Is this guy for real???

[TheMightyAngus]

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I know a guy who is beginning his second year at an unranked medical school who wants to go into plastics. He's an average student, definitely not AOA material--earning P/LP in all his classes. However, his uncle runs a successful plastic surgery practice in California and he intends to work with him after residency. This guy claims that since plastics is "a brotherhood" he can basically have his uncle get a famous plastic surgeon to write him a recommendation, which would guarantee him a plastics residency. Is this possible? I doubt he'd be pushing 220 on the boards, so if a program accepts him it's definitely not because of merit. Personally, I think this is bull**** and would love to see this cocky, arrogant, SOB go unmatched. Is this guy for real???

 

[APACHE3]

"And the meek shall inherit the earth"

 

[mcindoe]

Is this guy for real???

Sadly, it's possible.

If you've read Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, you may remember the line: "some are born great, some achieve greatness, some have greatness thrust upon them..."

There will always be people who fall in the latter category (you know, like our president).

 

[jdubya]

Sadly, it's possible.

If you've read Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, you may remember the line: "some are born great, some achieve greatness, some have greatness thrust upon them..."

There will always be people who fall in the latter category (you know, like our president).

Hey liberal, was that "greatness thrust upon them" a reference to our current and great leader or to Clinton and, ahem, you know.

 

[toofache32]

Hey liberal, was that "greatness thrust upon them" a reference to our current and great leader or to Clinton and, ahem, you know.

I think Clinton was thrusting something else....

 

[TheThroat]

OK, unless the uncle is really in tight with the "famous plastic surgeon", I'm not seeing anyone write a letter for someone that he barely knows. Now, maybe if the student spent some time with the guy. That said, plastics and other small specialties do have a "brotherhood" feel.

 

[cooldreams]

docs and other ppl will comonly write lors for ppl just because they are good friends, even just good associates to them BY PROXY... live with it... that is why you're always being told to network network network....

 

[shivalrous]

I think Clinton was thrusting something else....

Better be thrusting that, than anything else. LOL 😀

 

[ddmo]

Mighty, people that brag about stuff like that are asshats to begin with and can't be trusted from my experience.

 

[nipdoc]

docs and other ppl will comonly write lors for ppl just because they are good friends, even just good associates to them BY PROXY... live with it... that is why you're always being told to network network network....

While it is true to some extent that some specialties are GOBC (Good Ole Boys' Clubs), I have seen from experience that bull$#!T can only go so far.

This guy may GET IN. But, he will need to really work hard to STAY in.

 

[fedor]

Mighty, people that brag about stuff like that are asshats to begin with and can't be trusted from my experience.

I agree with this statement. While it is certainly possible to get residencies through connections (and with some places, it's very common), the people who will get such hookups will always be quiet about it. It's just like people who take under-the-table offers from PD's, they're certainly not going to talk about it openly.

 

[oncall]

all things are possible with connections.

 

[nipdoc]

I think George W. Bush has demonstrated that.

Like he told the Yale graduating class of 2003 (i think): "To all you D average graduates, YOU, too, can be president !!".