parents are funny in this process :)

[CaliforniaBound]

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When i got the good news the school actually called my home number in Colorado! My mom was visiting me at the time so my dad called her all nonchalant and told her that some guy from LLU had called and wanted to chat with me. My mom starts screaming and crying and calls me saying "call LLU...call LLU" so i whip out my cell phone and give them a call. They proceed to put me on hold for what seems as forever (no more than five min but still!). My mom is sitting beside me crying and screaming and crying some more! She was more hysterical than me! Parents just are so funny sometimes. Now that i'm moving to CA my parents are worried about me because i'm so far away! My mom tells me my dad will just burst into tears sometimes because he's so scared and so proud of me and worried because i'm to young...etc! They just get so wrapped up into the whole process...sometimes it would just be easier if the med schools called the parents...we would still find out just as fast!

 

[LizH]

I'm just beginning the whole process....preparing to take the MCAT and looking into possible colleges....has anyone tried to explain to a parent what the MCAT is? They think of it like it's the SAT or ACT!!!

"You're worried about a test that's a month away???"
"You've got plenty of time to prepare, and you always do well."

I just can't seem to get it through my mother's head that this test is beyond comprehension. She tries, but I've kind of given up trying to make her understand. 😳

 

[dmk724]

I'm just beginning the whole process....preparing to take the MCAT and looking into possible colleges....has anyone tried to explain to a parent what the MCAT is? They think of it like it's the SAT or ACT!!!

"You're worried about a test that's a month away???"
"You've got plenty of time to prepare, and you always do well."

I just can't seem to get it through my mother's head that this test is beyond comprehension. She tries, but I've kind of given up trying to make her understand. 😳

A week before the MCATs, my mother said "Why are you so worried? You did fine on your SATs, right?" I curled up into the fetal position, started rocking and sobbing uncontrollably, and moaned over and over again, "My ENTIRE future HINGES on this TEST."

Just kidding. I actually said that the MCAT is closer to the SAT II subject tests, or the specialized GRE tests that some people take in order to get into grad school, except that the range of what they can ask is much wider. She kind of got the picture after that.

 

[Doxie]

My dad told so many people about me getting into medcal school that it
is really starting to get embarassing! His bragging makes me feel like
an arogant and bragging person in a secondhand way! Also, I wish
parents wouldn't get quite so excited when they know their kid is
having a hard time deciding if indeed they want to go to medical
school...I applied to several grad schools that I was seriously considering
(although I initially applied as a backup in case I didn't get in to med school)
but now I almost feel pushed into med school because they are so excited and have told everyone in my family that I'm going to med school. Because of them pushing me toward medicine, it has really made me wonder if it is me
or them who really wants me to do this.....I hate doubting myself. 🙁

 

[on_the_fence]

LMAO. Aww...

conversation with my mom:

her: "So...how many more classes do you have?"

me: "Well, this is it for the pre-reqs, but I have to take the MCAT yet"

her: "And then you're a doctor?"

me: "No mom...I'm not even in medical school yet...then I apply to medical school"

her "And then your a doctor?"

me "well...after medical school yes"

her "So how long does THAT take?"

me "4 years"

her "4 years!? But you've taken so many classes already.....I would have thought they'de let you be one much sooner than that....."

"No. It's 4 years"

"And then you're a doctor?"

"Well.....yes...but...theres still residency"

"Residency?"


etc etc etce etc

 

[on_the_fence]

My dad told so many people about me getting into medcal school that it is really starting to get embarassing! Also, I wish
parents wouldn't get quite so excited when they know their kid is
having a hard time deciding if indeed they want to go to medical
school...

I totally understand!

My grandma tells nurses and doctors that I am already IN medical school when we go to her appointments. Then I get to back pedal: "No, no, I haven't even taken the MCAT yet."

I questions whether or not I want to go to med school, too -- and then my dad keeps telling everyone that I plan to go. I want to pull my hair out with him sometimes! But he talks, b/c he is proud -- and that will be true whether or not I go to med school.

