Weird school choice decision

[Goro]

Dude you know I'm not a surgeon. I'm a pulm/critical care fellow which means I'm an internist (finished internal medicine residency).

After awhile a lot of the people here gel...I was thinking you were in Gas, in reality, but that was obviously wrong. No disrespect intended...

The surgeon question was about your blunt (like a surgeon's!) delivery.

Now it will bug me as to who I was thinking of that went into Gas!

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[Endoxifen]

It's really a matter of maturity and perspective. When you're in your early 20s and have never had a job like many of these pre-meds who advise others to rush to (what they perceive to be) the finish line, you're apt to think that you're just going to clock in clock out and cash the check. I see so many pre-meds calling medicine "just another job". What they don't realize is the difference between having a job and having a career and that $$$ will never substitute for being satisfied with your career, actually wanting to roll out of bed in the morning and get to work because you know you're making a difference and having an impact. The primary reason for "burnout" in the medical profession is because someone chased the money and ignored how unsatisfying the 100% clinical job in a community ER seeing a bunch of low acuity BS and spending most of their time doing paperwork and upcoding charts actually is.


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You'd think that people would go into finance or get an MBA if they only wanted money. Everything that I've seen has indicated to me that, next to being an active-duty soldier, a life as a doctor is probably the hardest profession. Given, there are certainly specialties where this doesn't hold. Still, I have no idea why people choose medicine if they aren't prepared to make those sacrifices.

 

[RangerBob]

You'd think that people would go into finance or get an MBA if they only wanted money. Everything that I've seen has indicated to me that, next to being an active-duty soldier, a life as a doctor is probably the hardest profession. Given, there are certainly specialties where this doesn't hold. Still, I have no idea why people choose medicine if they aren't prepared to make those sacrifices.

The average person in finance/business doesn't actually make that much money, can get fired/laid off fairly easily, has a job that may very well get outsourced/downsized, doesn't have as inherently altruistic of a job (any job that supports your family, without being at the expense of others, is altruistic in my mind), etc. etc.

Medicine is one of the few things that guarantees a six-figure income, as well as job for life (assuming you aren't grossly incompetent, and even then it's sadly hard to get fired or not find another job somewhere). The odds of the average physician having to tell their spouse they were laid off are almost nil. If it happens, it's likely because the hospital itself closed, in which case it will be very easy to find a job somewhere. Few professions can guarantee all that--much less a career you can be proud of.

Still, going into medicine for the money, as you and others point out, is a terrible, terrible idea. Burnout is high enough in physicians who truly want to serve and help others. The money and job stability are just good things to remind ourselves of when we start complaining about our loans, time in training, etc.

The pay is not at all worth all the time/education/sacrificed youth/stress over $300k+ debt/etc. But the joy and meaning I get from being a physician certainly are.

Still, watching my other colleagues makes me really thankful I chose PM&R. (My alternative was psych, which is arguably the easiest specialty to have a great lifestyle in). But my friend in neurosurgery would shoot herself in the foot if she had to do what I do, which is why I tell people to do what love/enjoy/find fulfilling.

 

[Endoxifen]

The average person in finance/business doesn't actually make that much money, can get fired/laid off fairly easily, has a job that may very well get outsourced/downsized, doesn't have as inherently altruistic of a job (any job that supports your family, without being at the expense of others, is altruistic in my mind), etc. etc.

I agree for the most part. However, if someone has the mettle to maintain the required GPA, score well on the MCAT, and have the ECs to get accepted to a medical school, I don't think we can call that person average. At the very least, if they do get laid off, they'll be tenacious enough to find another job (circumstances permitting). Nothing comes with guarantees, but I think for those capable of becoming successful doctors, a life in medicine is not the only path to success.

 

[Lawpy]

After awhile a lot of the people here gel...I was thinking you were in Gas, in reality, but that was obviously wrong. No disrespect intended...

The surgeon question was about your blunt (like a surgeon's!) delivery.

Now it will bug me as to who I was thinking of that went into Gas!

Maybe you are thinking of @Psai ?

 

[Lawpy]

I know OP had already made his decision but I strongly disagree with this part of your advice. One thing I've learned (the hard way mind you) is that you should be looking out for yourself primarily and don't worry about looking out for others because they don't give a crap about you. Take as much time as you need to make the right decision for you. Hold onto the acceptance until the deadline if there's any sort of doubt in your mind. Don't worry, that seat won't go unfilled. Ignore anyone who tries to shame you into doing otherwise.

There's a lot of bad stuff I got from random premeds and accepted students in preallo. One of them is shaming people who hold onto multiple acceptances till the very last minute as they lack compassion for other applicants. I thought such a mindset was unfair and absurd but didn't say anything about it.

