Has anyone else heard about the 14 year old girl who's applying to medical school.
Non Traditional - 14 years old
- Thread starter FINATWO
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Wow, she could be out of med school, done with residency, and on her own by the time she was 22 or 23. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> That's the way to do it. I wish I had been a child prodigy.
There's a kid in my MCAT class that is 12 or 13. I can't even imagine how horrible college would be at that age. No friends, no parties, his parents drive him to class. Seriously, I think its a mistake. Besides that, if I'm having trouble having enough "life experience" I don't now how you do it at that age.
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It's not that bad. I graduated MedSchool when I was 19, and it was hard at all. In fact, I thought it was just a little to easy for my pace. Oh well, I'm just glad I had advanced standing and graduated in three years instead of four. So, it was just a waste of three and not four years. thank god!
Ok, maybe I was lying about that. April Fools . . . wait a minute, that was yesterday . . . crap!
Seriously, if someone that young wanted to go to MedSchool, let them do it. They are probably so smart that they wouldn't have friends anyway because they couldn't relate to people their age.
Ok, maybe I was lying about that. April Fools . . . wait a minute, that was yesterday . . . crap!
Seriously, if someone that young wanted to go to MedSchool, let them do it. They are probably so smart that they wouldn't have friends anyway because they couldn't relate to people their age.
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She'll probably go into early retirement...start practicing in her early 20s and retire in her 40s... 
I don't understand why you'd want to do that though. She's going to be missing out on some great stuff. You think she had a "real" childhood?
I don't understand why you'd want to do that though. She's going to be missing out on some great stuff. You think she had a "real" childhood?
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man, more power to her
none of us know her situation, so i'm going to assume she's doing it because she wants to do it. and in that case, bravo!
none of us know her situation, so i'm going to assume she's doing it because she wants to do it. and in that case, bravo!
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•••quote:•••Originally posted by irongirl:
•I think I've read that most medical schools require that a student be 21 before they graduate. Which makes sense, because who wants a doctor who isn't even old enough to drink?•••••Yeah, because everyone knows that alcoholics make the best doctors!!! How could anyone possibly perform surgury without a stiff drink by their side!!
I know what you meant, I am just poking fun at the way it sounded.
•I think I've read that most medical schools require that a student be 21 before they graduate. Which makes sense, because who wants a doctor who isn't even old enough to drink?•••••Yeah, because everyone knows that alcoholics make the best doctors!!!
How could anyone possibly perform surgury without a stiff drink by their side!! I know what you meant, I am just poking fun at the way it sounded.
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Yeah, some states have the 21 law... At Miami, they had a student who did the combined undergrad/med degree and finished six months before he was 21, so he just got a 6 month vacation before he could begin his residency.
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I'm a Senior Member now!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
I think having a doctor too young could be dangerous. I don't care how smart the girl is, she probably won't have the maturity to make life changing decisions for others.
She'll be starting residency during most people's first year of college.
I think having a doctor too young could be dangerous. I don't care how smart the girl is, she probably won't have the maturity to make life changing decisions for others.
She'll be starting residency during most people's first year of college.
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i think most patients would rather see an old doctor. it's all about experience, not smarts. :0
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•••quote:•••Originally posted by oldman:
•it's all about experience, not smarts. :0•••••Yeah, I'll take the old, average doc over the child prodigy any day. :wink: Hell, all I care about is if she know's her ****. If she does, more power to her. Like another poster said though, you can't start residency until you're 21. Hmm, maybe she's going MD/PhD? Prolly finish both of em in 5 years or something. Damn overachievers!!!
•it's all about experience, not smarts. :0•••••Yeah, I'll take the old, average doc over the child prodigy any day. :wink: Hell, all I care about is if she know's her ****. If she does, more power to her. Like another poster said though, you can't start residency until you're 21. Hmm, maybe she's going MD/PhD? Prolly finish both of em in 5 years or something. Damn overachievers!!!
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Where did FINATWO go anyway?? Where did you hear about this? Are you sure it's not some someone who is applying to combined BA/MD program?
