Distinguishing good from bad advice from advisors

[__AVI8R__]

Under the assumption that the majority of advisors mean well (I hope), how can pre-meds distinguish good advice from bad advice from an advisor?

To those that have acceptances, or are in med school, or later in their careers than that, have you found your advisors to be helpful? Or did you get most of your advice from strangers on the internet?

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[Robin-jay]

Ask Admission committees directly through E-mail important questions.

Why ask for advice from a pre-med committee member when you can ask an admission member directly?

Also, note that many admission committee members think differently, so ask broadly.

 

[Goro]

Under the assumption that the majority of advisors mean well (I hope), how can pre-meds distinguish good advice from bad advice from an advisor?

To those that have acceptances, or are in med school, or later in their careers than that, have you found your advisors to be helpful? Or did you get most of your advice from strangers on the internet?

Pre-med advisors me mean well, based upon posts from sdn most of them are *****s.

 

[Doc_Ock]

Pre-med advisors me mean well, based upon posts from sdn most of them are *****s.

Agreed. They never even went through the application process, how in-depth do they really know it?


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[__AVI8R__]

Then I will trust the collective consciousness that is SDN.

 

[BluegrassBuckeye]

I would say that the only advice you should take as gospel is something directly told to you from someone on the admissions board and ONLY as it relates to that school. Everything else should be taken in consideration with all other pieces of information you have available to you. I was sent a form letter before my sophomore year of undergrad from the premedical office telling me it was in my best interest to change majors and consider a different career because it was unlikely I could raise my GPA high enough to gain acceptance to medical school (it was a 2.9 at the time after my freshman year). I am currently a (moderately) successful 2nd year medical student. So objectively that was bad advice, but they had the best intentions of telling me to stop wasting my time if I continued on that trend.

 

[__AVI8R__]

I would say that the only advice you should take as gospel is something directly told to you from someone on the admissions board and ONLY as it relates to that school. Everything else should be taken in consideration with all other pieces of information you have available to you. I was sent a form letter before my sophomore year of undergrad from the premedical office telling me it was in my best interest to change majors and consider a different career because it was unlikely I could raise my GPA high enough to gain acceptance to medical school (it was a 2.9 at the time after my freshman year). I am currently a (moderately) successful 2nd year medical student. So objectively that was bad advice, but they had the best intentions of telling me to stop wasting my time if I continued on that trend.

Nice to hear success stories like that. What was your GPA and MCAT? Sounds like you worked your butt off.

 

[BluegrassBuckeye]

Nice to hear success stories like that. What was your GPA and MCAT? Sounds like you worked your butt off.

Thanks. I made plenty of poor decisions along the way, but I eventually got it figured out. I ended up finishing undergrad with like a 3.4ish GPA. I don't remember exactly, but it was in that ballpark. I then did a SMP and graduated with honors. I had a 30 on the old MCAT, retook it and got a 512 on the new format.

 

[Noisewater-TDX]

My pre-med advisor told be I would never get into med school... he was a mean little man. My pre-nursing advisor told me to "seek other careers" because i wasn't meant to be a nurse (i guess she was partially right).

They were both wrong... Don't count on one person, seek advise from everyone with knowledge.

 

[Robin-jay]

My pre-med advisor told be I would never get into med school... he was a mean little man. My pre-nursing advisor told me to "seek other careers" because i wasn't meant to be a nurse (i guess she was partially right).

They were both wrong... Don't count on one person, seek advise from everyone with knowledge.

People who think they have the audacity to judge people to the extent they believe they can definitively tell someone they can't be a nurse or physician are absolute garbage.

The role of an adviser is NOT to tell the person if they are able to become a physician, its to HELP THEM become one.

 

[EmilKraepelin55]

I had a nursing advisor that gave me crap about my 20 on the ACT, acting like I had no chance at the field after maintaining a near perfect grade point and achieving my music degree. She said I would have to quit playing music, a passion of mine, in favor of a life completely dedicated to nursing. My first pre-med advisor was my Bio 1 professor. I got a B in her class (before I wanted to become a doc). When I told her my intentions, she looked at me as if I was the craziest MF she'd seen. Both WRONG. I am now accepted to two DO schools, having worked hard in school and while still pursuing music. Thankfully, my second pre-med advisor was great and helped write my committee letter. Get into med school on your own terms. Do your own research. You are the one who will forge the path to an interview and acceptance, no one else will.

