Several Obviously Unfair Things About Applying to Med School

[FreakyFreak]

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The most unfair and annoying thing about applying to med school is being a engineering (materials) major and competing against english and history majors on GPA. I could get a 4.0 in a history or english major with about half the effort of getting a 3.5 in engineering but the med schools dont consider the difficulty of degree. That is because they are all trying to get the correct numbers to make their school look the best.

Second, a 4.0 at some easy rinky dink school is more likely to get you into med school than a 3.6 at a top notch science school.

Why dont the med school admissions people engage their brains and admit that a 3.5 materials or chem engineer is a better student than a 4.0 english major.

To be honest I dont see why Med schools even take non science majors.

 

[DrMom]

get over it 🙄

 

[MWillie]

That's some bitterness. Have you applied and had experiences confirming these things or are you just speculating on what adcoms do?

 

[kikkoman]

The most unfair and annoying thing about applying to med school is being a engineering (materials) major and competing against english and history majors on GPA. I could get a 4.0 in a history or english major with about half the effort of getting a 3.5 in engineering but the med schools dont consider the difficulty of degree. That is because they are all trying to get the correct numbers to make their school look the best.

Second, a 4.0 at some easy rinky dink school is more likely to get you into med school than a 3.6 at a top notch science school.

Why dont the med school admissions people engage their brains and admit that a 3.5 materials or chem engineer is a better student than a 4.0 english major.

To be honest I dont see why Med schools even take non science majors.

Amen.

I didn't get screwed by the system, fortunately, but I feel for those of you who did.

 

[chitown82]

the OP brings up a point...im sure its been discussed to death before tho...

why does a 3.5 from a school like mit (say engineering major) look worse than a 4.0 from a school like chicago state university (say business major)?

anyone know if any schools add points to one's gpa depending on the school...

 

[virilep]

actually, i think admissions committees do take this into account. i know the interviewers addressed my GPA in accordance to my major and school. and they definately said "this gpa is good coming from this school with this major" so i don't think you can say that the whole thing is unfair. i know sometimes they use it as a cutoff. but that's the price u pay i guess. if u get to the interview stage though, u'll be fine.

 

[swifteagle43]

1. Well Mr. Engineering it is MUCH easier to be a math major than a humanities major because LESS humanities majors get A versus math majors.

2. Much less kids from the "dinky" schools ,as you put it, apply to med schools. It usually the cream of the crop with the 3.7-9s that couldn't afford to go to a hot shot university.

3. Go to MD Applicant website and see that kids from these so called "Dinky" schools do NOT get into the big named schools admissions. Look at Harvard Princeton Columbia Yale...how many "dinky" schools can you count?

4. We also have the MCATs!! HAHAHA! This EVENs the playing field. If a kid from a dinky friend can get a 40 and ure friend from a hot shot school is getting a 32 then sorry man he is not as good as the dinky kid. 🙂

 

[Mr. E]

I feel your pain. My major is physiological science (did I just give my school away). I have to take upper division physiology classes in cardio, pulmonary, neuro, etc. I also needed biochemistry and calc based physics to graduate. I have about 15 more hard science classes than the average non-science major. They say being a science major helps once you get to med school.......if it doesnt keep you out!! Thanks for nothing AMCAS!

 

[hotlikebutter]

are you sure its cause youre an engineer major and not because you sound like you are better than non science majors? 😛

i used to think like you...then i took a music class that i thought would be easy, cause im a science major and science is the toughest on any campus right? not true, teaching me how to read notes and compose was like teaching a blind race car driver.

also, you will be suprised how much synthesis and analytic skills english majors gain. its not suprising that these students tend to do better on the combined MCAT. why? cause the sciences for the most part require little thinking skills and it easy to boost PS and BS scores, while the VS as many premeds know are very difficult to increase. also if they are premed, they have to take the science courses, no short cut here.

for the "no name college" remark. AMCAS has done research on this, they found undergrad college has no bearing on med school performance, so GPA X from Harvard shouldnt be better than school ranked 100. Just remember, not everyone who goes to school does it for school reputation, and on the other side, not everyone who goes to ivy league is smart. My friend did his undergrad from UCSB, a good school but not insane like Yale or Harvard, but he graduated rank 1 from Yale School of Medicine. Dont assume anything is my saying these days.