I've seen high schoolers interview for these programs, and I thought it was kinda funny. More power to them if they are that smart, I have no doubt that they can get better MCAT scores than me, but it just seems kinda silly talking to them.
I've seen high schoolers interview for these programs, and I thought it was kinda funny. More power to them if they are that smart, I have no doubt that they can get better MCAT scores than me, but it just seems kinda silly talking to them.
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I'm glad I am not a child prodigy to tell you the truth. The more power to her, but becoming a doctor at that age just takes away the best years of your life. When will you ever have a fun?
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Here you go. . .he's a fellow at Duke right now.
New York, May 22, 1995
Indian American Boy is World's Youngest Doctor
By TANIA ANAND
NEW YORK: Bala Murali Ambati, a New York-based Indian-American,
staked his claim to become the world's youngest doctor when he
graduated last week from Mt. Sinai Medical School, two months
before his 18th birthday. The New York state legislature has had to
pass a special exception allowing Bala to practice medicine because
he is still far below the required age of 21.
Bala is now headed for an internship at North Shore University
Hospital and will be moving on to the Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Infirmary at Harvard Medical School for residency in ophthalmology next
year.
Asked how they felt about the achievement, while Bala responded
with a subdued 'I feel very good,' his mother, Gomathi, was more
emphatic in her joy. 'We had a plan. We did it!' she said with a
proud glance at her son.
Interestingly, while Bala's achievement has attracted global media
spotlight and the family has been receiving phone calls and letters
from congressmen, senators and all kinds of well-wishers over the
past week, no Indian or Indian-American association has even
acknowledged Bala's feat.
Bala received an award for excellence in communication of science
from the American Medical Association for a book on AIDS he co-
authored with his brother when he was just 11.
Bala has been a student-in-a-hurry ever since his elementary school
years in Baltimore. He completed his school curriculum two years at
a time and was done with high school by 11. His family then moved
to New York and by 13 he had completed a BS in biology from New York
University.
Asked whether the excessive work load got the better of him at any
point, Bala maintained, 'Schools in America are as it is easy. I
still had time to play.'
Bala, like any American boy his age, loves going to the movies with
friends and watching his favorite shows like ER and Star Trek on
TV. He enjoys playing basketball, chess and table tennis.
And like most Indians today, he is an avid fan of Mani Rathnam --
his favorite film being Nayakan -- and loves listening to the songs of
Roja.
The Ambati family is the archetypal south Indian family with a
zealous pursuit of academics and a strong belief in God. Dr. Ambati
Rao, Bala's father, has a Ph.D. in engineering, Gomathi a master's
in mathematics, and Jaya Krishna, Bala's elder brother, is also a
doctor. Incidentally, Jaya Krishna, too, was already studying
college courses by the time he was 9.
Each time the family visits India, they make it a point to visit
Sri Venkateswara temple at Tirupati. The Ambati home in Queens, a
New York borough, is living proof of family priorities. In every
possible nook and corner of the living room are squeezed in dozens
of photographs of the family members, their trophies and pictures
of God and Sri Venkateswara temple.
Bala, who is fluent in both Tamil and Telugu, hopes to have one
foot in the US and the other in India once he begins his practice.
He wants to continue with research even after he begins working.
Bala has always had far older course mates and has learned to
adjust. Yet he says he does not feel an oddity within his own age group.
Asked what he treasured most about his Indian background, the quiet
underplayed Bala shot back immediately, 'The value for family.'
New York, May 22, 1995
Indian American Boy is World's Youngest Doctor
By TANIA ANAND
NEW YORK: Bala Murali Ambati, a New York-based Indian-American,
staked his claim to become the world's youngest doctor when he
graduated last week from Mt. Sinai Medical School, two months
before his 18th birthday. The New York state legislature has had to
pass a special exception allowing Bala to practice medicine because
he is still far below the required age of 21.
