how to go about answering this secondary question?

[osumc2014]

"Describe where you see yourself in ten years?"

What should we say about this one? I mean most answers would be we are going to be physicians or just getting out of residency. I really don't know anything particularly interesting about this answer

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[shemarty]

"Describe where you see yourself in ten years?"

What should we say about this one? I mean most answers would be we are going to be physicians or just getting out of residency. I really don't know anything particularly interesting about this answer

What specialty might you be interested in pursuing? What practice setting do you see yourself in? I think that's what the question is getting at.

 

[osumc2014]

What specialty might you be interested in pursuing? What practice setting do you see yourself in? I think that's what the question is getting at.

Ortho, but I thought saying that we want to focus on something now is taboo?

 

[NeuroChaos]

Ortho, but I thought saying that we want to focus on something now is taboo?

Since they are asking for it you have to go with. As shemarty said, tell a bit about what speciality (if space permits, y that specilaity) and what setting (academic, rurual, hosptial, PC etc) and y that setting.

 

[Mattabet]

"Raking in the cash, writing prescriptions that your gang of pushers sells on the street, and not treating Aries, because it's not against the law to discriminate against zodiac signs."

I agree with Shemarty; I think they expect you to talk about what sort of medicine you're interested in. The 'taboo' (to the extent that it exists) is to go in, sure that you're going to be a surgeon (or ophthalmologist, pathologist, w/e) having had very little experience with the field. But I think they want you to talk about your leanings, and more importantly, why you're thinking about a given specialty.

So something like, "I picture myself working in a hospital pediatrics unit because I want to be on the front lines, helping sick kids get better" or "out in the country, the only doctor serving a bunch of farms in Western Pennsylvania because I have strong ties to beet farming".

Something like that, but less stupid.

 

[shemarty]

beet farming

My answers were along the lines of "my shadowing experiences... my mentors... my research... --> what I'm interested in now"

 

[osumc2014]

hahaha, ok thanks guys that helps a lot

 

[Premed Worrier]

Not to take away from what the other three have said, but with this question I skirted the specialty idea. I just talked about what I wanted out of my career (i.e. working here, doing free stuff there), how my family was going to be shaping up, and what hobbies I would be enjoying. The reason I chose to do it this way is that it asks where 'I see myself'. These are all aspects of me and I was under the impression that they wanted a more rounded picture.
Now you will get some that say where do you see your career in ten years. With those I still skirted the specialty, but went more in depth about what kinds of things I wanted to do with my education. Just my thoughts. Good Luck

 

[acridknight]

above advice is good, but I suggest that you at least consider including your personal life -- where you want to be in 10 years. Interested in starting a family? What kind of geographic location do you want to practice in? Will you be involved in community projects (eg. HOA, YMCA, etc.)?

Don't forget that adcoms are also looking for evidence of how "human" you are... not just how academic / gunner-esc you are.

 

[shemarty]

above advice is good, but I suggest that you at least consider including your personal life -- where you want to be in 10 years. Interested in starting a family? What kind of geographic location do you want to practice in? Will you be involved in community projects (eg. HOA, YMCA, etc.)?

Don't forget that adcoms are also looking for evidence of how "human" you are... not just how academic / gunner-esc you are.

I dunno... I'm hesitant about the "interested in starting a family?" topic. It can become a touchy issue during residency apps.

 

[acridknight]

I dunno... I'm hesitant about the "interested in starting a family?" topic. It can become a touchy issue during residency apps.

I suppose that it'll all depend on the school. If the school is more research / academic-intensive, then spin your interests from that perspective. If on the other hand the school is more interested in primary care and prefers to get to know you more personally, then spin your interests more from a "personal" level.

I've always joked that after a successful application year, we should receive an honorary MBA. A large percentage of this application process is molding and selling your background and interests towards the mission statement of the school (never misrepresenting, of course, merely strategically selling yourself).

 

[mvenus929]

Not to take away from what the other three have said, but with this question I skirted the specialty idea. I just talked about what I wanted out of my career (i.e. working here, doing free stuff there), how my family was going to be shaping up, and what hobbies I would be enjoying. The reason I chose to do it this way is that it asks where 'I see myself'. These are all aspects of me and I was under the impression that they wanted a more rounded picture.
Now you will get some that say where do you see your career in ten years. With those I still skirted the specialty, but went more in depth about what kinds of things I wanted to do with my education. Just my thoughts. Good Luck

I agree here. Obviously, in 10 years, you may not even be out of residency yet, so it's hard to label yourself as being one thing (imagine if you wanted into surgery... you'd still be in the thick of your residency then). However, you should be more than just a doctor in 10 years. If you want to define yourself by your profession, then talk all about what your profession is. But, if you define yourself by something else, than it's perfectly valid to talk about that.