parents are funny in this process :)

[MrAgreeable]

Well, no Russians in my family, it's only my mom and sisters and me, and we're Hispanic/Italian. So instead of sketchy contacts, my mother is CONVINCED that the key to my getting into med school will be every dead relative I've ever had. Apparently Heaven is boring and all they do there is watch me fill out secondary applications. Oh, also, if I get anything less than an A, it's my fault ("you should have studied harder!") but the first thing I was told when I did well on the MCAT was "see, I told you your dad would work a miracle..." (uhm yeah cause my studying a zillion hours a day had nothing to do with it...).

My mom recently came to visit me in CA. This was one of our MANY conversations on the subject:

Mom: "So when are you gonna show me these California schools you want to abandon me for"
Me: "Mom, I'm not abandoning you. And if you really want, I can show you Stanford and UCSF..."
"Yeah let's go"

so we drive to Stanford, which is closer

Mom: "Ok, I like this for you, you should go here"
Me: "Er...I don't think it's that simple. Plus I like UCSF better"
"Why? Is it prettier?"
"I don't know that it's a matter of prettiness..."
"It can't be prettier than Stanford. And this is so safe!"
"Mom, it's a moot point, I'm not getting into either, and that's precisely what I dont like about Stanford, its a bubble"
"Yeah, but I wont be worried"
"Uhmm I can't really base my decision on your worries...."
"Don't be disrespectful. After all I've done for you girls. Plus, no one's heard of UCSF."
"Uhm, that's incorrect."
"Well I've never heard of it"
"Yeah, that doesn't really mean anything. You've only heard of Harvard."
"When's your Harvard interview?"
"Never? I didn't apply. This is the 12095810th time I tell you."
"Ay now why would you be so negative? Your dad, grandma, grandpa, and the saints I lit a candle to will help!"
"Uhm can they help me get into UCSF?"
Silence....

Hahaha This is so Catholic and so something my grandmother would do. I feel you on this on and on your previous post concerning candle lighting. (Grandma is Polish)

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[Ella Shepherd]

LOL I like the feeling when Mom gets excited about the process, too. I like it when she asks questions and tries to help me out the best she can. It's touching and oh so cute! LOL

 

[Surferboy]

My parents are so oblivious to the application process. Even for college applications, they never saw anything or even knew about half the schools I applied for. For med school, they just know I'm applying to "UCs" and "some" non-California schools. Looking back on it, I wish they could have had some background info on the process. I guess SDN has taken that role. I'd be so lost without this site.

 

[ar2388]

My parents are so oblivious to the application process. Even for college applications, they never saw anything or even knew about half the schools I applied for. For med school, they just know I'm applying to "UCs" and "some" non-California schools. Looking back on it, I wish they could have had some background info on the process. I guess SDN has taken that role. I'd be so lost without this site.

im with oyu on that... my parents know which schools i applied to and a tiny bit about the process (mostly that there are 2 steps - a primary and secondatry application - before you get an interview) but that is close to the end of what they know.. they do try their best to be supportive though and that means a lot

 

[Druzie]

As soon as I made it, I pointed my family to my mdapps. This has significantly reduced the number of questions and conversations.

 

[student1799]

No matter how often you explain that applying to med school takes over a year, no one seems to get it. So, about two months after you mention to parents, relatives or acquaintances that you're applying to med school, someone's guaranteed to ask "which med school you're going to" (as in right then).

And this is AFTER they've already confused your 2-year postbacc program with med school.

 

[Kaustikos]

No matter how often you explain that applying to med school takes over a year, no one seems to get it. So, about two months after you mention to parents, relatives or acquaintances that you're applying to med school, someone's guaranteed to ask "which med school you're going to" (as in right then).

And this is AFTER they've already confused your 2-year postbacc program with med school.

If there's one thing I wish someone had told me before I opted to spout out to everyone that I was pre-med and wanting to go to medical school it's to not open my mouth in the first place.

What do you want to do?
Public Service

What's your major?
Life Sciences

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Garbage man - low expectations.
Incidentally, I actually said hitman when I was asked that by my freshman highschool english teacher. She didn't find that all too amusing and didn't see the joke in that job after I explained to her that I wanted to be a doctor.

But seriously;

Where's the "Medical School Application Process For Dummies" book?

 

[cdeane16]

Conversation Today 5:30am half an hour before I have to wakeup

Mom: Sweety are you sleeping?

Me: YES!!!!!

Mom: Oh well anyway I just wanted to ask you a question.

Me: What is it mother

Mom: After you pass the "CAT Test", should I order invitations to your graduation party for everyone or just a select few people?

