Has anyone not felt supported by their academic adviser?

[damilam]

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My academic adviser basically just told me that I should give up on my dreams to pursue medicine. She says that it is because I'm currently stressing and freaking out about my GenChem final next week and I'm not sure if I am going to do as well as I hoped on it. She says it's because I didn't do well on my first calc and bio courses. ( I got a D in both)

I would like to add that during the semester that I failed those two classes, I was extremely depressed. I woke up most days wanting to end my life and I rarely went to class. This semester I am earning As in both those classes so I do not think me failing them was from a lack of knowledge.

I just feel like her telling me that I shouldn't even be considering a bio minor, let alone a major is a little extreme and I don't feel her support at all. That was a hard time in my life and I feel like that one semester has ruined my entire career plans. She thinks I should consider another major and a completely new career plan.

 

[Avicenna]

You can be whatever you want to be if you put your mind to it, baby doll
Forget all the negative people in your world because they hold you back

 

[ZedsDed]

My academic adviser basically just told me that I should give up on my dreams to pursue medicine. She says that it is because I'm currently stressing and freaking out about my GenChem final next week and I'm not sure if I am going to do as well as I hoped on it. She says it's because I didn't do well on my first calc and bio courses. ( I got a D in both)

I would like to add that during the semester that I failed those two classes, I was extremely depressed. I woke up most days wanting to end my life and I rarely went to class. This semester I am earning As in both those classes so I do not think me failing them was from a lack of knowledge.

I just feel like her telling me that I shouldn't even be considering a bio minor, let alone a major is a little extreme and I don't feel her support at all. That was a hard time in my life and I feel like that one semester has ruined my entire career plans. She thinks I should consider another major and a completely new career plan.

Sorry for your struggles.

Personally, I would want my academic adviser to give me realistic advice over meaningless pats on the back. That's why we have family and friends. It's also important to note that encouraging someone to pursue a path that they are not a correct fit for can be positively destructive, not to mention a dereliction of duty.

 

[Shams al Deen]

Yeah way too many of these advisors do more harm than good, honestly. One or two bad semesters is not a big deal if you can figure out what the problem was and address it, which it seems like you have. I personally think it's out of line for the advisor to say that after 1 semester. What type of advice is that, I mean if medicine is your career goal then the advisor should advise you in ways to reach that goal. Telling you to quit is not what the coach does, its what gas bags on sports radio do.

 

[cardzkp]

My academic advisor always was on my tail about doing well. "You might have a tough time getting in etc" until last semester when I began applying. I think they wanted me to bust my ass, and boy did it work. Our relationship has totally changed from advisor to friend. I will be getting them a nice card and bottle of wine when I graduate.

 

[MD2BE92]

My advisor was a narcissistic lunatic biology PhD prof with no sound advice for a pre-med student. Insisted that I was no longer competitive for allopath schools as a soph and urged me to look into carib as well as DO.
I'm now sitting on multiple acceptances Don't be afraid to seek out more credible resources outside your department, I did and it worked for me.

 

[MD2BE92]

That said, there is a sharp difference in being realistic as an advisor with your students and being a pessimistic, unhelpful snob

 

[VanessaSJC]

I know I am a month late. And I hope you haven't given up on your dream or pursuing medicine.

I ran into many advisors like that and I am gonna tell you a long story that will make you hopeful hopefully... okay not long but very cut dry and alot of details are cut out.

When I was 18 I started college 15 credits and I had a new born baby. I was hell bent on becoming a doctor but had come from a very unstable life. My daughters dad beat me, I left him when I was 7 months pregnant after been choked unconscious. My family stopped talking to me when I became pregnant because they wanted me to have an abortion and figured they could "teach me" by letting me know the hard way of raising a baby. My parents were both abusive anyways so I was pretty misguided anyways.

