when is a premed not a premed anymore?

[ocean11]

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The answer to the question might be obvious BUT..... is it when one GETS ACCEPTED to med school OR is it the DAY you start med school?

The question might sound stupid..... but I want to hear a few opinions.... I know a few friends of mine (no longer undergrad students) who just got accepted to med school and consider themselves 'med students' even though they are ACTUALLY starting school in Aug/Sept?!?

OPINIONS.........

 

[Spitting Camel]

First day of class, no question. You're nothing more than a future med student when you've been accepted and haven't started!! The arrogance!!

 

[oldman]

i don't consider myself med until i have a md after my name.

 

[Spitting Camel]

Originally posted by oldman
i don't consider myself med until i have a md after my name.

Umm... that's not the question...

 

[dstn2bmd]

Okay...this sounds stupid I'm sure. (You don't have to remind though OK😉 ) I don't feel like pre-med and I don't feel like a med student either. Knowing that I am going to medical school has changed my mental status. I am not anxious, I don't feel like I am constantly trying to prove myself, and what was once satisfying in undergrad now feels less. I am just so ready to finish my last semester and start the next exciting chapter in my life after graduation.

In reality I am still pre-med....but in my mind I am living an alternate life as a med student! Go figure...🙂

Don't get me wrong I like living in my own alternate reality. Med school is really easy right now!!!😀

Heb

 

[oldman]

Originally posted by AlreadyInDebt
Umm... that's not the question...

well i'm saying that i am still premed. i'm still a doc wannabe.

 

[powermd]

I would push it back a bit further. The first and second year of med school is almost entirely academic at 99% of US schools. It's really just advanced pre-med because you don't really need the resources of a medical school to learn what they have to teach you. You could do it on your own, if properly motivated. The real "medical school" experience begins third year, when you start learning clinical judgment from patients and real, practicing MDs. Sure, some of this occurs earlier, but who are you trying to kid here?

Craig (MSIV)

 

[Rendar5]

Since I am prejudiced against the word pre-med, I only considered myself that for one semester (when I decided to do pre-med in my jr. year and had to take 2 bio courses so I'd have the requirements for med school).

 

[donnyfire]

I think pre-meds can be divided into a few of categories.
One is the person who says "I'm pre-med", but who'll probably graduate with some other degree, or not at all.
Another is the student who truly strives toward medical school, but just hasn't quite finished the pre-req's or really started thinking about applying.
Third are those in the application stage.
And fourth are those of us that are accepted.
I'll probably consider myself a pre-med until the day I start med school.
At that point, you truly are a med student.
However, I agree that there is this limbo now that I'm accepted.
Once accepted, you are in a slightly different category than most other pre-meds.
Life is easier, and there is a certain sense of relief. Plus, you get to say "I'm going to med school next year", which is always fun.

 

[Spidey]

There is definately a difference between a pre-med and someone accepted to med school... one of the connotations that go along with someone who calls themself a premed is the fact that there is a real and distinctive chance that they will never actually get into med school. But technically no, they aren't med students yet. On the other hand, if you're trying to impressive the gurlies it is best done by saying you're a med student over saying you're a premed 😛

 

[jbish]

My dad starting calling me (and introducing me to people at the hospital) an M0 (med zero) once I got my first acceptance. He started doing this more frequently after I got my B.A. 7 months later. So I guess I'd say (and my mom and dad...both docs) that you're premed until you're accepted somewhere. After that, you're just an M0 waiting for classes to start in August.

 

[upitt]

I think pre-med means completing the following courses which are required to matriculate into most medical schools.

bio 1&2 w/ labs
chem 1&2 w/labs
phys 1&2 w/labs
o chem 1&2 w/labs
english (atleast 1 semester)
calculus/statistics (for some medical schools)

 

[donnyfire]

Originally posted by jbish
After that, you're just an M0 waiting for classes to start in August.

Perhaps we should adopt this term.
Hi Everyone,
My name's donnyfire, and I'm an M0.

 

[MaineDocToBe]

to me, premed means more than just the few classes that we had to take. It has a pejorative meaning. being premed has tons of stereotypes with it. I've never considered myself premed. I told people that I was taking classes so that I could attend medical school. But being "premed" means that you're a neurotic, driven, self-absorbed, gunner, grade grubber, that has no life outside of lab.

So, now that I"m accepted, I'm still just me waiting to start but still having a life.

 

[sacrament]

When you fail chemistry and change your major to Business.

 

[Swiper]

Originally posted by sacrament
When you fail chemistry and change your major to Business.

Similar situation, I "had this friend" who got a 'D' in Genetics and switched to a Psychology major...😉

 

[citygirl]

Originally posted by sacrament
When you fail chemistry and change your major to Business.

So, is that "unmed"?


Seriously though, I considered myself premed when I was in undergrad and after I was accepted until I started the first day of med school and became a med student. I don't know about 99% of schools but we were interviewing hospital patients by our second week of school and have been learning PE skills from the outset. We started preceptorships in our third months and have already begun basic patient PEs. I love an integrated curriculum. I actually feel like a medical student, not just another butt planted in a lecture hall.

 

[carrigallen]

I never told anyone i was premed in college. blah - i was never sure until i applied, but it was always in the back of my mind. The whitecoat ceremony is med student.

@andrew: our 1 yr is so different from science-only...with the skills step exam, maybe schools have shifted focus a bit.

@ donnyfire i agree with your cladistic approach...the 7 stages of premed? 😉

btw, grats on mcw..they were my first accept. by far the nicest admission office. the weather cold as hell tho.

 

[Brickhouse]

Since I was a post-bacc student I never considered myself pre-med - I said I was taking classes to fulfill prereqs for medical school - but pre-med never felt right because the people around me calling themselves pre-med were 18 and undergrads. Before last Thursday I told people "I'm applying to medical school right now" and now I say "I'm going next year." And in a year I'm sure I'll say "well I was in medical school but then I had that nervous breakdown...hey look! Spaghetti!"

Do yourselves a favor and go see Return of the King.

 

[LTbulldogs]

Ironic... I've never considered myself a "premed". I just see myself as a student taking prerequisites...