerte!

And athletics at UF pays for itself.

 

[wally47]

So you're basically going to list all of the reasons why you should have been accepted? And then proceed to say that you left the first chance you got (as if it was your choice)? You even said you were happy you were rejected- I guess UF should say "your welcome."

I'm happy you found such a great fit in the Caribbean. Buena suerte!

And athletics at UF pays for itself.

So true.

 

[futuredoc009]

hey guys,

i just read this board for the first time, and i don't know what happened but i do know ben- my ex-boyfriend goes to northwestern and is good friends with him and i've met him. I'm pretty sure that he spent a lot of time working for the florida governor on his campaign, so i'd assume that may have something to do with the letter. I also know that he is extremely bright and was in a special program at northwestern where the kids to go Feinberg med school without taking the mcat. I'll try to find out more from my boyfriend about what happened, but I think you guys are getting a little crazy and blowing things way out of proportion.

 

[87138]

hey guys,

i just read this board for the first time, and i don't know what happened but i do know ben- my ex-boyfriend goes to northwestern and is good friends with him and i've met him. I'm pretty sure that he spent a lot of time working for the florida governor on his campaign, so i'd assume that may have something to do with the letter. I also know that he is extremely bright and was in a special program at northwestern where the kids to go Feinberg med school without taking the mcat. I'll try to find out more from my boyfriend about what happened, but I think you guys are getting a little crazy and blowing things way out of proportion.

How so? He circumvented the standardized procedure for gaining admission to a U.S. allopathic medical school, simply because he was politically connected. With the infinite number of hoops that everyone else in the country has to jump through, it is perfectly understandable - and expected - for these individuals to be upset that one of their peers snuck in the back door.

 

[wally47]

[/b]



How so? He circumvented the standardized procedure for gaining admission to a U.S. allopathic medical school, simply because he was politically connected. With the infinite number of hoops that everyone else in the country has to jump through, it is perfectly understandable - and expected - for these individuals to be upset that one of their peers snuck in the back door.

👍👍👍

 

[135892]

hey guys,

i just read this board for the first time, and i don't know what happened but i do know ben- my ex-boyfriend goes to northwestern and is good friends with him and i've met him. I'm pretty sure that he spent a lot of time working for the florida governor on his campaign, so i'd assume that may have something to do with the letter. I also know that he is extremely bright and was in a special program at northwestern where the kids to go Feinberg med school without taking the mcat. I'll try to find out more from my boyfriend about what happened, but I think you guys are getting a little crazy and blowing things way out of proportion.

Anyone wanna bet that this guy is little Benny himself? Who else could possibly defend this guy...

 

[LizzyM]

Hmmm.... If he had admission to Northwestern through the 7 year program, he might have asked for a transfer UF, first asking to transfer to UF's JHMP after a couple years at NU, and when he was refused, asking to transfer as an M1.

Still, admissions are supposed to be approved by a faculty committee and are supposed to be free of political influence and that doesn't appear to be the case here.

 

[wally47]

hey guys,

i just read this board for the first time, and i don't know what happened but i do know ben- my ex-boyfriend goes to northwestern and is good friends with him and i've met him. I'm pretty sure that he spent a lot of time working for the florida governor on his campaign, so i'd assume that may have something to do with the letter. I also know that he is extremely bright and was in a special program at northwestern where the kids to go Feinberg med school without taking the mcat. I'll try to find out more from my boyfriend about what happened, but I think you guys are getting a little crazy and blowing things way out of proportion.

That's interesting. Why would someone apply to UF if they were already accepted to Feinberg?

 

[LizzyM]

That's interesting. Why would someone apply to UF if they were already accepted to Feinberg?

Wanting to be closer to home?

 

[ninjapenguin]

Wanting to be closer to home?

So then why leave Florida for Chicago in the first place?

 

[Doublecortin]

Anyone wanna bet that this guy is little Benny himself? Who else could possibly defend this guy...

I second that

 

[chemcu]

.

 

[chemcu]

.

 

[SnoPearl]

I just remembered reading this awhile back on UF's website for admissions (FAQ portion http://www.med.ufl.edu/oea/admiss/site/FAQ.shtml), and got a little chuckle when I remembered it b/c of this "scandal."

Hahaha that's awesome 👍

 

[167649]

A 1200 isn't a "super high SAT." I got a 1350. I think 1200 is probably 65th percentile or something. And you're just wrong, so lay off. I'm glad I was rejected from UF despite being from Gainesville. I'm pretty turned off by the WHOLE med school application process in the US and fairly thankful to be going to medical school in PR. Applying to medical school in PR involved: 1) Having decent grades and test scores; 2) Being motivated to study medicine; 3) Showing potential to be a good doctor and 4) Having good experience. For all I know I was rejected from UF to make room for this kid who I'm clearly better at in every sense. Does he speak 4 languages? Has he been to 55 countries? Has he worked for a year in Africa? 3 months in Thailand? Does he have an MPH in infectious disease/global health? Recommendations from 7 professors and researchers and one from somebody who received CDC's highest medal and founded the public health school I went to? The difference between Ben's "recommendation" from the governor was that the governor doesn't know Ben. He knows Ben's money. My recommendations didn't involve money. They involved intellect, hard work and dedication. UF deserves the criticism. Like other state schools, UF is placing athletics and money over education. Why else is the med school ranked 55? Plenty of athletes get into UF undergrad because of their athletic prowess, not smarts or potential. When you make that choice you don't deserve to be an intellectual power like University of Chicago or Harvard. Universities aren't supposed to be businesses or show football games; but UF has made that choice. And if you want to criticize my knowledge of UF - I lived in Gainesville for 15 years, grew up there, went to high school there, brother attends UF, mother teaches there and I left the first chance I got.

