MS -1, question re: what to expect next four years

[efle]

Do you recommend taking T3 over other T10s or T20 even with merit if no loans are involved to retain this advantage?

I'd take a full ride to somewhere like WashU or Penn > loans at Hopkins/Harvard/Stanford, always. People attribute way too much to the name. Their dirty secret is that most of the magic comes from being insanely selective with who they admit in the first place. If you're impressive enough to get into multiple T10s you're overwhelmingly likely to be a very capable student and match well regardless of which you pick.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

Lol no. At a T20 school, you will have all doors open, so don't indebt yourself.

My question is about no loans ie self funded vs taking the scholarship if given and invest the savings vs go to T3 to gain advantage for competitive specialties.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

My question is about no loans ie self funded vs taking the scholarship if given and invest the savings vs go to T3 to gain advantage for competitive specialties.

You will not have a substantial advantage at a T3 over a T20 that is worth the money.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

I'd take a full ride to somewhere like WashU or Penn > loans at Hopkins/Harvard/Stanford, always. People attribute way too much to the name. Their dirty secret is that most of the magic comes from being insanely selective with who they admit in the first place. If you're impressive enough to get into multiple T10s you're overwhelmingly likely to be a very capable student and match well regardless of which you pick.

I agree but my question is about no loans (self funded) vs T20 scholarship.

 

[RealHumanBean1]

Hi - am an accepted student for Class of 2025. Please excuse if these are stupid questions.

1. I know we start prepping for UG in like 10th grade, and for med school pretty much all of UG. What should I be doing (or not) to prep to land a residency in Harvard? (I know some of you may question why Harvard, but that is for a separate thread).
2. More naive question: do we select our specialty before the residency or during? Does one need to choose medical vs. surgery before residency application? And how about specific specialty like Neuro-onc or Neuro-surg?

1. Don't do anything before medical school. You're in for a decade of sprinting a marathon - take a breather before you start the race unless you want to run out of steam on the first lap. Also - don't prepare to land a residency at Harvard/MGH. Focusing all of your efforts on this goal will set you up for failure and will distract you from the more important goals of learning medicine and exploring what specialty you'd most enjoy. You probably can't fully understand or appreciate this quite yet, but there's a really good chance that Harvard/MGH isn't even the best place for you to get where you want to go in your career - in short, the quality of education/training is much more consistent across residencies than it is across undergraduate institutions or even medical school. Harvard/MGH still offers a great program for many specialties, but there's a very real chance that another program would have more to offer to you personally and/or be a better fit for what you want out of your residency training.

2. On that subject, medical school is the chance to explore specialties and decide on which you think you'd most enjoying doing for the rest of your life. Maintain an open mind and explore every specialty you can so you can make an informed decision. Ideally, you'll develop an idea towards the middle/end of your third year after having completed several rotations; this will give you several months or more to schedule a rotation or rotations in the specialty/specialties of interest to you so you can make your final decision before you start your application for residency in the Summer/Fall of your fourth year. There are some specialties, like Internal Medicine and Diagnostic Radiology, that allow you to "sub-specialize" further after a more general residency and you may or may not have any idea of what that subspecialty might be when you apply for residency; regardless, it's not necessary and might even change during residency.

Some unsolicited advice: mitigate your long-term expectations and focus on what's in front of you. It's good to have lofty goals to strive for but not necessarily to be beholden to them. The best thing you can do for yourself is be the best medical student you can be. How do you do that? You focus first and foremost on learning as much as you possibly can, on crushing your courses and exams then clerkships, exploring the extracurricular activities that generally interest you because you'll (1) devote more time to them and be more likely to accomplish yourself through them and (2) be able to talk about them passionately and honestly during your residency interviews. Being an excellent medical student will keep all doors open so that when the time comes to choose a specialty and residency program, you'll have more options. Lastly, make sure to develop, maintain, and nurture your support system - family, friends, significant others. You will NEED them. It might seem like a huge expenditure of your time but ultimately it will keep you on the path to success when you hit inevitable bumps in the road and, perhaps more importantly, it's just more important than success.

