This is No Lake Wobegon: When Medical School Means You’re No Longer Above Average

[CaffeinatedSquirrel]

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[deleted480308]

I personally like to tell myself that I'm excited for the chance to be in a room where I've got to hustle to keep up. But frankly, it hasn't happened in undergrad and so I'm a little scared of jumping into the deep end with the big fishes. the mcat was the first test I wasn't in the high 90's percentile on and I wasn't even close to that, I'm impressed with people I met on the interview trail and knowing that only the best of them got in is a little intimidating

Luckily, I'll be too far in debt for quitting to be an option.....swim or drown, swim or drown 😉

 

[Dharma]

This isn't unique to medicine; it happens whenever ascending to higher levels of skill in just about any field. Anyone who has gone on to play college (or even high school) sports has experienced this. Nothing special. Get over the vulnerable self and work hard. And maybe that's the problem: sheltered premeds who thought they were special snowflakes start to realize that there's a whole mountain of fresh powder out there. Chances are, there are plenty better and smarter than you. Solution? Suck it up and do your best. Work harder. If not, someone else will, and you're not that special… in other words quite replaceable.

 

[owlegrad]

Certainly not unique to medicine. It was a steep learning curve for me my first year that I am in fact not a special snowflake that can coast through graduate school with little to no effort. Not that I had never worked hard previously, I just was never that challenged academically. It was quite a wake up call and personal challenge to learn to not to completely identify myself through always easily being number 1 academically.

I got through it though and so will anyone who knuckles down and puts in the work. Great article; I think far too few students think about this or give it the weight it deserves before starting professional school.

 

[crabdoc4]

I weep for the youth who have such a warped perspective.

 

[carolink15]

I would like to say to those who are below the average "Don't be discouraged" after applying to medical school for 3 yrs, I finally got accepted. Once I started, I was so energetic and determined to do well. Then I got a slap in the face on our second set of exams where I failed 5/7 subjects, I was so exhausted from studying that my body couldn't take it anymore and basically crashed on exam week. After that I joined study groups, I had tutors, my classmates were very supportive and helpful. I started spending more time praying and reading my devotional, I started exercising, taking vitamins and eating healthy. At that point I accepted the fact that I was not going to be the above average student but I didn't let that discourage me from being a good doctor. I ended first year in the bottom 10 of my class. Fortunately, my school got rid of class ranks after that year 🙂 Second year, I was struggling just to pass but God is good and I was able to get through. During third year my performance was better and my Step 2 scores improved 33pts compared to Step 1. I decided then to apply to a very competitive specialty, I volunteered, translated, I did research, published and held 2 leadership positions to help my CV. I also applied to a less competitive specialty just in case I didn't get in to the other one. I ended up matching at the competitive specialty. I am glad I didn't let my below average performance determine what I could become. I had faith that God had another plan for me and I prayed a lot.