 

[red dot]

i can't tell if this is funny or not. i'm frustrated though

last night....

mom: why don't you go to ucsf? that way you can live with me still (i'm from san francisco by the way)

me: mom? ucsf? i'm lucky if i get to stay in california

mom: why don't you just try anyway?

me: mom, people with 4.0's and mcats 35+ get rejected from that school

mom: *stares blankly*

me: i have a LOW gpa. i'm lucky if i get in anywhere. and i'm still working on the mcat right now

mom: well my friends' kids stayed near them. they go to ucsf

me: yeah.

mom: what about getting married and kids? oh my god my friend's daughter is 30 now and she finally met someone but she's still not married! is that what you want?

me: well i don't care that's not me

 

[sunnyjohn]

Okay I read this entire thread... All 23 pages.. HILARIOUS!!

Does anyone know what happened to Silvercholla?? She has not posted in a while...

Silver, you should pitch your stories to the networks... Your mum is funnier than that mum on "Everybody Loves Raymond"

Well I have wanted to be a doc since the fifth grade. When I got to undergrad I bombed BIG TIME!!! I had to retake everything! I never stopped wanting it, but of course 'ya gotta work and pay the bills, so sometimes taking classes took a back seat for long periods.

Every month or so my mum and daddy will ask how the "med school stuff" is going. They have no clue how it all works ...It doesn't help that my parents have a bunch of doctor friends and are from a country where you can go to med school right out of high school. They have always thought that I made a "mistake" trying to study in US and I would have had the MBBS if I had went to UWI...

When I told them it might take 3 years before I can apply, daddy said,

"Well you'll be too old! I'll be dead by the time that happens. (Sidebar-my parents are in perfect health and my grandma lived to 106).

"You might as well give up on that and move here with us and try to get a job in the hospital!"....

But most of the time they do try to be encouraging....

Agape

 

[Marina9]

Hahaha!

I was working in rural Montana the summer after I took MCATs. So my mom read me the results over the phone:
Mom: Biological Sciences - 7, Verbal - 6, Physical

Mom: Oh wait, honey! Those are the sample scores. LetSciences - 7. Writing N...

As my heart hits the floor and I realize I will not be going to medical school just yet... me turn the page. Oh, here are your scores. I think these are better.

 

[sunnyjohn]

bump 😛

 

[Penelope1]

Wow, this is a great thread! I routinely have this kind of conversation with my mom. This time, I just finished my fin aid forms, and the enormity of my impending debt load finally hit me. So I mentioned that I was starting to worry about money if I decide to go into primary care, which is what I'm leaning toward.

Me: So, I'm starting to think about the financial side of medicine.
Mom: Well, what would you do if you didn't become a doctor? You have no marketable skills. There's no point even thinking about it.
Me: Huh? I do want to be a doctor. And no, I don't think it's my only option.
Mom: What else could you possibly do? You're virtually incompetent.
Me: Thanks, Mom. Well, I could be a teacher, a researcher, a consultant....
Mom: You could never do that!!! You're going to live under a bridge! I can't believe you don't want to be a doctor!!!
Me: But, I do want to be a doctor - more than anything else in the world!

Mom tells my Dad I don't want to be a doctor anymore. I get a call from Dad:

Dad: (False nonchallance) Hey, daughter. How is everything?
Me: Fine.
Dad: Congratulations on getting into a med school! (old news) Isn't that so exciting?
Me: Thanks, yeah.
Dad: You're excited right?
Me: (Warily) Yeah?
Dad: You do want to be a doctor, right?

Aaaaaarghhhhhhh!

 

[sunnyjohn]

Wow, this is a great thread! I routinely have this kind of conversation with my mom. This time, I just finished my fin aid forms, and the enormity of my impending debt load finally hit me. So I mentioned that I was starting to worry about money if I decide to go into primary care, which is what I'm leaning toward.

Me: So, I'm starting to think about the financial side of medicine.
Mom: Well, what would you do if you didn't become a doctor? You have no marketable skills. There's no point even thinking about it.
Me: Huh? I do want to be a doctor. And no, I don't think it's my only option.
Mom: What else could you possibly do? You're virtually incompetent.
Me: Thanks, Mom. Well, I could be a teacher, a researcher, a consultant....
Mom: You could never do that!!! You're going to live under a bridge! I can't believe you don't want to be a doctor!!!
Me: But, I do want to be a doctor - more than anything else in the world!