 

[MWillie]

are you sure its cause youre an engineer major and not because you sound like you are better than non science majors? 😛

i used to think like you...then i took a music class that i thought would be easy, cause im a science major and science is the toughest on any campus right? not true, teaching me how to read notes and compose was like teaching a blind race car driver.

also, you will be suprised how much synthesis and analytic skills english majors gain. its not suprising that these students tend to do better on the combined MCAT. why? cause the sciences for the most part require little thinking skills and it easy to boost PS and BS scores, while the VS as many premeds know are very difficult to increase. also if they are premed, they have to take the science courses, no short cut here.

for the "no name college" remark. AMCAS has done research on this, they found undergrad college has no bearing on med school performance, so GPA X from Harvard shouldnt be better than school ranked 100. Just remember, not everyone who goes to school does it for school reputation, and on the other side, not everyone who goes to ivy league is smart. My friend did his undergrad from UCSB, a good school but not insane like Yale or Harvard, but he graduated rank 1 from Yale School of Medicine. Dont assume anything is my saying these days.

Anecdotal evidence of students from lower tier undergrad schools doing well in top tier med schools does not prove that all undergraduate schools are equal.

You make many other points which I find hard to believe.

 

[Mr. Seeds]

are you sure its cause youre an engineer major and not because you sound like you are better than non science majors? /QUOTE]

Science majors ARE better than non-science majors. 😀 We have a right to sound like we are better than them.

 

[underAchiever]

[/QUOTE]To be honest I dont see why Med schools even take non science majors.[/QUOTE]
To be honest I dont see why Med schools even take URM.
To be honest I dont see why Med schools even take women.
To be honest I dont see why Med schools even take non-trads.
Just wanted to see what that sounded like.

 

[UseUrHeadFred]

Don't feed the trolls.

 

[45408]

Please. First off, they DO counterbalance your GPA with your MCAT. MCW will take note of a high MCAT if your GPA was lower, but in what they consider a difficult course of study (but not vice versa - a low MCAT can't be offset by a high GPA).

Next, what's an "easy rinky dink school"? Any state school, right?

Give me a break. Either you're trolling, or you're not nearly as intelligent as you think.

Lastly, who gives a rat's as.s if you're a science major or not? I am one, but I know that you'll learn enough science in med school to last you a lifetime (not to mention that you needed 8+ semesters of "real" science to get you into med school anyways).

 

[Mr. E]

Anecdotal evidence of students from lower tier undergrad schools doing well in top tier med schools does not prove that all undergraduate schools are equal.

You make many other points which I find hard to believe.

I thought Yale had a system that eliminates class standing.

 

[MWillie]

Please. First off, they DO counterbalance your GPA with your MCAT. MCW will take note of a high MCAT if your GPA was lower, but in what they consider a difficult course of study (but not vice versa - a low MCAT can't be offset by a high GPA).

Next, what's an "easy rinky dink school"? Any state school, right?

Give me a break. Either you're trolling, or you're not nearly as intelligent as you think.

Lastly, who gives a rat's as.s if you're a science major or not? I am one, but I know that you'll learn enough science in med school to last you a lifetime (not to mention that you needed 8+ semesters of "real" science to get you into med school anyways).

Haha, prowler, I like your quoting, "blah blah blah blah," rofl.

 

[Mr. Seeds]

Deleting my previous post, as in retrospect I don't much feel like starting a flame war.

 

[cardsurgguy]

You have a logical point if they compared GPA to GPA overall. However, you're overall GPA hardly means anything. That's why they make you calculate a BCPM GPA. If an English major wants to go to med school, he/she has to take orgo, bio, physics, etc...so they have a BCPM GPA that can be compared to ours

it's not exactly equal, since us science majors typically take advanced science courses that are more difficult that potentially can lower our BCPM GPA as compared to only taking the lower level science courses required for medical school

but at least having everybody has some sort of BCPM GPA equates the field somewhat

 

[CarlosMielefan]

The most unfair and annoying thing about applying to med school is being a engineering (materials) major and competing against english and history majors on GPA. I could get a 4.0 in a history or english major .

