Young Applicants

[deleted109597]

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The way I see my decision to take 2 years off is that I would rather spend 40 years being a great doctor because of the experiences and appreciation for medicine I have gained in my time off than 42 years being a competent doctor without them. If taking time off is going to make me (personally, not a generalization) a better doctor, how is that decision selfish?

How can anyone quantify that taking time off makes one a better doctor? What is the PPV of time off? Odds ratio of better doctoring[sic]?
To hyperbolize it, I could say that I took 2 years off and lived as a homeless drunk, so that I could better understand my population. Some things count as valuable life experiences, others don't. I know for a fact that my time off will not help me be a better doctor in any way. Sure, I can carry on conversations with particle physicists now without looking like a *****, but outside of Rad Onc (which I'm not doing), it doesn't work well as a pick up line.

I'm not knocking people who want to take time off. Do what you want, have fun. Strengthen your app if you need it, backpack Europe if you don't. Doesn't matter. I don't know that learning to surf will help you be a better doctor, but I know that it certainly won't make you a worse one. There are very few life experiences that would make a negative impact (most involve crimes, and the like).

Oh, and there is nothing saying that you can't volunteer in medical school. Yeah, you might not be able to be in the Peace Corps, but you can be part of a DMAT, or volunteer at the downtown clinic, or wherever you want. Or you can play XBox. It's your life. Live it on your own terms.

And I will still have a year of my twenties to use my new salary to let me do lots of fun things.

 

[Just2Fitz]

I'll be 20 when I graduate😀

 

[Robizzle]

when i went to my NYMC interview i was the only kid (out of 12 or so) that was 21 yrs old and the only one still in college.. crazy

 

[45408]

Furthermore, I find your post rather antagonistic. Please do not assume things about my life or judge me.

You said:

and because my parents cannot afford to support me while i enjoy life for a year. i guess thats sad but true.

It's SAD that your parents can't support you while you "enjoy life for a year"? No, welcome to life. Most people's parents can't/won't do that. That's NORMAL, not SAD. What's sad is thinking that it's sad.

 

[Goguryo]

when i grow up, i'm going to choose either preventative or pathology or internal medicine.

 

[HumbleMD]

when i grow up, i'm going to choose either preventative or pathology or internal medicine.

FYI, it's preventive medicine. It came up in a thread a while ago. I had no idea until I actually looked into it.

Yes, my avatar is a photo by Catherine Ledner, one of my favorite photographers. Go look her up, she's great (and on Gettyimages).

Yo-yo and other 19 y.o.'s, I din't mean to offend I was speaking from utter andecdotal (non-statistical) experience of my uber smart friend, who's also a wonderfully pleasant person, who was rejected from U of M and was also quite young, so there could have been a million things going on, but I think it is more difficult for the really young applicants (although they're often the most driven).

Notdead, I'm not feeling victimized, but I still can't believe you honestly don't see any vehemency in these posts. Curse words have been used for goodness sake.

Gabujadu makes an interesting analogy to having children, which actually works on many levels, and why I think at least applying "traditionally" has it's perks: A childless person can always have kids later, but a person with children can never send them back. Thus, applying out of undergrad, while you still have momentum (and probably good #'s and ECs) allows the option of going straight in or deferring. That would by why I wonder why folks who supposedly could have gotten in straight out of undergrad don't apply straight out.

 

[zhaf86]

Chiming in from Singapore here, planning to do medicine in Australia, Canada or the States eventually.

Here in Singapore, other Commonwealth countries (former British colonies) and in the UK itself, the vast majority of med students enrol at the age of 18-19 and finish a 5-yr med degree by the time they're 23-24, which is the mean age of med freshies in the States.

For the longest time, students have been entering medicine before they turn 20.

 

[instigata]

when i grow up, i'm going to choose either preventative or pathology or internal medicine.

When I grow up, I'm going to save the world!

 

[Rafa]

When I grow up, I'm going to save the world!

Meanie!

 

[Goguryo]

for i am 27🙂

 

[Anjlprincezz]

I'm 19 and applying to medical school.. its not that im in any particular rush, just skipped a few years in grade school... I mean i've had a social life, and traveled, and everything else I want to do.. I want to get married and have children before I’m 30 but not while I’m in medical school… I know what I want to do and why not just go for it? Why waste my time just to age? Age is just a number after all.. And besides, I feel like I have the same experience as any other traditional applicant, I just did it all faster…

 

[Kuba]

lol... wtf? no... I think you're thinking about yourmom25.

yea, you're right, i got you 2 confused

 

[SitraAchra]

All the folks who think that taking a year or two off after undergrad is somehow keeping them from this shiny beacon of academia have another thing coming. I guarantee once you start this hideous drudgery you will search for any happy memory you can find.

Once you start this process in earnest [meaning actual medical school] you realize that it never really ends and you'll wish you weren't so damn eager to sacrifice everything to get in.

To all those who study pre-emptively the summer before starting med school, too bad. Savor your lives before being consumed!