Best of luck.

 

[Ttubule]

Lol... I applied to one UG school that I knew I’d get into and didn’t really think about it again until college started and I didn’t even consider med school until I was finished with undergrad (but did do great in UG). But then did match into a top 5 program in one of the most competitive specialties coming out of a state med school so I can at least feel a little qualified to give some advice there.
Yea, it helps if you know what you want to do and ca start building your application. I started research pretty early on, did some shadowing, got to know residents and faculty. Best thing you can do though is just be a standout med student. Do well in classes, crush whatever step exam still has a grade, do extremely well on rotations. That’s what you need to look good to good programs. Also helps to get good LORs and probably the best way to do that is to be personable and not neurotic and uptight... so worrying this much about things now is probably hurting you more than helping you.

oh, also, think long and hard about this Harvard thing. They have some great programs and some subpar ones. You have no idea where the top residency programs are until you know what you want to do. It’s not like undergrad where you can trust an Ivy League is a good program. Just something to consider.

 

[r2med]

First off, stop the mindset displayed by #1.

Thanks for your comment. Will follow. However, question about the above sentence. Did you mean stop the "I want to prepare for the best" mindset? Appreciate clarification

 

[r2med]

1. Don't do anything before medical school. You're in for a decade of sprinting a marathon - take a breather before you start the race unless you want to run out of steam on the first lap. Also - don't prepare to land a residency at Harvard/MGH. Focusing all of your efforts on this goal will set you up for failure and will distract you from the more important goals of learning medicine and exploring what specialty you'd most enjoy. You probably can't fully understand or appreciate this quite yet, but there's a really good chance that Harvard/MGH isn't even the best place for you to get where you want to go in your career - in short, the quality of education/training is much more consistent across residencies than it is across undergraduate institutions or even medical school. It's still offers a great program for many specialties, but there's a very real chance that another program would have more to offer to you personally and/or be a better fit for what you want out of your residency training.

2. On that subject, medical school is the chance to explore specialties and decide on which you think you'd most enjoying doing for the rest of your life. Maintain and open mind and explore every specialty you can so you can make an informed decision. Ideally, you'll develop an idea towards the middle/end of your third year after having completed several rotations; this will give you several months or more to schedule a rotation or rotations in the specialty/specialties of interest to you so you can make your final decision before you start your application for residency in the Summer/Fall of your fourth year. There are some specialties, like Internal Medicine and Diagnostic Radiology, that allow you to "sub-specialize" further after a more general residency and you may or may not have any idea of what that subspecialty might be when you apply for residency; regardless, it's not necessary and might even change during residency.

Some unsolicited advice: mitigate your long-term expectations and focus on what's in front of you. It's good to have lofty goals to strive for but not necessarily to be beholden to them. The best thing you can do for yourself is be the best medical student you can be. How do you do that? You focus first and foremost on learning as much as you possibly can, on crushing your courses and exams then clerkships, explore what extracurricular activities that generally interest you because you'll (1) devote more time to them and be more likely to accomplish yourself through them and (2) be able to talk about them passionately and honestly during your residency interviews. Being an excellent medical student will keep all doors open so that when the time comes to choose a specialty and residency program, you'll have more options. Lastly, make sure to develop, maintain, and nurture your support system - family, friends, significant others. You will NEED them. It might seem like a huge expenditure of your time but ultimately it will keep you on the path to success when you hit inevitable bumps in the road and, perhaps more importantly, it's just more important than success.

Best of luck.

Thank you very much. Really appreciate your detailed response.

 

[LiveLoveMedicine]

Thanks.

Would you mind explaining why you said "it's going to be awful"? Is that because of the hours?

