Regrets and Advice for you young SDNers

[calvnandhobbs68]

Yeah I immediately throw out any advice and actually do the opposite if it's not from a 10+ year member.


Chill out op, no one is going to be able to identify you lol. Every thread on sdn is like a grain silo, one small spark and it all explodes into a fiery, out of control mess.

Haha think whatever you want but if I find myself interviewing a Chinese music major who plays the oboe and went to Sichuan Province for two months in 2009 you can bet where my mind is heading.

---

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[gearsofwar3]

Haha think whatever you want but if I find myself interviewing a Chinese music major who plays the oboe and went to Sichuan Province for two months in 2009 you can bet where my mind is heading.

so if any applicant exhibt similar characteristics, you will automatically reject them? glad to know that that's how the system works.

 

[Geebeejay]

I heard that people who are emotionally unstable and prone to jealousy make great doctors.

 

[gearsofwar3]

I heard that people who are emotionally unstable and prone to jealousy make great doctors.

i heard of a story before that went something like this:

a group of sociopaths manipulated and bullied another person until that person eventually went insane. then, everyone points at that person and calls him emotionally unstable. the group of of sociopaths are now medical students wanting to demonstrate their authority by sitting on adcoms.

did i tell you that i absolutely hate the fact that med schools are allowed to play a part in who gets admitted?

 

[TipToad]

did i tell you that i absolutely hate the fact that med schools are allowed to play a part in who gets admitted?

Had to highlight this gem. Obvious troll is obvious.

 

[TheShaker]

did i tell you that i absolutely hate the fact that med schools are allowed to play a part in who gets admitted?

......

 

[gearsofwar3]

......

sorry...i mean med STUDENTS, not schools

 

[Doctor Strange]

i heard of a story before that went something like this:

a group of sociopaths manipulated and bullied another person until that person eventually went insane. then, everyone points at that person and calls him emotionally unstable. the group of of sociopaths are now medical students wanting to demonstrate their authority by sitting on adcoms.

did i tell you that i absolutely hate the fact that med schools are allowed to play a part in who gets admitted?

I literally just laughed out loud.

Oh, you troll you...

 

[coyotelime]

Indeed, Mr. Medic. This thread is almost as entertaining as the USA vs Italy volleyball match going on right now.

Dude we got pwned hard. I was trying to use our getting blown out as motivation in the gym, but I just got sad.

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

so if any applicant exhibt similar characteristics, you will automatically reject them? glad to know that that's how the system works.

No bud but I'm thinkin it's probably you

 

[KnuxNole]

If you didn't go through the application process...i think it is reasonable to assume that you don't know a thing or two about the application rpocess.

This.

Studying 13 months for the MCAT does not mean you know ANYTHING about the application process at all. lol

 

[KnuxNole]

This WOULD be a good topic, but the OP sounds like a not so fun, mean guy. Any person who thinks anonymity means they can say whatever they want is probably a coward IRL lol

And I know that if I invite OP to my house, I might need to lock my belongings

 

[RogueUnicorn]

so if any applicant exhibt similar characteristics, you will automatically reject them? glad to know that that's how the system works.

you won't have to worry about that since it was all made up right

 

[KnuxNole]

i heard of a story before that went something like this:

a group of sociopaths manipulated and bullied another person until that person eventually went insane. then, everyone points at that person and calls him emotionally unstable. the group of of sociopaths are now medical students wanting to demonstrate their authority by sitting on adcoms.

did i tell you that i absolutely hate the fact that med schools are allowed to play a part in who gets admitted?

You're acting like that person who is emotionally unstable should be felt sorry for and get a sympathy trip. Seems like someone got "bullied" in college(does that...actually happen...?)

 

[gearsofwar3]

You're acting like that person who is emotionally unstable should be felt sorry for and get a sympathy trip. Seems like someone got "bullied" in college(does that...actually happen...?)

it does. i would hope that as aspiring physicians you would at least demonstrate some compassion and sympathy and not just ride off "bullying" as something silly. just because you had a smooth trip/didnt experience anything, doesn't mean that others didnt

 

[Ashley1989]

You're acting like that person who is emotionally unstable should be felt sorry for and get a sympathy trip. Seems like someone got "bullied" in college(does that...actually happen...?)

Unfortunately yes. I've seen it many times and every time I end up giving the whole "you're not in high school anymore and people don't think you're funny... You actually are making an a** out of yourself" lecture. Once I got out of the 100 level classes though it seemed to die out.