Well, it would seem that appears to be false as there is a glaring grammatical error in your sentence. The word "engineering" begins with a vowel, and in the "English" language that would require the article "an" and not "a" as you incorrectly have it. A 4.0 is quite doubtful in view of this self-provided evidence.

 

[USCTex]

Well, it would seem that appears to be false as there is a glaring grammatical error in your sentence. The word "engineering" begins with a vowel, and in the "English" language that would require the article "an" and not "a" as you incorrectly have it. A 4.0 is quite doubtful in view of this self-provided evidence.

As I stop laughing; hasn't the OP been flamed enough? I mean this was the guy's first post and we appear to be carrying on an argument without him even participating beyond his original comments.

(Ignore any gramatical or spelling errors in my post...even though I'm a writing major)

 

[hotlikebutter]

Anecdotal evidence of students from lower tier undergrad schools doing well in top tier med schools does not prove that all undergraduate schools are equal.

You make many other points which I find hard to believe.

youre right about my friend, surely one person cannot desribe the true reality, i give you that.

but if you dont believe what i said about the rank of school having no bearing, please feel free to do the research on the AMCAS research page. that is not anecdotal.

but this is getting off topic. look on the bright side, the OP is obviously a well suited individual for medical school academically, and he/she will mostly likely have a seat when all is said and done correct? i mean, come on, 3.6 gpa in any major is competitive.

all im trying to say is thinking your major is better is crazy and being bitter at some poor english major is not going to help. they went into english cause they like it, not cause they had some evil plan to mess with us science dorks when it comes time to apply to med school.

if you want a good reason to be mad, how about them Lakers! man they are sucking bad!

 

[swifteagle43]

MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT

Guess what evens the playing field?


MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT


Take a wild wild guess?


MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT


If you have a 3.2 from harvard but a 3.9 from a dinky school how can we compare?

MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT

 

[constructor]

are you sure its cause youre an engineer major and not because you sound like you are better than non science majors? 😛

i used to think like you...then i took a music class that i thought would be easy, cause im a science major and science is the toughest on any campus right? not true, teaching me how to read notes and compose was like teaching a blind race car driver.

also, you will be suprised how much synthesis and analytic skills english majors gain. its not suprising that these students tend to do better on the combined MCAT. why? cause the sciences for the most part require little thinking skills and it easy to boost PS and BS scores, while the VS as many premeds know are very difficult to increase. also if they are premed, they have to take the science courses, no short cut here.

for the "no name college" remark. AMCAS has done research on this, they found undergrad college has no bearing on med school performance, so GPA X from Harvard shouldnt be better than school ranked 100. Just remember, not everyone who goes to school does it for school reputation, and on the other side, not everyone who goes to ivy league is smart. My friend did his undergrad from UCSB, a good school but not insane like Yale or Harvard, but he graduated rank 1 from Yale School of Medicine. Dont assume anything is my saying these days.

the mcat is nothing but a reading comprehension test (yes, all 3 sections) and you can do quite well by getting information from the passages even if you don't know very much to begin with. that's why the english majors do well and that's the only reason. it doesn't have anything to do with their analytical abilities because they have none. analyzing literature is not analagous to anything real or useful in this world. let's get real for a second...

 

[UCLAstudent]

I feel your pain. My major is physiological science (did I just give my school away).

Hahaha, yes, you did. 😀

 

[45408]

the mcat is nothing but a reading comprehension test (yes, all 3 sections) and you can do quite well by getting information from the passages even if you don't know very much to begin with. that's why the english majors do well and that's the only reason. it doesn't have anything to do with their analytical abilities because they have none. analyzing literature is not analagous to anything real or useful in this world. let's get real for a second...

No. You can stop the flame-baiting now. English majors have no analytical ability? The MCAT is not a reading comprehension test either, Einstein.

 

[dopaminophile]

the mcat is nothing but a reading comprehension test (yes, all 3 sections) and you can do quite well by getting information from the passages even if you don't know very much to begin with. that's why the english majors do well and that's the only reason. it doesn't have anything to do with their analytical abilities because they have none. analyzing literature is not analagous to anything real or useful in this world. let's get real for a second...