My first block was really terrible because it’s so different from UG and there is so much material. I felt like no matter how many hours I studied I was not learning the material. You’re also learning the teachers and what they like to ask, as well as trying to figure out the best study strategy for you. This block (3) has been amazing and so much better because I have finally gotten into a rhythm that works for me. I study less and my grades have improved. So don’t be deterred if it’s bad for a while when you first start! It definitely gets better!

 

[r2med]

Lol... I applied to one UG school that I knew I’d get into and didn’t really think about it again until college started and I didn’t even consider med school until I was finished with undergrad (but did do great in UG). But then did match into a top 5 program in one of the most competitive specialties coming out of a state med school so I can at least feel a little qualified to give some advice there.
Yea, it helps if you know what you want to do and ca start building your application. I started research pretty early on, did some shadowing, got to know residents and faculty. Best thing you can do though is just be a standout med student. Do well in classes, crush whatever step exam still has a grade, do extremely well on rotations. That’s what you need to look good to good programs. Also helps to get good LORs and probably the best way to do that is to be personable and not neurotic and uptight... so worrying this much about things now is probably hurting you more than helping you.

oh, also, think long and hard about this Harvard thing. They have some great programs and some subpar ones. You have no idea where the top residency programs are until you know what you want to do. It’s not like undergrad where you can trust an Ivy League is a good program. Just something to consider.

Thanks. I am sure there are billionaire college dropouts, but that's more luck than norm. Appreciate your comments.

 

[LiveLoveMedicine]

Thank you very much. Really appreciate your detailed response.

This is great advice!

 

[r2med]

My first block was really terrible because it’s so different from UG and there is so much material. I felt like no matter how many hours I studied I was not learning the material. You’re also learning the teachers and what they like to ask, as well as trying to figure out the best study strategy for you. This block (3) has been amazing and so much better because I have finally gotten into a rhythm that works for me. I study less and my grades have improved. So don’t be deterred if it’s bad for a while when you first start! It definitely gets better!

Thanks.

By block - you mean semester? year?

 

[LiveLoveMedicine]

Thanks.

By block - you mean semester? year?

I think every school is different, my program does blocks which breaks a semester in half essentially. You have a 9 week session then a week off and then come back for another 9 weeks. The subjects change with every session.

 

[Idahomie]

I won't say trail parks or a southern state as often quoted by an adcom, but there is lot of inbreeding at top schools so getting admission to Harvard medical school is best way to get Harvard residency.

🎵 Sweet Home Alabama HYPMS music intensifies 🎵

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Thanks.

By block - you mean semester? year?

Most med schools these days don’t use the semester system anymore. They use a systems based curriculum where each system is a “block” that is roughly 8-9 weeks long. Sometimes there is a break between blocks. My school has a week break between some blocks and no break between others.

 

[efle]

I agree but my question is about no loans (self funded) vs T20 scholarship.

Unless you're so wealthy that you won't miss 250k+ whatsoever, it's the same difference in networth at R1 so I'd apply the same logic (250k vs 0 and 0 vs -250k, both times I'd choose the former)

 

[Bananagaurd15]

1. Chill
2. don't think of residency right now.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

Unless you're so wealthy that you won't miss 250k+ whatsoever, it's the same difference in networth at R1 so I'd apply the same logic (250k vs 0 and 0 vs -250k, both times I'd choose the former)

I am NOT wealthy enough to treat 250K as nothing Our T3/5 cost is $150K not $250K.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I am NOT wealthy enough to treat 250K as nothing Our T3/5 cost is $150K not $250K.

Same thing applies.

 

[r2med]

@EdgeTrimmer @efle - I think the question is whether it is worth investing on T3 and getting much higher chances of residency in T3 than going to T20 and hoping to get residency in T3. Further question is probably (note - this is NOT the point of this original post) is a residency in a T3 better in terms of getting paid higher than a residency in T20.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

@EdgeTrimmer @efle - I think the question is whether it is worth investing on T3 and getting much higher chances of residency in T3 than going to T20 and hoping to get residency in T3. Further question is probably (note - this is NOT the point of this original post) is a residency in a T3 better in terms of getting paid higher than a residency in T20.