Mom tells my Dad I don't want to be a doctor anymore. I get a call from Dad:

Dad: (False nonchallance) Hey, daughter. How is everything?
Me: Fine.
Dad: Congratulations on getting into a med school! (old news) Isn't that so exciting?
Me: Thanks, yeah.
Dad: You're excited right?
Me: (Warily) Yeah?
Dad: You do want to be a doctor, right?

Aaaaaarghhhhhhh!

HILARITY!!!

 

[FloridaMadame]

Great stories. Wonder what Silvercholla is up to now.

 

[Anastasis]

Just read the whole post. So hilarious! took forever though.

Here's a story that falls somewhere between being funny and being enraging:

My mom lives 5000 miles away so a woman at my church has kinda adopted me (she looks alot like me so everyone thinks she's my mom anyway).
Well the med school process is so different here I had to try and explain the whole thing to her.

Me: So in the fall I need to start pre-rec classes.
Mum: What are pre-rec classes?
Me: Like Chemistry, Biology, etc.
Mum: We don't need those here.
Me: No but the process is longer, I think.
Mum: No, I think your education system is just that bad.
Me: Thanks.
Mum: You could stay here and take classes at Queens then apply to medical school - I'm sure our medical schools are better.
Me: I'll think about it. 😡

This is from the woman who thinks my BS in Psychology is like an A-level (a better analogy would be our AP exams are like an A-level).

I have a story from my real parents too. My dad is a doctor and has been harassing me to be a doctor from the time I could comprehend what that meant. I told me that while I was over here our phone conversations could not mention medical school - since I only get to talk to him about 30 minutes a month I figured that wouldn't be a big deal.

Me: Hi Daddy (yes I call him daddy)
Dad: Hello youngest
**Danger: only calls me this before talking about how he wants one of us to be a doctor**
Me: I've landed - I'm officially in Belfast.
Dad: That's great honey - I talked to --- (premed advisor at nearby university)
Me: Um - don't you want to know about the flight?
Dad: This is more important - this is your future!
Me: Goodbye Father.
*click*

And not one of our conversations in the past 7 1/2 months has not included a mention of medical school/why I should be a doctor/latest relative who thinks I would make a good doctor/doctor he met I could shadow/etc.
Grr.

 

[sunnyjohn]

lol...Anastasis sounds just like my father....



did you take O/A levels???

 

[Anastasis]

lol...Anastasis sounds just like my father....



did you take O/A levels???

No - I am a proud graduate of the Texas Public School system (where's the barf smilie when you need it?)

I did take several AP exams though - and I have the scars from beating my head against the desk to prove it.

I'm helping my kids (youth programme kids) with the coursework right now and I don't think the British system is any better but it most assuredly increases the amount of ulcers under the age of 18.

 

[sunnyjohn]

No - I am a proud graduate of the Texas Public School system (where's the barf smilie when you need it?)

I did take several AP exams though - and I have the scars from beating my head against the desk to prove it.

I'm helping my kids (youth programme kids) with the coursework right now and I don't think the British system is any better but it most assuredly increases the amount of ulcers under the age of 18.

TEXAS!!! great.... I did not go to high school in TE-J-AS, but I did live and study there for some time... Boy , miss it .... UTSW will always be at the top of my list. 👍

I had the beginning of ulcers when I took my O levels. We take them in the 9 or 10 the grade at home. I did well....The pastor announced my grades from the pulpit in church on Sunday!!! 🙄

All the pressure for the A levels put me off going to school in the UK.... I only took 4 ....

In the "colonies" if you don't do well on the O Levels you are doomed. Forget the SAT, it's all about the O levels. It doesn't help that it turns the kids into "mini-gunners".

Unfortunately if you can't get at least 3 of them it is near impossible to get into a good college in the US..

Agape

Your poor kiddos... tell 'em to study hard..

 

[Anastasis]

I tell them to study hard every day - esp the boys. For them it's either University or the Paramilitaries (scum bags).