I agree; it's all about reading comprehension. Information processing and deductive reasoning are the most critical things a person can take from undergraduate to medical school. The MCAT is primarily designed to test those things. Your GPA is the indicator of how good a student you are. Who really cares what the electron configuration of francium is when you're gathering a patient history?

Science classes are harder than jerk-off liberal arts courses. I've done them both, as I'm sure most others have. Indeed, it's painful to read through novels you don't care anything about but there's just no comparing Physical Chemistry and Contemporary American Fiction. Science is harder. English is more relevant before you go to med school. The stuff you learn in med school and especially residency is of primary importance.

I've heard too that schools don't weigh a GPA at one of the powerhouse undergrads as highly as some middle-upper class schools due to grade inflation. I can see that.

 

[Mr hawkings]

I agree; it's all about reading comprehension. Information processing and deductive reasoning are the most critical things a person can take from undergraduate to medical school. The MCAT is primarily designed to test those things. Your GPA is the indicator of how good a student you are. Who really cares what the electron configuration of francium is when you're gathering a patient history?

Science classes are harder than jerk-off liberal arts courses. I've done them both, as I'm sure most others have. Indeed, it's painful to read through novels you don't care anything about but there's just no comparing Physical Chemistry and Contemporary American Fiction. Science is harder. English is more relevant before you go to med school. The stuff you learn in med school and especially residency is of primary importance.

I've heard too that schools don't weigh a GPA at one of the powerhouse undergrads as highly as some middle-upper class schools due to grade inflation. I can see that.

reading comprehension? Why then do people spend money taking review courses for BS and PS sections in order to improve their score. There is a reading comrehnsion component to it, but to say that the test is entirely so would not be accurate.

 

[evajaclynn]

reading comprehension? Why then do people spend money taking review courses for BS and PS sections in order to improve their score. There is a reading comrehnsion component to it, but to say that the test is entirely so would not be accurate.

Agreed. There is definitely a benefit to having a scientific background (at least for the PS and BS sections)!

 

[Neuronix]

Anecdotal evidence of students from lower tier undergrad schools doing well in top tier med schools does not prove that all undergraduate schools are equal.

Nope. But I do think it supports that the "quality" of your undergrad institution has little to do with your performance in medical school. I'd like to see this studied. My belief is that top-tier schools taking students from top-tier undergrads only supports the nepotism that is academic medicine.

 

[dopaminophile]

reading comprehension? Why then do people spend money taking review courses for BS and PS sections in order to improve their score. There is a reading comrehnsion component to it, but to say that the test is entirely so would not be accurate.

You've spent 3-4 years learning the science and studying for the MCAT. When I took the thing I found that the course I spent 1200 dollars on was largely useless except that it gave me practice with reading their f*cked up questions. Figuring those questions out is reading comprehension. You already have the basic knowledge (or you should) from the normal pre-med requirements. If you don't know something, you can usually figure it out with good reading comprehension. I have to stick to constructor's guns on this one.

 

[UseUrHeadFred]

I'm getting on the soap box for a minute, so pardon me while I opine.

As the old cliche goes, "Arguing about whose major is better is like competing in the special olympics. Even if you win, you're still ******ed."

None of this matters when it comes to being a competent physician. Not what undergrad you go to, not what major you are, not what medical school you go to, not whether you're an MD or DO, and not any of this other egoist bullhockey that's so easy to cite as legitimate reasons for your greatness.

Most things that make one a good doctor come down to work ethic and personal character. Neither is predicted by any of this superficial crap.

I hope more people realize how much of one's will to argue stems from the overjustification effect.

OK, I'm getting off my soap box now.

 

[dopaminophile]

I'm getting on the soap box for a minute, so pardon me while I opine.

As the old cliche goes, "Arguing about whose major is better is like competing in the special olympics. Even if you win, you're still ******ed."

None of this matters when it comes to being a competent physician. Not what undergrad you go to, not what major you are, not what medical school you go to, not whether you're an MD or DO, and not any of this other egoist bullhockey that's so easy to cite as legitimate reasons for your greatness.

