"Funny quotes from 'less informed' pre-meds," On-Topic Edition

[projectpremed]

Lol does she not realize she needs a bachelors degree?

She had no idea she needed a bachelors degree and she didn't want to listen to me. Her mom and I had a long conversation about the requirements needed to get into medical school. Oh and when I mentioned volunteer work she mentioned how she doesn't think she will have time to do any volunteer work because she doesn't think its that important to a med school application

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[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

She had no idea she needed a bachelors degree and she didn't want to listen to me. Her mom and I had a long conversation about the requirements needed to get into medical school. Oh and when I mentioned volunteer work she mentioned how she doesn't think she will have time to do any volunteer work because she doesn't think its that important to a med school application

I wonder how much of the 60% of applicants who don't get accepted are people like this.

 

[Goro]

"I don't really think the MCAT is something you can study for" -premed who is retaking the MCAT in 3 weeks

Wow! That is someone who does NOT want to be a doctor!!!

 

[NeuResurgens]

I wonder how much of the 60% of applicants who don't get accepted are people like this.

This. I feel there's probably a good portion of applicants who don't actually know what they're doing, which makes it easy for the percent accepted to go down.

 

[bioboy23]

I wonder how much of the 60% of applicants who don't get accepted are people like this.

A lot, I hope. Lol

 

[Ms Procrastinator]

So I go to Auburn University and I took a weekend trip to Nashville a couple weekends ago. While waiting to get into a pancake place we saw a high school girl wearing an Auburn scarf so we decided to tap on her shoulder and say war eagle. We got to talking with the family and we told them how we both went to auburn and decided to make a weekend trip. The Dad starts talking about how when the daughter graduates in a year she wants to go to Auburn and then this happened.
Me: That’s so exciting you’re going to love it there. It’s truly one of the most amazing places on earth. Have you decided on a major?
She then gives me the dirtiest look and proceeds to say.
Her: I’m only going there to do my pre requisites for medical school. I shouldn’t be there long.
Me: Um. Well with auburn you have to pick a major and emphasize in pre med. I’m personally a biomedical science major with an emphasis in pre med.
Her: I don’t think I have to do that. I should be there two years tops.
Me: Hmm. Well some of the classes you need to take the MCAT is 5 semesters alone.
Her: what’s the MCAT?
Me: Its the enterence exam for medical school! You take it when you’re a junior usually and it’s roughly a 7 hour test.

I’ve never seen someone’s eyes get so big. I think becoming a doctor isnt as easy as she thought. Her mom then pulled me aside and asked me 101 questions about the process. Then they ended up sitting right next to us and the daughter easedropped on our conversation the whole time. The mom was so sweet but please someone give this girl a reality check

What I'd like to know is WHERE she got the information she did. She couldn't have pulled it out of thin air!
Edit: I had a feeling she didn't know crap about volunteering or the need for clinical exposure when I started reading. A lot of suuuper uninformed "premeds" don't really know much about this,

 

[mydogmolly]

What I'd like to know is WHERE she got the information she did

it rhymes with "sass"

 

[TempuraOreos]

So I go to Auburn University and I took a weekend trip to Nashville a couple weekends ago. While waiting to get into a pancake place we saw a high school girl wearing an Auburn scarf so we decided to tap on her shoulder and say war eagle. We got to talking with the family and we told them how we both went to auburn and decided to make a weekend trip. The Dad starts talking about how when the daughter graduates in a year she wants to go to Auburn and then this happened.
Me: That’s so exciting you’re going to love it there. It’s truly one of the most amazing places on earth. Have you decided on a major?
She then gives me the dirtiest look and proceeds to say.
Her: I’m only going there to do my pre requisites for medical school. I shouldn’t be there long.
Me: Um. Well with auburn you have to pick a major and emphasize in pre med. I’m personally a biomedical science major with an emphasis in pre med.
Her: I don’t think I have to do that. I should be there two years tops.
Me: Hmm. Well some of the classes you need to take the MCAT is 5 semesters alone.
Her: what’s the MCAT?
Me: Its the enterence exam for medical school! You take it when you’re a junior usually and it’s roughly a 7 hour test.

I’ve never seen someone’s eyes get so big. I think becoming a doctor isnt as easy as she thought. Her mom then pulled me aside and asked me 101 questions about the process. Then they ended up sitting right next to us and the daughter easedropped on our conversation the whole time. The mom was so sweet but please someone give this girl a reality check

You did the right thing by educating her. Hopefully her and her family listen and now know better. Bless her heart; seems like she had no clue.

