Myron Rolle to Med School

[DoctorLacrosse]

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"I want to be a neurosurgeon"

"I know I want to be a neurosurgeon"

lol you guys are ridiculous if you think there is ANY difference between those two statements

I'm thinking more along the lines of:

"I think I would like to maybe be a neurosurgeon some day, it seems interesting." = acceptable answer.

and "I want to be a neurosurgeon." = not acceptable answer with no experience other than handing out blankets in the ER.

Yes, VERY big difference between the two. If you don't think so, you're just wrong. Don't know how else to put it.

I'd also love to bet that the number of pre-meds entering medical school who "want to be a neurosurgeon" and do not actually ever become one greatly outnumber those who do.

 

[prado]

I'm thinking more along the lines of:

"I think I would like to maybe be a neurosurgeon some day, it seems interesting." = acceptable answer.

and "I want to be a neurosurgeon." = not acceptable answer with no experience other than handing out blankets in the ER.

Yes, VERY big difference between the two. If you don't think so, you're just wrong. Don't know how else to put it.

I'd also love to bet that the number of pre-meds entering medical school who "want to be a neurosurgeon" and do not actually ever become one greatly outnumber those who do.

You've read SDN so much you're mixing up reality. Both of those phrases are essentially the same. Yeah, he might change his mind, he might not. I can guarantee you had you not read the "most students change their minds come 3rd year" talk that gets said on here a lot, you wouldn't have given his inclination to go into neurosurgery a second thought.

In real life, not on SDN, people have aspirations, specific ones. So if the guy says he wants to be a neurosurgeon, who are you to say otherwise? I can understand a med student saying the guy might change his mind and then give a personal anecdote. But you? Who are you to say anything about this guy's life and future?

 

[DoctorLacrosse]

You've read SDN so much you're mixing up reality. Both of those phrases are essentially the same. Yeah, he might change his mind, he might not. I can guarantee you had you not read the "most students change their minds come 3rd year" talk that gets said on here a lot, you wouldn't have given his inclination to go into neurosurgery a second thought.

In real life, not on SDN, people have aspirations, specific ones. So if the guy says he wants to be a neurosurgeon, who are you to say otherwise? I can understand a med student saying the guy might change his mind and then give a personal anecdote. But you? Who are you to say anything about this guy's life and future?

First of all no one was speaking specifically about him, I was speaking in general about all pre-meds who say they want to do specific things without any idea why or what it really entails. Neurosurgery was the example because that's what he said he wanted in the article. There were no personal shots against him as it's pretty widely known he's a good guy and very intelligent. I wish him all the best and if neurosurgery is what he thinks he wants then I hope medical school validates that for him and he makes it.

Secondly, I don't spend much time on SDN at all and post a bit, but not too much, so I don't think SDN is the cause of my opinions, appreciate the diagnosis though. I don't think there's a big difference between my opinion and the opinion of a medical student. Do they become all knowing once they get accepted and my opinion becomes invalid? I can say I want to become a carpenter but if it ends up that I can't work a table saw for my life, is it going to work out? Hard to say you want that until you try out the table saw.

Bottom line is, IN MY OPINION you can't know for sure you want to do neurosurgery because you took organic chemistry and shadowed. Sorry.

And who am I? I'm what you are, a guy on an anonymous internet forum giving his opinion on a topic. So you can stop trying to preach and feel free to discuss your opinion like an adult if you want to. PM me if you prefer to do so in private.

 

[thesauce]

can't tell if serious. what exactly can you do like surgery as a pre-med in undergrad other than maybe shadow? and even if you shadow, watching is quite different than doing, especially with something like that. or at least id assume so since I'm also just another clueless pre-med haha

I agree that shadowing is different than doing, but this is all you'll be doing as a med student on a neurosurgery rotation as well. Did you think that they let 3rd and 4th year med students operate themselves? Maybe they let them throw a couple sutures or retract, but that falls under "shadowing" in my book.

 

[DoctorLacrosse]

I agree that shadowing is different than doing, but this is all you'll be doing as a med student on a neurosurgery rotation as well. Did you think that they let 3rd and 4th year med students operate themselves? Maybe they let them throw a couple sutures or retract, but that falls under "shadowing" in my book.

Yeah I definitely agree with you there, but I think doing small things like opening, closing, suturing, and actually assisting in the surgery etc. would be enough to see if you can stomach/enjoy it, and is much more to base your future off of than just watching. Again, just my opinion as someone who also hasn't experienced it, but that's what I would think.