My top choice for medical school, University of Chicago, admitted a 12-year old to their MD/PhD (MSTP) program; the same program I applied to. Of course, University of Chicago admitted that they would accept somebody who is related to somebody famous. However, in the case of Chicago, the 12 year old still filled out an application and took the MCAT. He took all the same steps toward applying as I did, however, the admissions committee deemed him suitable for acceptance. He'll probably flunk out, and hey, he can't even touch patients for another six years. So he's going to spend about 10 years on a program that I could finish in six. You can justify decisions like that all you want - but keep in mind schools like UC and UF are keeping out highly qualified applicants while accepting applicants of dubious quality for their own personal gain. Where's the equality in that?

Geez, someone doesn't like Puerto Rico...

 

[167649]

And athletics at UF pays for itself.

And then some. Those big time football and basketball programs rake in millions for the school.

 

[gujuDoc]

My top choice for medical school, University of Chicago, admitted a 12-year old to their MD/PhD (MSTP) program; the same program I applied to. Of course, University of Chicago admitted that they would accept somebody who is related to somebody famous. However, in the case of Chicago, the 12 year old still filled out an application and took the MCAT. He took all the same steps toward applying as I did, however, the admissions committee deemed him suitable for acceptance. He'll probably flunk out, and hey, he can't even touch patients for another six years. So he's going to spend about 10 years on a program that I could finish in six. You can justify decisions like that all you want - but keep in mind schools like UC and UF are keeping out highly qualified applicants while accepting applicants of dubious quality for their own personal gain. Where's the equality in that?

Wow with an attitude like that no wonder you didn't get into med school in the states. You know this kid was admitted 3 or 4 years ago now, so he's probably well into the middle of his PhD right??? I didn't agree with it but I don't think he will flunk out. You know why??? Because he's got more brilliance then most of us and somewhat more drive then a lot of older people I know. My reading about him seemed to show that he was enthusiastic about what he was learning and that he had other things like music composition and non medical experiences. Would have I admitted a 12 year old? probably not. But if they chose to do so and the laws say something about regardless of age, then who are we to judge them. You have a chip on your shoulder.

 

[Timmythemic22]

My sincerest apologies for using a military analogy. How dare I compare two groups of young idealistic individuals that are working for a common goal to each other? But hey, a pencil's no M16 and my campus is no Fallujah, so it's clearly apples and oranges.

Slight difference between subverting bureaucracies and breaking conventions, and by-passing them all together. Everyone knows the guy whose dad is a cardiologist at their top choice that got in with a 28. Ever heard of anydbody with the hotzpa of not taking the MCAT at all? Using Connections is one thing, abusing connenctions is something entirely different.

Your attitude is quite typical of the pre-allo thought process on SDN. You have no grounds to say that this individual's father using his developed connections to allow his son access to medical school is any concrete reflection on the son's morals. It is much easier to lament one's own personal failures or crises on a "bureaucratic process" or life being "unfair", than to realize you need to work just that much harder to stay ahead of the game. If this individual is destined to become a poor physician, there are numerous hoops through which he must jump before actually becoming licensed. There is no such thing as a level playing field, nor should there be, as it's quite possible this individual's father worked his *** off to provide a great future for his child. At some point it is necessary to ditch the sour grapes mentality and focus only on yourself and your own personal achievement.

 

[Kthanksbye]

The admissions process as it exists it probably the most messed up of any admissions process to any degree program in the US, and it probably rivals many abroad as well. Students are encouraged to embellish their accomplishments and pad their applications with trivial activities, which are then valued above real measures of accomplishment. Admissions committees kid themselves that they can see through the dishonesty. What this kid did is an extreme of what is going on every day. The more honest and forthcoming applicants have a harder time gaining acceptance simply because they do not play the game enough (which is probably a desirable trait for a physician). Many of you may think that I have a chip on my shoulder, but I believe this process fails the vast majority of qualified applicants and essentially ends up being a lottery system. To be told that my grades are fine, my MCAT is fine, I'm a great overall candidate but I have not done enough "community service" or that my 2+ years of ER volunteering is not adequate clinical experience leaves a sour taste. It sounds like a reach. Is this how we choose our physicians? Will working in a soup kitchen make you a better doctor? Or, as was suggested to me, taking a year off to become a phlebotomist or ER tech? In light of the failings of the current process, it is inevitable that some people will opt for such a "magic ticket" into med school. Most are just not as obviously onerous as the OPs example, but are just as successful at circumventing this insane process.

 

[gujuDoc]

The admissions process as it exists it probably the most messed up of any admissions process to any degree program in the US, and it probably rivals many abroad as well. Students are encouraged to embellish their accomplishments and pad their applications with trivial activities, which are then valued above real measures of accomplishment. Admissions committees kid themselves that they can see through the dishonesty. What this kid did is an extreme of what is going on every day. The more honest and forthcoming applicants have a harder time gaining acceptance simply because they do not play the game enough (which is probably a desirable trait for a physician). Many of you may think that I have a chip on my shoulder, but I believe this process fails the vast majority of qualified applicants and essentially ends up being a lottery system. To be told that my grades are fine, my MCAT is fine, I'm a great overall candidate but I have not done enough "community service" or that my 2+ years of ER volunteering is not adequate clinical experience leaves a sour taste. It sounds like a reach. Is this how we choose our physicians? Will working in a soup kitchen make you a better doctor? Or, as was suggested to me, taking a year off to become a phlebotomist or ER tech? In light of the failings of the current process, it is inevitable that some people will opt for such a "magic ticket" into med school. Most are just not as obviously onerous as the OPs example, but are just as successful at circumventing this insane process.

Amen!! Same to the post above yours, it was a good post and I agree completely with both this post and the one above it.