What are some of the worst "why do you want to be a doctor/why med school" answers?

[907914]

I don't think medicine will ever be the be-all-end-all of my life like that. At the end of the day, it will be one important part of who I am, but just one part.

MOOD

Edit after Staywandering commented:

BIG MOOD

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[chemdoctor]

When editing personal statements, I can tell you that I genuinely offended some folks when I asked them to reflect on their desire to pursue medicine being based on childhood passions. "Think from the perspective of an ADCOM - do you want someone to pursue medicine based on some likely fallacious and/or idealized version of a profession that a 9 year old at her grandmother's bedside likely didn't fully understand?"

Oh yeah. My school had some workshops to where you could meet adcom members. I met one from a local med school (in state MD) and he said "I hate when people say they knew they wanted to be a doctor at nine years old. NOBODY knows they want to be a doctor at nine years old".

Personally, I think it's cool if people tried new things and eventually found medicine and fell in love with it. Yes there ARE people whose passion stuck all the way from nine years old. But I don't think that should be used in a personal statement.

 

[chemdoctor]

For some it is a calling. It is for me. But I don’t think it has to be. That shouldn’t be a requirement to enter the profession as long as the applicant is committed to learning what needs to be learned and doing right by her patients.

I agree. At the end of the day, I don't think patients care why you're treating them. Doing it for money? Great. Doing it because it's your passion and your calling? Great. I think as long as you treat the patient well and do your best to alleviate their suffering and make them well again, your'e fine. It absolutely does not have to be a calling. As long as you do a good job, it's whatever dude...

 

[Moko]

When editing personal statements, I can tell you that I genuinely offended some folks when I asked them to reflect on their desire to pursue medicine being based on childhood passions. "Think from the perspective of an ADCOM - do you want someone to pursue medicine based on some likely fallacious and/or idealized version of a profession that a 9 year old at her grandmother's bedside likely didn't fully understand?"

People shouldn't seek out advice if they're only looking for certain answers.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I fully agree.

It's probably a hybrid for me. I genuinely connect with the work of medicine, and it is by far and away the most interesting career one can have, in my own humble opinion. I also have a set of personal philosophies which compel me to serve others; I have always done so, and I will continue to do so for the rest of my life - medicine or not.

I don't know if time has made me grumpy (probably, tbh) but I see these 19 and 20 years olds at the institution where I did my post-bac, and they're saying things like "If I don't get into med school, I'll just die! It's all I've ever wanted to do! Since I was 3! I have to do this or else I will just work some minimum wage job for the rest of my life and be forever unhappy!" And I'm like "What on earth are you even talking about?"

I don't think medicine will ever be the be-all-end-all of my life like that. At the end of the day, it will be one important part of who I am, but just one part.

Yeah, I am pretty spiritual. There was a time a few years ago when I thought I didn't get selected for the med school pipeline I did (a postbacc/SMP through USUHS), and rather than feel like my world fell apart, I just looked at it as God redirecting me. Turned out I got incorrect information, and I actually did get selected haha.

MOOD

What on Earth does this mean?

 

[Bonne Nuit]

What on Earth does this mean?

Alright my fellow Old Person, here you go, I asked a nice teenager to help me pull this off of the online website called urban dictionary dot com:

Mood

Used to express that something is relatable. Similar to 'Same,' but 'Mood' became more common around 2016.

If something is especially relatable, one might say 'Big Mood.' This implies that your whole being is one and the same with whatever you are commenting on.

(commenting on a photo of a cat who looks super lazy) Mood af

2017 mood = self care and positive visualization

(caption on photoset of Keanu Reeves looking mad existential) big mood

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Alright my fellow Old Person, here you go, I asked a nice teenager to help me pull this off of the online website called urban dictionary dot com:

Mood

Used to express that something is relatable. Similar to 'Same,' but 'Mood' became more common around 2016.

If something is especially relatable, one might say 'Big Mood.' This implies that your whole being is one and the same with whatever you are commenting on.

(commenting on a photo of a cat who looks super lazy) Mood af

2017 mood = self care and positive visualization

(caption on photoset of Keanu Reeves looking mad existential) big mood

wtf that makes no sense. Kids these days don't know how to come up with slang.

 

[907914]

wtf that makes no sense

Big mood, bruh

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Big mood, bruh

I refuse to be a part of this.

 

[907914]

I refuse to be a part of this.

Ugh, Same.

 

[Dr panda]

When editing personal statements, I can tell you that I genuinely offended some folks when I asked them to reflect on their desire to pursue medicine being based on childhood passions. "Think from the perspective of an ADCOM - do you want someone to pursue medicine based on some likely fallacious and/or idealized version of a profession that a 9 year old at her grandmother's bedside likely didn't fully understand?"

Childhood passions are very delusional and a lot of them disappear at the age of 20; in Russia we even have a term “Junior year syndrome” which refers to the problem that a lot of folks change their major and career aspirations at that age. I faced the same and turned to premed.

 

[chemdoctor]

I refuse to be a part of this.

I refuse to be apart Of this

MOOD

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

.

I will not hesitate to post hold you.

 

[chemdoctor]

I will not hesitate to post hold you.

BIG BIG mood

 

[Mad Jack]

My initial major motivation for becoming a doctor was to spite my ex that cheated on me. She was a premed at the time, ended up failing out of her program and becoming a nurse. Figured it would really grind her gears to see how successful I'd become, since living well is the best revenge.

That motivation obviously changed over time, and only got me through premed. Couldn't care less about her these days and don't keep tabs on her or speak with her, and these days I'm happily married to a much better person I'd never have met were I with that trainwreck. Medical school itself, I got through because I actually enjoyed the material and got to learn so much information most people never are exposed to. Ultimately I developed a real love of my field and a strong desire to help members of my community in a way I never was. Motivations change over time, and even the worst can become something genuine and productive, as poor motivations tend to not sustain in the long term and must be replaced.

 

[Mad Jack]

I will not hesitate to post hold you.

I will not hesitate to have a BIG MOOD

Oof

 

[DokterMom]

My initial major motivation for becoming a doctor was to spite my ex that cheated on me. She was a premed at the time, ended up failing out of her program and becoming a nurse. Figured it would really grind her gears to see how successful I'd become, since living well is the best revenge.

That motivation obviously changed over time, and only got me through premed. Couldn't care less about her these days and don't keep tabs on her or speak with her, and these days I'm happily married to a much better person I'd never have met were I with that trainwreck. Medical school itself, I got through because I actually enjoyed the material and got to learn so much information most people never are exposed to. Ultimately I developed a real love of my field and a strong desire to help members of my community in a way I never was. Motivations change over time, and even the worst can become something genuine and productive, as poor motivations tend to not sustain in the long term and must be replaced.

I'm guessing this wasn't what your personal statement said though...

 

[710118]

I'm guessing this wasn't what your personal statement said though...

Hahaha why do you say that

 

[Peter Pan.]

I’m old. Is this some sort of newfangled slang?

It’s called a clap back

 

[dr_kateb]

My initial major motivation for becoming a doctor was to spite my ex that cheated on me. She was a premed at the time, ended up failing out of her program and becoming a nurse. Figured it would really grind her gears to see how successful I'd become, since living well is the best revenge.

Still a better love story than Twilight..?

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

It’s called a clap back

Get off my lawn.

 

[Mad Jack]

I'm guessing this wasn't what your personal statement said though...

"I want to help people"

Help them remember how much they ****ed up, amirite?

 

[redrosesfi]

Because I'm Indian (and/or Asian)