All in all at 18 I was set on changing my life and my daughters life. I wanted to become a doctor for financial security. And the thought to help others from crappy backgrounds like mine. also to motivate others. Well my first semester in my daughters dad tried to kill our 2 month old. He burned her on 40% of her body. Her genitals, back and leg. 2 and 3rd degree burns, she almost died. In shock literally, I was still hell bent on pursuing school but failed all of my classes 15 credits worth. My GPA now .36. Then it took a year to put that psycho in prison, we went through a trial and it was very very hard. But again, I failed to realize my life was in pieces and joined school again 15 credit hours all failed my GPA now at a .13. My daughter survived and I received full custody.

My grades suffered, why I tried to stay in school? Because I was too stubborn to tell myself I was struggling.

Anyhow, 5 years later I am 23 pursuing a degree in medicine and started school a year and a half ago with that crap GPA. .13... SOO EMBARRASSING!!

I had to retake the classes and now have a GPA at 3.4. Anyways all I am trying to say is I had a FREAKING .13 GPA and everyone thought I was CRAZY and STUPID. Now I have been offered a free ride to one of the private universities near me and volunteer at my local hospital and the path has never been clearer..

Switch Advisors too!! I went through two before I found Bill ! Some people just can't see the bigger picture... MAybe thats why they won't become Doctors like me and you.. 🙂 HEHE

Also I wish I had time to write you more encouraging words but I have to pick my daughter up from school, Good luck and know that people are out here rooting for you!!!

 

[Spector1]

public schools = non existent academic advisors

 

[Squamous Eddie]

public schools = non existent academic advisors

+1. I go to a large public school, 50k+ students. I've never met with an advisor in my nearly 4 years here.

Actually, that's not entirely true. I never met with pre-health advisors but I did have someone look at my PS to critique it. But for career advice and stuff? Nah, never.

OP, you do you. You can do whatever you want, but you put your mind to it. Study hard, do well on the MCAT, and give it a shot. 1 semester is not going to sink your aspirations, and definitely don't let anyone talk you out of your dreams so quickly.

 

[Spector1]

+1. I go to a large public school, 50k+ students. I've never met with an advisor in my nearly 4 years here.

Actually, that's not entirely true. I never met with pre-health advisors but I did have someone look at my PS to critique it. But for career advice and stuff? Nah, never.

OP, you do you. You can do whatever you want, but you put your mind to it. Study hard, do well on the MCAT, and give it a shot. 1 semester is not going to sink your aspirations, and definitely don't let anyone talk you out of your dreams so quickly.

heh at my school, most students had to meet with advisors to get their enrollment codes for classes but my dept just gave us our enrollment codes through surveymonkey.

 

[idontwatchgreysanatomy]

I get why there is a negative opinion of most pre-health advisors. I feel lucky that I never had to experience any of the problems that other posters have. But in all seriousness, assuming that your advisor is a decent person, they have a responsibility to be straight forward and honest with their students. Do you have a shot at medical school after failing several courses and barely passing others? Sure. Is it realistic and statistically probable? Absolutely not. It would put an advisor in a bad position to feed a student a bunch of positive feel-good fluff that isn't realistic and have it not pan out and leave the student with limited options. Their job is to help you plan, and part of your plan should contain some sort of contingency.

 

[Whats up Doc!]

I bombed freshman year and was told by two advisers I should consider other options beside med school. I think of them everytime I read my acceptance letter 😀 I found it most useful to use these sorts of people as motivation! you can do it man if you really want to.

 

[familyaerospace]

Doesn't get much better in medical school. My academic adviser told me to quit medical school right now.

 

[Whats up Doc!]

Doesn't get much better in medical school. My academic adviser told me to quit medical school right now.

Are you serious???????

 

[MD2BE92]

Doesn't get much better in medical school. My academic adviser told me to quit medical school right now.

Where do you go to school? This is absurd. Either you're lying or your advisor won't be there much longer. Schools are invested in you too, at least the good ones are

 

[pageantry]

 

[familyaerospace]

Where do you go to school? This is absurd. Either you're lying or your advisor won't be there much longer. Schools are invested in you too, at least the good ones are

Medical College of Georgia. Ask @Goro I believe I told him when it happened too. I also told my therapist as well as my PD preceptor.

