I HATE HATE HATE gunners like this....

[drlexygoat]

I know we all are a little competitive at times, and most of us aim to get those great grades. Today I blew up at this kid in my molec2 class. He's the one who adds comments about "an article I read in Nature" and asks for VERY detailed explanations about every damn protein in the body so we get bogged down in menial details in lecture.....

Anyway, we're picking up our tests today and as I'm walking out with a group, one of my friends asks if he got his test from the pile yet. He searches in his bag, pulls out the paper, and shoves it 2" from his face, saying "Oh yeah, I got my paper. Highest score in the class - I didn't even need to pick it up because I knew the highest grade had to be mine. The 2nd highest grade was only a 97% so I was the highest by a long shot." Completely unnecessary and condescending.

I told him, "It's a shame you need to act like an a**hole to make yourself feel better about your grades."

I despise folks like this - so irritating.

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[medman12677]

These are the type of people I invite to my dojo for a lesson in humility 101. Good for you lexy!

 

[ATPase]

Wow. I didn't think people like this really existed! Stay away from that guy.

 

[Lochmoor]

I agree. I just dont bother talking with people like that.

Though I am a bit glad you put in your two cents to the guy. I would have thought that, but would not have had the balls to say it.

 

[SarahGM]

Originally posted by Lochmoor
Though I am a bit glad you put in your two cents to the guy. I would have thought that, but would not have had the balls to say it.

Although at the same time, I can easily see him thinking to himself, "Clearly this person is very jealous."

Arg!

 

[Fish3715]

Try not to let it bother you. He obviously doesn't have anything going for him but his grades.

 

[ocean11]

Yeah I probably wouldn't have made that a**hole comment because it does make you look jelous BUT... you were 100% right to say it and think it. I would have just laughed but inside woulda thought the exact same thing!

Nevertheless good for you Dr Lexy and stay away from people like this.... his bad karma will catch up to him eventually...... lol

 

[Cerberus]

what a ***, i would ***** then ***** his ass.

 

[jlee9531]

guy needs a dose of reality, and a swift kick...over and over and over again.

 

[TheFlash]

It's a crying shame when people start attaching that much emotion and self-worth to grades. I pity them.

 

[Lochmoor]

Originally posted by TheFlash
It's a crying shame when people start attaching that much emotion and self-worth to grades. I pity them.

heheh, your statement reminds me of an incident fresh. year.

After getting back his grade for a Calc 3 exam, this guy I was (stress was) friends with comes up to me and says "I got a 98....Are you proud of me?" And it was in a boasting manner that he spoke to me.

It was so damn funny, I'm not his parent--so I wouldnt be proud of him. I was happy for him, but not proud of him.......
Unfortunately for my floormates, I wasnt the only one he asked.

 

[ATPase]

Hey drlexygoat, I wonder if this gunner friend of yours is on SDN? That would be funny.

 

[exmike]

what a loser. I'd smack him upside the head with my 79% curved A- test that I got having fun in college while he studied 15 hours more per day for a third of a GPA point higher. (hypothetically )

 

[LauraMac]

i would have said, so you got 100% on the exam, huh? well i got laid last night by this really hot guy (or whatever other thing that would be totally awesome), which was a lot more fun than studying my ass off, and i'll still be able to get into as good of a med school as you.

 

[Lochmoor]

Originally posted by LauraMac
i would have said, so you got 100% on the exam, huh? well i got laid last night by this really hot guy (or whatever other thing that would be totally awesome), which was a lot more fun than studying my ass off, and i'll still be able to get into as good of a med school as you.

Hehehe, unfortunately "hot guys" are not my thing seeing as how I am guy myself...........and a hot one at that........

I dont think he got into med school last year when he applied. He had exceptional stats, but as Ocean 11 said, "his bad karma will catch up to him eventually"

 

[CalBeE]

I always see a few of those in my classes...but yea I believe in Karma, so we'll see

 

[smuwillobrien]

How does hurt you that the guy brags though? If it makes him feel better than it makes him feel better. We all like to feel good. Just humour him.

 

[drlexygoat]

Originally posted by SarahGM
Although at the same time, I can easily see him thinking to himself, "Clearly this person is very jealous."

Arg!

