Why pre-meds are unhappy

[mimelim]

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http://qz.com/529162/why-generation-y-yuppies-are-unhappy/

Start with:

And end with:

We found this entertaining, but there is a ton of truth in this and every pre-med should read this, even if it doesn't apply to them. There will undoubtedly be dozens of people around you that fit this perfectly. I wanted to also distribute this to my residency, but I'd probably get in trouble.

 

[Goro]

You, sir, are a genius.
🙂

 

[WingedOx]

I wanted to also distribute this to my residency, but I'd probably get in trouble.

Heh, this sounds like a visual of some of the meetings I had to have with the interns who struggled back when I was chief resident. I hardly see why not.

 

[md-2020]

Not to derail the thread title but I'm pretty sure this is every college student today, not just pre-meds.


I've seen fellow econ classmates break down after "only" getting botique IB job offers, assuming that everyone else is going off to the glam life at Goldman/Evercore/Blackstone.

 

[deleted407021]

It's all perspective.

I like how they subtlely captured the self-righteousness of the GI generation.

 

[mimelim]

Not to derail the thread title but I'm pretty sure this is every college student today, not just pre-meds.


I've seen fellow econ classmates break down after "only" getting botique IB job offers, assuming that everyone else is going off to the glam life at Goldman/Evercore/Blackstone.

For sure. But, this is a pre-med forum 😉. The article makes no distinction based on area of interest.

 

[JessebenBenjamin]

This article is one of the best things I've read.
'Even right now, the GYPSYs reading this are thinking, “Good point…but I actually am one of the few special ones”—and this is the problem.'

Me... half expecting to get a 44 on the MCAT... my friends who expected to start making 40 dlls/hour right after graduating with a liberal arts degree.

 

[cantankerous]

my friends who expected to start making 40 dlls/hour right after graduating with a liberal arts degree.

Surely, I think they can ballpark the hourly pay at Barnes and Noble.....

 

[Theseus]

This article is one of the best things I've read.
'Even right now, the GYPSYs reading this are thinking, “Good point…but I actually am one of the few special ones”—and this is the problem.'

Me... half expecting to get a 44 on the MCAT... my friends who expected to start making 40 dlls/hour right after graduating with a liberal arts degree.

Wait...so I can't make $40/hr with my creative writing degree? That's okay, I will find a job writing for a major newspaper.

 

[EverStriving]

This article is one of the best things I've read.
'Even right now, the GYPSYs reading this are thinking, “Good point…but I actually am one of the few special ones”—and this is the problem.'

Me... half expecting to get a 44 on the MCAT... my friends who expected to start making 40 dlls/hour right after graduating with a liberal arts degree.

That one caught me too! That single point really opened my eyes.

Thanks so much for finding this @mimelim. I'm going to bookmark this and read it every time I'm feeling inadequate. Oh and I'm going to stop looking at facebook.

 

[NotYou20]

Sdn is the Facebook of the premed world

 

[Lawpy]

http://qz.com/529162/why-generation-y-yuppies-are-unhappy/

Start with:

And end with:

We found this entertaining, but there is a ton of truth in this and every pre-med should read this, even if it doesn't apply to them. There will undoubtedly be dozens of people around you that fit this perfectly. I wanted to also distribute this to my residency, but I'd probably get in trouble.

Here’s my advice for Lucy:

1. Stay wildly ambitious. The current world is bubbling with opportunity for an ambitious person to find flowery, fulfilling success. The specific direction may be unclear, but it’ll work itself out—just dive in somewhere.
2. Stop thinking that you’re special. The fact is, right now, you’re not special. You’re another completely inexperienced young person who doesn’t have all that much to offer yet. You can become special by working really hard for a long time.
3. Ignore everyone else. Other people’s grass seeming greener is no new concept, but in today’s image crafting world, other people’s grass looks like a glorious meadow. The truth is that everyone else is just as indecisive, self-doubting, and frustrated as you are, and if you just do your thing, you’ll never have any reason to envy others.

Completely agree with this. It's necessary and helpful to be realistic about your own goals and expectations.