Are you serious???????

Unfortunately

 

[Goro]

Data point 4678994 proving most pre-med advisors have the brains of a flea.

My academic adviser basically just told me that I should give up on my dreams to pursue medicine. She says that it is because I'm currently stressing and freaking out about my GenChem final next week and I'm not sure if I am going to do as well as I hoped on it. She says it's because I didn't do well on my first calc and bio courses. ( I got a D in both)

I would like to add that during the semester that I failed those two classes, I was extremely depressed. I woke up most days wanting to end my life and I rarely went to class. This semester I am earning As in both those classes so I do not think me failing them was from a lack of knowledge.

I just feel like her telling me that I shouldn't even be considering a bio minor, let alone a major is a little extreme and I don't feel her support at all. That was a hard time in my life and I feel like that one semester has ruined my entire career plans. She thinks I should consider another major and a completely new career plan.

Sadly, Aero's school seemed bent upon getting rid of him from Day 1.

Where do you go to school? This is absurd. Either you're lying or your advisor won't be there much longer. Schools are invested in you too, at least the good ones are

 

[Lawpy]

Doesn't get much better in medical school. My academic adviser told me to quit medical school right now.

Sadly, Aero's school seemed bent upon getting rid of him from Day 1.

I'm sorry to hear that familyaerospace. I hope things will turn out for the better soon.

Where do you go to school? This is absurd. Either you're lying or your advisor won't be there much longer. Schools are invested in you too, at least the good ones are

I think I found the problem...

 

[familyaerospace]

I'm sorry to hear that familyaerospace. I hope things will turn out for the better soon.
I think I found the problem...

I appreciate it. In all fairness, I don't mind medical school. I did however have tremendous issues with some very specific people. I tend to step on toes because I am an overly unique person if that makes sense. My very existence offends people.

 

[Lawpy]

I appreciate it. In all fairness, I don't mind medical school. I did however have tremendous issues with some very specific people. I tend to step on toes because I am an overly unique person if that makes sense. My very existence offends people.

That doesn't justify your adviser being a jerk and actively demonizing you. I recommend filing a report and throwing the adviser in the streets. And if what @Goro said is true... then.... I'm sorry, but MCG should be severely censured. That is shameful on their part.

 

[familyaerospace]

That doesn't justify your adviser being a jerk and actively demonizing you. I recommend filing a report and throwing the adviser in the streets. And if what @Goro said is true... then.... I'm sorry, but MCG should be severely censured. That is shameful on their part.

Well if I file anything with MCG, I end up getting in trouble for professionalism. I also dealt with two lawyers and I almost had to file a report with the LCME. They were pushing it close to the deadline. I said I wanted an approved LOA for health reasons by 5 pm. 4:38 pm it arrived. Only been waiting for it for a while now.

 

[efle]

I tend to step on toes because I am an overly unique person if that makes sense. My very existence offends people.

lol would love to hear the other side of this story

 

[Lawpy]

@Law2Doc I'm sorry to tag you in but can you provide some insight into this? Thanks

 

[Law2Doc]

@Law2Doc I'm sorry to tag you in but can you provide some insight into this? Thanks

Insight into what. There are two issues at play here. One, which I think was well addressed here, is whether academic advisors should go further than just suggest long odds and actually encourage people to quit.

The other is whether OP, who apparently struggles with depression and stress and tanks courses because of it, has his/her mind in a good place to pursue this path at this juncture. Med school is much harder than college. A lot more stress, you work much much harder just to be average. And it's at times isolating, emotionally charged, sleep deprived. So I think people need to do a ton of soul searching before they launch themselves down this road. No idea if OP has or not but that's the bigger issue here.

That's the insight I'm offering. Stressing in college is little league. It only gets much more intense.