I understand and I threw in $$ to the mix I do think going to T3 will help slightly in securing residency at other T3s or T10s. As per the compensation, you don't make penny more by doing residency/fellowship at T3 or T20 vs T190. However with more and more physicians opting for jobs over private practice, program name recognition should help like other fields in securing first job.

 

[efle]

It starts to depend on specifics at this point. Are you aiming for a specific specialty? Academia vs private practice? Is there a preferred region of the country you want to train in or find your first attending position in? How much is 150k to you an your family, will they have to go without something else as an opportunity cost? What exactly are the schools?

You need to know all that kind of stuff in each person's case. I remember at second look I spoke to people who were way over valuing brand - for example someone who was going to go long-distance with their (very serious) relationship just to be at a T5 instead of T20. Having done some long distance myself I found that completely shocking, it's definitely not worth sacrificing years of proximity to your better half.

So I try to refrain from making any blanket statements - other than saving money is always good and cream always rises at any school.

 

[mrbreakfast]

OK, so:

What should I be doing (or not) to prep to land a residency in Harvard?

You're getting sardonic responses not because you want to land a strong residency position. If you said "I want to be an orthopedic surgeon, and I want to end up at a top residency in orthopedic surgery" that's fine. But you have no idea what you want to do and you picked a specific program that has great "name" value to people outside of medicine but less so to those inside, depending on what field you go into. Also, as other noted, your chances at matching specifically at Harvard/MGH are extremely low unless you go to a very prestigious medical school. I know a few people who matched at MGH and they all went to a top-10 medical school with strong east coast ties. You can still match at a strong program, though.

To land a strong resident in general:
1) Get very high grades on your first few blocks/courses/whatever they do in med school now
2) Once you do (1), try to get exposure to different specialties to determine what you like
3) Once you do (1) and (2), do research in said specialty

More naive question: do we select our specialty before the residency or during? Does one need to choose medical vs. surgery before residency application? And how about specific specialty like Neuro-onc or Neuro-surg?

Google this. But people decide what specialty to do before residency, and make general decisions (e.g. medicine vs surgery, acute care vs outpatient, seeing patients vs diagnostics, adults vs peds) usually well before. Focus on that before deciding exact specialty.

 

[Idahomie]

I understand and I threw in $$ to the mix I do think going to T3 will help slightly in securing residency at other T3s or T10s. As per the compensation, you don't make penny more by doing residency/fellowship at T3 or T20 vs T190. However with more and more physicians opting for jobs over private practice, program name recognition should help like other fields in securing first job.

I feel like there are so many things that will factor into the ranking residency programs, that it would be unwise to prioritize T3 over T10 with a significant financial difference. There might be other reasons to pick one over the other, such as prestige, making your momma proud, connections, research opportunities, etc. Those differences are slight, but still there.

However, if we are only considering residency opportunities, there are just way too many variables. Your specialty of choice can change, preferences can change, and your opinion of schools and their specific residency programs can also change, especially during the interview season. Some people hate the vibe at some of the top programs (take a look at some of the specialty-specific spreadsheets on Reddit.) My main point is there are many considerations that are currently unknown.

The best advice I have gotten during the med school application cycle was to not let my decisions be controlled by unknown variables. You have no idea what your plans and attitude will be like 3-4 years from now, but fortunately, you do know where you have been accepted right now and the difference it will cost you. Instead of worrying about unknowns, use the information and facts that are currently available to make the best decision possible. That is not to say that you should ignore thinking about the future or having a plan in place. Rather, don't let yourself equate current advantages to potential future benefits. Don't fall into the trap that losing money now by going to a T3 is worth maybe getting more money later on down the road. There is no guarantee that going to a T3 will get you better residency spots in more competitive specialties. Nor does it guarantee that you will have better job offers. In fact, I would assume that there would be no real difference between the two schools. What I can guarantee is that the T3 will drain more of your financial resources right now. For me, the financial difference is too large to overcome the minimal current benefit one would gain by attending a T3 over a T10 or even a T20. Of course, the choice is always yours!