It wasn't jealousy (I got the 97, actually). I just have a habit of letting jerks know what I think of them. Somehow I feel vindicated

Thanks for the support here - glad to know I'm not the only one who feels this way.

 

[beatla19]

I don't think anyone here actually thinks you were jealous, but I can totally see this guy using that theory to rationalize the whole thing. So he doesn't have to think about what you said.

 

[Blade28]

Just ignore him. He's only fishing for compliments.

 

[mlw03]

i take it drlexy is a girl, and the as*hole was a guy. so use your natural gift of sex appeal to screw with him. flirt like crazy with him and ask him out, then embaress the hell out of him. remember married with children when bud gets back at a girl who was mean to him (ok, there's a lot of those) - use it!! i'm not very creative, but have fun with it!!

Originally posted by drlexygoat
It wasn't jealousy (I got the 97, actually). I just have a habit of letting jerks know what I think of them. Somehow I feel vindicated

Thanks for the support here - glad to know I'm not the only one who feels this way.

 

[citygirl]

Tell him that it's too bad his obsession with unimportant details is interfering with the rest of the class.

 

[jlee9531]

tell him the graders made a mistake and you got a 100 too. that'll rile him up plenty. haha

 

[bokermmk]

He was rude. But dont imply he is a gunner because he reads nature. Thats curiosity- a trait that should be admired. Its not gunnership.

 

[ATPase]

Originally posted by bokermmk
He was rude. But dont imply he is a gunner because he reads nature. Thats curiosity- a trait that should be admired. Its not gunnership.

I don't think it was the fact that the guy read Nature. I think it was the fact that he kept "conveniently" referring to reading Nature so he would look good.

 

[BerkeleyPremed]

I've noticed that a lot. People who constantly refer to top scientific journals to prove a point in class usually just end up alienating themselves from the rest of the students in the class and annoying the professor because they're usually talking about irrelevant information. Professors like students who stay on top of the work and the relevant CONTENT for the course...not students that can cite this and that from the Journal of Molecular Biology, Volume III, June 2002.

I think most people have a skewed definition of "gunner." People that study very hard are not gunners (in my opinion). People that study really hard and want to do well are just very motivated students. People like the guy mentioned in the OP's post are just clueless and/or have their self-worth glued to their transcript. As a result, they resort to unnecessary bragging in an attempt to boost their low self-esteem...or justify why they spent 15 hours studying for an exam...when other A students spent 5 or 6 hours studying and got the same grade (well, in this case...a little less).

To me...a "gunner" is someone who sabotages other people's labs, steals materials from the lab so other people cannot use them, steals study manuals/reference books so other students cannot have access to them, etc. These people really are despicable and will resort to any underhanded tactic to get the A in the class. As a result, they'll sign up for ONLY the courses they know have easier professors so they have a better shot at the A.

This kid isn't a gunner....he's just someone with low self-esteem and LOTS of time on their hands (Nature isn't the most exciting periodical...not too many hot chicks are featured in that...)

Respectfully,
BP

P.S.: Can someone PLEASE give this kid a beer and the Sports Illustrated issue with Tyra Banks on the cover?

 

[ZekeMD]

Kick the gunners in the junk!

 

[drlexygoat]

All good advice....

I have the following options next time (per SDN advice)
- kick man in the junk
-walk away
-remind him how much better I am than he is
-flirt like crazy, only to diss him later


good times, folks... you all are always good for a laugh.

 

[Wrigleyville]

They need to make the test harder if people are getting perfect scores. Anyway, he won't get far in life with that attitude.

 

[bewitched1081]

Originally posted by drlexygoat
I know we all are a little competitive at times, and most of us aim to get those great grades. Today I blew up at this kid in my molec2 class. He's the one who adds comments about "an article I read in Nature" and asks for VERY detailed explanations about every damn protein in the body so we get bogged down in menial details in lecture.....

Anyway, we're picking up our tests today and as I'm walking out with a group, one of my friends asks if he got his test from the pile yet. He searches in his bag, pulls out the paper, and shoves it 2" from his face, saying "Oh yeah, I got my paper. Highest score in the class - I didn't even need to pick it up because I knew the highest grade had to be mine. The 2nd highest grade was only a 97% so I was the highest by a long shot." Completely unnecessary and condescending.