Bala is now headed for an internship at North Shore University
Hospital and will be moving on to the Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Infirmary at Harvard Medical School for residency in ophthalmology next
year.
Asked how they felt about the achievement, while Bala responded
with a subdued 'I feel very good,' his mother, Gomathi, was more
emphatic in her joy. 'We had a plan. We did it!' she said with a
proud glance at her son.
Interestingly, while Bala's achievement has attracted global media
spotlight and the family has been receiving phone calls and letters
from congressmen, senators and all kinds of well-wishers over the
past week, no Indian or Indian-American association has even
acknowledged Bala's feat.
Bala received an award for excellence in communication of science
from the American Medical Association for a book on AIDS he co-
authored with his brother when he was just 11.
Bala has been a student-in-a-hurry ever since his elementary school
years in Baltimore. He completed his school curriculum two years at
a time and was done with high school by 11. His family then moved
to New York and by 13 he had completed a BS in biology from New York
University.
Asked whether the excessive work load got the better of him at any
point, Bala maintained, 'Schools in America are as it is easy. I
still had time to play.'
Bala, like any American boy his age, loves going to the movies with
friends and watching his favorite shows like ER and Star Trek on
TV. He enjoys playing basketball, chess and table tennis.
And like most Indians today, he is an avid fan of Mani Rathnam --
his favorite film being Nayakan -- and loves listening to the songs of
Roja.
The Ambati family is the archetypal south Indian family with a
zealous pursuit of academics and a strong belief in God. Dr. Ambati
Rao, Bala's father, has a Ph.D. in engineering, Gomathi a master's
in mathematics, and Jaya Krishna, Bala's elder brother, is also a
doctor. Incidentally, Jaya Krishna, too, was already studying
college courses by the time he was 9.
Each time the family visits India, they make it a point to visit
Sri Venkateswara temple at Tirupati. The Ambati home in Queens, a
New York borough, is living proof of family priorities. In every
possible nook and corner of the living room are squeezed in dozens
of photographs of the family members, their trophies and pictures
of God and Sri Venkateswara temple.
Bala, who is fluent in both Tamil and Telugu, hopes to have one
foot in the US and the other in India once he begins his practice.
He wants to continue with research even after he begins working.
Bala has always had far older course mates and has learned to
adjust. Yet he says he does not feel an oddity within his own age group.
Asked what he treasured most about his Indian background, the quiet
underplayed Bala shot back immediately, 'The value for family.'
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maybe im missing the big picture--gestalt is not for me.... but.....
i would just like to know what's going to happen during her rotations--is she going to live at the hospital, or will her parents ferry her back and forth?
second, what happens when she can't see over the gurney?
and lastly, but certainly not least, crayola stopped making SAFE-T scapels a long time ago.
in all seriousness, isn't a large part of this application process about maturity? shame on her parents for putting their child in this position.
just my $.02
i would just like to know what's going to happen during her rotations--is she going to live at the hospital, or will her parents ferry her back and forth?
second, what happens when she can't see over the gurney?
and lastly, but certainly not least, crayola stopped making SAFE-T scapels a long time ago.
in all seriousness, isn't a large part of this application process about maturity? shame on her parents for putting their child in this position.
just my $.02
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If an 18 yearold resident, no matter how "qualified" was assigned to my care or my family's care at a hospital, I wouldn't hesitate to request an "older" doctor. How can you develop a sense of self and have real-life experiences that will enable you to relate with patients when you were co-authoring a book on AIDS at age 11?
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I don't really understand the point of rushing through like that...aren't you supposed to enjoy the journey?
Aren't med schools always saying they look beyond numbers? I don't think someone that young has too much to offer besides brains and a lot less experience? I guess I can't really judge how good they'll be without knowing them, but I wouldn't see a doctor that young. I wonder if people will take them seriously.
Aren't med schools always saying they look beyond numbers? I don't think someone that young has too much to offer besides brains and a lot less experience? I guess I can't really judge how good they'll be without knowing them, but I wouldn't see a doctor that young. I wonder if people will take them seriously.
