Why are we all anonymous??

[Ms Procrastinator]

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I was starting to believe that most adcoms were cats... (e.g. @Goro @gyngyn @Catalystik)

*sound of glass shattering as realization kicks in* Oh my god!

 

[jk441]

I was starting to believe that most adcoms were cats... (e.g. @Goro @gyngyn @Catalystik)

I see no problem with this.

 

[Catalystik]

Cats rule, dogs drool.

Dogs have owners, cats have staff.

 

[DoctorSwagger]

Dogs have owners, cats have staff.

Says the cat


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[Goro]

Dogs have owners, cats have staff.

Dogs are natural sycophants. If they could talk, they'd say "you're the most important person in the history of the Universe!"

You have to EARN the love of a cat.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

“Dogs are the leaders of the planet. If you see two life forms, one of them's making a poop, the other one's carrying it for him, who would you assume is in charge.”

― Jerry Seinfeld

 

[Gliabelle]

I think that part of it is that SDN is frequented by undergrads who may have questions they are really unsure about, and don't want their silliness to be exposed to the future professional world they will soon be part of. Another part is that people desire to be candid without risking any of their career and advancement options. However, this brings me to the third reason... SDN isn't thought of highly by everyone. I've seen it referred to as a "cesspool of the worst medical school has to offer" within the last week. If someone on your adcom just happens to be a member of that camp, well... who knows?

 

[Oso]

 

[Goro]

Now here is an interesting case in psychopathology illustrating why we need to maintain anonymity.

Troll joined SDN in 2017 [probable sock puppet account] yet didn't post anything until today to make an inflammatory post and attack me, of all people [on the subject of his complaint].

Do you think that if this guy knew who I was that he'd try to make my life miserable in a heartbeat?

Hence, by being anonymous, we are protected from malignant people
Why this forum is so complicit to midlevels encroachment?

 

[Gliabelle]

I tend to think that if you are a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher, or someone else in a position people consider one of authority, it is a good idea to keep your online discussion largely anonymous, except for where you are actively seeking to establish or improve your professional reputation. Given how much social interaction happens online, it makes it really hard to do utterly normal things, like vent about work or commiserate with others in your field about shared frustrations, under your real name when almost everything is public and searchable. I can't, for example, vent about my students online under my real name (and I proceed with extreme caution even under a pseudonym), or I risk my job. Using a pseudonym makes sense for a lot of reasons, and maintaining an online presence under my real name also makes sense for a lot of reasons, but in different contexts.

 

[mwsapphire]

According to this thread
How thoroughly and extensively do admissions officers search a person on google?

We aren't

 

[Premed2295]

I think being annonymous gives us a chance to ask advice, rant if we need to, decide between 2 schools or residencies without fear of a program seeing you. I think most student users and ADCOMS have an understanding that it is meant to be anonymous. Students can express concerns, joys, frustrations, questions, and decisions without fear of judgement the way they might in person.
I think (and I hope) that people here consider it a resource to do exactly that. Im sure people could figure out who I am if they wanted to.
No one has told me they have, but that doesnt mean they havent. Frankly I feel like my peers probably have. I havent tried to be known, but I also havent lied about a single part of my identity.

 

[Osminog]

There are some issues in the pre-medical and medical communities that are real and very consequential but that can't be openly talked about in the public arena.

On SDN, you can talk about how OMM lacks a solid scientific basis; or how mid-level upcreep is a serious problem in a number of specialties; or how NPs can never play the full role of primary care physicians; or how some patients, coworkers, instructors, etc., can be douchey or incompetent; or how going to med school in the Caribbean is a highly inadvisable decision.

Anonymity on SDN allows users to say important things that need to be said... but that might be considered by many to be politically incorrect or discomforting.

 

[Lawpy]

Interesting to see that the OP who asked about the need for anonymity had deleted their account.