 

[NeuResurgens]

I've seen this article before and I loved it. Perfect example of the way social media affects our lives to create a different experience. To be honest, the part about people's "crafted images" as described here gave me a lot of perspective and helped me feel like I was not as inadequate as I may think when I see how some of my peers present themselves. It's all a matter of understanding what path you really want to be on, knowing whether you're doing the right things to keep yourself on that path, and learning not to compare yourself too much to others who have different goals and experiences than you do.

 

[cherubb3]

Shocking: older generation thinks younger generation is entitled and ungrateful. I could have told you that without reading the article.

 

[Strigon]

...sooooo we're the all singing, all dancing crap of the world?

On a serious note, this really does encapsulate what I see sometimes in college. We've just gotta stay focused on our own lives and focus on making sure our expectations of ourselves are reasonable.

 

[Terry Toma]

This article is full of really good advice for my classmates. I hope they'll take it. Their false belief in their own specialness distracts them from realizing how special I really am. I often feel that my peers (and I use that word loosely) are out of touch with reality.

 

[deleted407021]

Shocking: older generation thinks younger generation is entitled and ungrateful. I could have told you that without reading the article.

You might want to Google to confirm, but I seem to recall that there was found an ancient Sumerian text which complained about how kids these days (3000+ years ago) aren't what they used to be lol. Old folks have been complaining about the lazy younguns for millennia. We'll probably be complaining about all the dern hoodlums with their holographic Play Station 8s in 2035.

 

[WingedOx]

You might want to Google to confirm, but I seem to recall that there was found an ancient Sumerian text which complained about how kids these days (3000+ years ago) aren't what they used to be lol. Old folks have been complaining about the lazy younguns for millennia. We'll probably be complaining about all the dern hoodlums with their holographic Play Station 8s in 2035.

I have a friend of my parents who I'm "friends" with on facebook. Nice guy, not a political nutjob considering his age and location, but it seems like every 3rd post is some rant or meme against Kanye.

 

[mimelim]

I am also integrating two things into my interviews this season:

#1 From this article: "For those hiring members of Gen Y, Harvey suggests asking the interview question, “Do you feel you are generally superior to your coworkers/classmates/etc., and if so, why?” He says that “if the candidate answers yes to the first part but struggles with the ‘why,’ there may be an entitlement issue. This is because entitlement perceptions are often based on an unfounded sense of superiority and deservingness. They’ve been led to believe, perhaps through overzealous self-esteem building exercises in their youth, that they are somehow special but often lack any real justification for this belief.”"

#2 From Elon Musk: http://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-job-interview-rule-2013-12

 

[tessellations]

Well, we've also got a new generation coming along, which according to some articles as a 96er (college sophomore), I'm a part of. I never felt particularly aligned with the millennial stereotypes, and feel to some extent more attached to Generation Z, which has just started to be characterized. I definitely see myself as between the two. The differences are quite striking, and job security is a major worry for them vs. feeling a sense of entitlement.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/20/fashion/move-over-millennials-here-comes-generation-z.html

Also, older generations harping on younger generations is not exactly a new phenomenon.

 

[Spinach Dip]

WHERE IS MY PARTICIPATION TROPHY!?!

 

[Doug Underhill]

I have not yet noticed any differences between Generation Z and millenials. The people who think such differences exist are looking for them with a fine-toothed comb. To test this, just replace any text about Generation Z with the word "millenials" and the phrase is just as true, and ultimately, just as meaningless.

As for the older end of the millenial spectrum, some demographers still lump them in with the Gen-Xers, but increasingly, many marketers see them as a breed apart.

So, who are they? To answer that question, you have to take a deeper look at the world in which they are coming of age.

“When I think of millenials, technology is the first thing that comes to mind,” said Emily Citarella, a 16-year-old high school student in Atlanta. “I know people who have made their closest relationships from Tumblr, Instagram and Facebook.”

This doesn't seem out of place at all.

So far, they sound pretty much like millennials. But those who study youth trends are starting to discern big differences in how the two generations view their online personas, starting with privacy.

