The same 5% ?

[peehdee]

is it me or are most med students interested in just getting good grades, graduateing and getting a good job? it seems like the same 5 to 10 % of the class always end up doing everything for the rest of the class, while the other 90% of so 'reap' the benefits. were students involved and 'cared' about things because it was understood that you had to volunteer to get in?


just curious.....

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[jennie 21]

I think there's just a lot less time to be involved in things in med school than there was in college. I was very involved in extracurricular activities in college--15-20 hours a week as an EMT, plus research and various clubs--but now that I'm in med school my own research project is the only extracurricular I've got time for. Studying just takes a lot more time than it used to. I've made a pledge to myself not to overcommit myself and end up suffering academically the way I did in college when I was committing 20-30 hours a week to EC's. Plus, I'm married and just don't have time now. I really respect and admire my classmates who are involved in numerous EC's--I don't know how they find the time. I think a lot of people in med school feel the need to commit more time to academic work than they did in college, plus people tend to have greater outside commitments now--spouses and children. That probably explains what you're seeing. I don't think it's a matter of people just participating in extracurriculars in order to get into med school. I loved my extracurriculars in college and wish I had time to do more stuff like that now. But, I don't. School, research, and my responsibilities at home are just all I can handle right now.

 

[manwhoisthursdy]

As a first year I've found that the best way to get involves is to do one time projects . . . just as an example, I signed up to teach two sessions at an elementary school, one on cardiovascular health and the other on GI health.

Extremely low time committment (just two lunchtimes during the semester), but it's tremendously rewarding. Puts you in a new environment (elementary school), some contact with kids, looks good on a resume, etc., but no once-a-week committment.

Similarly, I have a professor I have shadowed a few times. Nothing regular because I'm so budy with studying . . . more of an: "are you in the OR next week? Mind if I come in some morning?" It has worked out well so far.

 

[themann]

is that Frank!! Oh my gosh that is great! (your pic manwhoisthursdy)... Anyways, to comment on the thread, I am just so busy it is so hard to do anything else. But I hear your point, I wish I was more involved.

 

[Sean2tall]

is that Frank!! Oh my gosh that is great! (your pic manwhoisthursdy)... Anyways, to comment on the thread, I am just so busy it is so hard to do anything else. But I hear your point, I wish I was more involved.

Haha I was going to make this same comment. The man, the myth, the legend: Frank Netter, MD haha.

 

[hypersting]

too bad that picture cuts off the stoge

 

[roja]

What you are seeing is the med school phenomena. Basically you have a huge group of smart people, who have probably not had to bust thier tail ALL the time to do well in school. Now, a very large percent of them are having to not only bust their tail but chase it down just to get a passing grade. Plus the concept of being a B or C virgin is hard to wrap thier heads around.

This may be the first time in their lives that they have had to study so hard they felt like 1- thier brain was mush and 2- they would still very possibly, still not even come close to an A.

Makes it hard to find time for lots of extracurriculars. What you tend to see is that the students doign more EC's are not so concerned with being AOA. Its all about perspective.

 

[peehdee]

if that is so, its all about grades i suppose. and nothing else matters. you can volunteer your time, but why bother, in the end it will hurt you more if you can't get into the residency of your choice bc you spent too much time doing EC. right?

What you are seeing is the med school phenomena. Basically you have a huge group of smart people, who have probably not had to bust thier tail ALL the time to do well in school. Now, a very large percent of them are having to not only bust their tail but chase it down just to get a passing grade. Plus the concept of being a B or C virgin is hard to wrap thier heads around.

This may be the first time in their lives that they have had to study so hard they felt like 1- thier brain was mush and 2- they would still very possibly, still not even come close to an A.

Makes it hard to find time for lots of extracurriculars. What you tend to see is that the students doign more EC's are not so concerned with being AOA. Its all about perspective.

 

[8744]

is it me or are most med students interested in just getting good grades, graduateing and getting a good job? it seems like the same 5 to 10 % of the class always end up doing everything for the rest of the class, while the other 90% of so 'reap' the benefits. were students involved and 'cared' about things because it was understood that you had to volunteer to get in?


just curious.....

What benefits are there to reap? We have people in my class who run for all the class offices and do all of the resume burnishing activities. How does any of this effect me? First, I don't care about "student government." The faculty and adminsitration are going to structure things the way they want with very little input from students. By and large this doesn't bother me a bit.

Second, all of the "touchy-feely" kind of activities are nice but non-essential. You will do plenty of charity work among the poor as a third and fourth year medical student. More then enough to assuage whatever guilty conscience you have for working hard your whole life while your patients were smoking crack and guzzling beer.

My goal is to graduate, match, complete a residency, and start making a good salary for the sake of my wife and children. There is nothing wrong with this. In fact, if more people took care of themselves and their own families we wouldn't have nearly the problems we have today.

Most medical school extra-curricular ctivities are undertaken to burnish one's CV for the match.

 

[roja]

if that is so, its all about grades i suppose. and nothing else matters. you can volunteer your time, but why bother, in the end it will hurt you more if you can't get into the residency of your choice bc you spent too much time doing EC. right?

This attitude really depends on the culture of your med school. My school heavily discouraged the 'all about grades' mentality.. if you weren't breaking from school, you were counsilled... adn we really didn't have any gunners. However, there are definately schools that ARENT like this.

And despite residents, attendings etc repeating over and over and over again, there is still this myth that getting residency is ALL about your grades. Even the person in the bottom of your class will get a residency. Might not be derm, but you will get a residency. And if volunteering nets you a great letter from someone who is best friends with the PD where you want to go, well, then.....

So, you see, grades are a part of your residency application, but only a part. (not even really half).

so even though the vast majority of med students do this, you dont' have to get sucked in.