What type of fellow students do I have to look forward to?

[GuyLaroche]

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I have been reading the posts on SDN for a while and I am struck by the anxiety, passion, and even the bitterness with which students are pursuing entry into med school. I recently discussed the schools I have interviewed at with a "friend", and his response was so negative and poisonous that I was left wondering what had just happened. Not too long after, I decided to read the blogs of medical students on SDN, and the responses to a particular medical student's diary entries were scary. She - the med student - is a black female and despite the fact that her entries had very little to do with these facts, the responses seemed centered entirely on them. The truly venomous, racist comments leave me wondering who I am going to be sitting next to in med school. We've all worked so hard for this that I think it might have altered the natural goodness in some. Perhaps this is a prelimary, unfounded fear but folks, I am getting a bit uneasy about the structural hate that medical school application breeds. Any thoughts?

 

[lane]

take it from a current medical student:

SDN is NOT indicative of the vast majority of medical students.

 

[Megalofyia]

And even if it is.. you really only have two years being with these people before you separate and go other ways.


I only say this because actually the majority of MD students I've met have fallen into the somewhat assholish group who are fine to talk to once in a while but I'd rather not form life long friendships. It might be my age in combination with the particular schools that I know the most students at.

 

[beep]

i am also worried about this, a little. meeting my fellow applicants at some interviews has also made me worry.

i figure, though, that there will likely be some wonderful people in med school, and that it will be easier for me to appreciate their wonderfulness if i give them the benefit of the doubt. after all, this application process has not always brought out the most fun, grounded, vocation-focused, interesting parts of me either!

 

[Mr. Seeds]

Almost all of the people I've met at interviews, and most of the pre-meds I know are actually really pleasant and supportive. I think the year before applying (i.e. taking MCAT, taking uber hard classes, etc.) breeds high-strung assholishness in people, but my experience leads me to believe that this is not indicative of what they are really like. I'm looking forward to meeting people I can relate to.

 

[funshine]

Take heart,

we're not all like that 🙂

 

[wxl31]

i actually look forward to meeting my fellow students next year. think about it. we all have done a lot of special things to get into med school. how cool is it to meet a bunch of ppl who are interesting?

also, sdn has been my main source of support throughout this process. i actually feel that most of us are genuine and nice.

 

[CaMD]

To be honest I've enjoyed quite a few of the people I've met on interviews.

 

[GuyLaroche]

I have also met some interesting people at interviews (save the guy at Northwestern with the lavender shirt and tie -- you know who you are!) However, I am not speaking about interviewees as everyone in an interview situation -- for the most part -- puts on the cheeriest, most pleasant face. However, the anonymous nature of SDN allows people to say what they truly think. You guys might want to look at the medical student blogs and the comments that follow. These are current medical students. There were some super disturbing items posted on there. While SDN is certainly not a good approximation of the world -- and thank God for that, I am just uneasy with the idea that these hateful and jealous people are probably going to be fellow students, colleagues and most of all doctors. I think what SDN does allow is a true reflection of what people really think. I have yet to ever meet the devil in person. Have you?

 

[BlueMagpie]

I recently spoke with a friend who is a MSIII in New York and she was telling me that she had never met such a large number of people who were unwilling to help each other out and were so hyper-competitive that they would pretty much ignore you after you asked a question to their face. She also likened it to high school with all the various snotty cliques and gossip.

I don't know how much she was exaggerating, but I do worry about that, just remembering pre-med in college and all the wonderful personalities I had to deal with. But on my interviews, I didn't feel that anyone was particularly rude or pompous. Maybe that changes when you start classes. I don't know. I'd just like to meet a few people that I can trust. Otherwise, I've still got my crew from college/high school that I can call whenever I need too.

 

[indo]

You're going to be sitting next to me so bring some breath mints, some condoms, and a bottle of Windex!

 

[dankev]

Half way through my first year, I have a group of wonderful friends. We help each other out all the time. I also feel comfortable going up to any of my classmates to ask for help. There are a few people I'm not super fond of, but that leaves about 160 that are fine.

Don't worry about it. You'll be able to find a group you fit into. As far as the general level of competition and assholiness, I guess that depends on the school.

