Sooo...yeah

[PressPforPi]

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Went to talk to a pre-med advisor today. I'm just curious if I should put my faith in this person after some of the things that were said.

1. They didn't know that D.O. schools grade replace (I'm pretty sure they do unless I'm wrong, but I highly doubt that😛)

2. I was told that it was better to shadow a physician for an entire 12 hours within two days than it was to shadow them for 5 hours, 5 days/week for 2 months.

3. My B.S. in Biology requires an undergrad research project. I was told that if I did other research outside this project that it wouldn't really help in distinguishing me from other applicants.

4. The entire conversation felt awkward. There was just so much negativity. Almost like I should only do the bare minimum and cross my fingers and hope to get in.

5. To me, it seems like I have got great advice from other posters (like Cat for example) in relations to med school admissions since I've joined SDN (which hasn't been long).

Opinions?

Cookies?

Buttered toast?

 

[Adaggiote]

I really don't know what to sayyy....

 

[aSagacious]

Yeah, I resent when my advisor has an M.A. in education and tries to tell me how to get into medical school 🙂

 

[PressPforPi]

Yeah, I resent when my advisor has an M.A. in education and tries to tell me how to get into medical school 🙂

What do you do sag? Just ignore them? Because I'm pretty sure that's what I'm going to do, until I take A & P 1 and 2😡

 

[Mazdave]

If you're well-researched about the process it's entirely possible that you are better informed about the whole process than your advisor. My pre-med advisor still insists that no medical school anywhere in the US will accept any AP credit for any requirements under any circumstances and had never heard of some of the schools I mentioned being interested in (like CCLCM). Where they are helpful is helping you navigate whatever hoops your school has you jump through to get a committee letter (if you school does that).

 

[Torr]

Went to talk to a pre-med advisor today. I'm just curious if I should put my faith in this person after some of the things that were said.

1. They didn't know that D.O. schools grade replace (I'm pretty sure they do unless I'm wrong, but I highly doubt that😛)

2. I was told that it was better to shadow a physician for an entire 12 hours within two days than it was to shadow them for 5 hours, 5 days/week for 2 months.

3. My B.S. in Biology requires an undergrad research project. I was told that if I did other research outside this project that it wouldn't really help in distinguishing me from other applicants.

4. The entire conversation felt awkward. There was just so much negativity. Almost like I should only do the bare minimum and cross my fingers and hope to get in.

5. To me, it seems like I have got great advice from other posters (like Cat for example) in relations to med school admissions since I've joined SDN (which hasn't been long).

Opinions?

Cookies?

Buttered toast?

Yeah you're right. Horrible advice.

1) You are right. Retake replaces first grade.
2) What? What's the reasoning behind this?? Not true. Spreading the hours out in the way you've described is fine.
3) and 4) Ridiculous! The more you do, especially in areas you have an interest in, the more you can set yourself apart. How is doing bare minimum EVER a good thing?
5) Yea. If this is the only counselor you've got then stick with the advisors on SDN (Cat etc.)

I feel bad when I hear this stuff, especially negativity. Sucks 👎.

 

[NickNaylor]

Cool story? 😕

 

[PressPforPi]

If you're well-researched about the process it's entirely possible that you are better informed about the whole process than your advisor. My pre-med advisor still insists that no medical school anywhere in the US will accept any AP credit for any requirements under any circumstances and had never heard of some of the schools I mentioned being interested in (like CCLCM). Where they are helpful is helping you navigate whatever hoops your school has you jump through to get a committee letter (if you school does that).

So, just use them and get a LoR?

 

[slatermd]

Yeah you're right. Horrible advice.

1) You are right. Retake replaces first grade.
2) What? What's the reasoning behind this?? Not true. Spreading the hours out in the way you've described is fine.
3) and 4) Ridiculous! The more you do, especially in areas you have an interest in, the more you can set yourself apart. How is doing bare minimum EVER a good thing?
5) Yea. If this is the only counselor you've got then stick with the advisors on SDN (Cat etc.)

I feel bad when I hear this stuff, especially negativity. Sucks 👎.

Ahem.

6) PROFIT!

 

[PressPforPi]

Yeah you're right. Horrible advice.

1) You are right. Retake replaces first grade.
2) What? What's the reasoning behind this?? Not true. Spreading the hours out in the way you've described is fine.
3) and 4) Ridiculous! The more you do, especially in areas you have an interest in, the more you can set yourself apart. How is doing bare minimum EVER a good thing?
5) Yea. If this is the only counselor you've got then stick with the advisors on SDN (Cat etc.)

I feel bad when I hear this stuff, especially negativity. Sucks 👎.

Well thanks Torr!👍

 

[aSagacious]

What do you do sag? Just ignore them? Because I'm pretty sure that's what I'm going to do, until I take A & P 1 and 2😡

You will find that most aspects of the application process are quite intuitive (and for the aspects that are not, there's Google or SDN). In general, I think I visited my advisor four times throughout college (and three of those times I left wishing that I had not gone in the first place).

I'm sorry, I missed the link, how does your advisor relate to A&P (are they the prof)?

 

[PressPforPi]

Cool story? 😕

I still despise lil wayne. Sorry bruh 😎

 

[PressPforPi]

You will find that most aspects of the application process are quite intuitive (and for the aspects that are not, there's Google or SDN). In general, I think I visited my advisor four times throughout college (and three of those times I left wishing that I had not gone in the first place).

I'm sorry, I missed the link, how does your advisor relate to A&P (are they the prof)?

Yessir

 

[Mazdave]

So, just use them and get a LoR?

My school requires a long application with essays, multiple forms and letters of recommendation from specific people in order to get my committee letter. The instructions were confusing and I used my most recent pre-med advisor meeting to make sure that I completed the school's process correctly rather than to get general advice since I didn't trust it. If your advisor doesn't seem to know what they're talking about with regards to ECs, MCAT studying, school lists, etc., then you're much better off doing your own research.

 

[PressPforPi]

My school requires a long application with essays, multiple forms and letters of recommendation from specific people in order to get my committee letter. The instructions were confusing and I used my most recent pre-med advisor meeting to make sure that I completed the school's process correctly rather than to get general advice since I didn't trust it. If your advisor doesn't seem to know what they're talking about with regards to ECs, MCAT studying, school lists, etc., then you're much better off doing your own research.

Thanks for your input. I thought I'd be better off doing my own research too.

 

[dbeast]

So, just use them and get a LoR?

Exactly... Some med schools require a committee letter so you unfortunately show up to the pre-med events with a smile on your face and suck up to the person who will be writing the committee letter. In the end it will be worth it.

 

[rhcarolina]

After I made a couple of C's freshman year, the pre-med advisor at my college told me that the admissions committee must have made some mistake in accepting me and refused to help me select courses. Grade A advice. 🙄

 

[bucks2010]

2. I was told that it was better to shadow a physician for an entire 12 hours within two days than it was to shadow them for 5 hours, 5 days/week for 2 months.

Wait, you want to shadow someone for 5 hrs x 5 days x 8 weeks = 200 hrs? That's overkill. 50-60 hrs. max is fine. And spread that out amongst a few specialties.

 

[TooMuchResearch]

Wait, you want to shadow someone for 5 hrs x 5 days x 8 weeks = 200 hrs? That's overkill. 50-60 hrs. max is fine. And spread that out amongst a few specialties.

Agreed. I don't know why you'd spend 200 hours shadowing one doc. The point of shadowing is to see what docs do with their day, so 1-2 twelve hour shifts sounds great.