I told him, "It's a shame you need to act like an a**hole to make yourself feel better about your grades."

I despise folks like this - so irritating.

if he's such a gunner then everyone must know it, which begs the question: wasn't your friend sort of asking for it when he/she asked him if he "got his test from the pile yet"?

 

[drlexygoat]

Originally posted by bewitched1081
if he's such a gunner then everyone must know it, which begs the question: wasn't your friend sort of asking for it when he/she asked him if he "got his test from the pile yet"?

He was just being nice - he was going to get it for him.

 

[uclacrewdude]

Originally posted by Cerberus
what a ***, i would ***** then ***** his ass.

i'd help you out by kicking him in the stomach simultaneously. how does that help? stomach contraction reflex makes him take it harder.

note: i consider the entire world my dojo, for faster justice disbursement.

 

[BerkeleyPremed]

I also agree with the gentleman from Northwestern (see above post). If someone actually got a 100% on the exam...it means the test was way too easy. They need to make the exams harder. Especially if lots of people are scoring in the 90%+ range. Med schools don't really have a way of adjusting GPAs for grade inflation...so I guess the OP has nothing to worry about in terms of admissions. But still, I've never been in any undergraduate science class (and I'm an Integrative Biology major..I take lots of science classes), where someone actually scored a 100% on any given exam.

 

[drlexygoat]

Originally posted by BerkeleyPremed
I also agree with the gentleman from Northwestern (see above post). If someone actually got a 100% on the exam...it means the test was way too easy. They need to make the exams harder. Especially if lots of people are scoring in the 90%+ range. Med schools don't really have a way of adjusting GPAs for grade inflation...so I guess the OP has nothing to worry about in terms of admissions. But still, I've never been in any undergraduate science class (and I'm an Integrative Biology major..I take lots of science classes), where someone actually scored a 100% on any given exam.

Woah there! Geeze, talk about jumping to some conclusions. That was kind of rude of you, don't you think?

I never said lots of folks scored A's on the exam. In fact, out of a class of 250 there were exactly 8 As (1 100%, 1 97%, 6 94%, 2 91%). The test was wicked hard and I'm sure they're going to get worse as the semester goes on. You know how the 1st test is always the easiest for most people considering the material is pretty superficial still. I find it IMPOSSIBLE to believe that no one has ever gotten a 100 in any of your science classes. Maybe they're just not studying hard enough....

Secondly, I'm majoring in Molecular & Microbiology w/ a minor in Chem. There is VERY little grade inflation at my university, I 'll have you know. There's often only 5 or 6 people who will walk out of a class of 250 with As on their transcripts. So please don't assume that I've got it easy. I work my tail off and just get upset when folks give nasty gunner responses like today....

Lastly, no need to say : "Med schools don't really have a way of adjusting GPAs for grade inflation...so I guess the OP has nothing to worry about in terms of admissions". What the hell? Dude, my GPA got me in on my own merit. The school I'll attend in May knows full-well what kinds of students my university turns out. I worked hard for that acceptance, and grade inflation had nothing to do with the equation.

All in all, back off please. Your comments were unwarranted.

thx

 

[carrigallen]

This 'gunner' person deserves your sympathy, not your anger.


There is no reason to be upset at this individual. He is probably suffering from a severe ego deficit, and perhaps is in a process of grieving or compensation.

If anything, I think you should be kind to these type of students. Theirs is a plight worse than yours.

In medicine, I have heard it is good to 'think systemically' - I am only a first year med student though =) but I like this expression. It makes you realize that if someone tries to hurt you, you should feel sorry for them, and maybe even help them a bit.

Anyway, consider being nice to the gunner. Maybe his pride is the only crown he has left.

 

[relentless11]

Wow hate is such a strong word though. Well don't get me wrong, i dislike people like this too, but blowing up is not a solution, and people like this exist in seemingly large numbers in life. Gotta take that one extra step and be the "non-gunner". A non-gunner means more than just being humble about ones grades, or intelligence. It means that you have the patience and self-respect to not have to take the time dealing with these people.