 

[Goro]

Thanks for your comment. Will follow. However, question about the above sentence. Did you mean stop the "I want to prepare for the best" mindset? Appreciate clarification

The "I have yet to set foot on a medical school campus but I'm already gunning for a Harvard residency " mindset.

 

[Lawpy]

What's with SDNers' pathological obsession with prestige and brand name? Preallo is already recycling the school name obsession, and allo has obsession with top tier residencies. Why not just focus on doing well?

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

What's with SDNers' pathological obsession with prestige and brand name? Preallo is already recycling the school name obsession, and allo has obsession with top tier residencies. Why not just focus on doing well?

Many people who get into med school are competitive and prestige driven. Gotta impress the chicks at the bar.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

I feel like there are so many things that will factor into the ranking residency programs, that it would be unwise to prioritize T3 over T10 with a significant financial difference. There might be other reasons to pick one over the other, such as prestige, making your momma proud, connections, research opportunities, etc. Those differences are slight, but still there.

However, if we are only considering residency opportunities, there are just way too many variables. Your specialty of choice can change, preferences can change, and your opinion of schools and their specific residency programs can also change, especially during the interview season. Some people hate the vibe at some of the top programs (take a look at some of the specialty-specific spreadsheets on Reddit.) My main point is there are many considerations that are currently unknown.

The best advice I have gotten during the med school application cycle was to not let my decisions be controlled by unknown variables. You have no idea what your plans and attitude will be like 3-4 years from now, but fortunately, you do know where you have been accepted right now and the difference it will cost you. Instead of worrying about unknowns, use the information and facts that are currently available to make the best decision possible. That is not to say that you should ignore thinking about the future or having a plan in place. Rather, don't let yourself equate current advantages to potential future benefits. Don't fall into the trap that losing money now by going to a T3 is worth maybe getting more money later on down the road. There is no guarantee that going to a T3 will get you better residency spots in more competitive specialties. Nor does it guarantee that you will have better job offers. In fact, I would assume that there would be no real difference between the two schools. What I can guarantee is that the T3 will drain more of your financial resources right now. For me, the financial difference is too large to overcome the minimal current benefit one would gain by attending a T3 over a T10 or even a T20. Of course, the choice is always yours!

Good points. BTW, I am just throwing the questions to facilitate the debate and not advocating for one or the other. It varies from person to person and I am letting my kid decide even though we will be covering the full cost.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

Many people who get into med school are competitive and prestige driven. Gotta impress the chicks at the bar.

I am not sure how many are good at impressing chicks at the bar For lot of people it's the competitiveness and prove that they have what it takes to get into the top programs.

 

[efle]

What's with SDNers' pathological obsession with prestige and brand name? Preallo is already recycling the school name obsession, and allo has obsession with top tier residencies. Why not just focus on doing well?

It starts way before premed. A lot of high schoolers these days have their identity and self-worth directly tied to successful pursuit of prestigious college admits. I've seen suicidal teenage patients whose depression was first triggered by a college rejection. What we see on SDN is the tip of the iceberg. I think the internet has done some real damage with the rise of rankings, and social media has definitely amplified everyone's tendency to compare themselves and try to keep up with the Joneses.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

It starts way before premed. A lot of high schoolers these days have their identity and self-worth directly tied to successful pursuit of prestigious college admits. I've seen suicidal teenage patients whose depression was first triggered by a college rejection. What we see on SDN is the tip of the iceberg. I think the internet has done some real damage with the rise of rankings, and social media has definitely amplified everyone's tendency to compare themselves and try to keep up with the Joneses.

Social media is one of the worst things to happen to society.

 

[PapaGuava]

OP,

Prepare for the different types of med students - the rebel med student, the grade flexer, the person who questions everything you do in groupwork, the person who expects study guides and help from others, and the silent 4.0 student.