***GRAB PILLOW AND SCREAM BLOODY MURDER INTO IT!
Mom: What did I say?

Me: (calmly, through clenched teeth) Do Not Throw Me a Graduation Party! I Haven't Graduated From Medical School, I haven't Even Gotten In Yet! I haven't even applied Yet! Do not throw a party, mother I mean it!!!

Mom: Oh, **silence** Well Why didn't you just say that in the first place! Now I have to go and uninvite all of these people! (Storms out insulted)

**I stare at the door completely amazed, alarm goes off 15minutes later***

this made my day

 

[Chemist0157]

This is really my mother-in-law, not my mother, but close enough . She was concerned about my medical school because she was afraid they teach all of us how to perform an abortion! Can you imagine? Since it's soo controversial, a medical school would be burned at the stake for FORCING medical students to perform that.

Geez.

 

[gujuDoc]

This is really my mother-in-law, not my mother, but close enough . She was concerned about my medical school because she was afraid they teach all of us how to perform an abortion! Can you imagine? Since it's soo controversial, a medical school would be burned at the stake for FORCING medical students to perform that.

Geez.

That is something you'd learn in residency not in 3rd year med school ob/gyn rotations. haha

 

[87138]

That is something you'd learn in residency not in 3rd year med school ob/gyn rotations. haha

I'm pretty sure being able to perform abortions is going to be a prereq for med school soon, like Biochem is already becoming for many schools.

 

[Roy Basch]

I directed my parents to this thread a while back. Now they're a little afraid of sounding like some of the people in it, so they don't ask me anything.

 

[engineeredout]

My mom made the decision to accompany me on any interview I had to go more then 2 hours away to get to. Paid for my hotel and food though.. I can't complain.. I mean.. the fact that she was so excited she even ironed my underwear was a little strange though.

I'm facing that too. Eight hour drive to Erie, PA with my father . Didn't have much of a choice in the matter.





And I love when we had to take my dad to the ER for stitches because he was playing with a bungee cord and it snapped in his face telling everyone who walked in the room that I'm applying to medical school. I'm sure the PA who stitched him up really gave a crap.






I liked back when I was studying for the MCATs and taking timed practice exams having my door randomly banged on.

Dad: *KNOCK KNOCK* engineeredout, can you open the door?

Me: I'm busy right now

Dad: Can you open up?

Me: NO I'M BUSY RIGHT NOW

Dad: Titan (the dog) wants to say hi

Me: NOT NOW

Dad: Aww hes sad now. Hes looking at the door. He wants to know where you are and why you won't play with him.

Me: I'm studying right now!

Dad: Titan misses you.







And they wonder why I insist on dorming at college. I like the dog, its everyone else that prevents me from studying at home.

 

[gujuDoc]

I directed my parents to this thread a while back. Now they're a little afraid of sounding like some of the people in it, so they don't ask me anything.

 

[mmmcdowe]

I'm facing that too. Eight hour drive to Erie, PA with my father . Didn't have much of a choice in the matter.





And I love when we had to take my dad to the ER for stitches because he was playing with a bungee cord and it snapped in his face telling everyone who walked in the room that I'm applying to medical school. I'm sure the PA who stitched him up really gave a crap.






I liked back when I was studying for the MCATs and taking timed practice exams having my door randomly banged on.

Dad: *KNOCK KNOCK* engineeredout, can you open the door?

Me: I'm busy right now

Dad: Can you open up?

Me: NO I'M BUSY RIGHT NOW

Dad: Titan (the dog) wants to say hi

Me: NOT NOW

Dad: Aww hes sad now. Hes looking at the door. He wants to know where you are and why you won't play with him.

Me: I'm studying right now!

Dad: Titan misses you.







And they wonder why I insist on dorming at college. I like the dog, its everyone else that prevents me from studying at home.

Speaking of stiches, I tell this story each time an interviewer asks what I've learned from my father being a physician.

So I was 10 and I had a benign tumor on my right elbow. One day my dad suggested we go put put golfing. I, being a huge lover of golf until that day, readily agreed. So we were driving and my dad said that he needed to stop at work for a couple minutes in order to fill out some paperwork or something. He tells me to wait in one of the ED rooms while he takes care of it. In walk two BIG male nurses, who promptly pin me to the bed. My dad comes in, removes the tumor while I kick and cry, and then takes me put put golfing. I sobbed the whole 18 holes, even the bonus hole.

The moral of the story is that I now know how not to treat my child patients in the future.

