Pre-Med Advisors

[vanhouten333]

Anybody have stories about how great/terrible their pre-med advisors were/are?

Mine just told me that I don't have a chance at any MD schools since there has been roughly a 12% increase in the amount of applications received this year. She said that because my sciences GPA was not at least a 3.5 (i've got a 3.4) I have no hope and that I should go to DO school. And yet I have an interview next week. I appreciate the blunt honesty but dang.

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[Auron]

Anybody have stories about how great/terrible their pre-med advisors were/are?

Mine just told me that I don't have a chance at any MD schools since there has been roughly a 12% increase in the amount of applications received this year. She said that because my sciences GPA was not at least a 3.5 (i've got a 3.4) I have no hope and that I should go to DO school. And yet I have an interview next week. I appreciate the blunt honesty but dang.

A 3.4 will hardly keep you out. Pre-med advisors in general are not very helpful (except the rare exception), usually they wanted to do what you're doing but couldn't make it - now they're stuck advising people pursuing what they wanted to pursue. As a result they can be bitter and discouraging towards you.

Also, they don't have any special training or anything they're typically just science profs labeled "advisor" (as in my case). So they won't have any insider information or the like. You say you have an interview so no problems.

 

[Timmythemic22]

I had a great premed advisor for both my undergraduate and graduate educations. My undergrad advisor was very critical in the beginning, but I realize it's best to be critical at an early age to ensure the mental toughness of a med school candidate. In fact, after the initial criticisms, I actually because quite close with her. After three years of applying, and three years out of undergrad, she continuously fought for me, personally calling deans of admission at a variety of schools. I know I wouldn't have my acceptance now without her help. Luckily, I did have the fortune of attending a small, liberal arts school with relatively few premed students, and was therefore able to form a bond with an advisor.

I definitely think your relationship with your advisor can be a great benefit or the kiss of death.

 

[baylormed]

Anybody have stories about how great/terrible their pre-med advisors were/are?

Mine just told me that I don't have a chance at any MD schools since there has been roughly a 12% increase in the amount of applications received this year. She said that because my sciences GPA was not at least a 3.5 (i've got a 3.4) I have no hope and that I should go to DO school. And yet I have an interview next week. I appreciate the blunt honesty but dang.

I feel very strongly about any advisor telling a student "they don't have a chance." I am all for telling the truth ("your chances are slim or close to zero, you need to work more"), but I hate being told what I can or cannot do. So maybe that's just me.

I don't feel a 3.4 BCMP GPA will keep you out of medical school, since admission depends on other factors as well (MCAT, overall GPA, interview, background, ec's).

Go to your interview and pray for the best. If nothing happens, then work on improving whatever areas are weak in your application.

 

[Jonesie]

A 3.4 will hardly keep you out. Pre-med advisors in general are not very helpful (except the rare exception), usually they wanted to do what you're doing but couldn't make it - now they're stuck advising people pursuing what they wanted to pursue. As a result they can be bitter and discouraging towards you.

Also, they don't have any special training or anything they're typically just science profs labeled "advisor" (as in my case). So they won't have any insider information or the like. You say you have an interview so no problems. Let SDN be your advisor.

I would actually advise against this. While SDN is a great source of information, there are still quite a few people on here who don't know what the hell they're talking about. Use SDN, take it with a grain of salt, but for god's sake, don't let it be your only advisor.

I agree that a 3.4 probably won't keep you out of med school. I'm surprised that an academic advisor would say, "You don't have a chance", but that's no reason to assume that all pre-med advisors are flunkies who are envious of our success. Many do actually give good advice.

 

[IceMan0824]

I would actually advise against this. While SDN is a great source of information, there are still quite a few people on here who don't know what the hell they're talking about. Use SDN, take it with a grain of salt, but for god's sake, don't let it be your only advisor.

I agree that a 3.4 probably won't keep you out of med school. I'm surprised that an academic advisor would say, "You don't have a chance", but that's no reason to assume that all pre-med advisors are flunkies who are envious of our success. Many do actually give good advice.

Beat me to the "Let SDN be your advisor" advise

 

[PugMD]

Beat me to the "Let SDN be your advisor" advise

Always be open to the advise of others, but don't take everything seriously. Honestly, the only advise you should take completely to heart is that which comes STRAIT from the ADCOMs!

I've had a couple of premedical advisors in my past. One of them wanted to be a premedical advisor and listed himself as such just because he was a PhD and used to teach at a school. He knew nothing about the application process and was a complete douche.

Never listen to people that flat out tell you that you cant do it. Listen when they say "its going to be hard work, but you've got a chance if you do this, this, and this."

