What exactly defines a gunner?

[UAAWolf]

Because I've been given the impression that it is anyone who works harder than everyone...

I always thought a gunner was someone who studied a lot AND tried to mess with others/never help them/do anything to crush everyone??

lol

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[VenusinFurs]

Everyone has a little gunner in them.

 

[DrYoda]

Technically it is someone who sabotages their peers so they can get ahead.

It is often (and incorrectly) used for someone who is simply a hard worker.

 

[RoyBasch]

If you have to ask...you're probably a gunner.

Just kidding!

I personally make a distinction between "benign" and "malignant" gunners (although I don't think that's a standard convention). With benign gunners being people who work really hard (even by med school standards) and malignant gunners being people who kiss ass and do anything to get ahead if its at someone's expense.

 

[C5toC9]

everyone is a gunner. some just hide it better than others.

 

[beyondbethany]

I always think of a quote from Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood:

I have a competition in me. I want no one else to succeed. I hate most people.

 

[BBender716]

I always think of a quote from Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood:

I have a competition in me. I want no one else to succeed. I hate most people.

Amazing movie. Amazing line.

 

[Mr hawkings]

Technically it is someone who sabotages their peers so they can get ahead.

It is often (and incorrectly) used for someone who is simply a hard worker.

Yep. thats what separates gunners from those who just want to outwork everyone else to get ahead.

 

[djmcheme]

Typically they are the ones that you hate and cringe everytime they open their mouth to spout out some useless info and brown nose the prof.

 

[Ischiowhat]

I personally make a distinction between "benign" and "malignant" gunners (although I don't think that's a standard convention). With benign gunners being people who work really hard (even by med school standards) and malignant gunners being people who kiss ass and do anything to get ahead if its at someone's expense.

So true...

I don't have anything against people who just work really really hard. I am kind of thankful they exist actually, they're going to be saving our asses and our patients' asses someday.

 

[Zoom-Zoom]

Intent to do harm.

But some people be hatin' and apply "gunner," negatively, to anyone who works hard.

And then there's a middle group who works hard to be on top, but not necessarily at the expense of others. I think this group is the most common...I actually haven't met a true saboteur since pre-med days...but they're hated on the most...pretty narrow minded.

 

[seelee]

I thought it was someone who banked all their flash cards on gunnertraining.com

get it?

 

[GulDahntay]

With benign gunners being people who work really hard (even by med school standards) and malignant gunners being people who kiss ass and do anything to get ahead if its at someone's expense.

This explains the definition of a gunner pretty well. Most of the time, profs are smart enough to sniff one out. Then there are those who are capable of getting inside info on tests and assignments.

And let's not forget about a gunner's tendency to demand to know others' grades in an effort to have one's ego struck.

Unfortunately, Gunnerrhea is very difficult to treat. Maybe a Nobel Prize will change that.

 

[DirtyNetter]

 

[LossForWords]

In the marathon of med school, a gunner isn't someone that runs faster than everyone else, it's someone who trips the people that run faster than them.

--spoken by my 2nd year during orientation week

 

[Cruzinman]

A gunner on the wards is one who looks up the literature on his patients and on your patients as well. Once he is unmasked, he will ideally be subject to merciless pimping by the attending until he put his guns down.

 

[RedSHIFT]

a gunner typically is a one dimensional idiot savant who spews medical minutia as ammunition to make you feel inferior. they have trouble talking to women, although some can fake charm.

in general. i have found that gunners have no other expertise in another field. is essence, they can only show off their mental guns in medicine.

Cool kids in class...you know with talent outside of medicine whether it be athletic, arts and music, or other intellectual pursuits are MUCH LESS LIKELY to feel compelled to exhibit traits of being a gunner. I feel the reason for this is that they are SECURE intellectually and emotionally.

gunners know who they are. everyone is competitive, and being competitive is NOT the mark of a gunner.

 

[ArcGurren]

Gunners are the a-holes who basically try to hurt others in order to get further. They also tend to have very low self-esteem.

 

[Law2Doc]

Because I've been given the impression that it is anyone who works harder than everyone...

I always thought a gunner was someone who studied a lot AND tried to mess with others/never help them/do anything to crush everyone??

lol

No, gunners by definition are not folks who simply work hard and do well. The critical component of the definition of a gunner is someone who compromises relationships in his quest to do well. Meaning a gunner must by definition try to screw over someone, or he's not a gunner. It's not enough to want to get the best grade in class, he has to actively take steps to ensure that others won't be able to do as well. So he finds ways to sabotage, to undermine others efforts, to stress folks out etc. The classic example, which actually happened in my law school, was someone who tore out pages from a text on reserve at the library so that others wouldn't have access to it for an assignment. In med school you often see gunners in the later years as the ones who study up on topics that you (not they) are asked to present to attendings, or who know details on your (not their patients), so they can make you look ill prepared. Or folks who pretend to be helpful and share notes which they say are useful but are actually designed to give you misinformation or to waste your time. Gunners are not the folks who study hard and do well. They are not the folks who sit in the front of the classroom. They tend to sit in the back so they can see what others are reading/doing. Because their focus is not on themselves and their own mastery of the material, but on you and ensuring that they are one step ahead of you. You don't want to be a gunner.

 

[Law2Doc]

...Once he is unmasked, he will ideally be subject to merciless pimping by the attending until he put his guns down.

Nah, won't happen. In my experience attendings are far less able to recognize a gunner than the gunner's peers. A good gunner will be subtle enough to avoid detection from attendings. Expect the attending to buy what the gunner is selling, without question. You have to watch your back when teamed up with a gunner on rotations.

 

[Cramster]

I just got my MCAT scores back guys. 95th percentile yay!!! anyone have any recommendations for studying for step I?

 

[cbrons]

What is the best way to deal with gunners:

1. Pre-clinical years
2. Rotations
3. Residency

Most concerned with 1 for now since there were quite a few in my premie days. I'm sure some of them slithered their way into med school too.

 

[Rollo]

Best way to deal with gunners:

Ignore them.

"No, thank you."

 

[Rollo]

Best way to deal with gunners:

Ignore them.

"No, thank you."

 

[womp]

Gunner is the dude who, behind a crossfire, fires his machine gun at both the enemy and his own team to lower the odds that he might get shot himself.