SDN Myths

[jackets5]

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What are some of the myths that u guys have seen here on SDN after going through the application process. here are of few that ive seen.

1. Med schools really look for well-rounded, interesting people
2. There are a lot of people each year with very high stats 3.8 and 35+ that dont get accepted
3. Being URM is not that big of a help in getting admitted.

any more?

 

[jonathon]

Some posters who claim to be a second author in a top notch scientific journal.

What are some of the myths that u guys have seen here on SDN after going through the application process. here are of few that ive seen.

1. Med schools really look for well-rounded, interesting people
2. There are a lot of people each year with very high stats 3.8 and 35+ that dont get accepted
3. Being URM is not that big of a help in getting admitted.

any more?

 

[bioboy2007]

Some posters who claim to be a second author in a top notch scientific journal.

These are myths? Huh?

 

[ADeadLois]

What are some of the myths that u guys have seen here on SDN after going through the application process. here are of few that ive seen.

1. Med schools really look for well-rounded, interesting people
2. There are a lot of people each year with very high stats 3.8 and 35+ that dont get accepted
3. Being URM is not that big of a help in getting admitted.

any more?

Umm...1 and 2 are myths?

 

[SeventhSon]

What are some of the myths that u guys have seen here on SDN after going through the application process. here are of few that ive seen.

1. Med schools really look for well-rounded, interesting people
2. There are a lot of people each year with very high stats 3.8 and 35+ that dont get accepted
3. Being URM is not that big of a help in getting admitted.

any more?

your assertion that 1 is false, is false. people with the biggest stats dont necessarily get into the biggest schools.... i think i'm a case in point. I didn't have any amazing ECs which is what kept me out of the top MD programs. That being said, I don't regret that, which comes to #2.

2. your assertion that this is false, is true. People with high stats will get almost always get in somewhere, though it may not be a school where they think, if MCAT an GPA are the only things considered.

I didn't into most top schools (waitlisted by a good chunk though) because i didnt have any amazing ECs. That being said, I don't regret it, because I do what I enjoy, and I don't care whether or not med schools think that means i'm going to be less of a doctor, or if i'm going to contribute less to their diverse class.

3. your assertion that this is false, is true. However, I don't think being URM is as big of an advantage as some profess it to be.

 

[riff raff]

some myths that I've noticed on sdn:

if you have anything less than 5,000 hours of clinical experience, you may want to consider going into construction.

if you don't have any research you're better off working at Meijers than applying that year.

if you have a generic LOR you mind as well walk into traffic.

if you have big feet then you probably have big pensises

 

[Dr. C. Troy]

Someone should just rename this the "whining thread" or something.

 

[Flopotomist]

psycho_doc is NOT the father of my children.

 

[Rafa]

SDN is not filled with closet bigots.

 

[Vox Animo]

SDN myths...most people who want to be doctors are altruistic and open-minded and generally decent people

😀

 

[TheMightyAngus]

Myth: Most people would still become a doctor even if they earned $50k or less a year.

 

[jillibean]

psycho_doc is NOT the father of my children.

Is flopotomist a girl???

😕

 

[NonTradMed]

Myths: $150k/yr is near poverty level and one can barely support a family with that.

(Yes, I think physicians should not apologize for making more than that, but come on, if $150k is nearing poverty then the US must be a third world country.)

 

[Vox Animo]

Myth: There are plenty of jobs that pay as much as doctors.


Everytime i read this it makes me want to choke a kitten.

Each year medical schools crank out about 20000 people that will become very wealthly. No other fields have that many positions a year.

IBanking is the acception though, they have 25000 entry level positions every year, all of which quintuple what a doc makes, and allows them to have much hotter wives, and more lax polygamy laws.

 

[LaDoctorFutura]

SDN is not filled with closet bigots.

oh, of course not...

 

[ChadC]

if you have big feet then you probably have big pensises

I have big feet, yet I only have 1 weiner? Is something wrong with me?