My mistake is internalizing bad advice from preallo over the years. By talking to people who are far into the medical journey, I began realizing how much nonsense and bad advice I had followed on SDN preallo forums. It's still a learning process.

So yeah I definitely agree with your post.

 

[bannie22]

You gotta be kidding me

Absolutely no sympathy for OP tho. What an awful decision.
You will just have to make do.

A guaranteed MD admission will a full ride scholarship, staying within distance of home, and you trade it for some DO program?

serious?
you could have spent your bridge year doing something amazing like learn how to play the guitar, pick up coding, or even just more academia like publish some papers.

 

[Endoxifen]

You gotta be kidding me

Absolutely no sympathy for OP tho. What an awful decision.
You will just have to make do.

A guaranteed MD admission will a full ride scholarship, staying within distance of home, and you trade it for some DO program?

serious?
you could have spent your bridge year doing something amazing like learn how to play the guitar, pick up coding, or even just more academia like publish some papers.

Ok, I just have to say, I took this semester off to do an internship and I did literally everything you listed in your comment. Haha

 

[kb1900]

There's a lot of bad stuff I got from random premeds and accepted students in preallo. One of them is shaming people who hold onto multiple acceptances till the very last minute as they lack compassion for other applicants. I thought such a mindset was unfair and absurd but didn't say anything about it.

My mistake is internalizing bad advice from preallo over the years. By talking to people who are far into the medical journey, I began realizing how much nonsense and bad advice I had followed on SDN preallo forums. It's still a learning process.

So yeah I definitely agree with your post.

Quite a few posters in the class of 2021 thread, myself included, openly admitted to hanging onto our acceptances until the last few days. There was no backlash when I brought it up elsewhere but I guess that specific accepted students thread is somewhat insulated to what you're describing though. Medical schools aren't doing applicants any favors in this process with their handling of admissions. Applicants aren't really doing other applicants favors in this process. You really don't 'owe' anyone your withdrawal until you feel comfortable and are within the deadline.

It is ridiculous to suggest that the bad karma of holding onto an extra acceptance should remotely be related your personal decision making process. It reminds me of the people who will downtalk schools in the x vs y forums just because they are on the WL there

Still, frankly, I think he tags on this site should be emphasized more - attendigs, adcoms, residents, faculty tags should be bolded or something. After all, this is STUDENT doctor network, and in the forums with the most traffic, the non-student input is the most valuable. I guess the downside would be the emphasis on medical hierarchy but I think the pros for outweigh the cons.

 

[235009]

Still, frankly, I think he tags on this site should be emphasized more - attendigs, adcoms, residents, faculty tags should be bolded or something. After all, this is STUDENT doctor network, and in the forums with the most traffic, the non-student input is the most valuable. I guess the downside would be the emphasis on medical hierarchy but I think the pros for outweigh the cons.

But instead of realizing the value of senior members the moderators put @Goro and I on probation.

I'm trying to wean myself off of this toxic site. Soon enough I'll stop posting. I'm trying to learn how to use reddit so I can channel my time-wasting into something else.


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[Lawpy]

But instead of realizing the value of senior members the moderators put @Goro and I on probation.

I'm trying to wean myself off of this toxic site. Soon enough I'll stop posting. I'm trying to learn how to use reddit so I can channel my time-wasting into something else.


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Alright so I discussed this elsewhere but there's a lot of useful stuff on SDN besides preallo which to me is becoming worse. I honestly don't think the specialty forums are bad. The Lounge is fun. Med student forums can be educational.

I don't know why you were put on probation but I wouldn't leave SDN because of inconsistent moderation.

 

[RangerBob]

You gotta be kidding me

Absolutely no sympathy for OP tho. What an awful decision.
You will just have to make do.

A guaranteed MD admission will a full ride scholarship, staying within distance of home, and you trade it for some DO program?

serious?
you could have spent your bridge year doing something amazing like learn how to play the guitar, pick up coding, or even just more academia like publish some papers.

From the OP's posts, the admission wasn't guaranteed (had to maintain a certain GPA, unsure what other requirements there were) and the scholarship was only for the bridge program year.

I don't think the OP necessarily made the wrong choice. I think we need more information to really make that call. If the MD program was essentially guaranteed then yes, most of us would probably agree to go the MD route. If there were other conditions as part of the bridge program, then it's possible it would've been risky to give up the DO acceptance.

Regardless, the OP must have felt strongly enough about the DO program to take it, and I don't think we need to dogpile on someone for coming to what they felt was the right decision for them. It's easy for us to be armchair quarterbacks and say we'd go one way or the other, but we're not in the OP's shoes, don't know all the details about the bridge program, which school the OP felt was better for them, what the OP's other life circumstances are, etc. etc. Yes, it would have been helpful to get more information from the OP to give them better-informed advice, but it still really doesn't matter what we think the OP should do--it matters what they think they should do.