But on a lighter note - I remember another great story about my dad and those "I'm not pushing but this is what you should do with your life..." calls.
He just got out of hip surgery (my dad is very old) and is totally doped up on pain killers.

Me: Hi Daddy - how do you feel?
Dad: Not too much *mumbles incoherently* Pain killers...
Me: Oh - should I let you go then?
Dad: No I wanted to talk to you about Medical School...
Me: Goodbye Father.

***
I feel your pain about the minister thing - My minister announced that I was a National Merit Semifinalist from the pulpit as well. All the time I was trying to figure out if I could fit under the pews and crawl to safety.

 

[cece]

My parents are so clueless in this process. I took 2 years off after undergrad, but have had the goal of becoming a doctor in mind since high school. I went to an arts high school though (my parents wanted me to be a musician), so transitioning to a science-heavy curriculum was rough. All along the way, I'd try to keep my parents up to date with what I was doing:

Me: Hi mom, I'm going to do organic chemistry research this summer
Mom: Great honey! Have you gotten your violin out lately?
etc.

Finally, last summer as I started getting invited for interviews (after I had taken and retaken the MCAT, majored in biochem, published research papers, done a year of bio research, and volunteered a bunch), she was like "you know, I talked to someone on the board of admissions at X school, and she says you just might get in somewhere!" And they thought I was doing all this... so I could be a better violinist? Just for the fun of applying?

 

[drwlo]

This is off topic but hilarious. I live 3000 miles from my parents but got married in my hometown. We had most of our presents sent there. After the wedding my parents hosted a brunch and when we got there my mom pulled me aside and said, "You got some really nice gifts." I hadn't opened them. She got trashed at the wedding and when she got home she opened all our presents! 🙂

 

[Anastasis]

Got another call from my dad tonight - still in the hospital, still on pain killers:

Dad: So what classes are you taking in the fall?
Me: Org Chem I, Bio I, Physics II (I'm just starting my prerecs)
Dad: So you'll start med school in 2006?
Me: No - 2007, I still have to take the MCAT next April.
Dad: But if you take it next April you still have time to apply for the fall.
Me: No Dad it takes a year.
Dad: Are you sure? I don't think that's right - why don't you check with the advisor?
Me: I'm sure Dad - and I'll be pushing it to apply then.
Dad: Well I'll call the advisor and make sure
Me: **seeing battle I can't win** yeah sure dad whatever.

(So apparently not only does he want me to be a doctor he wants me to be one as quickly as possible.)

 

[Its_MurDAH]

Bump-bump-bump

Can't let this thread go unnoticed fer too long

 

[sunnyjohn]

I missed this thread!

Anyone know what happened to Silvercholla???

 

[jbrice1639]

I was engaged when i started my post-bac program (Hi future father in law, i've decided to quit my job and live off your daughter while i go to school for the next six years or so), and I have been laughing my ass off at the conversations posted on this forum. All I can say is...imagine having 4 parents to have all those conversations with...not to mention, the day before my wedding i had exams in organic chem and genetics, and my parents were surprised i couldn't use the wedding to get out of the exams...but in the end, they just want what's best for us, so we gotta love 'em, craziness and all 🙄

 

[relema]

Conversation between my grandmother and my mom about my acceptance.

Grandmother: Well R--- made it into med school easily. She just applied and shortly thereafter got in.

Mom: Umm mother it took her a whole year just to apply and interview not including all her prereqs, MCAT and volunteering she had to do before this. It took a long time.

Grandma: Oh

My mother is like super informed mom about the whole process on the other hand, my grandmother is a bit clueless about things. However, she sure likes to brag about me, since I am the only grandchild that had finished college and gone on to more schooling.

 

[angietron3000]

This one pops up every couple of weeks like a recurrent nightmare:

Mom: You know you should really try hard to get into UCI medical school...

Me: I don't really think I have much say in the matter

Mom: ..yeah anyways, that way you could live at home for the next four years!

*** I'm 27 already, 4 more years??? Please god NOOOOO! ***

 

[chaeymaey]

Grandma: So you got your big test back? (She means the MCAT)

Me: Yeah.

