The Hardest Part of Being Pre-Med

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brainyhack

brainyhack

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I never understood the "pre-med stigma" until I faced what it was like to be directly stigmatized in the workplace and even by the people I thought were my true friends.

I was sitting in an interview for a federal work study law clerk position with the UCLA School of Law two days ago where I endured, for the first time, what was a complete and utterly senseless battering from my interviewees who insisted on asking highly charged questions surrounding my major and career goals. Questions like:
"So I understand you are pre-med. You have here on your resume alot of laboratory and medical experience. Why don't you just apply to another research position here?"
"How do you think you will make the transition from interacting with people in a medical or biomedical setting to a legal office setting? You do understand that it is different, right?"
"How will you make the time for your work commitment with us? I know that "you guys" are constantly busy with your academics and extracurricular activities. Are you going to be joining any other extracurriculars?"
"You understand that the only other students who have applied to this position are all pre-law. They have a lot to gain from this opportunity. What do you think you will be able to gain from this and can you please describe to me why you think you are better suited for this job over all those students who want this more than you?"

All I could do was laugh it off and jestingly tell them: "As a pre-med we have backup plans ranging from A-Z. I'm coming to the realization that law might be a direction I should seriously consider as I am a classics and philosophy minor. Law is my plan A." Needless to say I got the job and ironically enough, the woman who was perhaps the most scrutinizing decided to take me on and is my current supervisor.

Notwithstanding, perhaps the hardest reality I've had to grip is coming to terms with how being pre-med and doing the things I have to do to get to medical school and taking them seriously affects my personal relationships.

This was a post I made out on Facebook today in response to those feelings and the differences that have contributed to my conscious separation of myself from my friends:

"For all of my friends who I have lost touch with and to all of the hard working pre-meds who can empathize with me when I say this:

Wanna know the hardest part of my path to becoming a doctor? It's not the scared feeling you get when you don't get an A, it's not the thought of my dreams crumbling down with every class and obstacle that gets in the way of my education that I sometimes have to face, it's not the hours and holidays that I sacrifice in my lab commitments, it's not the endless studying or painful daydreams of getting "there" and knowing it's all tentative. All up in the air. It's not the pressure from the competition, it's none of those things. It's sacrificing your sense of worth in the process. It's giving every piece of you to all the parts of this process and having nothing left to give to anyone else let alone yourself. It's sacrificing your friends when they turn to you and tell you you are nothing more or less than essentially an uninteresting and depth-less glory hunting sack of guts and ****. It's when you realize you are alone in all of this and that no one understands that through all of this I actually find happiness. It's when people don't understand your happiness and end up turning to you someday to save their life so that you can perpetuate their time with the ones that they love. So that you can perpetuate their happiness."

I guess at the end of this long and fulminating anecdote I just want to let others know that there are others out there who are just like you. I want to know you and I want to ask you what you think the hardest thing about your path to becoming a physician is. Feel free to contend with my arguments and share those things that you struggle with as you go through this process too.
 
I think you need to get better at handling criticism, you sound like you take this personally. We all make sacrifices, not just pre-meds, medical students, and physicians.

No matter what you do in life you will be subject of intense critique. In college: Pre-med, you're a no-lifer. Pre-law, you have no future job. Liberal arts major, you're a future barista. Undecided, you're future unemployment checks.

Don't buy in to generalizations, don't be bothered by them. Pardon my French, but others say it better than me: Do what you love and **** the rest.
 
I honestly haven't faced a whole lot of issues like this. Then again, I have pretty thick skin, so it's possible that I didn't even notice.

I guess I can say that I was in a psychology group once and my group-mates said "A C is fine." I contended the point, as a C is not fine for me, and I think they probably had a negative impression of me.

There is certainly a huge price to pay to become a physician. The sacrifices you're going to make are impossible to imagine when someone says to you "are you ready for the sacrifice?" I know I've already sacrificed a lot in my personal life to get where I am, and I haven't even started med school yet! It's scary, and that's why people say "if you can do anything else, do that thing." You'll suffer to get to where you want to be, but I believe that it will be worth it.

PreMedOrDead said:
I think you need to get better at handling criticism, you sound like you take this personally. We all make sacrifices, not just pre-meds, medical students, and physicians.

No matter what you do in life you will be subject of intense critique. In college: Pre-med, you're a no-lifer. Pre-law, you have no future job. Liberal arts major, you're a future barista. Undecided, you're future unemployment checks.