 

[Lawpy]

Well if I file anything with MCG, I end up getting in trouble for professionalism. I also dealt with two lawyers and I almost had to file a report with the LCME. They were pushing it close to the deadline. I said I wanted an approved LOA for health reasons by 5 pm. 4:38 pm it arrived. Only been waiting for it for a while now.

Insight into what. There are two issues at play here. One, which I think was well addressed here, is whether academic advisors should go further than just suggest long odds and actually encourage people to quit.

The other is whether OP, who apparently struggles with depression and stress and tanks courses because of it, has his/her mind in a good place to pursue this path at this juncture. Med school is much harder than college. A lot more stress, you work much much harder just to be average. And it's at times isolating, emotionally charged, sleep deprived. So I think people need to do a ton of soul searching before they launch themselves down this road. No idea if OP has or not but that's the bigger issue here.

That's the insight I'm offering. Stressing in college is little league. It only gets much more intense.

Oops, forgot to quote @familyaerospace struggles with medical school being a jerk...

 

[familyaerospace]

lol would love to hear the other side of this story

Personally so would I.

My classmates have been watching the interactions and, with one faculty and two staff in particular, my "school spouse" has been like WTF? I have a handful of other staff members who are also saying the same. One of the deans had a meeting with me and we accidentally discussed one of the people I was having problems with and I started shaking so bad that, apparently, the dean thought I was about to have a seizure. She said she has never seen such a visible reaction to a staff member before and she told that to other faculty/staff so now I am not supposed to be forced to have any dealings with that staff member again. Goro has been getting that too and has the exact name of that person too.

 

[MD2BE92]

Personally so would I.

My classmates have been watching the interactions and, with one faculty and two staff in particular, my "school spouse" has been like WTF? I have a handful of other staff members who are also saying the same. One of the deans had a meeting with me and we accidentally discussed one of the people I was having problems with and I started shaking so bad that, apparently, the dean thought I was about to have a seizure. She said she has never seen such a visible reaction to a staff member before and she told that to other faculty/staff so now I am not supposed to be forced to have any dealings with that staff member again. Goro has been getting that too and has the exact name of that person too.

Wow I am so sorry to hear about this. It is unacceptable for medical school staff to berate students, cause isolation or emotional distress...there's enough on your plate as it is. Stay strong it will be worth taking the high road in the end. But I would definitely keep an open dialogue with the dean you spoke with

 

[familyaerospace]

Wow I am so sorry to hear about this. It is unacceptable for medical school staff to berate students, cause isolation or emotional distress...there's enough on your plate as it is. Stay strong it will be worth taking the high road in the end. But I would definitely keep an open dialogue with the dean you spoke with

Thanks.

I love that dean. She isn't even one of the medical school deans, but she is the one in charge of disability services as well as the counselling center which I am in. Apparently she has yelled at our vice dean a few times for violating ADA.

 

[Dr Tony T. Chopper]

My academic adviser basically just told me that I should give up on my dreams to pursue medicine. She says that it is because I'm currently stressing and freaking out about my GenChem final next week and I'm not sure if I am going to do as well as I hoped on it. She says it's because I didn't do well on my first calc and bio courses. ( I got a D in both)

I would like to add that during the semester that I failed those two classes, I was extremely depressed. I woke up most days wanting to end my life and I rarely went to class. This semester I am earning As in both those classes so I do not think me failing them was from a lack of knowledge.

I just feel like her telling me that I shouldn't even be considering a bio minor, let alone a major is a little extreme and I don't feel her support at all. That was a hard time in my life and I feel like that one semester has ruined my entire career plans. She thinks I should consider another major and a completely new career plan.

The only thing I can say about med school advisers is your mileage will definitely vary. Some advisers are so jaded and misinformed that they will turn away most underdogs who would have otherwise had a real chance. Some are incredible people with a heart of gold who will never tell you "no" and will push you beyond what you think you are capable of.

