experience with extreme sibling rivalry please!

[BytheSeaShore]

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My brother recently told me that he has decided that he wants to pursue medical school. Turns out we will be taking all of the same classes and will probably end up applying during the same cycle. Basically my brother is going to be my competition! Does anyone have experience with this? Any suggestions/advice would be much appreciated!

 

[apumic]

My brother recently told me that he has decided that he wants to pursue medical school. Turns out we will be taking all of the same classes and will probably end up applying during the same cycle. Basically my brother is going to be my competition! Does anyone have experience with this? Any suggestions/advice would be much appreciated!

Umm... treat this as an opportunity to bond and work together? Really, why does this have to be a competition? Be healthily competitive with him but really you could use this as an opportunity to work together (and even further your relationship)

 

[BytheSeaShore]

Umm... treat this as an opportunity to bond and work together? Really, why does this have to be a competition? Be healthily competitive with him but really you could use this as an opportunity to work together (and even further your relationship)

I do realize that this is an opportunity to bond with him and help each other. Its just sad that in the end we will be competing for the same seat you know? that sucks.

 

[wolverinepwns]

My brother recently told me that he has decided that he wants to pursue medical school. Turns out we will be taking all of the same classes and will probably end up applying during the same cycle. Basically my brother is going to be my competition! Does anyone have experience with this? Any suggestions/advice would be much appreciated!

Ummmmm, Whats wrong with that, if anything thats a great motivation for both of you! you'll help each other through the tough times and push each other!

 

[LEUNIT]

May the better man win.

 

[apumic]

I do realize that this is an opportunity to bond with him and help each other. Its just sad that in the end we will be competing for the same seat you know? that sucks.

But you won't. Even if you apply to every single one of the same med schools, there are still over a hundred seats at [virtually] every school. You two probably won't really be competing for the one last spot.

 

[BytheSeaShore]

May the better man win.

man or woman win!

 

[BytheSeaShore]

But you won't. Even if you apply to every single one of the same med schools, there are still over a hundred seats at [virtually] every school. You two probably won't really be competing for the one last spot.

Im sure it wont turn out like that. I mean thats like the very worst case scenario. But i think the possibility of one of us getting in and not the other would really suck too.

 

[thedoctor8706]

We have two sets of identical twins in our class. One set are the two top students in our class. And we have at least one or two other sibling pairs. It's not a big deal if you don't let it become one. You could probably make one hell of a study team if you wanted to.

 

[BytheSeaShore]

Ummmmm, Whats wrong with that, if anything thats a great motivation for both of you! you'll help each other through the tough times and push each other!

This I am excited about. Also having classes together- he is more science smart then me so far but we will see. Helping each other and pushing each other will be awesome. he wants to do some ECs with me which i think is a bad idea. what do you or anyone else think about this?

 

[BytheSeaShore]

We have two sets of identical twins in our class. One set are the two top students in our class. And we have at least one or two other sibling pairs. It's not a big deal if you don't let it become one. You could probably make one hell of a study team if you wanted to.

Yes Im sure we could. I am pretty disciplined when it comes to studying while he is lazy so I can definitely push him to get his smart ass to study with me.

 

[SFGuy2011]

I think you need some perspective. Go work or volunteer in a 3rd world country for awhile and then come back and tell us how big of a deal it is that you and your brother have a sibling rivalry and are competing for the same seat in medical school.

I think you're making a big deal out of nothing.

Also, if you're female and he's male, then you certainly aren't competing for the same seat.

 

[Spin]

This I am excited about. Also having classes together- he is more science smart then me so far but we will see. Helping each other and pushing each other will be awesome. he wants to do some ECs with me which i think is a bad idea. what do you or anyone else think about this?

Doing some ECs together is probably fine, but remember, ECs set you apart from other applicants. You'll both be more confident in your applications if your ECs set you apart from each other as well. Besides, I'm sure you don't have exactly the same interests. Maybe he'd be interested in research, where you'd do study abroad and learn another language. Maybe you'd volunteer with the elderly while he volunteered with sick kids. Maybe he'd take up an artistic hobby at a time you would rather take part in intramural sports. Maybe one of you will run for president of an existing club, and the other will start a new club. These are very different kinds of activities, and they make different kinds of people happy.