 

[k-monger]

And now my impression of the stereotypical med school applicant on SDN:

Not to long after, I decided to read the blogs of medical students on SDN, and the responses to a particular medical student's diary entries were scary.

Umm....it's "Not too long after." And you think you're going to be a doctor someday, GuyLaroche? That's the kind of mistake that a public schooler would make.

p.s. I'm not vain, I'd just like to post a link to my 42, 3.99 from Princeton on mdapplicants.com.

End of impression.

Ok, my guess is that there will always be a few gunners out there, but the majority of the pre-med lot is great. Jerks, for the most part, don't go into medicine--they go into business.

Good luck on all your applications. You're prolly the kind of guy with whom I'd like to attend med school.

 

[lorelei]

I've met some really awesome people on interviews. I can remember one or two people I kind of didn't like (although I bet they would have come off better when not under so much stress) and a lot of people I didn't classify one way or the other. So I'm optimistic. I admit that the schools where I met the coolest people have wormed their way up to the top of my list. I can't tell whether that's because these are the schools that fit me, therefore they fit people like me, therefore I think the students are cool, or whether I'm just biased by the fact that I liked the people.

Also, I choose to believe that the particularly ignorant people (I'm thinking of the trolls that come out on religion/affirmative action/gays in medicine threads) won't get in. If you know otherwise, I'd prefer that you didn't rain on my parade 🙂

 

[tinkerbelle]

I am actually looking forward to meeting my classmates. My friends who are MSI ,II, and IIIs all love their classmates. And I've found a lot of sdners to be really sweet. So if there are any jerks in med school, I'm assuming they will be the minority.

 

[DianaLynne]

So far on interviews, I've met some fun people and some people that were so nervous I could barely talk to them. What makes me excited is that all of the students doing the tours seemed really chill and nice. I've even hung out with them some after and they've seemed to be a good bunch.

I don't know about everyone else, but I plan on having a good time and work hard too! I've heard no one parties like a med student, I look forward to seeing if that's true.

Now, if I can just get through this &$^#ed waiting process!

 

[saki0005]

i'm going to make some generalizations here, but please don't e-kill me:

pre-meds:cut-throats & back-stabbers who will do whatever it takes to get into med school even if that means not sleeping right, not eating right, losing all your friends, and pretty much isolating yourself from the rest of society.

med students: they got in, so now they're golden. occasionally the pre-med competetive personality rears its ugly head, but all in all, generally laid back people. nonetheless, still don't eat right or sleep right.

at least, this has been my personal experience.

 

[Law2Doc]

I have been reading the posts on SDN for a while and I am struck by the anxiety, passion, and even the bitterness with which students are pursuing entry into med school. I recently discussed the schools I have interviewed at with a "friend", and his response was so negative and poisonous that I was left wondering what had just happened. Not too long after, I decided to read the blogs of medical students on SDN, and the responses to a particular medical student's diary entries were scary. She - the med student - is a black female and despite the fact that her entries had very little to do with these facts, the responses seemed centered entirely on them. The truly venomous, racist comments leave me wondering who I am going to be sitting next to in med school. We've all worked so hard for this that I think it might have altered the natural goodness in some. Perhaps this is a prelimary, unfounded fear but folks, I am getting a bit uneasy about the structural hate that medical school application breeds. Any thoughts?

I think you get a warped and inaccurate view of many people's personalities based on SDN posts. It's a great resource to see which schools are interviewing, rejecting, accepting when, and it's interesting to see what questions other people have, and sometimes get the answers to your own. But as I'm sure you've noted, people also seem to use this board to vent their anxieties, and a lot of people tend to be more bold and in your face here than in real life due to the anonimity afforded by a screen name. There are also a fair number of trolls and high school students frequenting these boards. Thus I wouldn't assume the personalities you come across in med school will resemble the typical posts here. Have some faith that your med school will screen out the wack jobs in their interviews. 🙂

 

[GuyLaroche]

And now my impression of the stereotypical med school applicant on SDN:



Umm....it's "Not too long after." And you think you're going to be a doctor someday, GuyLaroche? That's the kind of mistake that a public schooler would make.

p.s. I'm not vain, I'd just like to post a link to my 42, 3.99 from Princeton on mdapplicants.com.