 

[KnuxNole]

That indeed sucks =(

I don't discount bullying, but I had honestly never seen it occur in undergrad, which is why I was curious. In high school, I saw it occur in some occasions, not the stuffing in lockers/wedgies, but the mean girls stuff and mocking. Of course people rag on each other as friends, but I don't count that as bullying, just "boys being boys".

 

[SpaceHamsterBoo]

As soon as OP created this thread, I just wanted to know what a committee letter was. OP never even told.

To everyone who told me, my sincerest appreciation; you are all wonderful people and you should not feel bad for OP.

 

[Ashley1989]

That indeed sucks =(

I don't discount bullying, but I had honestly never seen it occur in undergrad, which is why I was curious. In high school, I saw it occur in some occasions, not the stuffing in lockers/wedgies, but the mean girls stuff and mocking. Of course people rag on each other as friends, but I don't count that as bullying, just "boys being boys".

I don't hate many things, but out of the few things I hate bullying is one of them. In high school there was a guy with Downs syndrome and the kids were ruthless with him. Kids being stuffed and locked in lockers, mean girls ganging up on the loner and making her cry, etc.

Anyways, It's disgusting and doesn't belong anywhere but seeing it in undergrad is especially disturbing. That should be the time to transition into being an adult and carrying it over is unacceptable, although of course it wasn't acceptable in the first place.

 

[Amazingmuzmo]

 

[rjosh33]

You're acting like that person who is emotionally unstable should be felt sorry for and get a sympathy trip. Seems like someone got "bullied" in college(does that...actually happen...?)

Bullying is one of my ECs.

 

[ShenanigansMD]

Did gears of war 3 have any impact on your studies?

Haha lol; also, can any Halo 2 fans help me see the reference to the thread title?

"Dear Humanity, We REGRET being alien bastards, and we REGRET coming to earth, and we most definitely REGRET that the Corps just blew up our raggedy-ass fleet!"
Marines - "Hurrah!"

I need a life.

 

[ES2]

It's basically your school saying, "hey, we think so and so deserves to go to medical school," and it entails a mock application process as if you are "applying" to medical school through your undergraduate school. You write a personal statement, get letters of rec, and go through interviews (just like you would if you were applying by yourself). If your school likes you, they write you a big fat letter. If they don't, well...you dont want to know what happens if they don't...

 

[ES2]

Love the meme by the way

 

[Food4Thought]

Based on recent interactions with premedical students, I decided to try to reconnect with the feelings and concerns of premedical students. I advised a recent premedical "shadower" to go find an online forum as I did not have the time or interest to spent my shift discussing the details of how he can best improve his chances of matriculating into medical school. His interest appeared to be solely on "beefing up" his resume as opposed to truly serving our patients and learning the details of our profession. After doing so, I felt compelled to review such online forums in order to see what other students at his same level of training were thinking and to assess the quality of advice offered on such forums.

I have reviewed several of the forums and the advice offered and would like to offer my perspective if you will kindly humor me.

I am in my 8th year as an attending emergency medicine physician at a large, urban, Level I trauma center where I manage a number of residents and students (>70 per year). I attended a top 20 medical school and a prestigious emergency medicine residency where I served a chief resident and later spent 3 year as a faculty member. I served on the student selection/interview committee while in medical school and later in my career interviewed applicants and participated in the ranking process as a chief resident and later as an attending. Apparently, there have been "posers" in the past but I assure you I am no such thing.

Here is my advice after a few years of seasoning:

1) Do not try to become a doctor unless you have a burning drive inside of you that will not go away. Do not do it for ANYONE else. Just you. If you cannot imagine being happy without being a doctor, you have the right to go for it. If you want prestige, go into politics or something else.

2) Feel comfortable spending your undergraduate time pursuing everything EXCEPT science unless you are deeply inclined to do otherwise. Yep. You heard it. Open your mind, learn a new language, become a great writer, follow your heart...Your GPA will be better because you are interested and you care about what you are learning. You will open your mind and horizons. You will never have this chance again...at least for a loooong time! I was an Honors Liberal Arts B.A. who took the bare minimum pre-med requirements. I got into every school to which I applied. Yes...the first semester of medical school I was at somewhat of a disadvantage as I had never taken biochem or molecular bio, etc. However, at the massively fast pace at which medical school progresses, the second semester of the first year almost always exceeds EVERYONE'S premedical education anyway! Please be well-rounded. Despite my initial disadvantage, I finished up with a 3.9 and AOA. It turned out fine!