 

[instigata]

All the folks who think that taking a year or two off after undergrad is somehow keeping them from this shiny beacon of academia have another thing coming. I guarantee once you start this hideous drudgery you will search for any happy memory you can find.

Once you start this process in earnest [meaning actual medical school] you realize that it never really ends and you'll wish you weren't so damn eager to sacrifice everything to get in.

To all those who study pre-emptively the summer before starting med school, too bad. Savor your lives before being consumed!

Man could we end this f**** thread already?? I'm tired of seeing it bumped up. 😴 😴

 

[SitraAchra]

Man could we end this f**** thread already?? I'm tired of seeing it bumped up. 😴 😴

i guess it's ironic that posting that bumped the thread again...


fine i won't post in it




[[again]]]]]]]]]]]]]adfadsf

 

[LodiDodi]

You said:


It's SAD that your parents can't support you while you "enjoy life for a year"? No, welcome to life. Most people's parents can't/won't do that. That's NORMAL, not SAD. What's sad is thinking that it's sad.

Please dont tell me 'welcome to life' when you dont know where I'm coming from . When I said my parents cant afford to support me while I enjoy life for a year I was referring to the fact that many people take a year off of medicine to just relax or travel and really enjoy that part of there life. I know many people who get to take off for a semester of a year to go abroad and its unfortunate that not everyone gets to have an experience like that.
Furthermore,
I DO work. I take full class loads and also volunteer. I am not rich. My parents sold my grandmothers ranch so I could go to college. During high school especially, i was treated like crap because i wasnt one of the rich kids. I've lived a houses down from a meth dealer for most of my life. Yeah, I'm lucky to have parents willing to help me out and I'm thankful for that, but I'm not some little brat who was born with a silver scalple in her hand. And I've had the priveledge of being around people like that my whole life while I have to work for what I get.
So, do not try to tell me whats up or welcome to the world. Im sick of having other people in medicine trying to one up me or show why they are morally superior. Even on an anonymous internet forum, we are still competing. I even find myself doing it sometimes. I've spent that last four years dealing with this kind of stuff and I will prolly have to always deal with it.
And if you have a wonderful story about your adventures in the real world and how you are the epitome of the noble student doctor, I'd love to hear it.

 

[Rafa]

Please dont tell me 'welcome to life' when you dont know where I'm coming from . When I said my parents cant afford to support me while I enjoy life for a year I was referring to the fact that many people take a year off of medicine to just relax or travel and really enjoy that part of there life. I know many people who get to take off for a semester of a year to go abroad and its unfortunate that not everyone gets to have an experience like that.
Furthermore,
I DO work. I take full class loads and also volunteer. I am not rich. My parents sold my grandmothers ranch so I could go to college. During high school especially, i was treated like crap because i wasnt one of the rich kids. I've lived a houses down from a meth dealer for most of my life. Yeah, I'm lucky to have parents willing to help me out and I'm thankful for that, but I'm not some little brat who was born with a silver scalple in her hand. And I've had the priveledge of being around people like that my whole life while I have to work for what I get.
So, do not try to tell me whats up or welcome to the world. Im sick of having other people in medicine trying to one up me or show why they are morally superior. Even on an anonymous internet forum, we are still competing. I even find myself doing it sometimes. I've spent that last four years dealing with this kind of stuff and I will prolly have to always deal with it.
And if you have a wonderful story about your adventures in the real world and how you are the epitome of the noble student doctor, I'd love to hear it.

👍

 

[Mac11]

And if you have a wonderful story about your adventures in the real world and how you are the epitome of the noble student doctor, I'd love to hear it.

I did cpr on my chicken nuggets. Does that count?

 

[LodiDodi]

thats intense .... and tasty🙂

 

[solitude]

All the folks who think that taking a year or two off after undergrad is somehow keeping them from this shiny beacon of academia have another thing coming. I guarantee once you start this hideous drudgery you will search for any happy memory you can find.

Once you start this process in earnest [meaning actual medical school] you realize that it never really ends and you'll wish you weren't so damn eager to sacrifice everything to get in.

To all those who study pre-emptively the summer before starting med school, too bad. Savor your lives before being consumed!

If you're so unhappy and miss the old days, why don't you just quit?

 

[45408]

Please dont tell me 'welcome to life' when you dont know where I'm coming from . When I said my parents cant afford to support me while I enjoy life for a year I was referring to the fact that many people take a year off of medicine to just relax or travel and really enjoy that part of there life. I know many people who get to take off for a semester of a year to go abroad and its unfortunate that not everyone gets to have an experience like that.
Furthermore,
I DO work. I take full class loads and also volunteer. I am not rich. My parents sold my grandmothers ranch so I could go to college. During high school especially, i was treated like crap because i wasnt one of the rich kids. I've lived a houses down from a meth dealer for most of my life. Yeah, I'm lucky to have parents willing to help me out and I'm thankful for that, but I'm not some little brat who was born with a silver scalple in her hand. And I've had the priveledge of being around people like that my whole life while I have to work for what I get.
So, do not try to tell me whats up or welcome to the world. Im sick of having other people in medicine trying to one up me or show why they are morally superior. Even on an anonymous internet forum, we are still competing. I even find myself doing it sometimes. I've spent that last four years dealing with this kind of stuff and I will prolly have to always deal with it.
And if you have a wonderful story about your adventures in the real world and how you are the epitome of the noble student doctor, I'd love to hear it.

