what if one can't make it?

[youngjock]

I am not in med. school, but I am just wondering.

there must be some that who got into med. schools, then can't take it.

any examples?

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[Wednesday]

My dad tells a story about a guy who went to his med school a year before he did. My dad knew him from undergrad, so when he got to med school he tried to find him, with no luck. Eventually he heard the story: turns out that the guy had walked into lab on his first day of anatomy, looked around and walked back out. And never came back.

 

[Cobragirl]

All I can say to that story is.... WOW! I can't believe someone would put themselves through the WHOLE semester of anatomy and THEN dropout!

As for people dropping...yes, they do, for a variety of reasons (usually personal/family related, not academic). We've lost two classmates this semester, but they should be returning next year.

 

[mpp]

According to the <a href="http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/famg102001rega.htm" target="_blank">AAMC</a> there were 1091 accepted applicants that did not matriculate for the 2000-2001 application cycle. This seems high to me but it adds up since there were <a href="http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/famg52001a.htm" target="_blank">17,465 accepted applicants </a> but only <a href="http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/famg72001a.htm" target="_blank">16,365 matriculants</a>. What do all those people do? Do these include those that were accepted to AAMC schools but then attended non-AAMC schools? That makes the most sense.

 

[nyskindr]

There are a number of accepted applicants who defer admission for a year,this would likely account for the most of the discrepancy.

 

[snow100]

hi youngjock-

i am one of those....prepared my whole life and always thought i was going to be a doctor. then, i went to medical school and dropped out a little over a month ago. if you want details, i can talk to you about it later. see ya

snow

 

[e2k]

Snow100. Sorry to hear that you dropped out, and I hope it was for the right reasons. Just out of curiosity, what is next for you?

Anyway, for some reason us med students think that dropping out of medicine is the end of the world. Absolutely not true. For some it is the beginning.

I have two friends who were both accepted to prestigious PhD programs at Brown. One dropped out to become a masseuse, the other a social worker, and both are very happy.

I feel more sorry for those poor saps who stick it out for 4 yrs med school + 5 yrs residency and then 20 yrs in a field that they don't love.

I have fantasies of dropping out, going into computers or teaching, or just travelling the world. Not having to study 24-7, not worrying about getting into residency...

However, I've thought about it long and hard, and come to the conclusion that I still want to be a physician more than anything else.

The trick is for pre-meds to realize that even though medicine is a long road, it is one day at a time. If you think of the process as the goal, and not the MD or the residency or the private practice, then you will enjoy yourself.

Med school is a hell of a lot of fun!
ERIC

 

[snow100]

hi e2k.

i dropped out for MANY reasons. i was totally disenfranchized by medicine. it is not the career i thought it was. yes, it is a long road, but for me, there was not pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. life is so short and i want to be able to wake up in the morning and be excited for my life. i was disappointed in the direction medicine is taking and the time that students and residents have to put into. i dont mind working hard at all, but not at the cost of my life. i enjoy my free time and life too much to sacrifice it for medicine. so, im deciding to choose something that i will really like. as for what it is, i am not too sure. i am going to spend this year finding out exactly what that is. but this time, i am going to make sure that it is something that i will love. i was in medicine for the wrong reasons. i have to admit though that i wish i was content with medicine because it is right in front of me and it is something that i have been working for. but there is no way i could do it with the lack of interest that i have. im not in a big hurry to figure out what i want to do. im going to travel and do things for myself for the first time in my life and i will wait for things to open up for myself. i will just keep my eye open for whatever it is that will interest me.

snow

 

[Starflyr]

I was feeling unmotivated, too, this semester, and I contemplated quitting. But then I started volunteering in the neonatal nursury - feeding babies, doing vitals, changing diapers and such, and now Im TOTALLY remotivated. I think it was more the dichotomy between what I want to do and what I have to do to get there.

Star

 

[penelope]

In terms of getting in and not "making it" academically, most schools try to admit only people who will be successful at their school, and then do everything they can to make sure their students pass. Schools that have people failing out are probably doing something wrong (like setting the passing score too high or not providing enough academic support). As far as I know, VERY few people withdraw and most of those are for personal reasons, like a family situation or simply realizing that medicine is not for them.

 

[youngjock]

yea, that was the question that I asked.

It seems that the first two years would be so hard. so many classes to take, so many things to remember.

Then I suppose that for those who can't make it, they are not reading this forum any more.