 

[907914]

"I don't really think the MCAT is something you can study for" -premed who is retaking the MCAT in 3 weeks

Let’s be real though, most people don’t know how to study for the MCAT. People will just sit down and try to memorize textbooks and think that is enough. You can know all you want, but if you don’t study the MCAT itself (format, question style etc.) you are going to have a bad day.

I had a student this cycle who can’t for the life of him figure out why he can’t budge 490 on any practice or real MCAT. This guy has memorized Kaplan front to back and can tell you any discrete facts...but if you ask him a wuestion like “What’s the likelihood a child will inherit a cancer mutation if the father has colon cancer and the mother does not?” He will give you a percentage....the critical thinking part is not there in him to understand things like somatic mutations are not inheritable.

So, you can study for the MCAT, but a lot of people just think it is content...when you could easily get a 500 with NO content knowledge, just critical thinking and good reading skills...

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Let’s be real though, most people don’t know how to study for the MCAT. People will just sit down and try to memorize textbooks and think that is enough. You can know all you want, but if you don’t study the MCAT itself (format, question style etc.) you are going to have a bad day.

I had a student this cycle who can’t for the life of him figure out why he can’t budge 490 on any practice or real MCAT. This guy has memorized Kaplan front to back and can tell you any discrete facts...but if you ask him a wuestion like “What’s the likelihood a child will inherit a cancer mutation if the father has colon cancer and the mother does not?” He will give you a percentage....the critical thinking part is not there in him to understand things like somatic mutations are not inheritable.

So, you can study for the MCAT, but a lot of people just think it is content...when you could easily get a 500 with NO content knowledge, just critical thinking and good reading skills...

I get what you’re saying but that’s not even critical thinking really. That’s a knowledge gap lol. Just knowing everything in those books should still get you a 500. I agree though that if you can’t think critically and extrapolate data, you’ve missed what the MCAT is really about.

 

[TelemarketingEnigma]

This guy has memorized Kaplan front to back and can tell you any discrete facts...but if you ask him a wuestion like “What’s the likelihood a child will inherit a cancer mutation if the father has colon cancer and the mother does not?” He will give you a percentage....the critical thinking part is not there in him to understand things like somatic mutations are not inheritable.

I get what you mean by this, but there are in fact heritable forms of colon cancer

Familial adenomatous polyposis - Wikipedia
Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer - Wikipedia

 

[907914]

I get what you mean by this, but there are in fact heritable forms of colon cancer

Familial adenomatous polyposis - Wikipedia
Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer - Wikipedia

I figured such. The example question I gave was an incomplete example, but you get what I was going for.

 

[dr_kateb]

One of my roommates friends came into my room and said:

"I want to go to med school just so I can stay in college."

 

[907914]

One of my roommates friends came into my room and said:

"I want to go to med school just so I can stay in college."

Understandable. When the US system makes it to where literally the only thing you do from birth to college graduation is school...the real world can seem scary.

This is why there should be something like residency but after college graduation...so you can have a formal transition period between student and real world.

 

[Robin-jay]

One of my roommates friends came into my room and said:

"I want to go to med school just so I can stay in college."

Someone who wants to spend a long time in college should get a PhD, then be hired as professor afterwards.

 

[dr_kateb]

Understandable. When the US system makes it to where literally the only thing you do from birth to college graduation is school...the real world can seem scary.

This is why there should be something like residency but after college graduation...so you can have a formal transition period between student and real world.

That’s not his reasoning behind it though. He’s all about that night life.

 

[faerie62]

It does make me laugh a little when people introduce themselves as “pre-MSTP”, even if I know what they mean. It just seems like such a ridiculous title lol.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

It does make me laugh a little when people introduce themselves as “pre-MSTP”, even if I know what they mean. It just seems like such a ridiculous title lol.

Lol I’ve never heard that one.

 

[faerie62]

Ohh boy have I! They also take the time to correct people if they are referred to as “premed”.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Ohh boy have I! They also take the time to correct people if they are referred to as “premed”.

Them: I'm pre-MSTP.

Me: Do you mean pre-med?

Them: NO! I'm preparing to go to get my MD and PhD--at the same time!

Me: So...you're pre-med.

 

[mydogmolly]

Ohh boy have I! They also take the time to correct people if they are referred to as “premed”.