Don't buy in to generalizations, don't be bothered by them. Pardon my French, but others say it better than me: Do what you love and **** the rest.
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Very well said.

You wouldn't believe how many lawyers will tell you they wish they would have gone to med school and how many doctors say they wish they went to law school. The truth is that you'll be as happy as you choose to be. **** the rest, indeed!
 
Those questions were completely valid.

Also, why do you feel so bad about being discriminated against for having a temporary label? You're not always going to be pre-med. I would say enjoy it..

There are plenty of people in the world (not doctors and lawyers) that get stigmatized for things they didn't choose and can't change. You shouldn't complain about things that will never really matter.
 
I've lived a good life, kept in touch with my friends, handled my pre-med duties as well as clubs, volunteering etc and got into a US MD school as have tons of others..

Everyone makes sacrifices, but to be a pre-med and say you don't have enough time for anything is ridiculous. I am sorry that your friends turned on you but they don't sound like your true friends anyways. There's nothing special about being a pre-med and to say that pre-meds work harder than every pre-profession or other majors sounds very condescending and is part of the reason why pre-meds have a stigma. You need to have a thicker skin and learn to accept criticism. All those questions sounded very fair to me.

Also, that Facebook post sounds weird and I would delete it. Seems like it is part humble-brag, part pathetic.
 
The problem is that you're whiny.

That FB post quoted in the OP is precisely the reason people don't like premeds; melodramatic and self-important for no reason. Also, generally questions about why you're applying for a job that doesn't fit with your past experiences or stated career goals don't fall into the category of "highly charged" or "stigmatizing". Get real.
 
Rik1111 said:
I honestly haven't faced a whole lot of issues like this. Then again, I have pretty thick skin, so it's possible that I didn't even notice.

I guess I can say that I was in a psychology group once and my group-mates said "A C is fine." I contended the point, as a C is not fine for me, and I think they probably had a negative impression of me.

There is certainly a huge price to pay to become a physician. The sacrifices you're going to make are impossible to imagine when someone says to you "are you ready for the sacrifice?" I know I've already sacrificed a lot in my personal life to get where I am, and I haven't even started med school yet! It's scary, and that's why people say "if you can do anything else, do that thing." You'll suffer to get to where you want to be, but I believe that it will be worth it.



Very well said.

You wouldn't believe how many lawyers will tell you they wish they would have gone to med school and how many doctors say they wish they went to law school. The truth is that you'll be as happy as you choose to be. **** the rest, indeed!
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Thank you for your comments. I acknowledge the fact that others in all other prospective career fields may feel the same way too. I firmly believe in going one hundred percent at everything you do regardless if you are pre-med or pre-law or any other declared (or undeclared) major with a career interest at heart. I know that at the end of all of the self-questioning and sacrifices it will be worth it in the end, not for the sake of the money or the success in accomplishing the end goal, but what that end goal entails. As a pre-med that is, what makes it all worth it is all the individuals and their families whom I know I will have a profound affect on someday--all the random strangers I will build deep and transient connections with as a doctor in the future. I guess I am ranting on the fact that there are people who do not understand that life is not about instant gratification--and that the things we truly want doesn't always come easily and without those sacrifices. Maybe they just haven't made those sacrifices yet or are not as invested in their future right now. It is the people that make those selfless sacrifices from day one that I want to surround myself with and I am quickly learning that maybe the people who fail to recognize or understand what it takes to be wholly dedicated to something just aren't worth my time.

However I would like to counter what was said before regarding my lack of "thick skin". I do tend to take things personally and I think that stems from the same part of me that is so invested in this process. I take everything to heart. Be it my passions or what others think about me. I think it is a trait that has served me well and pushed me to be the kind of person that I need to be to survive all kinds of situations and to appeal to a broad spectrum of people. It motivates me to not settle for my best and to always push myself to be better. I might not have as thick of skin as you but I definitely have it. I like to think that without having thick skin I wouldn't have survived that interview and came out of it as successfully as I did or have reached the point of my life I am at right now. To survive trials and criticisms makes each and every one of us stronger. I am hard headed and thick skinned in the moment that I need to be, but deep down inside I think I internalize my nagging conscience which cares about other's perceptions about me.
 