3) Do not approach volunteer work or shadowing as a hum-drum checklist thing to do. It is a privilege to work with patients, even if it is bringing them water or a fresh blanket. Do it from your heart and soul, not just to check a box on an application. If you do not feel inherently compelled to volunteer and help others anyway, CHECK YOURSELF! Medicine is a profession of absolute servitude. If you do not have a servant heart, find something else to do.

4) Numbers matter. MCAT matters. GPA matters. Everything matters. Getting into each individual school is a different process depending on how that particular school values the various aspects of an application. Do not fool yourself. It all matters. Your applications is a Venn diagram which overlaps at a very unique spot for you. However, do you want to end up at a school that is all "numbers" when you are more of a well-rounded, big-picture type person? Would that be a true match for you? Just some food for thought.

5) Decide to be a doctor (and make your decisions along the way) with the same passion and consideration with which you choose your spouse. Your profession will be your "other woman" (or man). It requires a lifetime commitment. It requires passion and drive. It never stops. Never. The end of residency or fellowship is truly just the beginning...the wedding so to speak.

In conclusion, when I have a pre-med student who wishes to shadow me, my first assessment is heart. If he/she is there to check off a box, log some hours and trump up their application, I decline to provide further mentoring.
Have a heart, show some compassion, give a dam (spelled wrong to avoid censorship) and realize that the real deal medical profession is far more than MCAT and GPA and b.s. volunteer work that you don't care about.
If you are a machine out there just checking off the boxes, I wish you the best but fear for the worst. The physicians and colleagues whom I most respect are well-rounded, compassionate, intelligent, life-long learners and servants.
Never lose sight of that.
Be a Renaissance Man or Woman and keep your spirit whole.
Best of luck to all of you.
Thank you for your interest in our wonderful, heartbreaking, stressful but ultimately rewarding profession.
I spent many years learning to live with it.
Now I cannot imagine living without it.
Food4Thought

 

[brownbaglunch]

i am not making an ass out of myself either...who's gonna know who i am? what are the chacnes of YOU sitting across from me interviewing me?

Behave yourself because it is the way civilized people act. Threat of punishment shouldn't be required.

 

[SpacemanSpifff]

Haha lol; also, can any Halo 2 fans help me see the reference to the thread title?

"Dear Humanity, We REGRET being alien bastards, and we REGRET coming to earth, and we most definitely REGRET that the Corps just blew up our raggedy-ass fleet!"
Marines - "Hurrah!"

I need a life.

Wow, throwback. I think I actually replayed the campaign strictly because of that cutscene. Thanks for the reminder!

 

[MicroSteph]

Based on recent interactions with premedical students, I decided to try to reconnect with the feelings and concerns of premedical students. I advised a recent premedical "shadower" to go find an online forum as I did not have the time or interest to spent my shift discussing the details of how he can best improve his chances of matriculating into medical school. His interest appeared to be solely on "beefing up" his resume as opposed to truly serving our patients and learning the details of our profession. After doing so, I felt compelled to review such online forums in order to see what other students at his same level of training were thinking and to assess the quality of advice offered on such forums.

I have reviewed several of the forums and the advice offered and would like to offer my perspective if you will kindly humor me.

I am in my 8th year as an attending emergency medicine physician at a large, urban, Level I trauma center where I manage a number of residents and students (>70 per year). I attended a top 20 medical school and a prestigious emergency medicine residency where I served a chief resident and later spent 3 year as a faculty member. I served on the student selection/interview committee while in medical school and later in my career interviewed applicants and participated in the ranking process as a chief resident and later as an attending. Apparently, there have been "posers" in the past but I assure you I am no such thing.

Here is my advice after a few years of seasoning:

1) Do not try to become a doctor unless you have a burning drive inside of you that will not go away. Do not do it for ANYONE else. Just you. If you cannot imagine being happy without being a doctor, you have the right to go for it. If you want prestige, go into politics or something else.

2) Feel comfortable spending your undergraduate time pursuing everything EXCEPT science unless you are deeply inclined to do otherwise. Yep. You heard it. Open your mind, learn a new language, become a great writer, follow your heart...Your GPA will be better because you are interested and you care about what you are learning. You will open your mind and horizons. You will never have this chance again...at least for a loooong time! I was an Honors Liberal Arts B.A. who took the bare minimum pre-med requirements. I got into every school to which I applied. Yes...the first semester of medical school I was at somewhat of a disadvantage as I had never taken biochem or molecular bio, etc. However, at the massively fast pace at which medical school progresses, the second semester of the first year almost always exceeds EVERYONE'S premedical education anyway! Please be well-rounded. Despite my initial disadvantage, I finished up with a 3.9 and AOA. It turned out fine!