 

[Bluto385]

For everyone that is viewing exercise science at FSU as a "fluff" major, briefly browse over the major course requirements and compare it to a notoriously lighter major such as Psychology:

Exercise Science: http://www.academic-guide.fsu.edu/exercisescience.htm

Psychology: http://www.academic-guide.fsu.edu/psychology.htm


Exercise Science is not a walk in the park, and many freshmen and sophomores switch out of it every year, often for other majors in the College of Human Sciences like Family and Child Science. There are definitely harder majors among the likes of Engineering or Bio, but at the other end of the spectrum there are still many lighter areas of study. A 3.75 GPA in the Exercise Science program requires a lot of time and energy, and it is definitely not considered average within that major at FSU. And the fact that Myron Rolle completed this major in two and a half years in addition to his phenomenal run with FSU football is disgusting.

 

[gettheleadout]

Yeah I definitely agree with you there, but I think doing small things like opening, closing, suturing, and actually assisting in the surgery etc. would be enough to see if you can stomach/enjoy it, and is much more to base your future off of than just watching. Again, just my opinion as someone who also hasn't experienced it, but that's what I would think.

Even more important in my mind (which is also admittedly one of someone not in medical school) would be the experience of following a similar routine to that of the residents/attendings, in terms of coming in early, leaving early, enduring whatever tedium or monotony there may be during the day. This is not to mention getting a sense of the personality type the field attracts, which might prevail among your coworkers.

EDIT: I meant to say "leaving late" haha whoops.

For everyone that is viewing exercise science at FSU as a "fluff" major, briefly browse over the major course requirements and compare it to a notoriously lighter major such as Psychology:

Exercise Science: http://www.academic-guide.fsu.edu/exercisescience.htm

Psychology: http://www.academic-guide.fsu.edu/psychology.htm


Exercise Science is not a walk in the park, and many freshmen and sophomores switch out of it every year, often for other majors in the College of Human Sciences like Family and Child Science. There are definitely harder majors among the likes of Engineering or Bio, but at the other end of the spectrum there are still many lighter areas of study. A 3.75 GPA in the Exercise Science program requires a lot of time and energy, and it is definitely not considered average within that major at FSU. And the fact that Myron Rolle completed this major in two and a half years in addition to his phenomenal run with FSU football is disgusting.

As a Psych major, I thought about this when I saw this thread yesterday. The Kinesiology major at my school has very similar requirements, and based on what I've thought of the rigor of my curriculum, I don't see any reason to assume a Kinesiology major would be any easier.

 

[45408]

Not sure how you know you want to be a neurosurgeon before you experience anything close to it, but still a great story. Good for him following his heart and not his wallet. id suspect a top school as well; unless he just prefers the location else where.

Eh, a thousand other pre-meds have said it before too. It doesn't really matter - it's not like it will prevent him from going into something else just because he said that.

Great, so all of us were judged on our academic abilities when applying for medical school.

Myron was (inevitably) judged on his athletic ability. What makes him a great applicant? He played D-1 football, he "played" in the NFL, and he was awarded a Rhodes scholarship because he was the only college football player with half a brain.

He bought and was handed his way into charitable organizations. He was an exercise science major at FSU? Really? Sounds tough. Bet the dude didn't break a 20 on the MCAT. Wonder if he knows what it takes to match NS, although the same standards won't be made for him I bet...

But still, he did play football so let's idolize him. Let's put him on a pedestal because he could play football and spell his name. Sometimes America makes no sense.

ur jealous

 

[DoctorLacrosse]

Even more important in my mind (which is also admittedly one of someone not in medical school) would be the experience of following a similar routine to that of the residents/attendings, in terms of coming in early, leaving early, enduring whatever tedium or monotony there may be during the day. This is not to mention getting a sense of the personality type the field attracts, which might prevail among your coworkers.

All great points, which I thought about also but couldn't find a way to put into words quite as elegantly as you did. Agree 100%.

 

[DoctorLacrosse]

Eh, a thousand other pre-meds have said it before too. It doesn't really matter - it's not like it will prevent him from going into something else just because he said that.

Yeah I know and do agree, was just trying to make the point that saying you know you want something as a pre-med doesn't really mean anything because you don't actually know, at all.

 

[Pons Asinorum]

Even more important in my mind (which is also admittedly one of someone not in medical school) would be the experience of following a similar routine to that of the residents/attendings, in terms of coming in early, leaving early, enduring whatever tedium or monotony there may be during the day. This is not to mention getting a sense of the personality type the field attracts, which might prevail among your coworkers.

This is the key bit. When you shadow, I would assume that the shadower doesn't spend a few weeks following the NS team every hour that the resident and/or attending is at it. Watching a 4 hour tumor resection? Cool. Working NS hours for a few weeks? An actual shock to your system.

 

[kmp0410]

For everyone that is viewing exercise science at FSU as a "fluff" major, briefly browse over the major course requirements and compare it to a notoriously lighter major such as Psychology:

Exercise Science: http://www.academic-guide.fsu.edu/exercisescience.htm

Psychology: http://www.academic-guide.fsu.edu/psychology.htm


Exercise Science is not a walk in the park, and many freshmen and sophomores switch out of it every year, often for other majors in the College of Human Sciences like Family and Child Science. There are definitely harder majors among the likes of Engineering or Bio, but at the other end of the spectrum there are still many lighter areas of study. A 3.75 GPA in the Exercise Science program requires a lot of time and energy, and it is definitely not considered average within that major at FSU. And the fact that Myron Rolle completed this major in two and a half years in addition to his phenomenal run with FSU football is disgusting.