Oh, the best part is, of all the minor surgeries my father had ever done, mine got seriously infected and I have a huge scar on my arm from it all.

I love you daddy.

 

[gujuDoc]

Speaking of stiches, I tell this story each time an interviewer asks what I've learned from my father being a physician.

So I was 10 and I had a benign tumor on my right elbow. One day my dad suggested we go put put golfing. I, being a huge lover of golf until that day, readily agreed. So we were driving and my dad said that he needed to stop at work for a couple minutes in order to fill out some paperwork or something. He tells me to wait in one of the ED rooms while he takes care of it. In walk two BIG male nurses, who promptly pin me to the bed. My dad comes in, removes the tumor while I kick and cry, and then takes me put put golfing. I sobbed the whole 18 holes, even the bonus hole.

The moral of the story is that I now know how not to treat my child patients in the future.

Oh, the best part is, of all the minor surgeries my father had ever done, mine got seriously infected and I have a huge scar on my arm from it all.

I love you daddy.

See I have a huge problem with going to physicians who are either related to you or family friends because they tend to be biased and not always take things seriously or patiently. If they are not your friends/family they take the patients more seriously.

He should have let the EM physician take care of it or whatever kinda doctor takes care of those kinda things normally.

 

[mmmcdowe]

See I have a huge problem with going to physicians who are either related to you or family friends because they tend to be biased and not always take things seriously or patiently. If they are not your friends/family they take the patients more seriously.

He should have let the EM physician take care of it or whatever kinda doctor takes care of those kinda things normally.

Yeah having my dad as a primary care physician can be a little rough. He didn't believe I needed glasses even though I had 2 eye exams that said I did, lol. Whenever anyone in my family is sick or hurt, his answer is always "you're fine".

 

[gujuDoc]

Yeah having my dad as a primary care physician can be a little rough. He didn't believe I needed glasses even though I had 2 eye exams that said I did, lol. Whenever anyone in my family is sick or hurt, his answer is always "you're fine".

Ha! that is how our friend is. This is why I am getting my own non-Indian physician starting this week. I am going to get my files transferred to a new doctor now that I'm insured.

And my parents aren't even doctors and they do the same thing too. This is why I don't discuss health thigs with them anymore.

 

[mmmcdowe]

Ha! that is how our friend is. This is why I am getting my own non-Indian physician starting this week. I am going to get my files transferred to a new doctor now that I'm insured.

And my parents aren't even doctors and they do the same thing too. This is why I don't discuss health thigs with them anymore.

The biggest benefit of that is the doctors won't propose to you anymore . I had a Bangladeshi gf a while back, countless hours of amusement from her endless line of random suitors.

 

[gujuDoc]

The biggest benefit of that is the doctors won't propose to you anymore . I had a Bangladeshi gf a while back, countless hours of amusement from her endless line of random suitors.

 

[majahops]

My parents are far from perfect. I'm sure they've scarred me in unimaginable ways with their parenting methodologies over the years... but I wouldn't trade either of them for anyone.

That we are even considering becoming doctors - the best profession on Earth - is a testament to each and every one of our parents. I only hope that I can instill my own children with the confidence to believe (I believe Barack would refer to this as "audacity") that they can get paid to heal their fellow man.

p.s. spell check is still not recognizing "Barack" as a word. We gotta update that, baby. Obama time!

 

[Loon]

p.s. spell check is still not recognizing "Barack" as a word. We gotta update that, baby. Obama time!

Change starts with you. Specifically, right-clicking and then selecting "Add to Dictionary" from the pop-up menu.

 

[majahops]

I like your style

Change starts with you. Specifically, right-clicking and then selecting "Add to Dictionary" from the pop-up menu.

 

[mmmcdowe]

Change starts with you. Specifically, right-clicking and then selecting "Add to Dictionary" from the pop-up menu.

That easily wins the comment of the day award

 

[Dilligas]

bump

 

[yangxx2]

I'm a soph in college. So my fam and I are at a dinner party, with other guests around the table.

Dad: Yep, my daughter's pre-med **beams and starts rattling off how good it is, yadda yadda**
x person: Oh wow, so you're really interested in medicine right? Because I remember for a while that you thought about teaching.
Me: Yes, I did, but after my shadowing experience in the ER, I really loved it.
Dad: Yep, she followed doctors around and was able to look in on certain procedures
Me: Yeah dad..it's not that big a deal
Dad: She'll be a doctor in about 3 more years, and then she'll be the one with pre-med students following her around!
Me: --> --> -->


He means well though..even though he has absolutely no clue and refuses to believe that med school + college = average of 8 years.