3) Do not approach volunteer work or shadowing as a hum-drum checklist thing to do. It is a privilege to work with patients, even if it is bringing them water or a fresh blanket. Do it from your heart and soul, not just to check a box on an application. If you do not feel inherently compelled to volunteer and help others anyway, CHECK YOURSELF! Medicine is a profession of absolute servitude. If you do not have a servant heart, find something else to do.

4) Numbers matter. MCAT matters. GPA matters. Everything matters. Getting into each individual school is a different process depending on how that particular school values the various aspects of an application. Do not fool yourself. It all matters. Your applications is a Venn diagram which overlaps at a very unique spot for you. However, do you want to end up at a school that is all "numbers" when you are more of a well-rounded, big-picture type person? Would that be a true match for you? Just some food for thought.

5) Decide to be a doctor (and make your decisions along the way) with the same passion and consideration with which you choose your spouse. Your profession will be your "other woman" (or man). It requires a lifetime commitment. It requires passion and drive. It never stops. Never. The end of residency or fellowship is truly just the beginning...the wedding so to speak.

In conclusion, when I have a pre-med student who wishes to shadow me, my first assessment is heart. If he/she is there to check off a box, log some hours and trump up their application, I decline to provide further mentoring.
Have a heart, show some compassion, give a dam (spelled wrong to avoid censorship) and realize that the real deal medical profession is far more than MCAT and GPA and b.s. volunteer work that you don't care about.
If you are a machine out there just checking off the boxes, I wish you the best but fear for the worst. The physicians and colleagues whom I most respect are well-rounded, compassionate, intelligent, life-long learners and servants.
Never lose sight of that.
Be a Renaissance Man or Woman and keep your spirit whole.
Best of luck to all of you.
Thank you for your interest in our wonderful, heartbreaking, stressful but ultimately rewarding profession.
I spent many years learning to live with it.
Now I cannot imagine living without it.
Food4Thought

We definitely need more of this. PREACH!

 

[mehc012]

Based on recent interactions with premedical students, I decided to try to reconnect with the feelings and concerns of premedical students. I advised a recent premedical "shadower" to go find an online forum as I did not have the time or interest to spent my shift discussing the details of how he can best improve his chances of matriculating into medical school. His interest appeared to be solely on "beefing up" his resume as opposed to truly serving our patients and learning the details of our profession. After doing so, I felt compelled to review such online forums in order to see what other students at his same level of training were thinking and to assess the quality of advice offered on such forums.

I have reviewed several of the forums and the advice offered and would like to offer my perspective if you will kindly humor me.

I am in my 8th year as an attending emergency medicine physician at a large, urban, Level I trauma center where I manage a number of residents and students (>70 per year). I attended a top 20 medical school and a prestigious emergency medicine residency where I served a chief resident and later spent 3 year as a faculty member. I served on the student selection/interview committee while in medical school and later in my career interviewed applicants and participated in the ranking process as a chief resident and later as an attending. Apparently, there have been "posers" in the past but I assure you I am no such thing.

Here is my advice after a few years of seasoning:

1) Do not try to become a doctor unless you have a burning drive inside of you that will not go away. Do not do it for ANYONE else. Just you. If you cannot imagine being happy without being a doctor, you have the right to go for it. If you want prestige, go into politics or something else.

2) Feel comfortable spending your undergraduate time pursuing everything EXCEPT science unless you are deeply inclined to do otherwise. Yep. You heard it. Open your mind, learn a new language, become a great writer, follow your heart...Your GPA will be better because you are interested and you care about what you are learning. You will open your mind and horizons. You will never have this chance again...at least for a loooong time! I was an Honors Liberal Arts B.A. who took the bare minimum pre-med requirements. I got into every school to which I applied. Yes...the first semester of medical school I was at somewhat of a disadvantage as I had never taken biochem or molecular bio, etc. However, at the massively fast pace at which medical school progresses, the second semester of the first year almost always exceeds EVERYONE'S premedical education anyway! Please be well-rounded. Despite my initial disadvantage, I finished up with a 3.9 and AOA. It turned out fine!

3) Do not approach volunteer work or shadowing as a hum-drum checklist thing to do. It is a privilege to work with patients, even if it is bringing them water or a fresh blanket. Do it from your heart and soul, not just to check a box on an application. If you do not feel inherently compelled to volunteer and help others anyway, CHECK YOURSELF! Medicine is a profession of absolute servitude. If you do not have a servant heart, find something else to do.

