newbsterious
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- Jul 28, 2020
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I've noticed a lot of people these days praising nontrads for adding maturity and wisdom to a medical school class, but I don't think all nontrads are created equally. As a 4th year, I've observed from personal experience that nontrads tend to fall into two broad categories.
Type A) Career-changers, usually no family in medicine, and decided to pursue medicine due to genuine passion. Their road to enter medicine was rocky and difficult, since they had few connections and few sources of trusted advice to guide them through the process. Typically had to work a job while taking medical school prerequisites. Learned things the hard way and take things seriously as a result. Very mature, very sensible people who add wisdom to the class.
Type B) Come from affluent families, typically at least one parent is a doctor. Performed poorly in college due to lack of seriousness. Took 3-4 years between college and medical school, but depended on parents' wealth during this time. May have completed a postbacc or SMP, but this was likely paid for by parents. Utilized family connections heavily to gain extracurricular experience and letters of recommendation, occasionally even interviews and outright acceptance. Often are less mature than traditional applicants due to a very privileged upbringing.
These days I've been seeing more nontrads in a med school class, but a much larger percentage of them seem to be type B rather than type A. The unfortunate thing is that admissions committees will rarely look past surface level to find this out.
We need more type A nontrads, but unfortunately it looks like privileged people just continue to win in all aspects of life. And we end up with mostly type B "nontrads".
Type A) Career-changers, usually no family in medicine, and decided to pursue medicine due to genuine passion. Their road to enter medicine was rocky and difficult, since they had few connections and few sources of trusted advice to guide them through the process. Typically had to work a job while taking medical school prerequisites. Learned things the hard way and take things seriously as a result. Very mature, very sensible people who add wisdom to the class.
Type B) Come from affluent families, typically at least one parent is a doctor. Performed poorly in college due to lack of seriousness. Took 3-4 years between college and medical school, but depended on parents' wealth during this time. May have completed a postbacc or SMP, but this was likely paid for by parents. Utilized family connections heavily to gain extracurricular experience and letters of recommendation, occasionally even interviews and outright acceptance. Often are less mature than traditional applicants due to a very privileged upbringing.
These days I've been seeing more nontrads in a med school class, but a much larger percentage of them seem to be type B rather than type A. The unfortunate thing is that admissions committees will rarely look past surface level to find this out.
We need more type A nontrads, but unfortunately it looks like privileged people just continue to win in all aspects of life. And we end up with mostly type B "nontrads".