 

[DarkFark]

IBanking is the acception though, they have 25000 entry level positions every year, all of which quintuple what a doc makes,

thats sort of true... the income potential in IBanking is ludicrous, but they dont all get to the $1M/yr plus range. Once you ge the job, you still have to work 80 hour weeks for years to climb to that level, plus probably take some time off to get an MBA at some point. Not everyone who goes into IBanking has the stomach for that- alot become content with 300-400 K and top out there because they want families/lives/etc. Thats still a ton of money of course.

I agree that there definitely arent as many high paying jobs as people here seem to making out here, though.

 

[baylormed]

SDN Myth: People with sub-30 MCAT scores can not get into medical school.

SDN Myth: QofQuimica can divide by zero. (just kidding, it's just that she is so awfully smart we think she might be a mythological character)

 

[Hercules022]

What are some of the myths that u guys have seen here on SDN after going through the application process. here are of few that ive seen.

1. Med schools really look for well-rounded, interesting people
2. There are a lot of people each year with very high stats 3.8 and 35+ that dont get accepted
3. Being URM is not that big of a help in getting admitted.

any more?

Well said, and I think that items 1 and 2 are brought up constantly in various "feel good" threads floating around SDN. I've been critical of various threads in the past where people have argued how interviewing well / having good EC's / being a compassionate person / really wanting to be a doctor can all make up for sub-par stats. And item 2..... you can't go very far on SDN without someone talking about how his cousin's brother's friend applied to school with a 38 and a 3.9 and got rejected, so of course the MCAT doesn't matter!

Item 3 has been argued to death on here, and everyone knows being a URM is a huge help, but nonetheless those threads turn into 8,10,12 page ramblings

 

[Vox Animo]

thats sort of true... the income potential in IBanking is ludicrous, but they dont all get to the $1M/yr plus range. Once you ge the job, you still have to work 80 hour weeks for years to climb to that level, plus probably take some time off to get an MBA at some point. Not everyone who goes into IBanking has the stomach for that- alot become content with 300-400 K and top out there because they want families/lives/etc. Thats still a ton of money of course.

I agree that there definitely arent as many high paying jobs as people here seem to making out here, though.

i was being sarcastic about IB

 

[Flopotomist]

Is flopotomist a girl???

😕

wanna make out and find out?

 

[CerealBox]

.

 

[Doctor~Detroit]

"A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man"

 

[silas2642]

no. a really hot man. who girls like me have almost no hope of seducing. 🙁

I know, I know. It seems like all the good ones are taken or gay. Any chance of converting you to our team, Flopo? We could use a star shortstop.

 

[MossPoh]

I kind of think the overall ridiculous amount of stuff that SDN'ers do kind of kicks my ass into gear to try and do half as much...but I do like the feeling that if you don't have 10K plus hours of shadowing with at least 3 published papers and 4 years of research that the medical school WILL drag you out by your hair and shoot you in your face...right after they kick your dog.

 

[AmoryBlaine]

Myth: There are plenty of jobs that pay as much as doctors.


Everytime i read this it makes me want to choke a kitten.

Each year medical schools crank out about 20000 people that will become very wealthly. No other fields have that many positions a year.

IBanking is the acception though, they have 25000 entry level positions every year, all of which quintuple what a doc makes, and allows them to have much hotter wives, and more lax polygamy laws.

Pefectly put, I laugh my head off at the threads that say, "if you're just in it for the money, do business/law/accounting/research/finance/etc."

 

[antihero94]

Myth 1: The best way to decide which medical school to go to is to list all the ones you were accepted to (and perhaps some you weren't) just to make people who weren't accepted feel dumb. Then ask people you don't even know to help you make what is arguably one of the most important decisions of your young life. And you don't have dependent personality disorder.

Myth 2: People don't surf SDN just looking to make inflammatory comments.

Myth 3: The people on SDN who "want to read a few personal statements," truly know what constitutes a good or bad personal statement.

Myth 4: Most people put their correct stats on the mdapplicants web-page.

Myth 5: Most people on SDN would not murder their mom's, sell their souls, or have sex with goats to get into medical school.