brainyhack said:
Thank you for your comments. I acknowledge the fact that others in all other prospective career fields may feel the same way too. I firmly believe in going one hundred percent at everything you do regardless if you are pre-med or pre-law or any other declared (or undeclared) major with a career interest at heart. I know that at the end of all of the self-questioning and sacrifices it will be worth it in the end, not for the sake of the money or the success in accomplishing the end goal, but what that end goal entails. As a pre-med that is, what makes it all worth it is all the individuals and their families whom I know I will have a profound affect on someday--all the random strangers I will build deep and transient connections with as a doctor in the future. I guess I am ranting on the fact that there are people who do not understand that life is not about instant gratification--and that the things we truly want doesn't always come easily and without those sacrifices. Maybe they just haven't made those sacrifices yet or are not as invested in their future right now. It is the people that make those selfless sacrifices from day one that I want to surround myself with and I am quickly learning that maybe the people who fail to recognize or understand what it takes to be wholly dedicated to something just aren't worth my time.

However I would like to counter what was said before regarding my lack of "thick skin". I do tend to take things personally and I think that stems from the same part of me that is so invested in this process. I take everything to heart. Be it my passions or what others think about me. I think it is a trait that has served me well and pushed me to be the kind of person that I need to be to survive all kinds of situations and to appeal to a broad spectrum of people. It motivates me to not settle for my best and to always push myself to be better. I might not have as thick of skin as you but I definitely have it. I like to think that without having thick skin I wouldn't have survived that interview and came out of it as successfully as I did or have reached the point of my life I am at right now. To survive trials and criticisms makes each and every one of us stronger. I am hard headed and thick skinned in the moment that I need to be, but deep down inside I think I internalize my nagging conscience which cares about other's perceptions about me.
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I think you're being a bit dramatic.
 
mcloaf said:
The problem is that you're whiny.

That FB post quoted in the OP is precisely the reason people don't like premeds; melodramatic and self-important for no reason. Also, generally questions about why you're applying for a job that doesn't fit with your past experiences or stated career goals don't fall into the category of "highly charged" or "stigmatizing". Get real.
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My past experiences included two years in customer service as a retail and cashier associate with the same company, legal assistant to a family friend, and a high school career spent volunteering with a hospital laboratory and later the same hospital's administration office doing primarily clerical work. Tell me how that doesn't fit into the demands of the job which asks for someone well-suited toward fulfilling the demands of a service oriented (more or less clerical) assistant position? They seemed to overlook these jobs and jumped straight to my more recent medically related jobs.

The questions they asked were framed within the context of generalizations directed towards pre-med. If they weren't highly charged they were definitely condescending. The vocal tone in which they asked these questions further attest to that. Furthermore they never asked me to elaborate on my other jobs.

And to everyone else here:

It's interesting that you guys all think I'm supposed to silently acknowledge your supercilious statements. Maybe I'm not so thin skinned as you think I am if I am actually putting the effort out to clearly address your feelings about me and contend them. I think I deserve the right to stand up for myself here. And FYI: I'm sorry but "Your being dramatic" is not a good counter argument.
 
solitarius said:
Sorry, but I don't think this is the hardest part of being premed.
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What is your idea of what that would be? My intention for this thread was to know what other's think is the hardest part of their journey. Your opinions are welcomed. I know I have been making alot of rebuttals here but the one line I will not cross is bashing other people's true opinions when I ask for it.
 
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I'm not a genius and I didn't breeze through undergrad. I worked hard, but it wasn't that difficult. There are things out there, academic or otherwise, that are more trying than pre-med.
 
No **** circulus vitios. As this is a pre-medical forum I directed my thread towards asking what the hardest part of being pre-med is. I've definitely been through worse things than being pre-med in my life. I'm not ignorant to what you are suggesting here. I am telling you that your response is not germane to the question at hand.
 
brainyhack said:
No **** circulus vitios. As this is a pre-medical forum I directed my thread towards asking what the hardest part of being pre-med is. I've definitely been through worse things than being pre-med in my life. I'm not ignorant to what you are suggesting here. I am telling you that your response is not germane to the question at hand.
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The problem is you're taking this way, way too serious. If you're taking legitimate questions or the lack of a social life this serious, how are you going to take the first time you get sued? The first time your patient dies on you?

NickNaylor said:
+pity+
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I mean, you did apply to an internship (?) position where everyone else was applying to Law School, what did you expect?
 