 

[mmmcdowe]

Other girls dad: My daughter is going to Harvard I can feel it! She aced the MCAT?

Me: Oh really?

Dad: Yep! She got a 29 out of 30!

I didn't have the heart to correct him.

 

[goldenwest]

All I get from my parents is the occasional phone call from my mom where she says.... "So.... are you STILL considering medicine?"

 

[chad5871]

Other girls dad: My daughter is going to Harvard I can feel it! She aced the MCAT?

Me: Oh really?

Dad: Yep! She got a 29 out of 30!

I didn't have the heart to correct him.

Wow, that's just sad...

Although it is annoying when people who don't know anything about med school admissions ask what I got on the MCAT, and then when I tell them 31/45 it sounds like I "failed."

 

[mmmcdowe]

Wow, that's just sad...

Although it is annoying when people who don't know anything about med school admissions ask what I got on the MCAT, and then when I tell them 31/45 it sounds like I "failed."

Yeah I know. I've heard people say that a 40 out of 45 is "just making it".

 

[Loon]

Yeah I know. I've heard people say that a 40 out of 45 is "just making it".

I find it helpful to give people percentiles.

 

[Sangria]

my mom got really upset when i told her that she's not allowed to open anything from a school where I interviewed. She almost hung up on me and was saying how the curiosity might kill her

 

[mmmcdowe]

I find it helpful to give people percentiles.

Same, I don't even tell people my numbers anymore.

Everytime I call my mom she asks me if I've been accepted anywhere else. It drives me crazy because I'll call her twice during the weekend and she'll ask!

 

[Loon]

I solve that problem by having all mail sent to my parents' place. They feel all involved, and are only heads up on rejections and a few interviews. They still ask if I've heard from other schools, but then I can't criticize that, as I check my email compulsively.

 

[pianola]

YES. Everyone keeps asking me if I've 'heard anything new yet'?

Kind of irritating. I just want to tell them to "ask me May 15th please."

No, I will not be getting acceptances every week, it doesn't work like that.

 

[silverhorse84]

YES. Everyone keeps asking me if I've 'heard anything new yet'?

Kind of irritating. I just want to tell them to "ask me May 15th please."

No, I will not be getting acceptances every week, it doesn't work like that.

Haha, but it would be nice if we did! Yeah, every time I go to work I get that question. To give them the benefit of the doubt, I do change partners frequently so they don't see me too often - however, since all of them ask me, it's still a bit annoying...

 

[GoSpursGo]

Bump, because I figure there's got to be some good stories from Thanksgiving considering being around the whole family

As for myself, I've got nothing special, except that I have to keep explaining to my 87-year old grandmother why I have to go "all the way to Houston" for med school (I live in San Antonio ). She keeps asking me why I don't just go to the school here in SA, and I have to keep explaining I didn't get in there and I can't just choose to go.

Cmon, I know there have to be some priceless stories out there!

 

[Benzoic329]

I wonder if silvercholla ever got into med school...her earlier posts from 2002 are hilarious

 

[mmmcdowe]

I was telling my little brother about mutations in genes (just general stuff), and my grandmother suddenly bursts out "My he's only been in medical school for a few weeks and he already sounds like a doctor!"

I had to explain to her that you don't start medical school when you are accepted, and that I start next year. I think she understood....

 

[airplanes]

So my aunt brings over her new doctor/boyfriend for thxgiving dinner and of course, my dad had to talk me up to him and the whole family for getting accepted.

I told my dad awhile ago that I was interested in working and volunteering internationally in underserved areas...so he decided to announce to everyone around the dinner table that I won't be of any financial help as my parents get older because I'm going to South America to work as a doctor.

As I contemplate how naive he just made me sound in front of some 30-40 extended family members, my other aunts proceed to question me about why I don't want to practice in China instead (I'm Chinese). All I can do is look sheepishly at the ground....(and blame my dad's asian genes for making him so buzzed from three sips of wine in my head).

 

[han14tra]

Mom: han14tra, did you pass your "MCAPS"?
Me: It's the MCAT, and its not pass/fail.
Mom: Well, then how does the medical school decide who to take if everyone passes?
Me: Uhhh...
Mom: Don't worry, you'll get in everywhere you apply.
Me: No I won't.
Mom: Yes, you will.
Me: Mom, I've told you a hundred times that I've already gotten 11 rejections.
Mom: What?!? Why would they reject you? What's their number? They need to know how big of mistake they're making.
Me: Mom!!
Mom: What did I say?

