Good idea? or BAD!

[gr8n]

On the AMCAS app (regarding medical experience), is it a good or bad idea to mention the "honor" and "respect" patients' families show the surgeons that work on their family members?

Also, would it be a bad thing in an interview to say, for instance, "I want to be a surgeon." Or should I say, "I really don't know which way I want to go... I'll find my nitch in med school."?

I'm sort-of in a disagreeance with my girlfriend on this matter.

gr8n

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[ManchotPi]

On the AMCAS app (regarding medical experience), is it a good or bad idea to mention the "honor" and "respect" patients' families show the surgeons that work on their family members?

Also, would it be a bad thing in an interview to say, for instance, "I want to be a surgeon." Or should I say, "I really don't know which way I want to go... I'll find my nitch in med school."?

I'm sort-of in a disagreeance with my girlfriend on this matter.

gr8n

 

[gr8n]

With the first question, my girlfriend is just writing about her preceptorships with surgeons... and she wrote that she saw how the patients' families looked at the surgeons with honor and respect... I don't know if my intuition is right, but it just gives me a weird feel... how about you?

 

[mentoz]

about "honor" and "respect" .. won't go into it, gives me weird feelings, that's all.

if you say you're interested in being a surgeon, make sure you back it up with in-depth experience.

 

[kmjannie]

My best friend ended up talking about wanting to be a psychiatrist at her interviews. She has a ton of experience working with that population and has a sort of "gift" in terms of that. She told the admission people that she was excited about using the gift that she had, and thats why she wanted to be a psychiatrist. She also got asked about "why not clinical psychology" and told them that she wanted to be able to offer a broader range of therapies (ie prescribe meds) in addition to psychotherapy. She got in okay.

 

[gr8n]

Thanks a million

 

[UCLAstudent]

In regards to the second question... I think it is good to have direction. You probably shouldn't go out of your way to mention that you want to be a surgeon, but if you are asked, go ahead and state your goals!

 

[BaseballFan]

I wouldn't talk about the "honor" and "respect" a physician receives from patients as part of your reasoning for wanting to go to medical school.

I dont know the context of your essay, but I think it might give them the wrong vibe....

 

[Amy B]

On the AMCAS app (regarding medical experience), is it a good or bad idea to mention the "honor" and "respect" patients' families show the surgeons that work on their family members?

Also, would it be a bad thing in an interview to say, for instance, "I want to be a surgeon." Or should I say, "I really don't know which way I want to go... I'll find my nitch in med school."?

I'm sort-of in a disagreeance with my girlfriend on this matter.

gr8n

The first time I applied and talked all about wanting to become a pediatric oncologist and my reasons behind that choice. During interviews I was questioned about how I could even know what I wanted to do because I hadn't gone through med school and my choices would more than likely change. I was told I was being too narrow minded. Now this was only one interview but this time I applied I changed my personal statement and took that out of it.

 

[bjolly]

I don't think I'd say "I want to be a surgeon" but it's fine to say "I'm really interested in surgery, I think that's an area I would enjoy." Tell them that you're looking forward to getting more in-depth experience in various fields so you can find out which one's right for you.

I'm with everyone else on the "honor and respect" thing. It would make you sound like you're going into medicine to feed your ego.

 

[Amy B]

I don't think I'd say "I want to be a surgeon" but it's fine to say "I'm really interested in surgery, I think that's an area I would enjoy." Tell them that you're looking forward to getting more in-depth experience in various fields so you can find out which one's right for you.

I'm with everyone else on the "honor and respect" thing. It would make you sound like you're going into medicine to feed your ego.

I agree with you. That would be a great way for them to write about their interest.

 

[Bones2008]

This is real dangerous territory. Remember that physicians from a variety of specialties will read this personal statement and that some physicians are sensitive about inter-specialty rivalry and such. If this PS comes across as saying that she wants to be surgeon because of the respect they receive, some non-surgeons may interpret that to mean that surgery is "better" than their specialty. Needless to say, that would be a one-way ticket to the reject pile.

I also agree with Amy B that focusing too much on the surgery thing may indicate narrow-mindedness to the adcoms. As long as she has a lot of experience with surgery and can back up her opinion against extensive questioning, they by all means she should emphasize her experiences. If it's just a potential "interest," though, she should treat it as such. Regardless, I agree that she should make some kind of statement about keeping an open-mind.