Originally posted by penelope:
•In terms of getting in and not "making it" academically, most schools try to admit only people who will be successful at their school, and then do everything they can to make sure their students pass. Schools that have people failing out are probably doing something wrong (like setting the passing score too high or not providing enough academic support). As far as I know, VERY few people withdraw and most of those are for personal reasons, like a family situation or simply realizing that medicine is not for them.•••

 

[Brian20]

I had an interview for medical school with an old school doctor. He went during WWII. He said it was easy to fail out then, but these days they tend to take care of their students. I think that if you work hard (as you are obviously used to) and give your all, you will make it.
These schools invest alot in you, and they are not about to give up on that...relax...im sure all will do fine. and good luck...getting into medical school is an accomplishment, but it is also a great gift. cherish it and always do what is in your heart.

take care guys

 

[JThomas88]

Originally posted by youngjock:
•I am not in med. school, but I am just wondering.

there must be some that who got into med. schools, then can't take it.

any examples?•••

"youngjock"
Well, it takes much just to get into a medical school. So very few will go down without a fight. You just have to either be talented at processing information or just be a hard worker or a combination of the two to get through. Not just anyone can become a doctor, that is why pre-meds literally go through the courses they have to just to get at a high enough level for medical school. People may walk in and decide to leave, but that is their own respective choice. They change their mind and decide not to dedicate their lives to medicine. It's completely normal. They would rather do something more enjoyable other than practicing medicine. Life is short, do what you desire and most importantly dont **** it up. Be 100% sure you want this path.
Take care

 

[cmz]

Originally posted by penelope:
•In terms of getting in and not "making it" academically, most schools try to admit only people who will be successful at their school, and then do everything they can to make sure their students pass. Schools that have people failing out are probably doing something wrong (like setting the passing score too high or not providing enough academic support). As far as I know, VERY few people withdraw and most of those are for personal reasons, like a family situation or simply realizing that medicine is not for them.•••

This is possibly the case at Baylor right now... I think it's been mentioned before that we need an 80 to pass the fall semester. Speaking with people who failed a block exam or two (&lt; 80), the administration seems to reach out to them a bit late with regards to student conferences. Late as in... the student won't speak with a dean until a week or two before the next block exam. This goes without saying that you could easily schedule an appointment with a faculty member to discuss your grade or study habits or whatever...

The cut off point of 80 was set because exams are supposed to be at a level of difficulty to where every question is answerable. We're supposed to be in a mastery learning mode, and 80 is what we need. These exams are not supposed to carry HARD questions -- those, however, are supposed to appear in later blocks where the grading scale changes and a student can actually "honor" a class. Supposedly, only students who can answer the tough tough questions as well as the normal questions will be able to honor. This explanation makes sense to me, but half the class is on thin ice per se...

The only problem I have with the current scheme of things at Baylor is the fact that 80 is just too damn close for comfort. Maybe it's the conception that an 83 used to mean, "Wow I passed by at least 13 points!" Now it means, "Holy crap... I barely passed the exam!" There's no room for error I guess. The only other bad thing is, we have just one exam per block... you screw that exam up and you're... screwed (sort of).

Aside from all of this non-sense, the bright light at the end of the tunnel is if you bomb out you have the option of deferment and you can come back next year. Sure you "waste" a year, but if you want to be a doc... then why the heck not?

I think, for the most part, that everyone who gets into medical school has the ability to make it (unless they don't want to or they aren't really ready to just yet). In case you haven't noticed, applying to medical school took quite a bit of effort (and I mean just getting here). Med schools are supposed to do their research on their applicants and pick the best bunch that fits their atmosphere. Like someone mentioned on this board, medical schools have a lot of time and money invested into you, so I hardly see why they would want to let you flap by the way-side unless they are truly evil... and even then, they have to graduate someone

 

[penelope]

cmz, your comments are very enlightening. I actually had Baylor in mind when I wrote that post, because lilycat was saying how people have already been asked to leave and such, because the passing score is set so high.

youngjock, this thread and your other one about the first two years suggest that you're nervous you won't be able to hack it in med school. I think a lot of people feel the same. I was really nervous too - and I'm still nervous about making it through my surgery rotation! Remember, if you're accepted, whether on your first try or your third, that means you have what it takes. And even if you struggle a bit, that doesn't mean you aren't fit to be a doctor. Not everybody loves memorizing the 50+ muscles of the upper limb...I know I don't. A couple people failed one of the classes first block, and they're retaking the class and will undoubtedly end up being great doctors.

 

[daveshnave]

Originally posted by e2k:
•The trick is for pre-meds to realize that even though medicine is a long road, it is one day at a time. If you think of the process as the goal, and not the MD or the residency or the private practice, then you will enjoy yourself.

Med school is a hell of a lot of fun!
ERIC•••

I couldn't agree with this statment more e2k... well said. Although "fun" isn't the exact word I'd use to describe med school. I do enjoy it.... it's just that it's taxing at the same time. It's hard not to just get overwhelmed and annoyed at the amounts of material I have to learn. Still, when all is said and done, I know deep down that medicine is right for me.

By the way, this isn't Eric S. from IMS is it? If it is, good times... I'm gonna go buy a 32 oz. slurpee.