4) Numbers matter. MCAT matters. GPA matters. Everything matters. Getting into each individual school is a different process depending on how that particular school values the various aspects of an application. Do not fool yourself. It all matters. Your applications is a Venn diagram which overlaps at a very unique spot for you. However, do you want to end up at a school that is all "numbers" when you are more of a well-rounded, big-picture type person? Would that be a true match for you? Just some food for thought.

5) Decide to be a doctor (and make your decisions along the way) with the same passion and consideration with which you choose your spouse. Your profession will be your "other woman" (or man). It requires a lifetime commitment. It requires passion and drive. It never stops. Never. The end of residency or fellowship is truly just the beginning...the wedding so to speak.

In conclusion, when I have a pre-med student who wishes to shadow me, my first assessment is heart. If he/she is there to check off a box, log some hours and trump up their application, I decline to provide further mentoring.
Have a heart, show some compassion, give a dam (spelled wrong to avoid censorship) and realize that the real deal medical profession is far more than MCAT and GPA and b.s. volunteer work that you don't care about.
If you are a machine out there just checking off the boxes, I wish you the best but fear for the worst. The physicians and colleagues whom I most respect are well-rounded, compassionate, intelligent, life-long learners and servants.
Never lose sight of that.
Be a Renaissance Man or Woman and keep your spirit whole.
Best of luck to all of you.
Thank you for your interest in our wonderful, heartbreaking, stressful but ultimately rewarding profession.
I spent many years learning to live with it.
Now I cannot imagine living without it.
Food4Thought

Thank you so much for taking the time to post. This totally merited its own thread! That being said, your comments provide a very interesting counterpart to the 'advice' in the first post of this one.
All I can really say is, I wish I could shadow with you!

 

[alerk323]

Based on recent interactions with premedical students, I decided to try to reconnect with the feelings and concerns of premedical students. I advised a recent premedical "shadower" to go find an online forum as I did not have the time or interest to spent my shift discussing the details of how he can best improve his chances of matriculating into medical school. His interest appeared to be solely on "beefing up" his resume as opposed to truly serving our patients and learning the details of our profession. After doing so, I felt compelled to review such online forums in order to see what other students at his same level of training were thinking and to assess the quality of advice offered on such forums.

I have reviewed several of the forums and the advice offered and would like to offer my perspective if you will kindly humor me.

I am in my 8th year as an attending emergency medicine physician at a large, urban, Level I trauma center where I manage a number of residents and students (>70 per year). I attended a top 20 medical school and a prestigious emergency medicine residency where I served a chief resident and later spent 3 year as a faculty member. I served on the student selection/interview committee while in medical school and later in my career interviewed applicants and participated in the ranking process as a chief resident and later as an attending. Apparently, there have been "posers" in the past but I assure you I am no such thing.

Here is my advice after a few years of seasoning:

1) Do not try to become a doctor unless you have a burning drive inside of you that will not go away. Do not do it for ANYONE else. Just you. If you cannot imagine being happy without being a doctor, you have the right to go for it. If you want prestige, go into politics or something else.

2) Feel comfortable spending your undergraduate time pursuing everything EXCEPT science unless you are deeply inclined to do otherwise. Yep. You heard it. Open your mind, learn a new language, become a great writer, follow your heart...Your GPA will be better because you are interested and you care about what you are learning. You will open your mind and horizons. You will never have this chance again...at least for a loooong time! I was an Honors Liberal Arts B.A. who took the bare minimum pre-med requirements. I got into every school to which I applied. Yes...the first semester of medical school I was at somewhat of a disadvantage as I had never taken biochem or molecular bio, etc. However, at the massively fast pace at which medical school progresses, the second semester of the first year almost always exceeds EVERYONE'S premedical education anyway! Please be well-rounded. Despite my initial disadvantage, I finished up with a 3.9 and AOA. It turned out fine!

3) Do not approach volunteer work or shadowing as a hum-drum checklist thing to do. It is a privilege to work with patients, even if it is bringing them water or a fresh blanket. Do it from your heart and soul, not just to check a box on an application. If you do not feel inherently compelled to volunteer and help others anyway, CHECK YOURSELF! Medicine is a profession of absolute servitude. If you do not have a servant heart, find something else to do.