Grandma: How'd you do?

Me: I'm happy with it.

Grandma: Good girl! So where did you get accepted?


Yeah, we don't have a word for "apply" in my language, so it's hard to explain the concept that tests don't determine your profession.

 

[titoincali]

My first clue that my mother really didn't have any idea what this application process entailed was when I told my mother and father my percentile score from my MCAT last month. They both seemed very unimpressed. I was a little shocked so I repeated it again. My mother replied with, "Honey, it's not unusual for you to get a 98% on a test. Why are you so excited?" I basically decided that I was on my own during this process!

Also, my mother keeps telling me that since I got into all the colleges I applied to that there is no way I won't get into all the med schools I apply to. I try to tell her that there is no correlation and that I would be happy/lucky to receive at least 1 acceptance with my GPA. Again, she thinks I'm being paranoid and worrying for nothing. Now, she has started faxing me articles at work on "building confidence and self-esteem" that she finds in magazines! 😳

 

[AxlxA]

thanks for the bump guys, can't believe i missed out on 3 years of funnies by silvercholla. I laughed so hard for the past 2 hours.

 

[Deleted member 72527]

My parents are clueless, but my grandmother is even more so. My cousin has fed her all this crap about how pharmacy school is SO MUCH HARDER to get into than medical school (now she's no longer pre-pharmacy, HA!), so my grandmother was really unimpressed that I was going to medical school. Then one of her cousins told her how hard it is to get in and that you have to be "really smart" (or just fool the admission committee, like me!). Now she's all excited and she told me she couldn't wait to tell all her friends in 4 years that I'm a doctor. She grew up very poor during the Depression, so I guess it is a big deal.

 

[CircleTheDrain]

Bump

 

[DrBowtie]

Bump

Good Bump. This is a classic.

 

[Anastasis]

Conversation with my mom about the MCAT:

Mom: A box came from Amazon
Me: Oh good, my MCAT stuff.
Mom: Oh are you taking that soon?
Me: Well, April. But I need to start studying.
Mom: Why? You didn't study for the SAT and did fine. You need better self-esteem. *ongoing fight*
Me: This isn't the SAT; it's all knowledge based.
Mom: I don't think you need to start studying. You just need more faith in yourself.
Me: Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I do. Aiming for that 30
*why oh why didn't I just let this drop?*
Mom: What's the highest you can get?
Me: a 45.
Mom: I'm sure you'll get at least a 40
*whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?*
Me: Um no, *insert smart friend here* got a 35.
Mom: Was he sick?
Me: No that's a good score.
Mom: Honey, 10 points from perfect? that's not a good score. No wonder he went to Baylor.
Me: *mouth open* Baylor is good, Mom.
Mom: Sure honey. But I hear all about Johns Hopkins, why don't you apply there? *without waiting for answer* What do you need to pass?
Me: Well.. there is no pass... *jump into long diatribe here about what is and is not a good score, what I need, blah blah blah, as I hear her try to open the box, fail shuffle papers around, just generally ignore me*
Mom: But what do you need to pass?
Me: *fine* A 30.
Mom: Oh well you'll get that. I'll save these books til after Christmas, bye bye sweetie.
Me: *banging head against wall*

----
My mom is an OT! WHY OH WHY doesn't she know more about this!?!

 

[tacrum43]

Conversation with my mom about the MCAT:

Mom: A box came from Amazon
Me: Oh good, my MCAT stuff.
Mom: Oh are you taking that soon?
Me: Well, April. But I need to start studying.
Mom: Why? You didn't study for the SAT and did fine. You need better self-esteem. *ongoing fight*
Me: This isn't the SAT; it's all knowledge based.
Mom: I don't think you need to start studying. You just need more faith in yourself.
Me: Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I do. Aiming for that 30
*why oh why didn't I just let this drop?*
Mom: What's the highest you can get?
Me: a 45.
Mom: I'm sure you'll get at least a 40
*whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?*
Me: Um no, *insert smart friend here* got a 35.
Mom: Was he sick?
Me: No that's a good score.
Mom: Honey, 10 points from perfect? that's not a good score. No wonder he went to Baylor.
Me: *mouth open* Baylor is good, Mom.
Mom: Sure honey. But I hear all about Johns Hopkins, why don't you apply there? *without waiting for answer* What do you need to pass?
Me: Well.. there is no pass... *jump into long diatribe here about what is and is not a good score, what I need, blah blah blah, as I hear her try to open the box, fail shuffle papers around, just generally ignore me*
Mom: But what do you need to pass?
Me: *fine* A 30.
Mom: Oh well you'll get that. I'll save these books til after Christmas, bye bye sweetie.
Me: *banging head against wall*