...are they getting their MD/PhD at a law school?

 

[Ms Procrastinator]

Ohh boy have I! They also take the time to correct people if they are referred to as “premed”.

Them: "How dare you call me premed! I'm much more superior!"

 

[907914]

Lol I’ve never heard that one.

Am I the only one from podunk school where half the Pre-Meds (>100 of us...) don’t even think DO is a doctor let alone even know what MSTP is?

 

[PA_dud3]

Am I the only one from podunk school where half the Pre-Meds (>100 of us...) don’t even think DO is a doctor let alone even know what MSTO is?

I can relate to this.

 

[DPTinthemaking15]

Am I the only one from podunk school where half the Pre-Meds (>100 of us...) don’t even think DO is a doctor let alone even know what MSTP is?

100%... There was a kid in my cell bio class that talked about being accepted to DO school. At the time, I assumed he was going to be a fancy chiropractor. Later I learned what DO’s are, and I start DO school this Fall.

Everything sunk in when I realized the vascular and orthopedic surgeon I shadowed were DO’s. Glad I didn’t say DO’s were fancy chiropractors to them

 

[RNthenDoc]

Once in nursing school I asked an ortho surgeon (DO) if DO was like a doctor of Physical therapy, and he very gently and kindly explained the two degree paths to become a medical physician in the US.

10 minutes later an MD cardiologist from NY with a 50k watch and a fishing shirt chewed me out for (literally) no reason.

...And that’s when my (likely fallacious) preconceived notions about DOs being goodly people started...

 

[DPTinthemaking15]

Once in nursing school I asked an ortho surgeon (DO) if DO was like a doctor of Physical therapy, and he very gently and kindly explained the two degree paths to become a medical physician in the US.

10 minutes later an MD cardiologist from NY with a 50k watch and a fishing shirt chewed me out for (literally) no reason.

...And that’s when my (likely fallacious) preconceived notions about DOs being goodly people started...

I feel like those attributes make you a good/bad doctor. There is no reason to be rude, and adding a 50k watch is just ridiculous. You spend all of that money on a watch, but you hardly ever spend the time to watch... time. I’ll take my Apple Watch any day.

MOST of the DO’s I’ve met are kind-hearted individuals. The vascular surgeon I shadowed was a flippin’ saint, and the nurses loved him. They told me “Do you see how nice he acts during the easy cases? He acts the same during challenging ones. That is why everyone likes him and he is a good surgeon.”

Now, the Ortho I shadowed was hell on wheels. Was he having a good day or bad day? Who knew. But you better bet all 5’5 of him was going to let you know. Great surgeon, but he was a major d-bag.

 

[dr_kateb]

I feel like those attributes make you a good/bad doctor. There is no reason to be rude, and adding a 50k watch is just ridiculous. You spend all of that money on a watch, but you hardly ever spend the time to watch... time. I’ll take my Apple Watch any day.

MOST of the DO’s I’ve met are kind-hearted individuals. The vascular surgeon I shadowed was a flippin’ saint, and the nurses loved him. They told me “Do you see how nice he acts during the easy cases? He acts the same during challenging ones. That is why everyone likes him and he is a good surgeon.”

Now, the Ortho I shadowed was hell on wheels. Was he having a good day or bad day? Who knew. But you better bet all 5’5 of him was going to let you know. Great surgeon, but he was a major d-bag.

Whoa. I didn’t know you could be short and be an orthopedic surgeon.

 

[DPTinthemaking15]

Whoa. I didn’t know you could be short and be an orthopedic surgeon.

Word on the street was ole’ dude couldn’t bench 315. I guess he isn’t a full fledge Ortho surgeon, yet.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

They told me “Do you see how nice he acts during the easy cases? He acts the same during challenging ones. That is why everyone likes him and he is a good surgeon.”

Halo effect at work. I noticed that a lot when I was an OR tech. RN and ancillary staff usually judged a surgeon by how nice they were. Nice =/= good unfortunately, and the best surgeon I ever worked with could be a bit of a dbag.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Word on the street was ole’ dude couldn’t bench 315. I guess he isn’t a full fledge Ortho surgeon, yet.

Don’t tell @OrthoTraumaMD that.

 

[RNthenDoc]

I feel like those attributes make you a good/bad doctor. There is no reason to be rude, and adding a 50k watch is just ridiculous. You spend all of that money on a watch, but you hardly ever spend the time to watch... time. I’ll take my Apple Watch any day.