4) Numbers matter. MCAT matters. GPA matters. Everything matters. Getting into each individual school is a different process depending on how that particular school values the various aspects of an application. Do not fool yourself. It all matters. Your applications is a Venn diagram which overlaps at a very unique spot for you. However, do you want to end up at a school that is all "numbers" when you are more of a well-rounded, big-picture type person? Would that be a true match for you? Just some food for thought.

5) Decide to be a doctor (and make your decisions along the way) with the same passion and consideration with which you choose your spouse. Your profession will be your "other woman" (or man). It requires a lifetime commitment. It requires passion and drive. It never stops. Never. The end of residency or fellowship is truly just the beginning...the wedding so to speak.

In conclusion, when I have a pre-med student who wishes to shadow me, my first assessment is heart. If he/she is there to check off a box, log some hours and trump up their application, I decline to provide further mentoring.
Have a heart, show some compassion, give a dam (spelled wrong to avoid censorship) and realize that the real deal medical profession is far more than MCAT and GPA and b.s. volunteer work that you don't care about.
If you are a machine out there just checking off the boxes, I wish you the best but fear for the worst. The physicians and colleagues whom I most respect are well-rounded, compassionate, intelligent, life-long learners and servants.
Never lose sight of that.
Be a Renaissance Man or Woman and keep your spirit whole.
Best of luck to all of you.
Thank you for your interest in our wonderful, heartbreaking, stressful but ultimately rewarding profession.
I spent many years learning to live with it.
Now I cannot imagine living without it.
Food4Thought

This deserves its own thread, some interesting things to talk about

 

[Violagirl]

Based on recent interactions with premedical students, I decided to try to reconnect with the feelings and concerns of premedical students. I advised a recent premedical "shadower" to go find an online forum as I did not have the time or interest to spent my shift discussing the details of how he can best improve his chances of matriculating into medical school. His interest appeared to be solely on "beefing up" his resume as opposed to truly serving our patients and learning the details of our profession. After doing so, I felt compelled to review such online forums in order to see what other students at his same level of training were thinking and to assess the quality of advice offered on such forums.

I have reviewed several of the forums and the advice offered and would like to offer my perspective if you will kindly humor me.

I am in my 8th year as an attending emergency medicine physician at a large, urban, Level I trauma center where I manage a number of residents and students (>70 per year). I attended a top 20 medical school and a prestigious emergency medicine residency where I served a chief resident and later spent 3 year as a faculty member. I served on the student selection/interview committee while in medical school and later in my career interviewed applicants and participated in the ranking process as a chief resident and later as an attending. Apparently, there have been "posers" in the past but I assure you I am no such thing.

Here is my advice after a few years of seasoning:

1) Do not try to become a doctor unless you have a burning drive inside of you that will not go away. Do not do it for ANYONE else. Just you. If you cannot imagine being happy without being a doctor, you have the right to go for it. If you want prestige, go into politics or something else.

2) Feel comfortable spending your undergraduate time pursuing everything EXCEPT science unless you are deeply inclined to do otherwise. Yep. You heard it. Open your mind, learn a new language, become a great writer, follow your heart...Your GPA will be better because you are interested and you care about what you are learning. You will open your mind and horizons. You will never have this chance again...at least for a loooong time! I was an Honors Liberal Arts B.A. who took the bare minimum pre-med requirements. I got into every school to which I applied. Yes...the first semester of medical school I was at somewhat of a disadvantage as I had never taken biochem or molecular bio, etc. However, at the massively fast pace at which medical school progresses, the second semester of the first year almost always exceeds EVERYONE'S premedical education anyway! Please be well-rounded. Despite my initial disadvantage, I finished up with a 3.9 and AOA. It turned out fine!

3) Do not approach volunteer work or shadowing as a hum-drum checklist thing to do. It is a privilege to work with patients, even if it is bringing them water or a fresh blanket. Do it from your heart and soul, not just to check a box on an application. If you do not feel inherently compelled to volunteer and help others anyway, CHECK YOURSELF! Medicine is a profession of absolute servitude. If you do not have a servant heart, find something else to do.

4) Numbers matter. MCAT matters. GPA matters. Everything matters. Getting into each individual school is a different process depending on how that particular school values the various aspects of an application. Do not fool yourself. It all matters. Your applications is a Venn diagram which overlaps at a very unique spot for you. However, do you want to end up at a school that is all "numbers" when you are more of a well-rounded, big-picture type person? Would that be a true match for you? Just some food for thought.

5) Decide to be a doctor (and make your decisions along the way) with the same passion and consideration with which you choose your spouse. Your profession will be your "other woman" (or man). It requires a lifetime commitment. It requires passion and drive. It never stops. Never. The end of residency or fellowship is truly just the beginning...the wedding so to speak.