My point is, it can be fun to do ECs together -- having a friend/sibling in a club with you can motivate you to participate more -- but ECs will give you a chance to explore your unique interests and abilities. Once you've got some differences in your resumes, you'll feel more comfortable applying to med school at the same time because your applications will shape up to be completely different.

 

[JuniperTree]

Med school, I know little about, but sibling rivalry in schools is another story!

As you are the more studious sibling, I think this will be harder on your brother. OTOH if you do get into the same places, in the end I am sure it will improve your relationship. I have a sibling very close in age who is interested in the same things I am, but find that we really have very little competition - her favorite class might be chem, mine might be calculus, and if we're taking it together it's a chance to be helped by someone who really doesn't want you to fail!

It's a great opportunity and I'm sure your parents are really proud of both of you. It also ensures you always have an ally. Just try not to lord it over him if you do better, to each their own.
Remember that once you get to the clinical part, you won't be together anyway.

 

[raltima07]

Use it to bond, not complain on sdn

 

[crixx]

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer 😏

 

[tennismasta]

My brother recently told me that he has decided that he wants to pursue medical school. Turns out we will be taking all of the same classes and will probably end up applying during the same cycle. Basically my brother is going to be my competition! Does anyone have experience with this? Any suggestions/advice would be much appreciated!

My older brother and I are currently in the application process together. I always viewed it as a healthy competition, as we both gave each other advice, shared tips and info that we had heard, helped proofread each other's essays, etc.

I was definitely very competitive with my brother back in middle school and high school (I actually have 2 older brothers and 1 younger), and at times the competition was very unhealthy. But time passed and we share our successes now. If my brother succeeds at something, I feel like I have succeeded too because it's a reflection on my family. I think it could only help you to have your brother with you along the way. Not only is he your brother, he is also a friend.

 

[chrisski]

Cain and Able were both premeds once. Look how that turned out. Watch your back.

 

[Holderlin]

My brother recently told me that he has decided that he wants to pursue medical school. Turns out we will be taking all of the same classes and will probably end up applying during the same cycle. Basically my brother is going to be my competition! Does anyone have experience with this? Any suggestions/advice would be much appreciated!

See if you can circumvent actually being in the same classes with him. If he's a premed, do a Biochem major, or Biology. Try and do different time slots.

I know people are telling you to bond, but I realize it's not that simple. Do whatever you can to make it easier because in the end you're scheduling your own classes.

Apply to different med schools than him, if you can. If he really wants to follow you around it will be hard to avoid him, but I'm assuming he's not that weird.

 

[BOOYA18]

you should probably just sabotage all of his info and ruin his life so you get his spot. You win!!

haha jk, just work together and push each other. competition is everywhere

 

[StudyShy]

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer 😏

Yep! 🙂

I've taking plenty of classes with my sister. It definitely motivated me to do better. I couldn't let her get a better grade. Same grade okay but better, no way! lol

 

[gamepoint]

My brother is 5yrs younger than me but in high school we had to take the same SAT..he had to take it for Duke tip and I had to take it for undergrad..and he beat me in the math section lol. I just though it was funny haha..embarassing.. but I was actually kind of proud of him.

 

[Lack of Name]

I love watching my brother do well, as he does me. Same major, same path, and he's only a year behind me. We're even in a publication war right (all in good fun).

Try to think of this experience in same way, and think of it as more friendly competition and take pride in what each of you accomplishes. Trust me, it's way more fun that way than stressing about it.

 

[deleted307836]

We have two sets of identical twins in our class. One set are the two top students in our class. And we have at least one or two other sibling pairs. It's not a big deal if you don't let it become one. You could probably make one hell of a study team if you wanted to.

That's pretty awesome. Having an identical twin as a classmate would make the perfect study partner...

 

[goldenwest]

That's pretty awesome. Having an identical twin as a classmate would make the perfect study partner...

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