MOST of the DO’s I’ve met are kind-hearted individuals. The vascular surgeon I shadowed was a flippin’ saint, and the nurses loved him. They told me “Do you see how nice he acts during the easy cases? He acts the same during challenging ones. That is why everyone likes him and he is a good surgeon.”

Now, the Ortho I shadowed was hell on wheels. Was he having a good day or bad day? Who knew. But you better bet all 5’5 of him was going to let you know. Great surgeon, but he was a major d-bag.

By stereotype, the Ortho surgeon should have been a menace, but he wasn't.

It's very important to point out that I'm talking about an anecdote that formed my own bias. I think we all know that being a DO doesn't make you a nice person, and being an MD surgeon or whatever doesn't make you a braggart/give you little man syndrome. although there could be correlation.

Stereotypes exist for a reason, but... Yaknow.

 

[907914]

Halo effect at work. I noticed that a lot when I was an OR tech. RN and ancillary staff usually judged a surgeon by how nice they were. Nice =/= good unfortunately, and the best surgeon I ever worked with could be a bit of a dbag.

On the flip side, as a hospitalist this is why being nice to your nursing staff will make or break your career...regardless of how you perform, they are the ones who report to admin...

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

On the flip side, as a hospitalist this is why being nice to your nursing staff will make or break your career...regardless of how you perform, they are the ones who report to admin...

You got that right. Surgeons get away with it because they bring in the patients and money. If you’re an employee, it’s a lot different.

 

[DPTinthemaking15]

Don’t tell @OrthoTraumaMD that.

Dang nabbit! Don’t get her involved in this. She is a nice lady!

By stereotype, the Ortho surgeon should have been a menace, but he wasn't.

It's very important to point out that I'm talking about an anecdote that formed my own bias. I think we all know that being a DO doesn't make you a nice person, and being an MD surgeon or whatever doesn't make you a braggart/give you little man syndrome. although there could be correlation.

Stereotypes exist for a reason, but... Yaknow.

Oh definitely! I know each profession, be it MD/DO/RT/PT/etc. can be nice or mean.

Here is to hoping I don’t become a toxic turd in the future.

On the flip side, as a hospitalist this is why being nice to your nursing staff will make or break your career...regardless of how you perform, they are the ones who report to admin...

I used to be a PT tech and that reigns true no matter what. We had two PTA’s with different personalities. One was a jerk and the other was a sweetheart. The nurses and staff made life easy for the sweetheart PTA, and as for the jerk, it was always an awful shift.

Lesson learned: No matter who you are working with, be nice. Heck, my wife is a medical coder and she told me to always walk down to their office (They can make your billing/dictating life a little easier).

 

[stayathomemom]

Halo effect at work. I noticed that a lot when I was an OR tech. RN and ancillary staff usually judged a surgeon by how nice they were. Nice =/= good unfortunately, and the best surgeon I ever worked with could be a bit of a dbag.

Ah, the good ol' Dr. Cox/Dr. Kelso scenario.

 

[965978]

I know this should be about clueless pre-meds. But the real funny things can sometime come from people that know nothing about the medical career.

One of the funniest looks I get from people are those who have trouble understanding that the app cycle is ~14 months long. When I applied back in June, my dad’s friend asked me if I was ready to start medical school in 2 months, to which I replied “Oh no sir, medical school for me won’t be starting until August 2019, and that’s if I get in.”

Some of the best looks I’ve gotten, I’ll tell you that.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I know this should be about clueless pre-meds. But the real funny things can sometime come from people that know nothing about the medical career.

One of the funniest looks I get from people are those who have trouble understanding that the app cycle is ~14 months long. When I applied back in June, my dad’s friend asked me if I was ready to start medical school in 2 months, to which I replied “Oh no sir, medical school for me won’t be starting until August 2019, and that’s if I get in.”

Some of the best looks I’ve gotten, I’ll tell you that.

I got that from my parents when I told them the process haha.

 

[DrRedstone]

I'll put in a slightly off topic, too. I constantly get asked when I start getting paid. I'll talk about getting read to work at the hospital and they look really excited and ask, "so you'll be a doctor?" I get to laugh, then cry, then explain that I'm still a slave for another 2 years

 

[stickgirl390]

I frequently have people asking me what I’m choosing as my “major” while in medical school. Sometimes they mean nurse/PA/MD, sometimes they’re referring to specialty. The other day I got a new one: someone thought medical school - being that it earns you a doctorate degree - meant it was a PhD program. He thought I was getting a PhD in medicine, and didn’t even know MD was a thing. I guess everyone learns eventually.

