Did you have a horrible pre-med advisor? Post a stupid thing they said

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Astra

Astra

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I'll start.

"You don't need clinical volunteering if you have non clinical volunteering. It's a waste of time"
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Astra118 said:
I'll start.

"You don't need clinical volunteering if you have non clinical volunteering. It's a waste of time"
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There are dozens of examples posted on SDN:

https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/is-my-adviser-wrong.1077554/
https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/withdrawals.1181374/
https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/volunteering.1232476/
https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/how-important-is-the-psych-soc-section-this-year.1203431/
https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/my-science-gpa-is-a-3-5-so-whats-the-problem.1066749/
https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/smp-did-more-harm-than-good-need-advice.1141618/
https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/how-to-increase-ugpa-jhu.1067679/
https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/post-grad.1036504/
https://forums.studentdoctor.net/th...eing-in-an-academic-enhancer-program.1042367/

To which @Goro wisely says the following:

Goro said:
Your advisor is a *****.
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Goro said:
You have been advised by a *****.
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My advisor was SDN. Unfortunately, I did the ill-advised thing and went to my advisor a bit late in my undergrad career.
 
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"Apply broadly to MSTP including all your state schools, you'll get in somewhere"

My residency was CA. I later discovered that she had published a first author nature paper when she was 16 and in high school. No wonder she was so optimistic.
 
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My current premed advisor is actually pretty ok. The ones that came before her (one retired my freshman year, the other the year after - they were husband and wife) were not so great. If I recall from my accepted students day, they basically told us that shadowing was illegal. So glad that SDN and the new advisors ended up clearing that mess up.
 
My advisor is SDN. I don't trust any one person to give me career advise. I try to collect as much information as possible, and SDN is great for that.

Edit: Now that I've been in this SMP for a year, our advisor is actually awesome. But I didn't know her at the time I wrote this post lol.
 
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*as a sophomore, considering medicine*

"You know, it's pretty late for you to be thinking about this. You already have all this research too- they are going to be unhappy with how much research you have done early on"
and
"If you haven't already done your clinical volunteering by end of this year then you don't have a chance"

Pretended like I had a snowball chance in hell, then when I became a recognized student, they pretended they had supported me all along...smh. :yeahright:
 
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Not me, but occurred to close friend--her advisor told her that "you're Hispanic so you should get in somewhere don't worry"
Lol what
 
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.
 
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Aww too bad my username gives away my university.
 
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"I'm not a pre-med advisor."

Said the guy with the words "pre-med advisor" on his door.
 
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Never been to one and probably never will go to one.
Why? Because I would much rather take advice from actual people in admissions, those who have applied and got accepted, current med students, etc
 
For me: Pushed the importance research and never encouraged any type of volunteering.
For the students still there currently: Overall lack of education, I talked to one who didn't know that he needed a committee letter and he's planning to apply next cycle.
 
Not a stupid thing she said, but completely unhelpful: "you'll never get into medical school"

Thanks, I'm now a resident at BWH/MGH
 
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bigloley said:
Not a stupid thing she said, but completely unhelpful: "you'll never get into medical school"

Thanks, I'm now a resident at BWH/MGH
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Was told the same. Made it that much more fun to graduate second in the class lol
 
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.
 
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You won't get in to medical school.

I got into 3 out of 6 that I applied to.
 
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"Don't even bother applying out of state"
 
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Went to a required meeting for a committee letter because I'm a reapplicant.

Me: So do you think I should focus on getting research/volunteer during this gap period to improve my app or commit to only studying for an MCAT retake?

New Director/Advisor that just came on board for 2 months: Well... we don't have time to answer that question right now because another student will be here soon. Make another appointment so we can talk about it. Any other questions?

Me: What materials do I need to submit for the university?

Advisor: *Spends 20 minutes explaining....*

Pretty obvious this new advisor didn't know his stuff and didn't want to do their research/admit they don't know anything :yeahright:. I can only imagine how my letter is for this cycle since he is writing it :bigtears:
 
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edawgmd said:
Went to a required meeting for a committee letter because I'm a reapplicant.

Me: So do you think I should focus on getting research/volunteer during this gap period to improve my app or commit to only studying for an MCAT retake?

New Director/Advisor that just came on board for 2 months: Well... we don't have time to answer that question right now because another student will be here soon. Make another appointment so we can talk about it. Any other questions?

Me: What materials do I need to submit for the university?