Most things that make one a good doctor come down to work ethic and personal character. Neither is predicted by any of this superficial crap.

I hope more people realize how much of one's will to argue stems from the overjustification effect.

OK, I'm getting off my soap box now.

I couldn't agree more. The quality of the physician has to do with personality, not numbers. The problem is that I can't figure out any other way to determine academic rigor, deductive reasoning skills, or personal qualities than the process that is currently in place. If you can think of a better way... I'm all ears.

 

[UseUrHeadFred]

Trying to figure that out would be a full time job in and of itself. Fortunately, one doesn't have to work full time to recognize a problem and raise awareness. I'm all ears, too!

The issue at hand, however, is that I'm seeing accepted applicants - future physicians - argue over whose school or major is better. I think the simple fact that they're arguing over this is alarming. Basically, I wish my fellow students would strive to refrain from embracing egoism. I'm guilty of it, too. That's why I pointed it out, more than just an open ended complaint about the system...

 

[mustangsally65]

the mcat is nothing but a reading comprehension test (yes, all 3 sections) and you can do quite well by getting information from the passages even if you don't know very much to begin with. that's why the english majors do well and that's the only reason. it doesn't have anything to do with their analytical abilities because they have none. analyzing literature is not analagous to anything real or useful in this world. let's get real for a second...

As others have said, it is petty to argue this issue. However, I must disagree with the statement that the study of humanities isn't useful in the real world. One of the most important skills a good physician can have is being able to communicate effectively with patients, and a humanities background is good preparation for this. It doesn't matter how good a scientist you are, if you aced the MCAT, or even if you scored perfect on everything in med school. If you can't understand your patients and can't advise them when it is needed then you are not going to help anyone.

All majors bring something unique and useful to the field of medicine. The undergraduate experience is great preparation for medical school, and hopefully we will all be more mature for having made it through, whether we were English majors or science majors.

Notice the relationship between "humanities" and similar words like "human," "humane," and "humanity." As physicians we have great responsibility to humanity, and any experience with the human condition will be useful, even literature. 😉

 

[PostalWookie]

I'm a biochem major. I bitch about how easy english majors have it, but being a science major is not necessarily a gpa killer. Once you get to higher level courses, the cure goes up from a B- to a B+. Secondly, if you're a science major, it's probably because you're good at it. Hardcore science people see science classes as GPA padders.

Finally, you picked your major knowing the difficulties that came with it. Once you picked it, learn to live with it. If you're not happy with your grades, switch to the "easier" major and stop whining.

 

[AsianDoc816]

I'm a biochem major. I bitch about how easy english majors have it, but being a science major is not necessarily a gpa killer. Once you get to higher level courses, the cure goes up from a B- to a B+. Secondly, if you're a science major, it's probably because you're good at it. Hardcore science people see science classes as GPA padders.

Finally, you picked your major knowing the difficulties that came with it. Once you picked it, learn to live with it. If you're not happy with your grades, switch to the "easier" major and stop whining.

Very true--for true "hard core" science majors, classes like English and Philosophy are killers. At least that's what I've heard.

 

[Kiroro]

I'm a biochem major. I bitch about how easy english majors have it, but being a science major is not necessarily a gpa killer. Once you get to higher level courses, the cure goes up from a B- to a B+. Secondly, if you're a science major, it's probably because you're good at it. Hardcore science people see science classes as GPA padders.

Finally, you picked your major knowing the difficulties that came with it. Once you picked it, learn to live with it. If you're not happy with your grades, switch to the "easier" major and stop whining.

You are right. Most of the time being a science major (especially a Biological Science major) is not necessarily a GPA killer. But being a engineering major is generally a GPA killer. I kinda understand how Freakish feels.

Although we should not keep whining about the stuff we can't change (like med schools don't care much about applicants' major), it is definitely unfair that GPAs from different majors are evaluated as same.

 

[vtucci]

Wow- if this is not a huge overgeneralization. There are some schools where humanities majors have it easier but assuming all have it easier is absurd and insulting to those of us who were not so fortunate as to have an easy time.

