how does THIS make you feel???

[uclacrewdude]

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This page from MSNBC just proves that there's always someone more amazing than you around ...

http://www.msnbc.com/news/956670.asp?0cv=CB20

NOTE: not necessarily amazing in a good way. I went to this one medical school fair a year or two ago ... while the admission people from a couple of medschools were fielding questions from the audience during a presentation, this little kid raises his hand and asks, "What are your admission policies for accepting 12-year olds?" I swear to God I almost bit my tongue off to prevent from shouting out, "Probably the same for ANYONE who has yet to learn the basic medical quality of humility, you little snot-nosed ****!" Knowledge might have already been there for him, but character sure as hell wasn't ... And terrible parenting, having a kid go through med school before he ever gets to go to prom or something.

 

[Street Philosopher]

wtf, that's a legitimate question for a 12 year old to ask. several if not many schools have informal policies against admitting child prodigies.

 

[kaos]

Honestly, there really IS always someone more amazing than me around--my whole med school class is more amazing than me. 😀

 

[thackl]

he doesn't appear to be strugling. Go for it! Why be bored treading water at a lower level if he truely is this bright. As an MD/PhD, he won't have to worry about the social/patient issues as much.

I didn't get the impression from this article that the parents are really pushing him. I have two younger cousins who were early (self motivated) over achievers (sp?) and the parents put the brakes on around jr. high. Both got bored rebeled and are simply above average now, but not exceptional.

 

[citygirl]

There is always talk about how a child prodigy needs to be among children of the same age to learn socialization skills, but I don't think a child like that can socialize with children the same age. Opportunities to have fun? Sure. But how can a 12 year old who has already been to college and is ready for med school socialize with the an average 12 year old? I, too, think it was a legitimate question.

 

[uclacrewdude]

I don't really see how it could be considered appropriate. First of all, its outright stupid to ask individual questions in an auditorium setting. Second, obviously they have policies of some sort regarding 12 year olds matriculating (to prevent anyone immature from getting in). What it boils down to is that kid was smart, but very very arrogant, and he wanted to broadcast to a bunch of college types that he's a prodigy. No character.

 

[kaos]

Originally posted by uclacrewdude
I don't really see how it could be considered appropriate. First of all, its outright stupid to ask individual questions in an auditorium setting.

I know lots of people who do that. It is annoying. But in his case, he's still too young, and will need to develop character in time. He still needs some growing to do.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

This kid rules..I hope he stays strong in the LORD (He is a Christian), and goes on to kick butt as he should....I just hope he doesnt fall to the BS "progressive" or "liberal" stances I know that abound at UC, especially Pritzker. God Bless him....

 

[Retro]

You know, stat shows that child prodigy usually has a much shorter life-span in comparison to the normal people, for instance, A. Mozart who died in his 30s (or was it 20s?). There is even a literary prose in classical Chinese: "the precocious does not warrant longevity (or something like that)". But again, who knows, that kid may live to a hundred...

 

[Blitzkrieg]

retro,

*if* true, all the more reason to allow him to blaze through school at an early age.

blitz

 

[Buster Douglas]

Kids like these need to be concentrating on more meaningful human tasks like attempting to beat computers at chess.

 

[ItsGavinC]

Or improving the SDN servers.

 

[unregistered]

uclacrewdude,

how do you know he has NO character just based on a single comment? Maybe his question was a bit personal and should have been asked in a more private setting, but maybe he didn't see anything wrong with asking any questions. Being a child genius is not an easy task because you have to always worry about what others are saying about you... so these kids usu have thick skin and eventually do whatever they want to do. think of how many ppl have said 'you're too young to do this and that'... these kids naturally have to adopt a posture of non-conformity to get what they want out of life

 

[uclacrewdude]

Originally posted by unregistered
uclacrewdude,

how do you know he has NO character just based on a single comment? Maybe his question was a bit personal and should have been asked in a more private setting, but maybe he didn't see anything wrong with asking any questions. Being a child genius is not an easy task because you have to always worry about what others are saying about you... so these kids usu have thick skin and eventually do whatever they want to do. think of how many ppl have said 'you're too young to do this and that'... these kids naturally have to adopt a posture of non-conformity to get what they want out of life

maybe he should work on making better first impressions. after all, humility is a requisite requirement of being a doctor. besides, every kid needs to get knocked down a peg once in a while just to keep them from being a total butthole (and if you don't believe me, try talking to a junior high-schooler, who probably thinks s/he has it all figured out).

about the conformity thing, "everyone who tries too hard to be different just ends up being the same." conform a little if you wanna get anybody's respect.

 

[Renovar]

Originally posted by Retro
You know, stat shows that child prodigy usually has a much shorter life-span in comparison to the normal people, for instance, A. Mozart who died in his 30s (or was it 20s?). There is even a literary prose in classical Chinese: "the precocious does not warrant longevity (or something like that)". But again, who knows, that kid may live to a hundred...

Does it mean *****s like me get to live longer?😱 😱 😱

 

[Tazmaniac]

I don't know how I'd feel about being taken care of by a 15-year-old intern. But kudos for him for doing what he's happy with.

 

[uclacrewdude]

Originally posted by Renovar
Does it mean *****s like me get to live longer?😱 😱 😱

Obviously: look at Ronald Reagan.






Oh quit whining, he was a ***** before he got Alzheimer's!

 

[irlandesa]

Well, I'm not too sure I'd be comfortable having an 18 y/o 3rd year MD student (which is about what he'll be after finishing the PhD coursework and going back into the clinical years) performing a pelvic exam on me or examining my kids. Not that I'd feel all that comfortable with some of the giggly 24 y/o males in my class as a doctor either... It doesn't really matter what religion he is, living in the lab and classroom through most of puberty is not exactly good preparation for learning how to interact with patients. And if patients refuse to let him examine them that could be a tough experience for the poor kid. Still, if this is what he's choosing, I'm glad he is doing MD/PhD and may have a chance to lead a semi-normal life.

 

[MacGyver]

A combined degree program is a very poor choice for this kid, and the admissions people at UChicago screwed up bigtime.

Give me one good reason why this kid isnt better suited to a straight PhD program rather than a combined program.

The truth is, theres not a single good reason to accept this kid into an MD/PhD program. If he's doing the PhD stuff first, then that only goes to my first point that they should have let him into a straight PhD program and not the combined program.

Let the kid work on a few PHDs, and THEN apply to med school later.

UChicago was just trying to gain notoriety and make some waves. If this kid was 22 y/o, he would NOT have been accepted.

"I want to help people" is such a shallow and superficial response that no MD/PhD or straight MD applicant should be allowed in if thats the depth of their reflection on the matter.

 

[uclacrewdude]

Amen, MacGuyver.

Case in point: How many times do college students change their major? (national average is between 2 or 3 times)

Aren't your interests (both general and academic) a little bit different from what they were 10 years ago???

And how many people go in as premed, but drop out within a year b/c they don't like the difficulty of courses, b/c the staff sucks, or b/c they just don't want to anymore?

I've always known I wanted to go into medicine, but I frequently questioned myself. Until you have a really solid affirmation (mine came while I was volunteering my 4th year), you really don't have concrete reasons for applying to med school. No 12 year old has the maturity to stick me with a needle.