Myth 6: If you didn't get into medical school it is someone else's fault (URMs, a bias admission's process, cookie monster) and not the fact that you screwed off all thorugh college, had a 3.0 GPA, 17 MCAT, and your senior research project was entitled "How Many Beers Do I Have to Drink To Make Love to an Obese Chick."

Myth 7: I am a really funny guy.

PS: I am trying to decide between Harvard, Yale, Cornell, Columbia, and Brown. Could anyone tell which one I should go to. But not any of you dumb people who weren't accepted to all these schools.

 

[riff raff]

I have big feet, yet I only have 1 weiner? Is something wrong with me?

yes, you should see a doctor about that...immediately.

"So doc, I was reading on SDN, and they said if you have big feet you should have two weiners...yet I only have one...what can we do about this?"

Doctor: ".........crickets.........are you serious?"

 

[thesauce]

Pefectly put, I laugh my head off at the threads that say, "if you're just in it for the money, do business/law/accounting/research/finance/etc."

Why is it so funny? I read the posts above about e-banking and the others. I believe it's a fact that intelligent, hard-working, creative people (like most medical students) could make far more outside of medicine. I'm not talking about working for someone else, but if you started your own business or went to wall-street you could command a fine salary. The years that medical school puts you behind is pretty substantial.

Also, did someone really throw "research" in there?

 

[thesauce]

Myth 1: The best way to decide which medical school to go to is to list all the ones you were accepted to (and perhaps some you weren't) just to make people who weren't accepted feel dumb. Then ask people you don't even know to help you make what is arguably one of the most important decisions of your young life. And you don't have dependent personality disorder.

Myth 2: People don't surf SDN just looking to make inflammatory comments.

Myth 3: The people on SDN who "want to read a few personal statements," truly know what constitutes a good or bad personal statement.

Myth 4: Most people put their correct stats on the mdapplicants web-page.

Myth 5: Most people on SDN would not murder their mom's, sell their souls, or have sex with goats to get into medical school.

Myth 6: If you didn't get into medical school it is someone else's fault (URMs, a bias admission's process, cookie monster) and not the fact that you screwed off all thorugh college, had a 3.0 GPA, 17 MCAT, and your senior research project was entitled "How Many Beers Do I Have to Drink To Make Love to an Obese Chick."

Myth 7: I am a really funny guy.

PS: I am trying to decide between Harvard, Yale, Cornell, Columbia, and Brown. Could anyone tell which one I should go to. But not any of you dumb people who weren't accepted to all these schools.

Amen to #4! Last year, I compared the # of people on MDapplicants that CLAIMED that they got an MCAT greater than 35 to people that ACTUALLY got an MCAT greater than 35 (from AAMC info) and it's clear that they're are a bunch of big, fat, liars out there.

 

[drsax]

What are some of the myths that u guys have seen here on SDN after going through the application process. here are of few that ive seen.

1. Med schools really look for well-rounded, interesting people
2. There are a lot of people each year with very high stats 3.8 and 35+ that dont get accepted
3. Being URM is not that big of a help in getting admitted.

any more?

umm, #3 is a myth in situations I have seen. URM as a whole have to work just as hard for the 10-15 seats in a class of 100+...sorry had to vent

 

[bbas]

Amen to #4! Last year, I compared the # of people on MDapplicants that CLAIMED that they got an MCAT greater than 35 to people that ACTUALLY got an MCAT greater than 35 (from AAMC info) and it's clear that they're are a bunch of big, fat, liars out there.

I have to ask, what exactly is the point of fabricating your stats on an anonymous website?

 

[Anastasis]

Amen to #4! Last year, I compared the # of people on MDapplicants that CLAIMED that they got an MCAT greater than 35 to people that ACTUALLY got an MCAT greater than 35 (from AAMC info) and it's clear that they're are a bunch of big, fat, liars out there.

Or perhaps there is a self selection bias?

I'm not saying everyone on MDapps if completely honest but seriously, are those people with 17 MCATs really going to put their stats up there? Uh no.

Are the really driven people who have great GPAs and MCATs going to be driven enough to find that website and post their stats for the world to see? Probably.