First of all, I was a humanities major (history/political science double major) at an ivy-league school and then went to law school. In both cases, I had many classes where the professor gave one or two As to a class of hundreds. At my Law school, the average is set at a 2.7 for every class. By comparison (with the exception of physics), the science and math classes I have taken have been much, much easier.

Tests in sciences and math are far more objective than papers and even exams in humanities. You want frustrating.... you can spend hours/days on a paper in the humanities only to have your politically correct professor give you a B (or worse) because you did not spout the "correct" answer/ideology-ladies and gentlemen, I give you my Constitutional Law class.

Things work out as they are meant to. Have a little faith and the process will take care of you.

 

[bjackrian]

Yeah, what vtucci said! There are definitely some of us humanities/social science majors who work hard, and who have our own complaints about the system!

 

[45408]

At my Law school, the average is set at a 2.7 for every class. By comparison (with the exception of physics), the science and math classes I have taken have been much, much easier.

apples != oranges

Law school is completely different than undergrad.

 

[CarlosMielefan]

If you have to worry about what the person right next to you is doing, or what his credentials are, then you are not that confident in your own worth. I did not attend an Ivy league school, and I wish all those that did lots of success (provided that they are progressive people with evolved sensibilities and who subscribe to the theory of live and let-live). I do have an extensive background in the sciences, but I applaud those who have studied the arts. In either case, I lose no sleep on these groups of people. I am simply more concerned with my own CV, and the best possible way of presenting myself to the admissions committee.

In short, it matters not what "they" think - or dare I say it - what I think. What matters is what you think about YOU, and whether or not you think you've done the best you can possibly do. Effort is far more important that the pedigree of your undergraduate institution or what the perception of the intellectual requirement of your major is. I could've majored in shopping at the local community college ot a place 2500 miles to the east of no where, and I could still get into medical school as long as I am able to present a compelling reason for a medical school to accept me.

That others had an English degree or went to a "lesser" school does not affect your credentials or your attractivity as a medical school applicant. Who are you, and more importantly, what have you to offer? That's what medical schools want to know. If you are qualified, you are qualified. It speaks only about you. Not him, not her, not cotton-eye Joe, just you! Perhaps this is a good point to close this thread, and others like it to come. T

 

[ElKapitan]

I would have to say, in regards to enginering, engineering proffessors love failing their students. I have never seen so many, sorry sons of bitches as on exam day for engineers. They studied like I did, and most were happy with D's and C's, as long as they passed. So I do give some sympathy to the plight of the engineer.

Bashing non-science majors, what the hell sense does that make? I mean seriously, the whole admissions system is messed up. This is where we should channel our anger.

I agree with everyone who says personality is more important than any test score or GPA.

 

[Khenon]

I think it's really unfair and annoying that medical schools won't interview me.

(Next April, switch "interview" with "accept.")

😉

 

[CarlosMielefan]

I think it's really unfair and annoying that medical schools won't interview me.

(Next April, switch "interview" with "accept.")

😉

Perhaps this is what the OP should have said rather than swinging his sword blindly in the dark.


PS: Get your mind out of the gutter!

 

[opinionkitten]

1) gpa is graded against undergrad school, to some degree anyway. ive heard maybe 10 people say the rules about GPA and med school chances simply dont apply to caltech. look on mdapplicants, the kids from caltech and mit have mostly "eh" gpas and im certain people that got into caltech and mit are people not well acquainted with having "eh" gpas. compare UC schools on mdapplicants, there are tons more ucla, berkeley, and ucsd people on it, a handfull of uci and almost no ucr students (a couple going to DO schools...) and one could imagine there being a roughly equivalent # of good gpas and premed kids with good gpas coming from each of these schools. undergrad school competitiveness is clearly a factor

2) the mcat is so a reading comprehension test. come on, people. did you get any real benefit from studying specific material for it? i had exactly 0 physiology in college and did fine on the bio section. as for princeton review and sch things, i would say i got 0 benefit from any of the class time supplied by these. it is 90% reading/conceptualization, 10% specific fact driven.