You don't have millenials posting this sort of thing online any more, either. It was just something people did for a short period of time before realizing it was a very bad idea.

 

[WingedOx]

I have not yet noticed any differences between Generation Z and millenials. The people who think such differences exist are looking for them with a fine-toothed comb. To test this, just replace any text about Generation Z with the word "millenials" and the phrase is just as true, and ultimately, just as meaningless.

As for the older end of the millenial spectrum, some demographers still lump them in with the Gen-Xers, but increasingly, many marketers see them as a breed apart.

So, who are they? To answer that question, you have to take a deeper look at the world in which they are coming of age.

“When I think of millenials, technology is the first thing that comes to mind,” said Emily Citarella, a 16-year-old high school student in Atlanta. “I know people who have made their closest relationships from Tumblr, Instagram and Facebook.”

This doesn't seem out of place at all.

So far, they sound pretty much like millennials. But those who study youth trends are starting to discern big differences in how the two generations view their online personas, starting with privacy.

You don't have millenials posting this sort of thing online any more, either. It was just something people did for a short period of time before realizing it was a very bad idea.

Your median-aged college freshman wasn't even in middle school the last time the GOP held the executive branch. They were in kindergarten when 9/11 happened and to the extent they can remember history, we've always been at war with Iraq and Afghanistan.

Politically, "Generation Z" is kinda terrifying.

 

[medic86]

Your median-aged college freshman wasn't even in middle school the last time the GOP held the executive branch. They were in kindergarten when 9/11 happened and to the extent they can remember history, we've always been at war with Iraq and Afghanistan.

Politically, "Generation Z" is kinda terrifying.

Yep.

You just scared the **** out of me.

 

[NickNaylor]

Heh, this sounds like a visual of some of the meetings I had to have with the interns who struggled back when I was chief resident. I hardly see why not.

Meeting with the PD that happened just this afternoon.

PD: "What faculty in particular do you feel like aren't particularly great for teaching?"

(minute pause with no responses)

Other intern: "Do you think you could phrase the question in a safer way?"

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Meeting with the PD that happened just this afternoon.

PD: "What faculty in particular do you feel like aren't particularly great for teaching?"

(minute pause with no responses)

Other intern: "Do you think you could phrase the question in a safer way?"

I'll give it a shot: You ask them about their favorite faculty and assume that the unmentioned ones are ineffective teachers- amirite?

 

[ZedsDed]

Your median-aged college freshman wasn't even in middle school the last time the GOP held the executive branch. They were in kindergarten when 9/11 happened and to the extent they can remember history, we've always been at war with Iraq and Afghanistan.

Politically, "Generation Z" is kinda terrifying.

I think this might explain why the "radical right" is back in vogue now among young people.

The other day I was trying to explain to a kid in high school why I voted for Barack Obama in 2008. Horrified, he told me he barely remembered what America was like "before socialism."

 

[medic86]

Meeting with the PD that happened just this afternoon.

PD: "Who here would like to hang themselves?"

(minute pause with no responses)

Other intern: "Do you think you could phrase the question in a safer way?"

Fixed that for you.

 

[RaspberrySlushy]

Your median-aged college freshman wasn't even in middle school the last time the GOP held the executive branch. They were in kindergarten when 9/11 happened and to the extent they can remember history, we've always been at war with Iraq and Afghanistan.

Politically, "Generation Z" is kinda terrifying.

I feel so old now. And scared.

 

[WingedOx]

Fixed that for you.

I think it takes a while for new interns/residents to realize they can openly criticize their superiors to their PD... since it's their PD's job to field these complaints and deal with them.

Compare that to anything in med school and your complaints about faculty are met with a blunt "who the f-ck are you?"

 

[WingedOx]

I think this might explain why the "radical right" is back in vogue now among young people.

The other day I was trying to explain to a kid in high school why I voted for Barack Obama in 2008. Horrified, he told me he barely remembered what America was like "before socialism."

Combine the usual contrarian nature of students with the fact that none of them are old enough to remember GWB and you get some insanely dumb, less than nuanced ideas about what's good for the country.