 

[thesauce]

I have to ask, what exactly is the point of fabricating your stats on an anonymous website?

Lots of people ask this same question so I'll tell you, but I have a feeling that you already know:

1. It's not completely anonymous. If I posted my stats, I'd be the only Chemical Engineer from my undergrad institution and everyone from my institution would know that it was me. I could also give you the names of all of the people that posted on there from my school just by looking at the ECs and major.

2. A ton of people that chat on SDN have their MDapplicants link posted on their profile. So if they fabricate that info, they feel better about themselves when they are chatting on SDN. Others respect them for their great accomplishments, real or percieved and they, consequently, feel better about themselves.

 

[lynn623la]

some myths that I've noticed on sdn:

if you have big feet then you probably have big pensises

I haven't seen this one yet. But wow, um okay.

 

[thesauce]

Or perhaps there is a self selection bias?

I'm not saying everyone on MDapps if completely honest but seriously, are those people with 17 MCATs really going to put their stats up there? Uh no.

Are the really driven people who have great GPAs and MCATs going to be driven enough to find that website and post their stats for the world to see? Probably.

I considered that possibility, and it could indeed account for the descrepency if it is happening ALOT, but it's still highly unlikely that more than half of people that scored a 35 actually went on MDapplicants and posted their score. I would believe it if it were a FAR lesser percentage.

When you look at a 40 MCAT, there are only 4 or 5 people that got that score that DIDN'T post their scores on MDapplicants. It's just unrealistic.

 

[Anastasis]

You're assuming that it's all from one test administration I think. If you assume more than one test administrion maybe there're more 40 +.

But I'm not so naive. I know some people lie on MDapps but I think it's lower than what some other people think.

 

[thesauce]

You're assuming that it's all from one test administration I think. If you assume more than one test administrion maybe there're more 40 +.

But I'm not so naive. I know some people lie on MDapps but I think it's lower than what some other people think.

No, I accounted for that by narrowing the search by application year and taking the results from both tests administered that year. My assumption was that anyone that scored above a 35: a) Applied that same year and b) weren't re-applicants for an earlier year (or I'd be counting them even though they took the exam a different year).

I, too, didn't think that so many people would be lying. That was my hypothesis before I did the math. Unfortunately, I was disillusioned.

Thanks to those that were truthful. And for applicants that rely on these, don't worry so much about what the MDapplicants look like.

 

[Anastasis]

No, I accounted for that by narrowing the search by application year and taking the results from both tests administered that year. My assumption was that anyone that scored above a 35: a) Applied that same year and b) weren't re-applicants for an earlier year (or I'd be counting them even though they took the exam a different year).

I, too, didn't think that so many people would be lying. That was my hypothesis before I did the math. Unfortunately, I was disillusioned.

Thanks to those that were truthful. And for applicants that rely on these, don't worry so much about what the MDapplicants look like.

Wow - guess I was being slightly naive then. What were the numbers you came up with out of curiosity? If you remember, if not, no big deal.

 

[thesauce]

Wow - guess I was being slightly naive then. What were the numbers you came up with out of curiosity? If you remember, if not, no big deal.

You're not naive, just optimistic, same as I was.

It was a year ago, so I don't remember the exact numbers, but they're in an excel file on my home computer so I'll try and pull them up when I get home and let you know.

 

[Vox Animo]

Why is it so funny? I read the posts above about e-banking and the others. I believe it's a fact that intelligent, hard-working, creative people (like most medical students) could make far more outside of medicine. I'm not talking about working for someone else, but if you started your own business or went to wall-street you could command a fine salary. The years that medical school puts you behind is pretty substantial.

Also, did someone really throw "research" in there?

This is not true for MOST doctors. Some doctors with good connections will make more out of medicine. However, all how paying jobs in the business world require connection that most people do not have. You Honesty believe that all 20,000 new do/mds could all make over 150K a year in anything they did?

Most people who post that docs could make money elsewhere come for wealthy families and have friends that make money elsewhere. I went to a state school known for education, and most of my friends are making high 20Ks to low 40Ks, this is good money for a 22 year old, but even the most highly paid people's life time earning will be less then me in the lowest paying medical specialties.