3) all of my science classes had curve based grading, a's given to a certain standard deviation above the mean (usually a- began after one sd above) and in all of my nonscience classes grades were not percentile based, several having more than 1/3 of the class getting a's. this will have an effect on people's gpa's in different majors. i would bet at my school there were way more 4.0 humanities majors than in science or engineering. this is not to say that hum people get a free ride or that they suck or anything. it still has some effect on ones competitiveness, even if its small

 

[CarlosMielefan]

1) How does this relate to you?

2) As judged by you

3) What was the point....?

 

[dopaminophile]

If you have to worry about what the person right next to you is doing, or what his credentials are, then you are not that confident in your own worth. I did not attend an Ivy league school, and I wish all those that did lots of success (provided that they are progressive people with evolved sensibilities and who subscribe to the theory of live and let-live). I do have an extensive background in the sciences, but I applaud those who have studied the arts. In either case, I lose no sleep on these groups of people. I am simply more concerned with my own CV, and the best possible way of presenting myself to the admissions committee.

In short, it matters not what "they" think - or dare I say it - what I think. What matters is what you think about YOU, and whether or not you think you've done the best you can possibly do. Effort is far more important that the pedigree of your undergraduate institution or what the perception of the intellectual requirement of your major is. I could've majored in shopping at the local community college ot a place 2500 miles to the east of no where, and I could still get into medical school as long as I am able to present a compelling reason for a medical school to accept me.

That others had an English degree or went to a "lesser" school does not affect your credentials or your attractivity as a medical school applicant. Who are you, and more importantly, what have you to offer? That's what medical schools want to know. If you are qualified, you are qualified. It speaks only about you. Not him, not her, not cotton-eye Joe, just you! Perhaps this is a good point to close this thread, and others like it to come. T

One's "attractivity" (ehm... Dubya?) to a medical school is a combination of things. I don't know about you guys but a 4.0 from the Naval Academy (because they don't have grade inflation) looks a hell of a lot better to me than a 4.0 from the Podunk School of Higher Learning or even Harvard (because they do have grade inflation). You can be the most compassionate, dedicated, hardest working person in the world, but some people just don't have the brains to become a physician. Being a doctor is also about being a scholar... being extremely academically and intellectually rigorous. I certainly don't want some passionate bozo conducting clinical trials on my kid. I want someone who has a pretty stellar intellect.

If there are any shopping majors in the the world that are in or have gone to medical school, I will stand corrected. But for now, I want my doctors to have gotten good grades. If they're from the right schools, their good grades will mean even more.

Don't get me wrong; I'll be the first to admit that numbers aren't everything. Shoot, I'll be the first to hope that numbers aren't everything. They certainly are, and should be, something big.

-dope-

 

[cammy1313]

I think the bottom line is that using "fair" and "medical school admissions" in the same sentence is an oxymoron. The process is way too subjective given the number of variables they take into consideration. Numbers are usefull for an initial cutoff because they have to start somewhere, but then there are schools that do not use this method (maybe #of ECs or solely PS content are the way they do it). Regardless, unless some brilliant adcom member designs a statistical program that will predict each person's ability to succeed in med school based on their entire resume, being admitted to school will forever be a crap shoot.

 

[Khenon]

Perhaps this is what the OP should have said rather than swinging his sword blindly in the dark.


PS: Get your mind out of the gutter!

Okay, I'm embarrassed . . . but I can't figure out what was said that might be construed as naughty! And my mind is in the gutter alot, so I'm really shocked I can't figure this one!

 

[PineappleGirl]

If you want to talk about something that's unfair, let's talk about labs. I could take a full semester at my school (16 credits) by taking 4 liberal arts classes, each of which meets 3 hours a week. A total of 12 hours of class a week. 12 hours a week= 16 credits. On the other hand, should I take 4 science classes, oh, how about bio, chem, physics, and biochem, in addition to 12 hours of class, I have 3 hours of lab for each class, another 12 hours a week for a grand total of 24 hours spent in class and in lab.

4 liberal arts classes=16 credits= 12 hours a week in class

versus

4 hard science classes=16 credits= 24 hours a week in class

SO NOT FAIR.

And I won't even get into how the additional hours in lab limit your ability to work and make money...
😡