Ross434 said:
Wanting to be recognized as smart has a lot less to do with my self image issues as it does with trying to attract out the other like, 5 smart people on the campus. Maybe if someone sees. wow that person knows his stuff. they'll be more interested in talking to me. I certainly select my friends based on how intelligent and dedicated to academics they are. (i dont hang out with idiots and slackers).
trying to look like a know-it-all in class is worth a lot of money later when struggling students come to you for tutoring.
I just a few things I want to mention, because I'm sincerely concerned about you...
1. Many of the "smartest" people I know will occasionally participate in class or choose not to participate at all. However, these are also some of the kindest people I know and spend time talking with and getting to know classmates before/after class. That is a way you could also find the people you wish to associate with. However, they go one step further and they form study groups (even if they know the material) because they feel that there is always something that they can learn from others not to mention friendships forged, academic or work connections that could be used, etc. By not truly interacting with your classmates you are missing opportunities. Try not to think in terms of talking a lot in class so that people will seek you out.
2. Try listening to others.
a.In many aspects of life, there are no "right" answers. In fact, in science, remember, what we study now is what is understood at this time. There are very few laws in science, particularly life science. Rather, there are hypotheses, etc. At one time bleeding people was the answer. At one time giving antibiotics to people with colds for piece of mind was the answer. Many times there are several opinions, not one answer. For example, not that long ago, some dermatologists prescribed oral antibiotics for acne; others prescribed fish oil supplements with the thought that the skin would slow its production of oil. Same problem: acne. Answer: varying opinions/approaches.
b. Knowing the "right" answers will not help in dealing with grieving families, etc., and other situational experiences when one needs not only scientific knowledge but also interpersonal skills that are so important for any professional, including medical professionals. Listen to others and learn from them how they interact with others and notice how they make others feel. Right now you are focusing on answers in class but being able to recall information is only one skill of many you will need as a physician.
c. Listen for the sake of listening. One day you will be wrong. Nobody can be 100% correct 100% of the time. If you make a diagnosis or treatment decision and someone else thinks you might be making a mistake, listen. They might be correct and save a patient physical and mental suffering, money, etc.
3. Now this isn't concerning you, but your fellow students. You mention that you want to earn money by helping struggling students. However, you might be a portion of the problem. By answering the questions, the professor might assume that the class might be understanding the concept, and not realize that others "don't get" it. The silence sometimes indicates that the professor needs to explain something again, in a different way, use a different technique like a visual aid, etc. You are not allowing for that education to happen. Also, auditory learners learn better by hearing material - just like you learn by reading with photographic memory. Give those learners (who are every bit as smart but learn it a differnet way) to absorb the material as well by pausing or giving others a chance to answer in their own words. If you want to tutor others, perhaps have the professor make an announcement that you are willing to help others or want to form a study group. I've seen that happen in many classes.
Lastly, you mentioned that you have photographic memory. Please realize its limitations. I know a couple of people who moved up the ladder because of it... mostly because they could write well and spoke like they were reading a book rather than speaking like an ordinary person. However, moving up the ladder means taking on responsibility. Because they relied on the memory (and a couple of people lost their semi-photographic memory as they got older) they are really struggling. They cannot make decisions because they never learned decision making skills. They also never learned the scientific concepts behind anything -- they took for granted what they read was true (without contextual information). They ended up making poor decisions, alienating their colleagues (because they thought they always knew the answer, and most of the time it was wrong or didn't make sense). They would be on every conference call saying, "I don't know... I'll check with "so and so" and get back to you as to what you should do." They lost all respect in the eyes of their colleages, those below them, and those above them. My last supervisor that had it would read everything our team wrote and change the word "many" to "several" and things like that, but never once in two years commented on content (and I work in a POLICY office) - because she couldn't. That is a dangerous risk to take. I think you could have a bright future, but this could easily happen to you unless you realize the limitations. Photographic memory is great if you want to study French, but it is more difficult in studying business, public health, or sociology which involve concepts and relationships.