Touching?

 

[SitraAchra]

If you're so unhappy and miss the old days, why don't you just quit?

That's my point. I DO have lots of great memories of college and a year after to look back on. Times where I grew as a person and know ultimately I can handle it.

Thank you for proving my point with your response even if your intentions were the opposite.

 

[mvenus929]

That's my point. I DO have lots of great memories of college and a year after to look back on. Times where I grew as a person and know ultimately I can handle it.

Thank you for proving my point with your response even if your intentions were the opposite.

You make it sound as if young applicants haven't had any of the sorts of experiences you've had. Granted, many things can only happen when you have lots of time to do them, but I've been to France, I'm going to NYC next summer, and the summer of 08, me and a couple of friends are going to London. I'm going through a time of discovery right now, learning things that I would never have learnt if I hadn't been given the space and time I needed by some of my friends. These past couple years have been the happiest of my life, and I'm looking forward to doing more things in the next couple years, even though I don't have the intention of taking a year off. I don't think I'm sacrificing everything except a lot of money and time to get in, and I'd sacrifice that whether I apply next year or wait a couple years.

 

[SitraAchra]

You make it sound as if young applicants haven't had any of the sorts of experiences you've had. Granted, many things can only happen when you have lots of time to do them, but I've been to France, I'm going to NYC next summer, and the summer of 08, me and a couple of friends are going to London. I'm going through a time of discovery right now, learning things that I would never have learnt if I hadn't been given the space and time I needed by some of my friends. These past couple years have been the happiest of my life, and I'm looking forward to doing more things in the next couple years, even though I don't have the intention of taking a year off. I don't think I'm sacrificing everything except a lot of money and time to get in, and I'd sacrifice that whether I apply next year or wait a couple years.

Sounds like you have a great plan put together! [not being sarcastic] No, I don't think I have some kind of great life compared to young applicants, I just wasn't as good at doing all that fun stuff during college as you have been given the opportunity to do. So enjoy all that and you will be glad when you forfeit all social life! 😀

 

[freelove]

Ummm... honestly there really is no one "right" time to apply to med school. If you feel you're ready and you're sure you wanna do it, why not? And this SDN... I really don't feel as if a majority of the ppl in the pre-Allo forum have enough knowledge or experienceto place judgment on anybody's decision... you're really NOT on an ADCOM committee, like... in most cases, you're not even in med school.

Not to be rude, but I'm tired of ppl running around SDN like they have authority on stuff. If you're here, you're feenin' to get into med school just like the rest of us.

 

[solitude]

That's my point. I DO have lots of great memories of college and a year after to look back on. Times where I grew as a person and know ultimately I can handle it.

Thank you for proving my point with your response even if your intentions were the opposite.

You didn't answer my question, but hey, whatever creams your twinkie.

 

[SitraAchra]

You didn't answer my question, but hey, whatever creams your twinkie.

Why don't I just quit? I'll save you the self-affirming list of accomplishments we all love to post so often and just summarize: i earned my place and will be damned to give it up.

*twinkie creamed*

 

[daisyVA]

I noticed a lot of young (19-21) people applying to medical school. I was just wondering what the rush was and why hurry? 🙂

What else would I do? Just kidding 🙂

 

[solitude]

Why don't I just quit? I'll save you the self-affirming list of accomplishments we all love to post so often and just summarize: i earned my place and will be damned to give it up.

*twinkie creamed*

You're being very rational, and I appreciate that. Glad I could cream your twinkie.

 

[leviathan]

Ill be 21 when i enter medical school and i have a 5 year residency planned Ortho so ill be 30 when im done.

 

[LINYKid]

I'm not applying to med school until I am 29 which means I won't finish residency until I'm about 38 or so. To me, this has nothing to do with the beginning of my life! My life and even my career and my progression as a contributing member of society began a long time ago when I was still a teenager. I'm slightly confused as to how the termination of a residency really signifies the beginning of my life??? I have already done so many more important things than that!! Med school is just another step along that progression!!

glad im not the only one in the same boat, im starting too feel real old. im 27 now want to start med school before 30

 

[HumbleMD]

glad im not the only one in the same boat, im starting too feel real old. im 27 now want to start med school before 30

Holy thread revival batman.

 

[Noeljan]

hey guys/girls🙂
I am finishing up grad school and starting med school in the fall, so I am older than the straight out of college applicant. However, I admire these younger students drive and ambition. I wish I had that kind of academic drive then (granted I had drive in sports, I was a gymnast from a very young age, but not school, lol) I had no idea what one had to do to become a physician back then. I think it's different for every person when they feel ready to apply. There are pros and cons to everything.