In conclusion, when I have a pre-med student who wishes to shadow me, my first assessment is heart. If he/she is there to check off a box, log some hours and trump up their application, I decline to provide further mentoring.
Have a heart, show some compassion, give a dam (spelled wrong to avoid censorship) and realize that the real deal medical profession is far more than MCAT and GPA and b.s. volunteer work that you don't care about.
If you are a machine out there just checking off the boxes, I wish you the best but fear for the worst. The physicians and colleagues whom I most respect are well-rounded, compassionate, intelligent, life-long learners and servants.
Never lose sight of that.
Be a Renaissance Man or Woman and keep your spirit whole.
Best of luck to all of you.
Thank you for your interest in our wonderful, heartbreaking, stressful but ultimately rewarding profession.
I spent many years learning to live with it.
Now I cannot imagine living without it.
Food4Thought

I too believe this post deserves its own thread. Thank you so much for sharing your perspective, thoughts, and advice on going through the medical school process and your experience as a practicing physician. Definitely gained a lot from reading your post.

 

[Food4Thought]

Thank you for the kind feedback. If you would like to create a new thread with my original post, I am fine with that. I will continue to tune in and provide additional comments if anyone has questions or finds my point of view helpful. I did not make a new thread because the "rules" when I signed up stated not to double post and I don't want to get kicked off the site after my first post
Food4Thought

 

[alerk323]

Thank you for the kind feedback. If you would like to create a new thread with my original post, I am fine with that. I will continue to tune in and provide additional comments if anyone has questions or finds my point of view helpful. I did not make a new thread because the "rules" when I signed up stated not to double post and I don't want to get kicked off the site after my first post
Food4Thought

I gotch you

For future reference: I find mods are pretty reasonable and follow the spirit of the law rather than the letter

 

[AngelEyez11]

Based on recent interactions with premedical students, I decided to try to reconnect with the feelings and concerns of premedical students. I advised a recent premedical "shadower" to go find an online forum as I did not have the time or interest to spent my shift discussing the details of how he can best improve his chances of matriculating into medical school. His interest appeared to be solely on "beefing up" his resume as opposed to truly serving our patients and learning the details of our profession. After doing so, I felt compelled to review such online forums in order to see what other students at his same level of training were thinking and to assess the quality of advice offered on such forums.

I have reviewed several of the forums and the advice offered and would like to offer my perspective if you will kindly humor me.

I am in my 8th year as an attending emergency medicine physician at a large, urban, Level I trauma center where I manage a number of residents and students (>70 per year). I attended a top 20 medical school and a prestigious emergency medicine residency where I served a chief resident and later spent 3 year as a faculty member. I served on the student selection/interview committee while in medical school and later in my career interviewed applicants and participated in the ranking process as a chief resident and later as an attending. Apparently, there have been "posers" in the past but I assure you I am no such thing.

Here is my advice after a few years of seasoning:

1) Do not try to become a doctor unless you have a burning drive inside of you that will not go away. Do not do it for ANYONE else. Just you. If you cannot imagine being happy without being a doctor, you have the right to go for it. If you want prestige, go into politics or something else.

2) Feel comfortable spending your undergraduate time pursuing everything EXCEPT science unless you are deeply inclined to do otherwise. Yep. You heard it. Open your mind, learn a new language, become a great writer, follow your heart...Your GPA will be better because you are interested and you care about what you are learning. You will open your mind and horizons. You will never have this chance again...at least for a loooong time! I was an Honors Liberal Arts B.A. who took the bare minimum pre-med requirements. I got into every school to which I applied. Yes...the first semester of medical school I was at somewhat of a disadvantage as I had never taken biochem or molecular bio, etc. However, at the massively fast pace at which medical school progresses, the second semester of the first year almost always exceeds EVERYONE'S premedical education anyway! Please be well-rounded. Despite my initial disadvantage, I finished up with a 3.9 and AOA. It turned out fine!

3) Do not approach volunteer work or shadowing as a hum-drum checklist thing to do. It is a privilege to work with patients, even if it is bringing them water or a fresh blanket. Do it from your heart and soul, not just to check a box on an application. If you do not feel inherently compelled to volunteer and help others anyway, CHECK YOURSELF! Medicine is a profession of absolute servitude. If you do not have a servant heart, find something else to do.