This is true, I went to FSU and have a degree in Exercise Science.

What can make it seem like an easier major, is that there is essentially two tracts. A standard degree getting way, where you take survey of organic and an easy biochem class. And then the one that pre-meds/dents/vets etc take where you take the standard Organic1 1&2 and a pretty difficult biochemistry class.

I ended up choosing Exercise Science over Bio simply because I would have to take 3 semesters of a foreign language in Bio, while I did not with Exercise Science. I took extra classes for science GPA purpose (Genetics, Structure/Fxn), and the only major difference between myself and a bio major was that instead of taking plant biology and zoology (classes I had no interest in), I took anatomy and phys and metabolism. There is some different upper level Exercise Physiology classes you will take too, some of which is useless, but it probably evens out with the other useless bio classes you might take.

 

[DoctorLacrosse]

This is the key bit. When you shadow, I would assume that the shadower doesn't spend a few weeks following the NS team every hour that the resident and/or attending is at it. Watching a 4 hour tumor resection? Cool. Working NS hours for a few weeks? An actual shock to your system.

Bingo my friend, bingo. 👍

And your avatar haha... damn I miss Chappelle's Show. best show of all time. hands down. (That's also an opinion before anyone gets butthurt over it 😉)

 

[cookiemonsters]

Just saw on reddit that he's going to FSU

 

[Narmerguy]

Just saw on reddit that he's going to FSU... MCAT must've been pretty harsh to him.

Or he just wanted to stay in Florida.

 

[Lafakads]

dang, I really wish I got into FSU. Would have been awesome.

 

[cincincyreds]

Wasn't there a running back for the Vikings a few years back who went to Ohio State for medical school?

I would assume medical schools love someone with a professional sports background.

 

[ericksonj15]

.

 

[prado]

Just saw on reddit that he's going to FSU... MCAT must've been pretty harsh to him.

Or he just wanted to stay in Florida.

Yeah, talk about a slap in the face to all those kids at FSU. Strong sense of priorities cookiemonster 👎

 

[alpinism]

Lol. Well considering the fact that FSU doesn't even have a nsx residency, something must have happened.

His own words:
"I'm looking for schools with good neurosurgery programs in places where I want to live."

Maybe he applied really late, maybe he did have a MCAT in the lower 20s, or maybe he just had a change in heart.

 

[Omppu27]

Not quite. Vikings RB Robert Smith played college football at Ohio State. He retired from the NFL in his late 20's and there was rumblings that it was to attend medical school as he stated that's what he always wanted to do. In the end, he never went and he works as a football analyst now.

Wasn't there a running back for the Vikings a few years back who went to Ohio State for medical school?

I would assume medical schools love someone with a professional sports background.

I thought he quit football while at osu to focus on academics... oh well.

Simon Frasier was a defensive lineman at osu and played for Browns in the mid 2000s. Pretty sure he's graduated from osu's medical school recently... I feel like these people are at least guaranteed an interview at their UG's med school....

 

[Bluto385]

.

 

[pv515]

Lol. Well considering the fact that FSU doesn't even have a nsx residency, something must have happened.

His own words:
"I’m looking for schools with good neurosurgery programs in places where I want to live.”

Maybe he applied really late, maybe he did have a MCAT in the lower 20s, or maybe he just had a change in heart.

Actually an extremely good point. I don't know what all the fuss is about. Myron Rolle is an intelligent guy, who is very motivated at everything he does. That said, he isn't brilliant, and the Rhodes Scholarship is more of an athletic and character achievement award than anything given for a test score, like many med school scholarships seem to be based on.

Based on his work in community health in college, I kinda doubt he pursues the neurosurgery thing, since FSU really does line up with that mission he had. Too much is being made of a guy who will be just another doctor, like most of us here, someday. Not like he asked for it to be big national news, it's just a nice story and people here are upset over him getting attention where most premeds aren't recognized for stuff.

 

[Bluto385]

Based on his work in community health in college, I kinda doubt he pursues the neurosurgery thing, since FSU really does line up with that mission he had.

There really is no telling where he is going to end up. Take a look at the link below and you will see that a handful of people have matched into either neurosurgery or neurology out of FSU over the past three years. FSU's mission may promote primary care for the underserved, but it certainly does not discriminate against students that want to specialize.

http://med.fsu.edu/index.cfm?page=alumniFriends.whereTheyMatched

 

[Dbate]

Lots of jealously in this thread.

I will never understand why people can't just be happy for others. Just because someone accomplishes more than you doesn't mean you can't be happy for them.

Jealous seems rooted in insecurity more than anything else.