So, if you come from a working class family, with no connections, medicine is the best way to make money and have a guarenteed job in almost every region of every state of this country and most others.

No to hijack the thread, i just had to dispell a myth about a myth

 

[LJDHC05]

#1 myth on SDN:
SDN represents the average medical school applicant pool

#2:
That we all know what we're talking about concerning what ADCOMs are looking for/the keys to getting into med school

#3:
the advice that is constantly spewed forth by us pre-meds is sound

 

[thesauce]

Okay, "V for Vendetta" was a great movie. Now for the reply:

You Honesty believe that all 20,000 new do/mds could all make over 150K a year in anything they did?

No, only the ones that are solely motivated by money. The averages play out the way that you describe it, for sure. But IF money is all that you want and you're intelligent and hard-working enough to have medical school as an option, you could make more than the average or even the high-end doctor elsewhere. Medical school is a good option to be garaunteed money, but the really big bucks are elsewhere.

Most people who post that docs could make money elsewhere come for wealthy families and have friends that make money elsewhere.

You don't know this to be a fact and neither do I.

I went to a state school known for education, and most of my friends are making high 20Ks to low 40Ks, this is good money for a 22 year old, but even the most highly paid people's life time earning will be less then me in the lowest paying medical specialties.

Still that's starting salary and we're back to talking about averages anyway. A student who has the option of medical school is not an average student. He/she wouldn't get sucked into a job making that little if he were motivated by money. He'd go find another field of work.

So, if you come from a working class family, with no connections, medicine is the best way to make money and have a guarenteed job in almost every region of every state of this country and most others.

Garaunteed, that's the key. You're gauranteed to make good money as a doctor, that is a fact I won't argue with. But the over-the-top money is in business, finance, and entrepeneurship (spelling?). And smart, motivated people can get it.

And in most other countries, doctors don't enjoy the lifestyle that they do in the US. Why do you think that there are so many foreigners applying for residency spots here?

 

[RokChalkJayhawk]

Consider how many other jobs REQUIRE at least 8 years of post-secondary education. That's not even including one's internship/residency, where you will get to know the meaning of "hard work."

Personally, I don't think 150k is even close to adequate for almost any doctor. My Dad is a general/trauma surgeon, 50 years old, and I guarantee he works on average 75 hours a week. He doesn't make anything near what he's worth. And trust me, there are a lot of doctors working as hard or harder.

Consider the cost of medical education. Consider the time invested.

Real Estate agents make a ludicrous amount of money for a job that requires a high school education. Anyone who is even suggesting that doctors should be paid less I don't think has an adequate idea of how hard the job is.

Life's not fair. Teachers shouldn't only make 30k a year while Russ Ortiz gets paid 33 million to watch baseball at home. Yeah doctors make a lot of money. But they've earned it (and more).

At this point I'm just going to assume that those suggesting doctors shouldn't earn so much are trolls.

 

[TMP-SMX]

Physicians earn every penny of their salaries and are forced to work for pennies in their residencies while their buddies are making 55-65k a year already finished with 4 years of making a salary.

 

[xanthomondo]

Myth #412:

SDN is not addictive and there are no withdraw symptoms of SDN deprivation.

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

Another myth: One must go to a medical school in California to later secure a California residency.

I hear that so often that I want to vomit 🙄

 

[Rafa]

"Californians have it tougher than anyone else."

 

[Flopotomist]

I know, I know. It seems like all the good ones are taken or gay. Any chance of converting you to our team, Flopo? We could use a star shortstop.

Muahahaha! I make a terrible boyfriend - never buy flowers, leave my socks on the bathroom floor, drink directly from 2 liter bottle of soda etc. In fact, I don't think I am gay as much as I realize that only another man could live with me long term.

 

[rajad10]

no. a really hot man. who girls like me have almost no hope of seducing. 🙁

here's a myth:

i really don't want to make out with you with that HOT HOT HOT smile. WOW - beautiful lips and teeth