LONG TERM SDN Users... does SDN help or hinder your career overall?

[MegaSpectacular]

the poll question for "long term" users:

Does SDN OVERALL help or hinder you from becoming the best physician you can be (or neither)?

I recently posted a poll in which I tried to determine what percentage of time spent on SDN was productive. Responders were allowed to chose anywhere from 10-100%, the #1 response by far was 10% (or less) because most of the users were "Long Term" users.

They had initially gathered huge benefits from SDN but after months or even over a year they found the current returns limiting.

Hence the poll question:

Does SDN OVERALL help or hinder you from becoming the best physician you can be (or neither)?

Obviously everyone has a "mix" and SDN will sometimes be helpful or sometimes be time not well spent, but looking for your overall or mostly answer.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Cytotoxic]

The collective wisdom on SDN, once I filtered through all the crap, has taught me more about the application process and career than any pre-professional advisor.

Btw, MD/PhD forum ftw.

 

[BBender716]

Then again, if you think it makes you worse off, you should have already gotten the heck out of here lol

 

[Narmerguy]

I think what is simply happening is that a lot of invaluable knowledge is gained in the first few months that has a powerful impact on your career for the rest of your life. However, after that initial deluge of new, useful information, it would be unlikely that you could maintain the same level for years. So yeah, the stuff becomes less valuable down the line but I'll never forget how helpful SDN has been to starting me out right.

 

[MilkmanAl]

I'm coming up on Step 1, and it's definitely very helpful.

 

[jiayo]

I think what is simply happening is that a lot of invaluable knowledge is gained in the first few months that has a powerful impact on your career for the rest of your life. However, after that initial deluge of new, useful information, it would be unlikely that you could maintain the same level for years. So yeah, the stuff becomes less valuable down the line but I'll never forget how helpful SDN has been to starting me out right.

^ This

As a freshman, SDN has helped me in so many ways in terms of starting early and answering my questions.
It also makes this upcoming application cycle a little less stressful, because I already know what the technical aspects of it will be.

But once it starts..then who knows. All the lurkers will start spamming like crazy, methinks.

 

[schrizto]

Only residents and attendings on SDN can really answer your bolded question...

But I'll throw in my opinion anyway. SDN should be very helpful when you're starting out a new phase. When you're a new pre-med it's very useful. Then when you start applying and navigating through apps it's very useful, and when you're starting medical school, and starting a residency, etc.

However, after you're past the beginning of each phase and getting into the rhythm when threads start getting repetitive in the section of SDN you frequent and you're not figuring out things so much anymore then it isn't as productive.

 

[DrYoda]

But I'll throw in my opinion anyway. SDN should be very helpful when you're starting out a new phase.

Agree with this.

 

[BennieBlanco]

SDN should be very helpful when you're starting out a new phase.

However, after you're past the beginning of each phase and getting into the rhythm when threads start getting repetitive in the section of SDN you frequent and you're not figuring out things so much anymore then it isn't as productive.

Brilliant and concise.

 

[tennisball80]

Only residents and attendings on SDN can really answer your bolded question...

But I'll throw in my opinion anyway. SDN should be very helpful when you're starting out a new phase. When you're a new pre-med it's very useful. Then when you start applying and navigating through apps it's very useful, and when you're starting medical school, and starting a residency, etc.

However, after you're past the beginning of each phase and getting into the rhythm when threads start getting repetitive in the section of SDN you frequent and you're not figuring out things so much anymore then it isn't as productive.

+1

When I started H.SDN back in high school, the topics were very useful. When I started premed forum, the premed topics were very useful too. Hope I get to browse SDN during medical school again.

 

[Bernoull]

It's very helpful and informative, BUT i tend to stay past the point of diminishing returns, and that's when it's counterproductive...

I need to see a shrink for my SDN obsessive compulsion...

 

[BennieBlanco]

The statement above was so true I have decided to give it a name:

1.1 SDN and Phase Changes...

Schrizto's Law

SDN should be very helpful when you're starting out a new phase. However, after you're past the beginning of each phase you're not figuring out things so much anymore then it isn't as productive.

 

[Zona Pellucida]

I would have been lost without it. Especially prior to the MCAT.

It does make me extremely nervous seeing a ton of great successful applicants while I'm just chillin', but oh well. It has been the absolute best resource for this entire process. I can pretty much guarantee I wouldn't have gotten a single invite if this site did not "whip me into shape" and really make me realize what a competitive application requires.

 

[nonsciencemajor]

SDN >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Advisor

 

[NickNaylor]

Last night, a guy that I talked to said that our pre-med advisor told him you have to get a 3.85 to get into medical school.

Thank you, SDN.

 

[ussdfiant]

I have been on SDN for nearly 9 years, from scared post bacc student through medical school interviews and acceptance, med school, Steps stresses, residency interviews, residency stresses, Board Certification stresses and now as an attending. In the first 5 years or so (through med school graduation) I found SDN extremely helpful as a recipient of advice, in later years I find myself as more of a dispenser of advice. I still find SDN useful although I spend most of my time in the IM or practicing physician forums, but occasionally try to hit the "kids" forums to dispel rumors and enlighten when possible.

 

[RevMD]

I think what is simply happening is that a lot of invaluable knowledge is gained in the first few months that has a powerful impact on your career for the rest of your life. However, after that initial deluge of new, useful information, it would be unlikely that you could maintain the same level for years. So yeah, the stuff becomes less valuable down the line but I'll never forget how helpful SDN has been to starting me out right.

Only regret is not finding SDN sooner. I think a lot of the info on the forum is very useful in setting expectations and reality of med school and its admissions process.