----
My mom is an OT! WHY OH WHY doesn't she know more about this!?!

Maybe you should try putting it in terms of percentiles?

 

[BasesofHumanity]

After reading all this, I FEEL MUCH CLOSER TO ALL OF YOU.

 

[LadyJubilee8_18]

My dad told so many people about me getting into medcal school that it
is really starting to get embarassing! His bragging makes me feel like
an arogant and bragging person in a secondhand way! . 🙁

Yeah, my Mom did the same thing when she found out I got into Baylor. I called my Dad first and I told him I wanted to tell my Mom (so don't tell her). Of course, my Dad was too excited to keep anything secret. I called my Mom at work later that day, and she tried to act surprised, but I could already tell she knew. Then I hear someone in the background go, "Congrats on your daughter getting in to school!" Apparently, not only had my Dad told my Mom, but she went around telling everyone at work! It feels good for her to be proud of me because she usually doesn't get excited about things, but still! She has my acceptance framed and hanging in her office so I guess everyone she works with knows

I can't believe I never found this thread before now! It's so fun and such a relief from all the other panicked threads. 👍

 

[sb3ez]

I've had two funny situations related to med school. First convo:

(Second year of college)
Uncle: So Steve, when do you start your medical classes?
Me: Uh, after I get into medical school.
Uncle: I thought you already did that.
Me: No, I'm an undergraduate, I have to apply to med school later.
Uncle: Oh. Hmm.
(Mind you this man is a civil engineer, with two kids in college, and most of my family has been to college...)

Convo Mom told me about between her and family friend of 20+ years:

Friend: What is Steve up to?
Mom: Well, he's applying to medical school right now.
Friend: Apply?
Mom: Yeah (she explains entire torturous process)
Friend: OH. I thought you just paid the money and went where ever you wanted.
Mom: (uncontrollable twitching)

People...gotta love em.

 

[coco]

This is slightly off topic, but I read alllllllll these posts last night. they're so hilarious, but anyway, i had a dream last night that it was winter break and I was at this cottage with my family (weird). I looked at them and my mom was so occupied with something, had a ton of papers in her hand and my dad and sister were all sitting around discussing something. I'm like...hey what's going on? and my mom goes oh honey you got accepted to cornell. I'm like what?? she's like yeah we're just looking at the housing options and such. I'm like..DID YOU GUYS EVER THINK OF TELLING ME THAT I GOT IN?? and then i walked away, and thought...hmm...i dont think anyone on sdn hs been accepted to cornell yet, i need to go tell them that they've been sending letters out! and the dream continued bla bla whatever, but the point is, i think this whole dream was a consequence of me reading all those parent stories last night...i guess i got inspired by all those parents or something ...weirdnesssss

 

[gdbaby]

This one occurs EVERY time I call my mother--even after my Iowa acceptance:

Mom: have you heard anything from Loyola?
Me: Nope, just that I am (complete/in line for review/currently under review).
Mom: Well, I just don't understand. Your aunt and I graduated from Loyola cum laude. Doesn't that mean anything?
Me: Well, I just don't know how much contact the Medical school has with the departments of English and Drama. There just may not be a lot of dialogue there.
Mom: This is ridiculous. Do you think I should call them? You know I give money to them every year.
Me: Well, I just don't know if the VP of a bank (my mom) and her $200 yearly donation will have that much influence.
Mom: Do they know you are Catholic?
Me: Do you know that I'm not?

At least she's trying to help, right?