 

[pelotan1]

Hi - am an accepted student for Class of 2025. Please excuse if these are stupid questions.

1. I know we start prepping for UG in like 10th grade, and for med school pretty much all of UG. What should I be doing (or not) to prep to land a residency in Harvard? (I know some of you may question why Harvard, but that is for a separate thread).
2. More naive question: do we select our specialty before the residency or during? Does one need to choose medical vs. surgery before residency application? And how about specific specialty like Neuro-onc or Neuro-

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

OP,

Prepare for the different types of med students - the rebel med student, the grade flexer, the person who questions everything you do in groupwork, the person who expects study guides and help from others, and the silent 4.0 student.View attachment 329923

which one are you?

 

[PapaGuava]

which one are you?

The chill custodian

 

[Teletubby]

My friend,

if I may offer some advice, though it’s rather off topic, I suggest instead of asking yourself “How can I get into Harvard residency,” instead pose the question “How can I be the best I can be throughout medical school and my future career?” I suspect the answer of these two questions strongly overlap and the latter presents a healthier mindset! Prestige is not the end all be all of happiness, though there are other reasons to target specific residencies! Perhaps scheduling away rotations to see what life is like at MGH or BWH would be of interest or connecting with current residents! But at the end of the day the most important thing is your own well-being and happiness, and from what I’ve seen, med school will challenge you to retain this with the rigor and workload it dumps on you. Perhaps for now find a way to deal with this newfound challenge that is coming!

 

[OTmiracle]

I- am an accepted student for Class of 2025. Please excuse me if these are stupid questions.

1. I know we start prepping for UG in like 10th grade and formed school pretty much all of UG. What should I be doing (or not) to prep to land a residency in Harvard? (I know some of you may question why Harvard, but that is for a separate thread).
2. More naive question: do we select our specialty before the residency or during? Does one need to choose medical vs. surgery before residency application? And how about specific specialties like Neuro-onc or Neuro-surg?

Good morning,
First off. There is no such thing as a "stupid question", the only ignorance and naivete are thinking that you cannot ask a question, advice, and for help to be able to see greater understanding in yourself and your profession as a clinician and as being part of a multidisciplinary team. Society has indoctrinated us to think that alphas do not ask for help, when in fact it is the complete opposite. That being said, we are all smart, some of us have different strengths and weaknesses. However, we may take different paths but in the end, we get to our destination. Humility is the best advice I can give you. As clinicians, students, and professors we continue learning throughout the human experience in the evolution of life and its trials and tribulations, etc. If you knew everything you would not be going to school, pain, and simple. Many people in life are insecure and that is why most people are led to believe that they have to be a perfect, hence self-fulfilling prophecy. Do not be afraid to express yourself, ask questions, learn, and allow you a cup to overflow on to others. There are many academic bullies in our profession and throughout life. Please, do not let them discourage you or question your intellect, character, integrity, self-esteem, and ability to thrive. God bless you and have a great weekend.

 

[Teletubby]

Encore!

 

[Goro]

It starts way before premed. A lot of high schoolers these days have their identity and self-worth directly tied to successful pursuit of prestigious college admits. I've seen suicidal teenage patients whose depression was first triggered by a college rejection. What we see on SDN is the tip of the iceberg. I think the internet has done some real damage with the rise of rankings, and social media has definitely amplified everyone's tendency to compare themselves and try to keep up with the Joneses.

And never underestimate the damage that Tiger Parents (who come in all different colors) do to their kids.

 

[HopeP]

And never underestimate the damage that Tiger Parents (who come in all different colors) do to their kids.

lol my kid is baby simba!