To clarify: it is a work-study job for on campus. I needed a job plain and simple, and I thought it would be nice to have a change of scenery from the typical labs and hospital type settings I've worked in in the past. My intention for applying was to diversify my work experience.

ZeaL6 said:
I mean, you did apply to an internship (?) position where everyone else was applying to Law School, what did you expect?
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What's the hardest part of being premed?

A lot of candidates:
- studying for the MCAT. Having to do it 2 or 3x
- staying in for n-th weekend b/c you've over stretched yourself. Extend this over 4 years for the longest job audition process.
- dropping a cute girl you like b/c you lack the time & energy for her drama
- some blocks of weeks, not even having the time to exercise
- dealing with the overwhelming hurdles, self-doubt, and anxiety on a daily basis
- completing your 25 th secondary
- seeing all your hard work flushed b/c you don't interview well
- seeing all your hard work flushed down the drain with that final.rejection
- having to reapply another cycle

All these seem a lot worse than a tough job interview.
 
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For myself, the most difficult part of pre-med is definitely fear of the unknown. I started off college thinking I was some genius who would just breeze through with a 4.0. needless to say that didn't happen, and now I'm working hard to dig myself out of the hole I put myself in. I constantly hear you have no chance, give up, especially from people on here, but nonetheless I keep working hard hoping to achieve my goal and live out my dream.

so I can definitely hear where you're coming from OP. I live in constant anxiety and fear that ill never make it and I'm wasting my time, but if it were easy everyone would do it, right? I figure worst case scenario is ill take the lessons I've learned through this uphill battle and apply them to whatever I do, but ill never be happy unless I gain acceptance to medical school, which is why I don't plan on ever giving up. just stay positive and live your own life for yourself, the rest will fall into place.
 
solitarius said:
What's the hardest part of being premed?

A lot of candidates:
- studying for the MCAT. Having to do it 2 or 3x
- staying in for n-th weekend b/c you've over stretched yourself. Extend this over 4 years for the longest job audition process.
- dropping a cute girl you like b/c you lack the time & energy for her drama
- some blocks of weeks, not even having the time to exercise
- dealing with the overwhelming hurdles on a daily basis
- completing your 25 th secondary
- seeing all your hard work flushed b/c you don't interview we'll
- seeing all your hard work flushed down the drain with that final.rejection
- having to reapply another cycle

All these seem a lot worse than a tough job interview.
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If you are directing that last statement to me, it wasn't a tough job interview for me and that is by no means anywhere near the top of the list of what might be the hardest part of being pre-med for me is.

To clarify:

The hardest part of being premed, in my opinion, is making the kinds of sacrifices that you admit to making here too and knowing that the end goal may or may not happen for you. Losing friends and partner relationships throughout the process simply because they do not understand why you are making those sacrifices is perhaps the hardest part by far. Then again, as everyone has stated. They probably aren't my friends anyways or they are happier with the simple things in life and think that being driven to pursue a career is pointless if in the end it compromises even a part of your immediate happiness.
 
I love being a premed. I love my major (biology). I love my life.

I'm sure I've sacrificed a few parties, friends, and hook ups in undergrad but I don't regret it one bit. That doesn't half way appeal to me.

Keep your eyes on the prize everyone!
 
DoctorLacrosse said:
For myself, the most difficult part of pre-med is definitely fear of the unknown. I started off college thinking I was some genius who would just breeze through with a 4.0. needless to say that didn't happen, and now I'm working hard to dig myself out of the hole I put myself in. I constantly hear you have no chance, give up, especially from people on here, but nonetheless I keep working hard hoping to achieve my goal and live out my dream.

so I can definitely hear where you're coming from OP. I live in constant anxiety and fear that ill never make it and I'm wasting my time, but if it were easy everyone would do it, right? I figure worst case scenario is ill take the lessons I've learned through this uphill battle and apply them to whatever I do, but ill never be happy unless I gain acceptance to medical school, which is why I don't plan on ever giving up. just stay positive and live your own life for yourself, the rest will fall into place.
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Thanks for your insights. Keep proving them wrong!
 
That post seems way too big for a facebook post. That would seem like a wall of text on someone's feed :/
 
Hm... I think you need to relax a bit. The interview must have been a traumatic experience for you but in the end you got the job so laugh it off instead of trying to tell us word-for-word what the interview questions were. And the facebook post is just pathetic.🤣
 
I'm jumping into this because I have been thinking a lot about the idea of being "pre-med" these past few weeks. It may seem like I'm rambling, but I wanted to get thoughts out there.