My error has been duly noted and corrected. Your insult has been duly noted and ignored.

 

[saki0005]

My error has been duly noted and corrected. Your insult has been duly noted and ignored.

i wish i could use that line on a few people

 

[GuyLaroche]

And now my impression of the stereotypical med school applicant on SDN:

While I was a bit put off by your clever attempt at pointing out my grammatical error, I should tell you that the humor isn't lost on me.

 

[amnesia]

So is medical school proAnglo??? If so, at least there is a schelter for us! We take crap from every liberal textbook.

 

[doc05]

what are med students really like? they're mostly tools. the environment is very cliquish, often likened to high school.

most students are from spoiled backgrounds, and there are an inordinate number of children of physicians. racially divided cliques are present.

the hypercompetitive nature of pre-meds doesn't really go away until ms3 year, and even then it persists. some of your classmates are really great people, but these account for a very small minority.

also keep in mind that most med students lack even a speck of common sense. most are a**-kissing tools with fragile egos.

someone wrote

Jerks, for the most part, don't go into medicine--they go into business.

very funny. medicine IS a business. almost noone goes to medical school for purely altruistic reasons. those who do become jaded. the rest were jerks to begin with.

have fun in med school next year. just think -- you'll be paying 50 grand a year to join these folks.

 

[GuyLaroche]

So is medical school proAnglo??? If so, at least there is a schelter for us! We take crap from every liberal textbook.

This was not intended as a thread to spur all kinds of offensive statements. While your post is not by the strictest definition offensive, the response it generates is bound to be. Please refrain from throwing fuel indiscriminately at the wind with hopes of being led to a fire... or something.

 

[QofQuimica]

Hi Guy,

I agree with everyone who suggested that you shouldn't assume that SDN is representative of most pre-meds, let alone med students or doctors. You have no way of knowing who any of us actually are, and I would agree with whomever suggested that a lot of the more childish posts are being written by the child posters. There will always be some people that you just don't like as much as you like the others, but I think that you will find many people with whom you have much in common once you start medical school. I know that I for one am definitely looking forward to this. 😍

 

[Wiggy73]

Med students cannot possibly be as bad as the people at my junior high.

 

[Megalofyia]

Med students cannot possibly be as bad as the people at my junior high.

yes... yes they can..

but again I feel it depends on the school, where it's located, and the average age of the class.

 

[docjolly]

very funny. medicine IS a business. almost noone goes to medical school for purely altruistic reasons. those who do become jaded. the rest were jerks to begin with.

😱

Ouch! That's actually quite very harsh (although I'm sure there's some validity to it 😉 ). If a rare breed of people enter medicine for altruistic reasons (I'm certain that I'm one of them ) , what reasons does the rest of the populous have for entering such an emotionally, financially, and physically demanding profession? I sincerely don't think that it's for financial reasons . There are so many other professions that these people can enter that will not only generously compensate them, but also require less of them.

Perhaps I'm just a bit naive 😕

 

[Wiggy73]

yes... yes they can..

but again I feel it depends on the school, where it's located, and the average age of the class.

Oh, but you don't know the people I went to junior high with. 😉

 

[doc05]

😱

Ouch! That's actually quite very harsh (although I'm sure there's some validity to it 😉 ). If a rare breed of people enter medicine for altruistic reasons (I'm certain that I'm one of them ) , what reasons does the rest of the populous have for entering such an emotionally, financially, and physically demanding profession? I sincerely don't think that it's for financial reasons . There are so many other professions that these people can enter that will not only generously compensate them, but also require less of them.

Perhaps I'm just a bit naive 😕

you're more than a bit naive. I just hope you're still in it for the altruism by the time you graduate.

and p.s. there are few professions that offer the financial rewards of medicine.

 

[Megalofyia]

Oh, but you don't know the people I went to junior high with. 😉

I know the people I went to middle school were pure evil...

 

[docjolly]

you're more than a bit naive. I just hope you're still in it for the altruism by the time you graduate.

and p.s. there are few professions that offer the financial rewards of medicine.

