To Andre

[dlbruch]

I posted this response to some of your recent messages and have yet to hear from you. Are you dodging me?

Posted on the string: Reply to Spang

Andre- No need to call people names or talk about anybody?s momma. I have not attacked you as a person and will no do so. I have a right, I believe, to ask questions you when much of what you post is untrue, misleading, or simply your opinion disguised as fact.
For example:
1- Needing MCAT scores 32-35 (and stated in another post >30) to be admitted to American medical schools. Again, simply untrue. Not only have numerous people on this message board gained admission with scores in the low to mid 20?s, a vast number of medical schools have published averages of 8-9 on all three sections!

2- Claiming that Carribbean-trained medical students are more compassionate. At best this is your opinion. But the real joke here is that you have no way of knowing a fair cross section of medical students, Carribbean or American, to get a real feel for the truth of that belief. As for your third-world experience, that?s great. I also have third world experience and have lived and done ministry in the inner-city of the US! Surprised? You don?t know anything about how compassionate I am (or any other of the 20K + American medical students for that matter)!

3- Carribean schools are comparable to US schools. I won?t refute this statement, but I am skeptical. If you are going to stand behind this assertion, you better have something to back it up other than your opinion. ie. UMSLE pass rates, % of graduates gaining competetive residencies, published articles by people who know academic medicine comparing the two. You are a medical school student?s husband- your opinion on medical education is second hand at best, and has little worth without facts to support it.

As for my ego and your humility, I think you have it backwards. If anything I have posted is incorrect or misleading, please call it to my attention and I will correct it and apologize immediately. I post here as one who has been through the application process and am willing to offer opinions based on my experience and research. At the very least I think our responsibility as posters is to do no damage (reminiscent of do no harm!). It is my opinion that the nature of some of your posts is damaging- leading candidates away from US medical schools with scare tactics when many probably do stand a fair, if not good, chance of gaining admission.

I encourage you to research your claims and support them, if you can. Where you cannot, I think you are obligated to clearly communicate that they are opinions, not fact. And please, before you start accusing and insulting people, take a good look in the mirror!

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[Andre]

dlbruch:
I am NOT dodging you, but ignoring you.
Maybe it is time for your Estrogen Supplements???
Please grow up, kiddo DO..
Andre

 

[dlbruch]

Why do you continue to insult me and avoid the acutal questions, Andre? Are you so proud that you cannot admit you were wrong? Do you think my points have no merit? You post on this board under the presumption of being helpful, but when confronted with the fact that you have misled people, you hide behind insults or silence. Tell me, Andre, who needs to grow up here?

 

[dr.sof]

Children, behave.
Play nice.

 

[Besyonek]

"You post on this board under the presumption of being helpful, but when confronted with the fact that you have misled people, you hide behind insults or silence. Tell me, Andre, who needs to grow up here?"

Dlbruch,

He's not going to answer. I pointed out the same inaccuracies in his statements and his only comeback was profanities. As you can see, the guy is lacking when it comes to information, courtesy or maturity.

My only question at this point is why he's hanging around this site spewing misinformation? His wife is (supposedly) at a beach school, but how many other spouses of med students pose as "experts" on the admissions process, let alone one with this bio? I can think of only two explanations:

1. He's a recruiter. He's denied this already, but considering his behavior in other regards, the denial doesn't carry a lot of weight.
2. He has some sort of axe to grind about his wife being at a beach school and is trying to prop up his ego by convincing others how great these schools are.

No one in their right mind would make the kind of assertions he does without feeling a sense of embarrassment, otherwise such a person is either unaware of the inappropriateness of the statements or, even worse, knows them to be untrue and still makes them.

 

[UHS03]

Here's my suggestion: Let's stop caring what Andre does. He isn't going to defend himself, either because he can't or he thinks he shouldn't have to. I plan to read his future posts very closely. Every inaccuaracy I see will be pointed out as swiftly as I read it. I could care less what Andre does, or how he justifies his actions. I care about the rotten advice he gives pre-meds. Just read his stuff and let the truth be known if he starts spewing garbage. What is most important is that pre-meds who come here looking for advice get accurate advice.

In Andre's defense, not ALL his posts are filled with misinformation. He seems to be good resource for people who KNOW they want to go off-shore. His advice becomes dangerous when people are unsure about whether to reapply or go off-shore. Those who know how the admissions game works need to just play big-brother for awhile and babysit some of Andre's posts.

 

[dlbruch]

Dr. Sof- I think I have a right to confront Andre on the points I have outlined above. I have been trying to do it in a direct, but civil way. I think if you follow the history of my interactions with Andre, you will see the insults traveling in only one direction.

Besyonek- I would tend to agree with you, but I am not content to leave it at that. Andre continues to post here, so he has the potential to continue to mislead. I think it is our responsibility to police the board and expose fraudulent and misleading information where we see it. Until Andre satisfactorily addresses my posts or decides not to post here anymore, I will continue to challenge his information and his intentions.

 

[bobo]

Andre is a jerk, idiot, whatever - so why don't we all ignore him.

Let's do something productive instead - how about an email FLOOOOODDDDD!!!!!!!

 

[dwstranger]

Andre -

Personally, I have found your posts about your wife to be like advertisements, but usually ignore them because they almost all say the same thing. I don't care if you're a recruiter for AUC. I don't care whether or not your wife exists (as some have questioned). What I care about is truth (sounds corny, I know). Someone I know always says "Show me the Science," which means -- give me the facts to back up what you are saying. Any reputable journal or newspaper does that. So I don't think it's unreasonable for others to request you do the same.

On a more personal note, there's nothing in dlbruch's profile or post to suggest gender. I'm OFFENDED that you stooped to the "estrogen supplement" remark. It offends me because I am more than my hormones - and differences in opinion, mood, or actions can't/shouldn't be reduced to such insults. It's the same as the old "are you on the rag?" question that a lot of chauvinists throw around when they don't agree with a woman. Besides, what would your wife say if she read that?

 

[Baldwin]

I for one am happy to see that Andre has other detractors besides myself. I've encountered his posts on other forums and found them unnecessarily hostile and abusive. Andre, if you don't have any constructive advice, kindly keep your odious Type-A aggression to yourself.

 

[dlbruch]

Well, I honestly thought Andre would choose to admit his mistakes and retain some credibility, but I guess it is not to be. I am encouraged that many others see the potential damage of his posts, and my consolation is knowing that I will not be the only one keeping an eye out for more misleading and unfounded information. Thanks to all who responded.

 

[Andre]

A few "Self-appointed" CYBER-COPS ????
To protect the virtues of our virginal pre-meds??
You guys give me a laugh.. You are all nuts..
Remember: FORUM is a FREE place, anybody who cares to write, says what he believes in..
You are supposed to listen.. then make your own conclusion.
My honesty is proven in my profile with my full name and e-mail address and telephone number.
People like Bobo, anonymously posting insults, are the real jerks!!!
Admit mistakes? what the hell are you talking about?
I only posted in response to a few (maybe 3) rejected applicants asking to know other options.
I still believe you need GPA 3.3-3.5 and MCAT 32 to enter a US school. Of course if you are a minority, or @ select schools, less may get you in.
I still believe the big-3 in the Caribbean give comparable education to "average" US school; and I only recommend St George, AUC or Saba. I feel UAG and Ross offer extreme hardship.
Finally, I do know dlbruch is a DO kid with a wife and toddler. I think he has a high level of testosterone, hence I gave him estrogen to chill.
Enough guys, enough.. Stop this idiotic argument, and get back to your studies.
Have a nice day,
Andre Gurses, PE