For me, one of the hardest part about being pre-med is determining whether being a physician is indeed something that I can do to the best of my ability. At first glance this may seem kind of strange because, after all, why would I be pre-med in the first place? The more I spend time studying and learning about the health field, however, the more I start wondering whether spending all this time shaping myself into a medical school candidate is worth it if I'm going to end up being a horrible physician and possibly ruin patients' lives. After all, if there's something else that I could do that would be much more productive and less destructive, than I might as well do that, right? I understand that I'm thinking of a worse-case scenario, and one can never really be sure whether a certain career path is truly "right". However, I can't help but wonder whether it would be better to keep going based on everything I've done so far towards being pre-med or quit if I'm not getting any closer to being a good physician.

Another thing, which may be related to the first point, is knowing that I'm putting myself in a position where I will have to sacrifice a lot for others. I'm not really talking about sacrificing things for myself--I probably would have ditched the idea of pre-med right away if I really hated that idea--but I am talking about whether this will all be worth it if suppose I had a family of my own. It's far in advance, but part of me worries about the impact that being a physician will have on others in my life. Without going into too much detail, I feel that part of my upbringing was affected based on the careers of the people who raised me. It was not negative in any way, but a part of me can see how it could have gone really wrong.

Okay, I'm done. And now I will read the other posts (because I wanted to write first before I did so!).
 
brainyhack said:
Wanna know the hardest part of my path to becoming a doctor? It's not the scared feeling you get when you don't get an A, it's not the thought of my dreams crumbling down with every class and obstacle that gets in the way of my education that I sometimes have to face, it's not the hours and holidays that I sacrifice in my lab commitments, it's not the endless studying or painful daydreams of getting "there" and knowing it's all tentative. All up in the air. It's not the pressure from the competition, it's none of those things...."
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It's all of those things....
 
Hardest part is accepting the reality all the work you've done could be for naught. And for those critical of the op as a classic pre med: its easy to be critical when you have already made it and have passed that neurotic stage of worry.
 
brainyhack said:
I never understood the "pre-med stigma" until I faced what it was like to be directly stigmatized in the workplace and even by the people I thought were my true friends.

I was sitting in an interview for a federal work study law clerk position with the UCLA School of Law two days ago where I endured, for the first time, what was a complete and utterly senseless battering from my interviewees who insisted on asking highly charged questions surrounding my major and career goals. Questions like:
"So I understand you are pre-med. You have here on your resume alot of laboratory and medical experience. Why don't you just apply to another research position here?"
"How do you think you will make the transition from interacting with people in a medical or biomedical setting to a legal office setting? You do understand that it is different, right?"
"How will you make the time for your work commitment with us? I know that "you guys" are constantly busy with your academics and extracurricular activities. Are you going to be joining any other extracurriculars?"
"You understand that the only other students who have applied to this position are all pre-law. They have a lot to gain from this opportunity. What do you think you will be able to gain from this and can you please describe to me why you think you are better suited for this job over all those students who want this more than you?"

All I could do was laugh it off and jestingly tell them: "As a pre-med we have backup plans ranging from A-Z. I'm coming to the realization that law might be a direction I should seriously consider as I am a classics and philosophy minor. Law is my plan A." Needless to say I got the job and ironically enough, the woman who was perhaps the most scrutinizing decided to take me on and is my current supervisor.

Notwithstanding, perhaps the hardest reality I've had to grip is coming to terms with how being pre-med and doing the things I have to do to get to medical school and taking them seriously affects my personal relationships.

This was a post I made out on Facebook today in response to those feelings and the differences that have contributed to my conscious separation of myself from my friends:

"For all of my friends who I have lost touch with and to all of the hard working pre-meds who can empathize with me when I say this:

Wanna know the hardest part of my path to becoming a doctor? It's not the scared feeling you get when you don't get an A, it's not the thought of my dreams crumbling down with every class and obstacle that gets in the way of my education that I sometimes have to face, it's not the hours and holidays that I sacrifice in my lab commitments, it's not the endless studying or painful daydreams of getting "there" and knowing it's all tentative. All up in the air. It's not the pressure from the competition, it's none of those things. It's sacrificing your sense of worth in the process. It's giving every piece of you to all the parts of this process and having nothing left to give to anyone else let alone yourself. It's sacrificing your friends when they turn to you and tell you you are nothing more or less than essentially an uninteresting and depth-less glory hunting sack of guts and ****. It's when you realize you are alone in all of this and that no one understands that through all of this I actually find happiness. It's when people don't understand your happiness and end up turning to you someday to save their life so that you can perpetuate their time with the ones that they love. So that you can perpetuate their happiness."