4) Numbers matter. MCAT matters. GPA matters. Everything matters. Getting into each individual school is a different process depending on how that particular school values the various aspects of an application. Do not fool yourself. It all matters. Your applications is a Venn diagram which overlaps at a very unique spot for you. However, do you want to end up at a school that is all "numbers" when you are more of a well-rounded, big-picture type person? Would that be a true match for you? Just some food for thought.

5) Decide to be a doctor (and make your decisions along the way) with the same passion and consideration with which you choose your spouse. Your profession will be your "other woman" (or man). It requires a lifetime commitment. It requires passion and drive. It never stops. Never. The end of residency or fellowship is truly just the beginning...the wedding so to speak.

In conclusion, when I have a pre-med student who wishes to shadow me, my first assessment is heart. If he/she is there to check off a box, log some hours and trump up their application, I decline to provide further mentoring.
Have a heart, show some compassion, give a dam (spelled wrong to avoid censorship) and realize that the real deal medical profession is far more than MCAT and GPA and b.s. volunteer work that you don't care about.
If you are a machine out there just checking off the boxes, I wish you the best but fear for the worst. The physicians and colleagues whom I most respect are well-rounded, compassionate, intelligent, life-long learners and servants.
Never lose sight of that.
Be a Renaissance Man or Woman and keep your spirit whole.
Best of luck to all of you.
Thank you for your interest in our wonderful, heartbreaking, stressful but ultimately rewarding profession.
I spent many years learning to live with it.
Now I cannot imagine living without it.
Food4Thought

Amen! I'm intrigued by your thoughts on the medical profession. : )

 

[Food4Thought]

I am very concerned about you. You clearly have so much hurt and rage inside of you. If the pre-medical process has had such a deleterious affect upon you, I fear what the ravages of medical school, residency and beyond might offer to your psychological well-being. Your palpable disdain for physicians (considering physicians are former pre-med students) and your references to physicians as being "dicks", "sociopaths" and various other derogatory comments is highly worrisome. If you become a physician, you will spend your life surrounded by so-called "dicks" and "bastards" (ie other physicians, residents, students, etc) as that is the nature of our lives. My colleagues at work are fine professionals whom I would trust with my own life. The majority are not pompous nor greedy. The majority are good people with sounds minds who can walk through a ***t storm and come out psychologically intact with their values unchanged. I do not mean to suggest there is not bitterness, regret and the normal host of human emotions which occur intermittently throughout the process, but rather that I question your psychological suitability for our profession. I would spend less time blogging and more time working with a counselor to manage your rage.
Respectfully,
Food4Thought aka "dick" "bastard" "sociopath" M.D.

 

[Beandog]

After reading the follow up to your post OP, it sounds more like you wanted to vent about some perceived grievances against you than actually provide any useful advice to younger sdn members. And it seems pretty clear that your science GPA was not the only thing that prevented you from getting into medical school.

Was all venting too me, disguised by a hopeful OP as nuggets of wealth for newbies. Seriously, how helpful is it to spread it out there, label it as wisdom for those who follow, and then knock down anyone who ask for definitions?

OP, the median score of the MCAT is 24-25. 30=above average. I suppose engineers are deadly at physics, but it's a big deal to hit 30. I'm calling you out of inflation of your estimates.

 

[Desp]

i am not making an ass out of myself either...who's gonna know who i am? what are the chacnes of YOU sitting across from me interviewing me?

Your advice is bad and you should feel bad.

 

[45408]

You kids post like this and then you wonder why people with recent join dates and pre-medical status get no respect.

Pretty much. If you really had any doubts, this should have clarified it for you:

while i am by no means someone who can offer good advice to others when it comes to the actual application

 

[Chrome19]

Adding to this, I feel like the MCAT is a very useless test. I am studying with a few medical students with <28 MCATs and they have a very good grasp of the material and are keeping up pace. Medicine, to me, is about hard work and effort. The material isn't that difficult. I see the MCAT as a weed-out test. And don't even get me started on the verbal.

 

[911 Turbo]

Guys I finished reading "investing for dummies" a few hours ago. So if you need advice on the inner workings of hedge funds and how to set up a ponzi scheme, just pm me.


On a related note... I sense a lock coming soon..

 

[hiyaman]

I would say the interview is veryimportant lol.

 

[Narmerguy]

Thank you for the kind feedback. If you would like to create a new thread with my original post, I am fine with that. I will continue to tune in and provide additional comments if anyone has questions or finds my point of view helpful. I did not make a new thread because the "rules" when I signed up stated not to double post and I don't want to get kicked off the site after my first post
Food4Thought

Feel free to make your own thread. This one is done.