Its hard i know, since i'm in the same spot as you. I absolutely despise people who try to "prove" the intelligence to everyone. But, their time will come, and so just take a deep breath, and move on. Thats all

 

[Stinger86]

Originally posted by drlexygoat
He's the one who adds comments about "an article I read in Nature" and asks for VERY detailed explanations about every damn protein in the body so we get bogged down in menial details in lecture.....

Look at the bright side:

This is a great opportunity to prepare your patience for all the menial details you'll learn from the PhDs that teach you your first year at med school.

 

[carrigallen]

Originally posted by Stinger86

This is a great opportunity to prepare your patience for all the menial details you'll learn from the PhDs that teach you your first year at med school.

Be patient and maybe one of those 'menial details' may actually help you save a patient's life one day. =)

 

[smuwillobrien]

Why is this relevant to you? So relevant that you had to post it on here because it was boiling inside of you? Perhaps that 3% you missed could have been gained by wasting less time with pointless posts.

 

[SarahGM]

Originally posted by smuwillobrien
Why is this relevant to you? So relevant that you had to post it on here because it was boiling inside of you? Perhaps that 3% you missed could have been gained by wasting less time with pointless posts.

I'd say just about as relevant as it was for you to post THIS.

 

[drlexygoat]

Originally posted by smuwillobrien
Why is this relevant to you? So relevant that you had to post it on here because it was boiling inside of you? Perhaps that 3% you missed could have been gained by wasting less time with pointless posts.

I'm just killing some time on SDN, that's all. No worries.

I just posted to see what others had to say. No need for mean comments, because I happen to be fine with the grade I got.

thx

 

[dl2dp2]

I HATE HATE HATE people like you...incompetent, jealous, moody, lazy, boring, stupid, ugly, (probably fat), good-for-nothing

get a ****ing grip

 

[smuwillobrien]

Hey SarahGM. I saw this quote from a movie I saw once with Demi Moore. It it perfectly appropriate to this scenario. "If I want your opinion I'll give you it".

 

[Gleevec]

First rule of dealing with gunners: ignore them
Second rule of dealing with gunners: don't give them a chance to talk about grades
Third rule of dealing with gunners: if they start talking about their grades, immediately interrupt them and change the subject or excuse yourself and get out of there, Id imagine this would drive them crazy

 

[Kalel]

I probably wouldn't have thought very much about it had he done that to me. It's not the most socially appropriate thing to do around people who may have scored lower then you, but I don't think that it constitutes "gunnerish behavior". Maybe he is just proud of his grade. There's nothing wrong in taking pride in earning a good grade. I wouldn't rub it in anybody's face, but maybe he was just trying to show you his grade because he thought that it would impress you. To me, being a "gunner" is actually "gunning" against somebody by doing things like withholding information that the prof said about a test from a classmate who was absent or a student who tries to distract other students from studying during his or her study break while telling everyone that they don't study at all. I personally don't understand all the hang-ups people have about other people discovering their grades. It used to be that a lot of med schools would publish names by people's grades for the whole class to see on every test. It bred a lot more personal competetition this way.

 

[smuwillobrien]

Would she have cared if he was bragging about getting a 97% had she gotten the 100%? No. She's jealous. There is no other reason to freak out on him. It's obvious that she felt insecure, because despite what she claims she didn't do it to make those who scored lower feel good.

 

[Rendar5]

Hey, if I had the 100 and that guy had the 97, I would've told him off. It's just not accetable social behavior to act like you're better than everyone else.

 

[Rendar5]

The only time I've ever bragged about grades is to friends, when I didn't think I did that well (and it turned out that I kicked butt), and when my friends aren't in the same class as me.

 

[Fish3715]

Humility is the key here. DrLexy isn't mad about this guy doing so well (they both got A+s for goodness sake), just the way he chose to show it.

There's nothing wrong with being proud of your grades; you can even brag a little if you so please, but don't condescend your fellow classmates (you don't think it was at least a little absurd that he said "I got the highest grade by a longshot" when the next highest grade was also an A+?") That's not nice

 

[jlee9531]

Originally posted by smuwillobrien
Would she have cared if he was bragging about getting a 97% had she gotten the 100%? No. She's jealous. There is no other reason to freak out on him. It's obvious that she felt insecure, because despite what she claims she didn't do it to make those who scored lower feel good.

he was being a punk. simple as that.

drlex jealous? hardly.