😕
But please explain to me, why would someone go through what some would consider complete hell (lasting 5-8 years, on average) just to gain money? Why not go to graduate school, gain a high earning job, and call it a day?

 

[indo]

So is medical school proAnglo??? If so, at least there is a schelter for us! We take crap from every liberal textbook.

No, but thanks for the smallpox blankets, whitey! Also, Hiroshima was totally uncalled for! 😀

 

[Law2Doc]

and p.s. there are few professions that offer the financial rewards of medicine.

FYI both law and investment banking currently offer equal if not higher income with substantially less (and cheaper) schooling and training... Anyone smart enough to get into med school would be able to make more money through one of these routes.

 

[amnesia]

No, but thanks for the smallpox blankets, whitey! Also, Hiroshima was totally uncalled for! 😀

ya, ok. 🙄

 

[Mr. Darcy]

No stress. Just be yourself and like minded people will join you. It only takes one person being helpful to break the trend in a group.

See you on rounds.

 

[vtucci]

I also agree that age (and dare I say it, maturity) plays a big factor. Look for schools where the average age is 24 or higher and you will reduce the likelihood of high school-ish behavior.

There will be jerks in every class but there are also gems. Surround yourself with the people who will bring you up.

 

[scrappysurfer]

As an undergrad, I steered clear of pre-med due to the squabbling nature of its students. Now, as an applicant faced with a growing pile of rejection letters, I can see their frustration. After working hard for so long and running up a tremendous debt in plane tickets for interviews, I will admit that the arbitrary nature of the application process brings out the worst in me.

Today, after working for years with dozens of medical students, residents, and fellows I can safely say that they are some of my favorite people. My mother has many complaints about her career as a physician; after several decades as a doctor she is still honored to work with a large majority of her collegues.

As for the money, after five years in my field I could likely make more money annually than I will ever make as a doctor -without going 100k into debt. I will throw my weight behind the idea that those who get into medical school would likely have the brains to make more money elsewhere. You are intelligent people and will likely suceed regardless of your choice of profession.

 

[boardchic]

Everyone keeps saying that the nature of the med students depends on where you go to school. And I'm sure that's true. And it's also true that different people want different environments and want to surround themselves with different types of people. But what schools do you think DO have the best med students?
I spent four years of undergrad avoiding premeds. My friends were all comp lit or visual arts or history majors, smart liberal 'arty' types who like to drink and listen to music. I spent my time doing things that I felt were worthwhile for me... I never did things just because they would look good on a med school application. I may pay the price for that when rejections start rolling in, but up to now, I think I've done fine.
So, can I find a med school where there are other kids like myself? Or should I consider myself screwed and go wherever I'll have friends outside of med school?

 

[funshine]

Yes, I have the same concern as boardchic.
In college, I made the mistake of choosing friends who were all very high-achievers (old habit from hs, i guess) and became miserable halfway thru when I realized these were not at all the type of people I wanted to hang out with. I'm also a Molbio major and the majority of students in my class are pre-med and super-anal about everything. I'm sick of it, and kind of wary about what I'll ifnd in med school.

From my friends currently in med school, I hear that the entering classes are more competitive though.

 

[DieselPetrolGrl]

I have been reading the posts on SDN for a while and I am struck by the anxiety, passion, and even the bitterness with which students are pursuing entry into med school. I recently discussed the schools I have interviewed at with a "friend", and his response was so negative and poisonous that I was left wondering what had just happened. Not too long after, I decided to read the blogs of medical students on SDN, and the responses to a particular medical student's diary entries were scary. She - the med student - is a black female and despite the fact that her entries had very little to do with these facts, the responses seemed centered entirely on them. The truly venomous, racist comments leave me wondering who I am going to be sitting next to in med school. We've all worked so hard for this that I think it might have altered the natural goodness in some. Perhaps this is a prelimary, unfounded fear but folks, I am getting a bit uneasy about the structural hate that medical school application breeds. Any thoughts?

buwahhaha u will be stuck with me
hello new friend
u and the flash and me!

 

[PBMaxx]

People, don't worry. I am awesome!!

So everything will be O.K.