Advisor: *Spends 20 minutes explaining....*

Pretty obvious this new advisor didn't know his stuff and didn't want to do their research/admit they don't know anything :yeahright:. I can only imagine how my letter is for this cycle since he is writing it :bigtears:
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The letter isn't an amalgam of professor LORs? Jeez. I think I'd forgo the committee letter and just be ready to explain that you had offers for much more personal letters. Not sure if you can even do that.
 
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Matthew9Thirtyfive said:
The letter isn't an amalgam of professor LORs? Jeez. I think I'd forgo the committee letter and just be ready to explain that you had offers for much more personal letters. Not sure if you can even do that.
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My professors' LORs were in there, but the committee packages it all together and writes an additional letter based on them and my app.
 
I went back to my local state university to do a DIY post-bac 3 years after graduating with a mediocre GPA. Visited with my gem of a health professions advisor after completing 30 hrs at a 4.0 of hard science retakes/add-ons.

After reviewing my lengthy transcript from all my years of academics - she states: "your grades are really inconsistent".
My inner thought: Really? That's why I'm here lady.
Then she says: "well, I would have advised you to take different courses since you came back to school"
My inner thought: I have retaken every C and D on my transcript that were all medical school prereqs or science courses.
Reality: Smiled, thanked her for the advice and never went back.
Result: 1 application cycle, 4 interviews by December (3 IS, 1 OOS - All MD programs), 1 pre-match to my top choice.

Highlight: My significant other recently saw the same advisor standing in line at a local job fair for school teachers.
 
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My adviser told me it was mandatory to take Calculus 3 and Genetics before applying to medical school. I walked out on that woman.
 
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Dinkin Flicka said:
My adviser told me it was mandatory to take Calculus 3 and Genetics before applying to medical school. I walked out on that woman.
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That advisor really needs to fleece it out, sounds like she was going mach five
 
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"You should probably get good grades and study for the mcat"

..... Thanks didn't know that -.-
 
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Matthew9Thirtyfive said:
Also complex analysis and topology. A human being is just a donut after all.
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The next time someone looks at you for grabbing a donut, just tell them "Hey! It's not my fault! We're homeomorphic!"
 
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"Your course load really shouldn't be all science" (after I finished all my liberal eds.)
 
Go_Pokes_11 said:
Aww too bad my username gives away my university.
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Sorry to hear the advisors at OSU haven't gotten any better. They were absolutely atrocious when I was there too.
 
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Never listened to any advisors(from high school to college). I would typically nod my head at them to get access to add courses.

SDN and extensive "research(google)" alongside talking to friends who matriculated to med school the year before led to a successful cycle.

Thanks SDN!
 
My advisor is SDN, you all know more than the lady at my school.
 
**me saying I want to major in math and psychology**

"If you're going to do pre-med, biology is definetly THE way to go."

**gets my first B ever in biology among all As**

"Sorry to say but med students aren't B students"

She wanted me to retake it -_-

SOS

We'll see if she's right LOL
 
My advisor was a *****. If you weren't locked into the program, sucking up and playing the game from day one you were dead to her.
My buddy and I were a little anti authority and not down with playing the game with a bunch of clichéd premeds. However, in spite of her lack of assistance, we were both doing all the right things. Research, leadership, volunteering, shadowing, etc. Our grades weren't great, but we were at an acknowledged and well known GPA crushing private university, so you have to leave a little leeway there.
When the time came to meet with her junior year to discuss an application, she told my buddy and I to apply to dental school as medical school was not an option. Recall that we had leadership, NIH fellowships, etc. Not slackers and dreamers. The only little bit of defense I will allow her is neither of us had taken the MCAT yet, and we both ended up doing quite well. She recommended taking engineering track math classes, and a bunch of other back breaking **** like a foreign language, etc. Nope, nope. My GPA doesn't need that thanks.
Long story short we raised some hell for a couple gap years and both had scholarships at top 20 medical schools. And imagine that, we didn't get a committee letter either. What's she going to say? Would make a good dentist?
F her.
From dental hopeful (not) to top 20 super stars with grant money as well.
Did I say F her already?


--
Il Destriero
 
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Your MCAT and GPA doesn't matter! Interviews and acceptances are all about your ECs and activities!!!

...

Result: Rejected during my first application cycle :thumbup:
 
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told me that getting a 510 is mediocre lol wtf
 
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Catalystik said:
I was told, "They don't bother to read the PS, so don't spend a lot of time on it," and, "They only care about the Bio subscore on the MCAT."
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I'd love to see someone apply with a 124,124,132,124 MCAT with a crummy personal statement. :laugh:
 
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