 

[235009]

Alright so I discussed this elsewhere but there's a lot of useful stuff on SDN besides preallo which to me is becoming worse. I honestly don't think the specialty forums are bad. The Lounge is fun. Med student forums can be educational.

I don't know why you were put on probation but I wouldn't leave SDN because of inconsistent moderation.

If I tell you why I'd probably get banned and if I'm leaving I want to do so on my own terms.


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[Lawpy]

If I tell you why I'd probably get banned and if I'm leaving I want to do so on my own terms.


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It's up to you in the end. Kinda sad to see you go though.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Soon enough I'll stop posting.

This forum suffers when people like you leave. I hope you decide to stick around.

 

[DrfluffyMD]

There's a lot of bad stuff I got from random premeds and accepted students in preallo. One of them is shaming people who hold onto multiple acceptances till the very last minute as they lack compassion for other applicants. I thought such a mindset was unfair and absurd but didn't say anything about it.

My mistake is internalizing bad advice from preallo over the years. By talking to people who are far into the medical journey, I began realizing how much nonsense and bad advice I had followed on SDN preallo forums. It's still a learning process.

So yeah I definitely agree with your post.

It isn't strictly wrong. Take IR interview trail for example. When the field down to about 200 applicants a year and everyone knows everyone, last minute interview cancelations are suddenly very jarring.

It's just a professional courtsey to cancel interview or drop acceptances as soon as you are sure. Wont matter for med school but you never know how your action will affect how others view you.

 

[Chelsea FC]

I already declined the bridge program after many people told me I'd be stupid not to go to DO school.... Sigh

OP I suggest writing a well thought out email asking if you can rescind your earlier decision and asking if you still can get a spot in the linkage program. It's the weekend so chances are they haven't given your spot to someone else. Just say something about discussing with your family and loved ones you think you have made the wrong decision. Chances are it will not work but it's worth a try especially when it seems this school's like you somewhat.
When I was withdrawing from medical school nearing the may 30th deadline I had 2 schools reach out to me to reconsider my decision and increased aid to try and convince me. I understand that we are in different situations but I'm just sharing my experience because it seems Adcom's are a little more flexible than we think.
Also the worst they can say is no. .

 

[235009]

It isn't strictly wrong. Take IR interview trail for example. When the field down to about 200 applicants a year and everyone knows everyone, last minute interview cancelations are suddenly very jarring.

It's just a professional courtsey to cancel interview or drop acceptances as soon as you are sure. Wont matter for med school but you never know how your action will affect how others view you.

You are conflating two very different things.


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[futurephysician57]

Many people? THREE? Your thread picked up responses after a while. Lots of people asked questions about your stats and the bridge requirements to better assist you and you didn't answer. The one question you did answer you didn't bother to answer until AFTER you made your decision (er, well, at 1:44am this morning. I don't know what time you actually declined). Don't blame your decision on the forums. ALTHOUGH I think it's a good one (but my opinion here doesn't count).

You applied to DO because you want to be a physician. You signed up for it, nobody forced you. That says to me that you think the DO route is a perfectly good route. I don't think I have to be an Attending to say take the guaranteed perfectly good route rather than the possible perfectly good route you've been offered.

Anyhow, CONGRATS. You're going to be a DOCTOR!

Everyone please chill. Im not talking about about just the people on the forum I discussed with family friends, physicians, teachers, and residents. I just wanted your guys point of view. I don't regret anything. I love the school and I am happy to be a DO. I simply asked for everyone's advice.

 

[futurephysician57]

I thank everyone for their help and thoughtful replies. Some of you did not reply thoughtfully or respectfully. This is not your Typical DO Acceptance should I wait a year and apply MD... I hate how people are telling me I shouldn't be a DO because it seems like I don't want to be a DO. If being a DO was not an option in my mind . I wouldn't be asking for advice.... I actually enjoyed the DO school far more than I did the MD school. I'm going to be the best doctor I can be despite the school I go to.

 

[DokterMom]

I thank everyone for their help and thoughtful replies. Some of you did not reply thoughtfully or respectfully. This is not your Typical DO Acceptance should I wait a year and apply MD... I hate how people are telling me I shouldn't be a DO because it seems like I don't want to be a DO. If being a DO was not an option in my mind . I wouldn't be asking for advice.... I actually enjoyed the DO school far more than I did the MD school. I'm going to be the best doctor I can be despite the school I go to.

And you didn't think this point was relevant?...