 

[Tired Pigeon]

The premed advisors I worked with gave really bad advice. Glad I pretty much ignored it.

 

[Timmythemic22]

I guess this pretty much shows that the effectiveness of guidance from advisors is a crap-shoot. I feel more fortunate now that I had a great advisor.

 

[ssquared]

The pre-med advisor at my school is a mean, bitter woman in whom I placed absolutely zero trust. I vowed my freshman year I would never speak to her again and it appears that I will be able to fulfill that fairly easily. Fortunately we don't have committee letters so going around her is pretty simple. She has a Ph.D. in immunology, I just cannot imagine she has a wealth of knowledge on medical schools. She is only a part-time prof as well, teaches one class and then leaves at all times during the day to go pick up her kids or whatever else she does.

(um, is it blatantly obvious that I hate the woman?)

It's too bad too because our school has a great acceptance rate for pre-med students. That, and about 50% of each incoming class indicates interest in being pre-med. That alone I would hope would encourage the school to find somebody better for the advising job...

 

[vanhouten333]

I just thought it was a little funny that she would be so blunt about the whole thing. The guy before her was much more encouraging. Regardless, I will be making the most of my interview(s).


and thanks for the input all.

 

[TamarMD]

Anybody have stories about how great/terrible their pre-med advisors were/are?

Mine just told me that I don't have a chance at any MD schools since there has been roughly a 12% increase in the amount of applications received this year. She said that because my sciences GPA was not at least a 3.5 (i've got a 3.4) I have no hope and that I should go to DO school. And yet I have an interview next week. I appreciate the blunt honesty but dang.

My premed advisor is awesome because he tells me about programs in the summer and he's going to help me find a physician to shadow. Now advisors in general uuuuuggghhh my advisor told me I HAD to major in Bio to be premed. I said "Excuse me where are you getting your info? I don't HAVE to do anything except take the pre-reqs that the schools want." Of course he got upset with me but he was wrong so I told him so. Now my best friends pre-med advisor is oooooooohhh just horrible. She told her she shouldn't do pre-med because 99% of the applicants aren't accepted. Where does she get HER info from? probably the same place as my regular advisor. So now my friend advises herself. With the occasional phone calls to my house to get my take on something. It amazes me how so many people I know say their premed yet they don't even know the required courses and they have to go and get advice from people who put their dreams down.

 

[TakoCA]

The pre-med advisors at Johns Hopkins are amazing. In fact, I think one of the advantages to coming here for undergrad are the advisors. Unfortunately, the two main pre-med advisors retired this year

 

[evade]

You could always take my approach: don't meet with them! The first (and only) time I ever met with the pre-med advising committee at my school was over a year after I graduated, and I went in to open my letter file and get my committee letter. It worked well. But then, I've got a long history of flying by the seat of my pants.

 

[Seeni]

i had the hots for my pre med advisor. he was in his forties?fifties and married. i was in college helped my grade though. never missed his class

 

[Jbw]

Anybody have stories about how great/terrible their pre-med advisors were/are?

Mine just told me that I don't have a chance at any MD schools since there has been roughly a 12% increase in the amount of applications received this year. She said that because my sciences GPA was not at least a 3.5 (i've got a 3.4) I have no hope and that I should go to DO school. And yet I have an interview next week. I appreciate the blunt honesty but dang.

My Premed advisor told me something similar as well. 3.5 overall, 3.4 science, 31 P MCAT. She told me i would be wasting my money applying this year. I have had 7 interviews so far, 2 acceptances at Temple and Jefferson, and 3 remaining interviews at BU, Emory, and Mt. Sinai. Basically, she was completely wrong. Advisors dont know anything.

 

[chad5871]

I went to my pre-med advisor one day and started asking him a question about different extracurriculars (like doctor shadowing, volunteering in the hospital, etc.). After several minutes he interrupted and said, "Wait, are you applying to medical school?" I thought that was a really funny question considering he is the pre-med advisor and chair of the pre-med committee, not to mention that I have met with this guy on several occasions to discuss my application.

Pre-med advisors: you can't live with 'em, you can't live without 'em.

 

[KELA]

My pre-med advisor is pretty good once you prove to her that you're serious. One helpful thing they do at my school is every year the "premed advisory board" gets together and evaluates all the premed students second semester of sophomore year and gives them a letter telling them what they need to improve on or if they should just find a new career goal. It can be brutal if you've been slacking.

 

[phantom limb]

My friend was told by her pre-med advisor to consider another career because she made a poor grade on one biology test.