 

[Goro]

Let's just say that poor Aero is a member of two distinct minority demographics and would make one say "don't you have enough trouble being in just one????"

lol would love to hear the other side of this story

 

[Rainbow Zebra]

This is a time where networking with upperclassmen is essential. I learned more about the process from my brother and friends going through it. We all went to very large public undergrads, with advising pretty slim, other than the courses to take. Even friends were better at which professors to avoid/take for certain classes. People who have gone through the application process successfully are a wealth of information. Buy those friends beers, and pick their brains. Even the unsuccessful ones the first time around have nuggets to share on their first cycle debacles/mistakes to be avoided. SDN then helped fill in gaps.

 

[familyaerospace]

Let's just say that poor Aero is a member of two distinct minority demographics and would make one say "don't you have enough trouble being in just one????"

Only two?? I can count a few more than that! LGBT (gay/trans), religion (Orthodox), disability, and mixed race although the latter is harder to see most of the time!

 

[Goro]

Mixed race? You didn't tell me about that one!

Only two?? I can count a few more than that! LGBT (gay/trans), religion (Orthodox), disability, and mixed race although the latter is harder to see most of the time!

 

[familyaerospace]

Mixed race? You didn't tell me about that one!

My maternal grandmother is Surinamese Creole. Her grandfather was black/Sephardic and her grandma was Ashkenazi. Her dad definitely did not look white. I didn't think anything about it when I was little as I just knew him as my great-grandfather (he died when I was only a few years old but I have memories of him), but when I got older and had more of a concept of "race" and saw one of the last photos of him before he died, I noticed he was very dark skinned.

On my grandmother's other side, her grandmother was suspected to be Native based on family history but I don't think that is right since the DNA evidence is pointing to a mixed race issue there since the mtDNA is showing likely Ethiopia, but it was not uncommon in Suriname to have lighter skinned slaves try to blend in with the Native tribes and claim they were Native.

I always suspected that she was mixed race based on where she was from, which she denied. I did 23andme in 2013 and it gave me some evidence and I found the rest in a Surinamese archive which when I had it translated showed it was paperwork freeing her grandpa from slavery and the situations surrounding it. Papa was barely able to pass as white which realistically he should not have been considered but Papa/Nana both had Dutch papers when they came through Ellis so it helped. I met some of my darker skinned cousins and there is little doubt that they are DEFINITELY cousins! LOL! My grandmother still denies it.

I look Spanish or Arab most of the time because of the Italian heritage I have. So that is how I usually get racially profiled. The African American patients are much more likely to guess that I was mixed race and usually can guess approximately how much is black which was really weird. "Guess Aero's ethnicity" is a very common and very fun game.

 

[619959]

View attachment 198647

where did you get this?

 

[pageantry]

where did you get this?

It was posted on my school's facebook page. Someone said they put them up around campus. I never saw one there myself, but I hope it's true!

 

[619959]

It was posted on my school's facebook page. Someone said they put them up around campus. I never saw one there myself, but I hope it's true!

I am going to do this once I get accepted to med school *cross-fingers*

 

[XxThaDoggxX]

Yes, my adviser "took an exciting job opportunity elsewhere" 3 out of my 4 years in undergrad, only to be replaced by someone more incompetent than the one prior...I literally LOL on the phone when my old college calls me and asks for "Financial Donations".

 

[Turkishking]

My academic adviser basically just told me that I should give up on my dreams to pursue medicine. She says that it is because I'm currently stressing and freaking out about my GenChem final next week and I'm not sure if I am going to do as well as I hoped on it. She says it's because I didn't do well on my first calc and bio courses. ( I got a D in both)

I would like to add that during the semester that I failed those two classes, I was extremely depressed. I woke up most days wanting to end my life and I rarely went to class. This semester I am earning As in both those classes so I do not think me failing them was from a lack of knowledge.

I just feel like her telling me that I shouldn't even be considering a bio minor, let alone a major is a little extreme and I don't feel her support at all. That was a hard time in my life and I feel like that one semester has ruined my entire career plans. She thinks I should consider another major and a completely new career plan.

Not yet at least. All I get told is I'm going to burn out.