 

[907914]

I frequently have people asking me what I’m choosing as my “major” while in medical school. Sometimes they mean nurse/PA/MD, sometimes they’re referring to specialty. The other day I got a new one: someone thought medical school - being that it earns you a doctorate degree - meant it was a PhD program. He thought I was getting a PhD in medicine, and didn’t even know MD was a thing. I guess everyone learns eventually.

I think ‘Friends’ and ‘Two and a Half Men’ are greatly responsible for the general public’s confusion about what a ‘Doctor’ is (Dr. Ross Geller and Dr. Alan Harper being a paleontologist and chiropractor, respectively).

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I'll put in a slightly off topic, too. I constantly get asked when I start getting paid. I'll talk about getting read to work at the hospital and they look really excited and ask, "so you'll be a doctor?" I get to laugh, then cry, then explain that I'm still a slave for another 2 years

Yeah then you get to graduate from slave to indentured servant.

 

[Dr. Foresight]

I think ‘Friends’ and ‘Two and a Half Men’ are greatly responsible for the general public’s confusion about what a ‘Doctor’ is (Dr. Ross Geller and Dr. Alan Harper being a paleontologist and chiropractor, respectively).

I am not surprised anymore when people ask me what I am going to medical school for. A few days ago my PCPs medical assistant asked me that very question. I've gotten pretty good at holding a straight face and saying, "umm, I'm going to be a doctor. Not sure what specialty though."

 

[907914]

I am not surprised anymore when people ask me what I am going to medical school for. A few days ago my PCPs medical assistant asked me that very question. I've gotten pretty good at holding a straight face and saying, "umm, I'm going to be a doctor. Not sure what specialty though."

Rather than have the awkward silence when you’re trying to compose yourself I’ve found it easiest to just say “I’m going to be applying to medical school to become a doctor, I am not sure what specialty though.” Get it all out-of-the-way right off the bat.

 

[cassiamara]

I've been lurking on SDN for a couple months and have received SO MUCH knowledge as a pre-med. I was talking to a friend of mine who's also pre-med about the importance of both clinical and non-clinical volunteering, especially service to the underserved. She came back to me a few days ago and..
Friend: I asked an upperclassmen about volunteering, and actually, you don't need any non-clinical. Also, you should get 2000+ clinical hours or else you have no shot at getting in.
Me:

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I've been lurking on SDN for a couple months and have received SO MUCH knowledge as a pre-med. I was talking to a friend of mine who's also pre-med about the importance of both clinical and non-clinical volunteering, especially service to the underserved. She came back to me a few days ago and..
Friend: I asked an upperclassmen about volunteering, and actually, you don't need any non-clinical. Also, you should get 2000+ clinical hours or else you have no shot at getting in.
Me:

Lol wow.

 

[965978]

a kid in my class got an anatomical heart tattoo on his chest

Why is this not an AMCAS work and activities category?

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

a kid in my class got an anatomical heart tattoo on his chest because he was going to be a cardio surgeon.

last I knew, he has foregone medical school and idk what he is doing.

One of my exes has one of these. But she got it for a friend with a severe congenital heart defect. She’s an illustrator and never was interested in medicine.

 

[Dr. Foresight]

Rather than have the awkward silence when you’re trying to compose yourself I’ve found it easiest to just say “I’m going to be applying to medical school to become a doctor, I am not sure what specialty though.” Get it all out-of-the-way right off the bat.

Ya, I am already in med school, but I am definitely going to do that from now on. But people in the medical field (nurses, MAs, etc.) Should realize that medical school refers to becoming a doctor. Medical assisting school and nursing school are different.

 

[lightblueelephant]

This girl in my Chem lab tried to tell me I was wrong about extracurriculars one time. I told her I changed my major to History/Pre-Med recently and she was like, "you need paid clinical experience" and I said "Im volunteering at a hospital ED 6+ hours a week, Ill be fine." And she was like "Noooo, they wont accept that since it is not patient contact!". Our chem lab prof came by and heard us talking and affirmed my argument, lol. She actually thought you couldnt get into med school unless you work as an EMT or MA or CNA, etc.

Also, people seem to always question my major (History) as not being a traditional pre-med major.

This is basically what my advisor said too, but she said we HAD to be a CNA. I did not become a CNA.