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

It starts way before premed. A lot of high schoolers these days have their identity and self-worth directly tied to successful pursuit of prestigious college admits. I've seen suicidal teenage patients whose depression was first triggered by a college rejection. What we see on SDN is the tip of the iceberg. I think the internet has done some real damage with the rise of rankings, and social media has definitely amplified everyone's tendency to compare themselves and try to keep up with the Joneses.

what percentage of kids are impacted by tiger parents vs kids failing due to lack of no parents involvement? just like Alabama trailer parks, tiger parents are an excuse for some

 

[Teletubby]

what percentage of kids are impacted by tiger parents vs kids failing due to lack of no parents involvement? just like Alabama trailer parks, tiger parents are an excuse for some

There is a healthy balance between parent involvement and letting the child loose. Personally, I think a gentle guiding hand is the best way to go, as it encourages self motivation and ultimately puts down the foundation for a drive towards success. I don't have kids of my own, but if I did, this is the way to go. It isn't so black and white "helicopter parents vs lazy parents." In the end, both rob the child of motivation, one through artificially creating a drive in the child to do well devoid of self motivation, and the other from lack of guidance. Both are equally bad, and I would argue among premeds the former is more prevalent than the latter.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

There is a healthy balance between parent involvement and letting the child loose. Personally, I think a gentle guiding hand is the best way to go, as it encourages self motivation and ultimately puts down the foundation for a drive towards success. I don't have kids of my own, but if I did, this is the way to go. It isn't so black and white "helicopter parents vs lazy parents." In the end, both rob the child of motivation, one through forcing artificially creating a drive in the child to do well devoid of self motivation, and the other from lack of guidance. Both are equally bad, and I would argue among premeds the former is more prevalent than the latter.

I agree but 🐅 parenting is over used to attack parents participation.

 

[HopeP]

@Teletubby love those Teletubbies, my kids favorites.

 

[HopeP]

There is a healthy balance between parent involvement and letting the child loose. Personally, I think a gentle guiding hand is the best way to go, as it encourages self motivation and ultimately puts down the foundation for a drive towards success. I don't have kids of my own, but if I did, this is the way to go. It isn't so black and white "helicopter parents vs lazy parents." In the end, both rob the child of motivation, one through artificially creating a drive in the child to do well devoid of self motivation, and the other from lack of guidance. Both are equally bad, and I would argue among premeds the former is more prevalent than the latter.

Partly the latter already resulted in far more weed outs well before getting at premeds level.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

@Teletubby love those Teletubbies, my kids favorites.

Mine is more of Elmo fan 😀

 

[MedLife20]

Hi - am an accepted student for Class of 2025. Please excuse if these are stupid questions.

1. I know we start prepping for UG in like 10th grade, and for med school pretty much all of UG. What should I be doing (or not) to prep to land a residency in Harvard? (I know some of you may question why Harvard, but that is for a separate thread).
2. More naive question: do we select our specialty before the residency or during? Does one need to choose medical vs. surgery before residency application? And how about specific specialty like Neuro-onc or Neuro-surg?

How did you get accepted into medical school? How do you not have the slightest idea of what residency is or what the medical school curriculum entails? LOL congrats though

 

[Drsecondchance]

This. Just take a break. Binge some shows. Play some videogames. Sleep 12 hours a day.

Well, don't let your grades collapse, but you know what I mean.

I sooo wish I could just relax! I'm deep into data collection on my thesis, which then has to actually be written. I'm procrastinating on it right now, lol. But, I'll have an MPH in May, so there's that!

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Further question is probably (note - this is NOT the point of this original post) is a residency in a T3 better in terms of getting paid higher than a residency in T20.

No you won’t make more money going to a Harvard residency over a WashU residency.

 

[AnonymousDoctorGuyPerson]

No you won’t make more money going to a Harvard residency over a WashU residency.

You can go to a program in some town you never heard of and make 10x more than someone who went to Harvard. The highest-paid physicians are those who go into private practice, and residency hardly matters - it's more about business acumen.

More prestigious residencies can at most help with academic positions. Whether you go to Harvard, Columbia, or WashU, though, is hardly going to make much difference in that either.