Only residents and attendings on SDN can really answer your bolded question...

But I'll throw in my opinion anyway. SDN should be very helpful when you're starting out a new phase. When you're a new pre-med it's very useful. Then when you start applying and navigating through apps it's very useful, and when you're starting medical school, and starting a residency, etc.

However, after you're past the beginning of each phase and getting into the rhythm when threads start getting repetitive in the section of SDN you frequent and you're not figuring out things so much anymore then it isn't as productive.

This is where I start typing canned responses for many threads. These threads are still interesting because everyone's situation and their perception of the situation is different even though the response will still be along the lines of "you will be fine."

 

[Handinhand]

The collective wisdom on SDN, once I filtered through all the crap, has taught me more about the application process and career than any pre-professional advisor.

Btw, MD/PhD forum ftw.

X1000000000

I would have been completely screwed if I just sat back and listened to my advisor, taken the classes they told me to, minimal ECs, yadda yadda.

I now feel confident that I know what I need to do to get into medical school. Now it's more about performing well, when before it was performing well in stuff that probably wasn't going to help me out at all.

This website can be invaluable to someone planning on applying to any professional school.

 

[TheRach1025]

I have been on SDN for nearly 9 years, from scared post bacc student through medical school interviews and acceptance, med school, Steps stresses, residency interviews, residency stresses, Board Certification stresses and now as an attending. In the first 5 years or so (through med school graduation) I found SDN extremely helpful as a recipient of advice, in later years I find myself as more of a dispenser of advice. I still find SDN useful although I spend most of my time in the IM or practicing physician forums, but occasionally try to hit the "kids" forums to dispel rumors and enlighten when possible.

I was just about to ask whether there are any members who have gone from undergrad to attending while members of the site. It's pretty amazing. Now, with the HS forum I guess eventually there may be members who go from HS to attending status while posting here. That'll be a sight. I hope they post pictures all the way through.

As for the topic, SDN has been the most helpful resource for me throughout this process. Still, I probably spend way too much time on here.

 

[s1lver]

The collective wisdom on SDN, once I filtered through all the crap, has taught me more about the application process and career than any pre-professional advisor.

SDN >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Advisor

True. I don't understand how a lot of ppl can trust their "advisers" and go to them for help when he or she has never applied to any medical school! It's like me giving golf tips even though I've never played the sport.

It's bizarre.




(Of course, if your adviser is a current/former adcom then by all means follow the advice.)

 

[Law2Doc]

Only residents and attendings on SDN can really answer your bolded question...

But I'll throw in my opinion anyway. SDN should be very helpful when you're starting out a new phase. When you're a new pre-med it's very useful. Then when you start applying and navigating through apps it's very useful, and when you're starting medical school, and starting a residency, etc.

However, after you're past the beginning of each phase and getting into the rhythm when threads start getting repetitive in the section of SDN you frequent and you're not figuring out things so much anymore then it isn't as productive.

Agree. It's useful in the application process. It's useful in getting the scoop on step exams, it's useful in getting details on the residency match. As for actually helping clinically to be a better physician, probably not. At that stage I think you either log on here to dispense advice, or for hearing tales from kindred spirits. I don't always know why, but I sometimes feel better hearing the "horror stories" of other people walking the walk at similar stages of the training process.

 

[Schwann]

I wonder if SDN has made the applicant pool more competitive.

 

[45408]

I wonder if SDN has made the applicant pool more competitive.

Probably. Overall though, MOST pre-meds aren't on this forum, so it gives you an advantage over the rest of the pool if you take all the good advice to heart (e.g., applying to the right range of schools, applying EARLY, including the right things on AMCAS, getting some good screening of your PS, etc).

SDN was helpful when I took the MCAT, then Step 1, then the shelf exams, then Step 2, etc.

 

[RevMD]

I wonder if SDN has made the applicant pool more competitive.

No doubt. I definitely stepped up my game and got a lot more serious after I started reading this forum a last semester. I looked at some of those MDApps as was like "oh s***, I need to find some EC similar to that pronto." It's like a wake up call for some people.

 

[Narmerguy]

I wonder if SDN has made the applicant pool more competitive.

Definitely. I'd probably be a very average applicant if not for SDN.

Edit: And the reason that bothers me is that it's not that I'm not willing to put in the work to be a good one, it would simply have been that I wouldn't have known the traits that make a strong applicant. SDN is a very rare site indeed.

 

[MegaSpectacular]

Definitely. I'd probably be a very average applicant if not for SDN.

Edit: And the reason that bothers me is that it's not that I'm not willing to put in the work to be a good one, it would simply have been that I wouldn't have known the traits that make a strong applicant. SDN is a very rare site indeed.

I would think it has made a small percentage more competitive, but if I had to guess it seems like well under 25% of applicants are even aware of SDN. I could be wrong of course.

 

[ButImLETired]

While I think most people touched on the practical aspect of SDN (help with applying etc), I don't think enough people touched on the social component, and I think it's as important if not more so.

Applying to med school was incredibly stressful, and now being IN med school is incredibly more so. People who aren't in this mess just can't understand the pressure we're under and the extent to which we've had to work to get this far. But other premeds in our position do. I became really good friends with a bunch of people on the forum last year, met with them, talked to them online, etc. These people are still my friends. We were really each other's support group through it all because most of us didn't have a ton of premed friends around with whom to commiserate, and those who were there had a competitive bent. We celebrated each other's successes, we all waited anxiously when one of our first choices was going to answer...etc. This proved invaluable to me.