 

[Robin-jay]

I had a nursing advisor that gave me crap about my 20 on the ACT, acting like I had no chance at the field after maintaining a near perfect grade point and achieving my music degree. She said I would have to quit playing music, a passion of mine, in favor of a life completely dedicated to nursing. My first pre-med advisor was my Bio 1 professor. I got a B in her class (before I wanted to become a doc). When I told her my intentions, she looked at me as if I was the craziest MF she'd seen. Both WRONG. I am now accepted to two DO schools, having worked hard in school and while still pursuing music. Thankfully, my second pre-med advisor was great and helped write my committee letter. Get into med school on your own terms. Do your own research. You are the one who will forge the path to an interview and acceptance, no one else will.

I've had a professor in undergrad. early on tell me something similar to what you guys are posting. Terrible woman. As though being a sophomore in undergrad. is indicative of anything haha.

However, I haven't been in those shoes for a long time, as my chemistry research professor and the entire similar group all thought I'd be a perfectly fine candidate to make it into medicine. Having a chemistry masters degree doesn't give you the same looks as when you're in undergrad. lol. Although, its still a difficult path.

 

[Noisewater-TDX]

I had a nursing advisor that gave me crap about my 20 on the ACT, acting like I had no chance at the field after maintaining a near perfect grade point and achieving my music degree. She said I would have to quit playing music, a passion of mine, in favor of a life completely dedicated to nursing. My first pre-med advisor was my Bio 1 professor. I got a B in her class (before I wanted to become a doc). When I told her my intentions, she looked at me as if I was the craziest MF she'd seen. Both WRONG. I am now accepted to two DO schools, having worked hard in school and while still pursuing music. Thankfully, my second pre-med advisor was great and helped write my committee letter. Get into med school on your own terms. Do your own research. You are the one who will forge the path to an interview and acceptance, no one else will.

I half way think these are people who wanted to go to med school but didn't for some reason, so now they are bitter...

 

[Robin-jay]

I half way think these are people who wanted to go to med school but didn't for some reason, so now they are bitter...

There definitely may be some truth to this, but then why would actual admission committee members be so on point "most" of the time?

I think there may be some truth to what you're saying, but i think the most likely situation is that they are just so "ignorant" on the actual application process. It would be extremely difficult to give application advice considering they never went through any of it at all.

Advice from pre-med advisers are a train wreck of nonsense.

Advice from admission committees are usually very helpful.

I'd make the most logical assumption that the majority of pre-med advisers act so "cruel" to wannabe med. students because they only understand the superficial aspects of the application and can't see beyond that. Maybe some of it is devoted to envy, but that's probably to a much lesser extent.

 

[Noisewater-TDX]

There definitely may be some truth to this, but then why would actual admission committee members be so on point "most" of the time?

I think there may be some truth to what you're saying, but i think the most likely situation is that they are just so "ignorant" on the actual application process. It would be extremely difficult to give application advice considering they never went through any of it at all.

Advice from pre-med advisers are a train wreck of nonsense.

Advice from admission committees are usually very helpful.

I'd make the most logical assumption that the majority of pre-med advisers act so "cruel" to wannabe med. students because they only understand the superficial aspects of the application and can't see beyond that. Maybe some of it is devoted to envy, but that's probably to a much lesser extent.

True,

But, my pre-med advisor had been doing it for more than 10 years, had some crazy ideas about what a physician should and shouldn't be. I think he would have fallen into the envy category. I hope he is retired now.

Nursing school advisors are also notoriously mean. As with the entire nursing profession in general. <-- from 6 years of personal experience, not trashing nurses.

As far as Adcoms go, most of those people are PhDs with a good amount of knowledge in regards to the workload of med school and most teach at the school. So yes, they are exponentially better at giving advice than a pre-med advisor.

 

[RinShanKaiHo]

My premed advisor is a JD from a top ten law school. She also serves as prelaw advisor and have other activities. I have only good things to say about her. Her writing skill is phenomenal and in general she's just a very good person, logical and helpful.

 

[Medic741]

Nope. Advising was so bad it was negligent and included advice to apply to St. George's. SDN saved my career and ended up at a great DO school instead.

 

[Noisewater-TDX]

My premed advisor is a JD from a top ten law school. She also serves as prelaw advisor and have other activities. I have only good things to say about her. Her writing skill is phenomenal and in general she's just a very good person, logical and helpful.

That's awesome. I wish all pre-professional advisors were like that.

 

[stickgirl390]

I got a lot of advice from the doctors I shadowed.

 

[premedbrah]

All advisor advice is bad advice

 

[Skiiiiiing]

Marketplaces of ideas are usually better than you'd think

 

[JudgeIsInTheHouse]

I once went to my pre-med advisor for a mock interview. He instead wasted ten minutes pondering the intricacies of the interview seating arrangement.

 

[Coltuna]

This thread tldr, but short answer is just use SDN for questions you have. Admissions have become increasingly competitive since your advisor picked up MSAR in 2005 and typed up a print-out and/or since the doctor you're shadowing graduated 20+ years ago.