 

[amandil]

So, through some sort of divine blessing or sheer luck, my sister and I both managed to score 41s on the MCAT and were recently accepted to the same top-10 med school. As a result, my mother now thinks that "the MCAT is so easy!" and "getting into med school really isn't that difficult"....and she's telling all her friends 🙄

I can only imagine what she'll say about the boards and matching

 

[Anastasis]

So, through some sort of divine blessing or sheer luck, my sister and I both managed to score 41s on the MCAT and were recently accepted to the same top-10 med school. As a result, my mother now thinks that "the MCAT is so easy!" and "getting into med school really isn't that difficult"....and she's telling all her friends 🙄

I can only imagine what she'll say about the boards and matching

Well when you get a 41 on the MCAT, I'm sure it's not THAT difficult ;-)
Congrats though! Awesome score!

 

[silas2642]

Love this thread... it's good to know that most pre-meds have a family who is completely unaware of the process. Here's my story.

Dad: so have you gotten your letters of recommendation together?

Me: yeah. It's all taken care of, don't sweat it dad.

Dad: have you asked doctor jones to write you a letter of recommendation?

Me: No

Dad: why not? he'd write you a great letter...

Me: because he's my psychiatrist, dad. i don't think that would fly with the admissions committees too well.

 

[WhatUpDoc!]

Well, not related to the title of this thread, but here's a classic "I'm clueless to what you're going through" interaction with one of my friends:

Friend: So how did your MCAT go?

Me: Horrible

Friend: Whatever, horrible to you is probably like missing one question

Me: No, I assure you it was pretty bad

Friend: Did you pass?

Me: (tear drops down my upper forehead like in those anime shows) Well, I didn't do bad enough to keep me out, but It'll sure be hard as hell for me to get in now

Friend: (In the most casual, carefree manner I've ever heard) Oh well, just take it again

Me: (Slightly tee-ed off at this point) I would rather not suffer through that test ever again.

Friend: It'll be ok, I'm pretty sure you'll get in based on your GPA alone

Me: (Not feeliing the need to explain how uncompetitive my GPA was, a topic switch was in order) So how's pharmacy application going?

Friend: (As if she never even listened to my MCAT woes) I am so freaking out over the PCAT next month, will you take it for me?

 

[drmota]

me: pops i got an interview at tulane
dad: where are they gonna interview you, a boat?
me: uhhhhh

-mota

 

[tank you]

dad: so have u heard from uc irvine yet?
me: nope
dad: dont worry, u will get in there bc u go to the undergrad.

(if only that was true)

 

[Keily]

I had this conversation with my Dad 3 days ago:


Me: I changed my Major to Medical(Medicine).

Dad: So, u have 4 more yrs. after yr Undergrad left?

Me: yes, that's true. But, I will still have to do 4 yrs. Residency.

Dad: What??? Residency??? why??? Aren't u the Resident of this State(the state I am living in)?, U been living in this State for almost 4 yrs. right???

Me: Yes, I am living here for 4 yrs., but I'm not talking about this Residency, I'm talking about being a specialize Doctor, so when u r in specialize training its called "Residency".

Dad: OOHH..............OK...........now I got it...........................

 

[ballsbreaker]

Mee too!


ME: I want to do md/phd
MOM: (catch in voice) oh my god! you don't want to be a doctor anymore!!!
ME: yes, but I'll get a Phd also and do research
MOM: so you won't be a doctor?
ME: yes, but i want a phd also...
MOM: Why u don't wanna be a doctor anymore?
ME: I want to be a doctor!
MOM: then don't talk about this other stuff! be a doctor!


ME: so in case mom didn't tell you i want to be a doctor
DAD: wow! I can't believe it! how in god's name are you gonna pay for that?
ME: i'll get a loan or maybe you can take some of that money that you have, seeing you spent 80k on (stupid sister's) cosmotology crap and she dropped out...and spend it on me.
DAD: I'm just kidding baby! I don't want you to think I am not supportive---medicine is great! i'll help you pay for you become a NURSE! Why you need a power trip and wanna be a doctor? they're all ugly anyway and think they're god. if you're a doc, you can't get a man cause you'll be too stressed. You're too cute to be smart!
ME: Sure...being a doc and nurse are exactly the same except for the power trip thing. I was so wrong and am so glad you straightened me out. Thanks daddy
DAD: you're welcome hon. Anytime!