Though I'll save my mockery of young pseudo-intellectual liberals raised on Jon Stewart for later.

 

[NickNaylor]

Fixed that for you.

There is a lot lost given the lack of context, but suffice to say there is - or should be - zero fear about being candid with our PD about issues like this.

 

[Spinach Dip]

Combine the usual contrarian nature of students with the fact that none of them are old enough to remember GWB and you get some insanely dumb, less than nuanced ideas about what's good for the country.

You could have said the exact same thing 8 years ago about students who couldn't remember a time before GWB was president.

Politics in this country have been going in cycles for a long long time.

 

[Mad Jack]

Shocking: older generation thinks younger generation is entitled and ungrateful. I could have told you that without reading the article.

This isn't really about that though. This is about the Fight Club problem of us all being told we'd be rock stars and millionaires, only to find out we're not beautiful and unique snowflakes, and that success doesn't happen immediately but takes a great deal of time and hard work.

 

[Spinach Dip]

This isn't really about that though. This is about the Fight Club problem of us all being told we'd be rock stars and millionaires, only to find out we're not beautiful and unique snowflakes, and that success doesn't happen immediately but takes a great deal of time and hard work.

and luck

 

[Mad Jack]

and luck

Luck always helps.

 

[ZedsDed]

Though I'll save my mockery of young pseudo-intellectual liberals raised on Jon Stewart for later.

In terms of stupidity on the left, I think academia takes the cake there.

 

[Cotterpin]

Your median-aged college freshman wasn't even in middle school the last time the GOP held the executive branch. They were in kindergarten when 9/11 happened and to the extent they can remember history, we've always been at war with Iraq and Afghanistan.

Politically, "Generation Z" is kinda terrifying.

This reminds me of myself when I was little. I was kinda taken aback at the idea that anyone other than Ronald Reagan could be the president.

 

[Lucca]

In terms of stupidity on the left, I think academia takes the cake there.

Who are you thinking of in particular? I'm just curious

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

This reminds me of myself when I was little. I was kinda taken aback at the idea that anyone other than Ronald Reagan could be the president.

Yup, Reagan definitely had charisma. I'm not a Republican but I wish he were reincarnated. On second thought, he wouldn't win a Republican primary in this current political climate, so it wouldn't matter...

 

[ZedsDed]

Who are you thinking of in particular? I'm just curious

One could call them "social justice warriors" though I hate that descriptor, along with the people who use it.

 

[Lucca]

One could call them "social justice warriors" though I hate that descriptor, along with the people who use it.

So like Paul Farmer?

 

[ZedsDed]

So like Paul Farmer?

Don't know who that is.

 

[ZedsDed]

So like Paul Farmer?

Googled
Absolutely not like him

 

[WedgeDawg]

Don't know who that is.

Founder of Partners in Health and a medical anthropologist at Harvard. He's pretty awesome.

 

[ZedsDed]

Founder of Partners in Health and a medical anthropologist at Harvard. He's pretty awesome.

Yeah, he is not who I'm talking about. He actually did something meaningful with his life.

 

[WedgeDawg]

Yeah, he is not who I'm talking about. He actually did something meaningful with his life.

I haven't been following the conversation so idk what to say lol sorry

 

[medic86]

I think @ZedsDed is referring to the extremely leftist ideology that is pervasive in academia... in general.

I don't have a specific example, though. 🙁

 

[WedgeDawg]

I think @ZedsDed is referring to the extremely leftist ideology that is pervasive in academia... in general.

I don't have a specific example, though. 🙁

https://reason.com/blog/2015/05/12/trigger-warning-mythology

edit: http://columbiaspectator.com/opinion/2015/04/30/our-identities-matter-core-classrooms


This is the first thing that comes to mind

 

[ZedsDed]

I think @ZedsDed is referring to the extremely leftist ideology that is pervasive in academia... in general.

I don't have a specific example, though. 🙁

I have a hard time calling it leftism. I reside pretty far to the left myself. More like a pompous, shallow, empty religion that attacks anyone who disagrees with it.