I guess at the end of this long and fulminating anecdote I just want to let others know that there are others out there who are just like you. I want to know you and I want to ask you what you think the hardest thing about your path to becoming a physician is. Feel free to contend with my arguments and share those things that you struggle with as you go through this process too.
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Dude, honestly... You need some real problems. The fact that you take these 'hardships' so seriously is only proof that you have yet to undergone any real life issues. Being a premed is a challenge, it doesn't make you a victim. That goes for the rest of the people posting about how hard they have it.

People i know who have actual problems (such as life threatening diseases, family members in prison, rape victims, victims of racism, etc) almost never complain about them in public, and would certainly never post about them on Facebook in an effort to get pity. Being a premed is hard, but it was your choice. You shouldn't expect other people (your interviewers, for one) to have to appreciate or understand your unique position, in the same way its not up to you to understand everyone else's problems (as every single person on the planet has their own unique challenges). The questions the interviewers gave you sound perfectly reasonable considering taht you are a premed applying for a law job.

Im not trying to flame you, I honestly think this is a good opportunity for you to let go of some of the ego you've developed around being a premed and stop taking this stuff so seriously. You're life will be better and more enjoyable for it. If being a premed is so hard, then have the discipline to schedule in relaxation times and times for hobbies. But understand that you live in one of the most affluent countries in the world, and that you are about to get one of the best educations and careers available in the history of humanity. You are unbelievably lucky, and its time you develop some gratitude.
 
^^^ yeah, I agree it can qualify as first world problems.... but I really don't know of any other job / profession that asks for so much with the possibility of going home empty-handed.
 
Levitin said:
Dude, honestly... You need some real problems. The fact that you take these 'hardships' so seriously is only proof that you have yet to undergone any real life issues. Being a premed is a challenge, it doesn't make you a victim. That goes for the rest of the people posting about how hard they have it.

People i know who have actual problems (such as life threatening diseases, family members in prison, rape victims, victims of racism, etc) almost never complain about them in public, and would certainly never post about them on Facebook in an effort to get pity. Being a premed is hard, but it was your choice. You shouldn't expect other people (your interviewers, for one) to have to appreciate or understand your unique position, in the same way its not up to you to understand everyone else's problems (as every single person on the planet has their own unique challenges). The questions the interviewers gave you sound perfectly reasonable considering taht you are a premed applying for a law job.

Im not trying to flame you, I honestly think this is a good opportunity for you to let go of some of the ego you've developed around being a premed and stop taking this stuff so seriously. You're life will be better and more enjoyable for it. If being a premed is so hard, then have the discipline to schedule in relaxation times and times for hobbies. But understand that you live in one of the most affluent countries in the world, and that you are about to get one of the best educations and careers available in the history of humanity. You are unbelievably lucky, and its time you develop some gratitude.
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I can assure you I've endured my share of real problems. But as you've stated, things that dark are not something to be publicized. That being said, there is an ounce of truth to what you say and I can really hearken to your assertions in that regard. I am not trying to victimize myself. Just trying to paint a picture for others to understand in my personal life. I can understand how it can come off as being ranty. My intention by posting this thread was not to ignite a discussion on how much of an egotistical, thin skinned, ignorant, blubbering jack ass I am to all of you but to ask you what you felt to be the most challenging part of your pre-med career. I thought it was appropriate as this is a pre-medical forum.

You can take what you want of it. As far as being grateful. You don't know me or my life to make that assumption.
 
solitarius said:
^^^ yeah, I agree it can qualify as first world problems.... but I really don't know of any other job / profession that asks for so much with the possibility of going home empty-handed.
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Entrepreneur, Artist, Certain jobs in finance... There are a lot, actually. Those are just off the top of my head. The truth is if you want to make 100 thousand+ you are going to have to work long hours and make a lot of sacrifices. Doctors also have some of the best job security in the country. I do agree that being a physician is hard though.
 