STEPMOM: girl your dad is crazy! i support you a hundred percent. just don't come knocking when you can't pay for it! (smilez & hugz)

I have the only parents on Earth who didn't want their son to be a doctor.

The problem is that I decided shortly after I decided on becoming a doctor that I wanted to be MSTP. Try explaining that one.

Me: I want to be a combined MD/PhD
Dad & Grandmother: What's that mean?
Me: It means I can be a medical researcher, so I can help people by researching the causes of disease and test new treatments and drugs and stuff.
Dad & Grandmother: Wow. What's so different about that?
Me: Well I have to go to school for 3 or 4 more years in med school.
Dad & Grandmother: mmmm... So 3 or 4 years and you're done?
Me: Uhhh, no. 7 or 8 years of med school, then a longer residency or post-doc.
Dad & Grandmother: Well at least you'll be making more money
Me: Ummmm, no. I will likely make less than normal doctors, especially doctors in neuroscience related fields like Neurology or Neurosurgery.
Dad & Grandmother: You'll be making lots of money...

 

[Anastasis]

Mee too!


ME: I want to do md/phd
MOM: (catch in voice) oh my god! you don't want to be a doctor anymore!!!
ME: yes, but I'll get a Phd also and do research
MOM: so you won't be a doctor?
ME: yes, but i want a phd also...
MOM: Why u don't wanna be a doctor anymore?
ME: I want to be a doctor!
MOM: then don't talk about this other stuff! be a doctor!


ME: so in case mom didn't tell you i want to be a doctor
DAD: wow! I can't believe it! how in god's name are you gonna pay for that?
ME: i'll get a loan or maybe you can take some of that money that you have, seeing you spent 80k on (stupid sister's) cosmotology crap and she dropped out...and spend it on me.
DAD: I'm just kidding baby! I don't want you to think I am not supportive---medicine is great! i'll help you pay for you become a NURSE! Why you need a power trip and wanna be a doctor? they're all ugly anyway and think they're god. if you're a doc, you can't get a man cause you'll be too stressed. You're too cute to be smart!
ME: Sure...being a doc and nurse are exactly the same except for the power trip thing. I was so wrong and am so glad you straightened me out. Thanks daddy
DAD: you're welcome hon. Anytime!

STEPMOM: girl your dad is crazy! i support you a hundred percent. just don't come knocking when you can't pay for it! (smilez & hugz)

My father ingrained in me from a young age that I would be disowned if I ever became a nurse. Seriously, there's a family home video of me at like 5 saying this:
Me: I want to be a doctor.
Dad: But girls because nurses right? and boys become doctors like Daddy.
Me: No Daddy! But I want to give the orders not take them.

That sound like any 5 year old you know? I rest my case.

 

[Keily]

I was working in rural Montana the summer after I took MCATs. So my mom read me the results over the phone:
Mom: Biological Sciences - 7, Verbal - 6, Physical Sciences - 7. Writing N...

As my heart hits the floor and I realize I will not be going to medical school just yet...

Mom: Oh wait, honey! Those are the sample scores. Let me turn the page. Oh, here are your scores. I think these are better.

that's so funny...........

 

[LucidSplash]

Last application cycle, my MCATs were old but I decided to try and apply to the one local school that would accept them as it also happens to be my top choice. Well, I was fortunate enough to get an interview and when I told my mother, she started screaming and crying and carrying on about how I was going to be a doctor. I told her it was just the interview that I wasn't in yet. She actually realized that but was so convinced I would be a shoe in she started telling everyone in my hometown that I was going to be a doctor! I live in a different state now, and when she told me she was doing that I asked her to stop because I wasn't in yet but she kept doing it anyway! Well, I ended up on the waitlist and did not get off so I retook the MCATs and am applying again this cycle.

Only problem is, I rarely talk to anyone from my hometown anymore. But whenever I do, they all ask me how my first year of medical school is going. Then I have to explain that my mother is crazy and that I did not get in last year. 🙁