 

[Dr Lyss]

My mom has this obsession with reading any medical school correspondence or essay. If i get a letter in the mail she wants to read it word for word & then ask me what it means (and if its good news she proceeds to crying and calling about 20 family members)

Every day I get asked at least once to let her read "those essays" I was writing.

ME: "Mom, I applied to over 20 schools you don't want to read these paragraph essays"
Mom: "Yes I doooo!"
Give her a few random essays
Mom: "DRLyss why did you use this font it's horrible! Why did you use this word it sounds funny... blah blah"

Drive me nuts but I love 'em

 

[ztaw15]

So my whole family just came into town for my graduation, and I never know what to say when people congratulate me and tell me how proud they are etc. So I end up just saying thank you and kind of looking at the floor...I really never know how to respond, and thank you sounds so lame.

Anyway I guess my funny story would be that my step-dad is a CRNA and is always trying to convince me to forget medical school and go to dental school.

Oh and I wa talking to my dad about how I applied to twelve schools:

me "well it gets pretty expensive, paying the fees for all these school's applications"
Dad "why did you apply to so many? why not just pick two or three that you really like?"
me "it doesn't really work like that, its hard to get in anywhere, even with good grades"
Dad "yeah, but twelve? that seems kind of excessive"
me "yeah...maybe"

 

[ar2388]

So my whole family just came into town for my graduation, and I never know what to say when people congratulate me and tell me how proud they are etc. So I end up just saying thank you and kind of looking at the floor...I really never know how to respond, and thank you sounds so lame.

Anyway I guess my funny story would be that my step-dad is a CRNA and is always trying to convince me to forget medical school and go to dental school.

Oh and I wa talking to my dad about how I applied to twelve schools:

me "well it gets pretty expensive, paying the fees for all these school's applications"
Dad "why did you apply to so many? why not just pick two or three that you really like?"
me "it doesn't really work like that, its hard to get in anywhere, even with good grades"
Dad "yeah, but twelve? that seems kind of excessive"
me "yeah...maybe"

haha if anything 12 is too little!

 

[Fatima41200]

I hate how easy my parents think it is. They want me to go to med school in the middle east, I am like ARE YOU CRAZY? People would kill to get a US Med School education and you want me to go to the Middle East to some non accredited school?

and they keep asking me how many years I have left until I become a doctor...I keep having to tell them that I am not even 1/4th of the way there. When I tell them what schools I am going to apply to they complain about how far away it is, and they blame me for wanting to move away from them. They think getting into a local med school is easy, like you can just enroll and you're set. Foreign parents are nuts.

 

[airplanes]

haha if anything 12 is too little!

seriously, you should have told them about some of the SDNers who applied to 30+ !! (Not to name names or anything )

I hate how easy my parents think it is. They want me to go to med school in the middle east, I am like ARE YOU CRAZY? People would kill to get a US Med School education and you want me to go to the Middle East to some non accredited school?

and they keep asking me how many years I have left until I become a doctor...I keep having to tell them that I am not even 1/4th of the way there. When I tell them what schools I am going to apply to they complain about how far away it is, and they blame me for wanting to move away from them. They think getting into a local med school is easy, like you can just enroll and you're set. Foreign parents are nuts.

Hahahah. Do you listen to anything your parents tell you to do?

 

[Fatima41200]

Hahahah. Do you listen to anything your parents tell you to do?

No They don't really know what's good for me. It really hurts them when I don't do what they tell me to do...dont even get me started!

 

[airplanes]

No They don't really know what's good for me. It really hurts them when I don't do what they tell me to do...dont even get me started!

Haha, thats what this thread is for! (more or less). I can't really complain about my parents, they've always provided for me. They're paying for this whole application process on top of other monetary support. I guess they do expect me to take good care of them when they're older though...It's the immigrant way

 

[Fatima41200]

Haha, thats what this thread is for! (more or less). I can't really complain about my parents, they've always provided for me. They're paying for this whole application process on top of other monetary support. I guess they do expect me to take good care of them when they're older though...It's the immigrant way

my parents aren't really paying for any of my schooling, I am working/taking out loans to pay for it. Ever since they discovered that I am able to earn my own money, they've stopped supporting me, they just let me live in their house. I don't mind, I'd rather pay for everything myself. I told them I am putting them in a nursing home when they get old just to mess with them hehe.

 

[airplanes]

my parents aren't really paying for any of my schooling, I am working/taking out loans to pay for it. Ever since they discovered that I am able to earn my own money, they've stopped supporting me, they just let me live in their house. I don't mind, I'd rather pay for everything myself. I told them I am putting them in a nursing home when they get old just to mess with them hehe.

you crack me up!