Levitin said:
Entrepreneur, Artist, Certain jobs in finance... There are a lot, actually. Those are just off the top of my head. The truth is if you want to make 100 thousand+ you are going to have to work long hours and make a lot of sacrifices. Doctors also have some of the best job security in the country. I do agree that being a physician is hard though.
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QFT.

For me, the hardest part of being pre-med is realizing that I won't get a real job and be truly self-sufficient, aka not living off parents or student loans, until almost a decade later. While all my friends in the business school are getting offers, becoming independent, and advancing their careers fairly quickly. The money is pretty good for them too; a few going into investment banking are getting $80k a year right off the bat - not counting the signing bonus, benefits, and other perks. Like wow.

And any time that I take off to get a real job to save up is another delay in reaching my dream.
 
Starry said:
QFT.

For me, the hardest part of being pre-med is realizing that I won't get a real job and be truly self-sufficient, aka not living off parents or student loans, until almost a decade later. While all my friends in the business school are getting offers, becoming independent, and advancing their careers fairly quickly. The money is pretty good for them too; a few going into investment banking are getting $80k a year right off the bat - not counting the signing bonus, benefits, and other perks. Like wow.

And any time that I take off to get a real job to save up is another delay in reaching my dream.
Click to expand...

You make enough money to live on your own starting residency so it's not that far away 🙂. Obviously your house might be a little ghetto, but still self sufficient haha
 
sourdoughllama said:
You make enough money to live on your own starting residency so it's not that far away 🙂. Obviously your house might be a little ghetto, but still self sufficient haha
Click to expand...
Oops, my bad! I was thinking of the timeline of paying off debts as well. You're right. Hooray! 🙂
 
mcloaf said:
It's also easy to remember that not all of us were like OP as premeds.
Click to expand...
never did i say all premeds are like that, but every premed has at one point in the cycle had that feeling of doubt enter there mind. Some are able to quickly get passed it others aren't. And no one can claim they haven't gotten that feeling because its part of human nature.
 
medschoolmyname said:
never did i say all premeds are like that, but every premed has at one point in the cycle had that feeling of doubt enter there mind. Some are able to quickly get passed it others aren't. And no one can claim they haven't gotten that feeling because its part of human nature.
Click to expand...

I was given an honorary bachelor's degree from all five HYPSM programs, raw-dogged the MCAT to receive a 44T, and was offered a position at Harvard Med before the application cycle began. What is this doubt you speak of?
 
medschoolmyname said:
never did i say all premeds are like that, but every premed has at one point in the cycle had that feeling of doubt enter there mind. Some are able to quickly get passed it others aren't. And no one can claim they haven't gotten that feeling because its part of human nature.
Click to expand...

I think you're missing the point. I think part of what people are so viscerally put off by in the OPs point is what appears to be a lack of perspective. The people that are further along in the process, whether they have acceptances, or are currently med students, or residents, or whatever, aren't being critical because they "have already made it and are passed that neurotic stage of worry" as you put it. You don't get to a point where you're beyond worry, only that the things that you worry about change.

There's nothing innately more difficult about being a pre-med. You are at one particular point on a continuum that's filled with varying levels of self-doubt, panic, worry, sacrifice, and many other emotions. Many people have been in your shoes before you, and will be in the same position after you. Many people are having similar experiences in a variety of other fields, walks of life, and disciplines. But walking around with a very stereotypical pre-med lack of perspective makes it difficult to see that.
 
Ok2Panic said:
I think you're missing the point. I think part of what people are so viscerally put off by in the OPs point is what appears to be a lack of perspective. The people that are further along in the process, whether they have acceptances, or are currently med students, or residents, or whatever, aren't being critical because they "have already made it and are passed that neurotic stage of worry" as you put it. You don't get to a point where you're beyond worry, only that the things that you worry about change.

There's nothing innately more difficult about being a pre-med. You are at one particular point on a continuum that's filled with varying levels of self-doubt, panic, worry, sacrifice, and many other emotions. Many people have been in your shoes before you, and will be in the same position after you. Many people are having similar experiences in a variety of other fields, walks of life, and disciplines. But walking around with a very stereotypical pre-med lack of perspective makes it difficult to see that.
Click to expand...

I'd most aptly summarize Ok2Panic's point as:

12702-first-world-problems-template.jpg
 
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