"Funny quotes from 'less informed' pre-meds," On-Topic Edition

[PreMedMissteps]

Had this same exact convo with a family member.

"My PCP wen to (Insert Island here) SOM. Check that out!!!!!"

I have to admit, our former family physician went to a Caribbean med school, but he was from that island (not that that makes a difference education-wise). He was a pretty competent doc.

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[dwgrubbs1s]

Not sure how common it is, but I took 12-14 credits a semester, worked 70-100 hours per week, raised two kids and had my marriage, and did research (that resulted in at least one pub) and volunteering. I know it's anecdotal but I wasn't even the only one at my command to do that. I think you might be underestimating people's commitments.

When there's a will, there's a way. I actually operate better when I have an overload of responsibilities. It keeps me on my toes and I somehow stay focused much better. Like right now all I have to do is work until medical school. I feel lazy, unorganized, and bored. Life in the fast lane is the way to go.

 

[flip_08]

I watched an episode of 'The Middle' recently where the neighbors son was contemplating taking the MCAT. Every time it was mentioned in the show each character would say "MCATS". Common mistake I know, but still funny to hear on television.

 

[ciestar]

Curious...what type/level of undergrad do/did you all attend? Top ranked? Mid-tier? Low-ranked? I think people expect that top schools have awesome advising, but really it seems like premed advising sucks everywhere. Maybe because the job just doesn't pay enough to get serious quality?

I went to a Top-50 undergrad. It is a large public state school, but a major medical school feeder so I thought the actual pre-med advisors/committee weren't too bad. But the rest of the science advisors....awful.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

I went to a Top-50 undergrad. It is a large public state school, but a major medical school feeder so I thought the actual pre-med advisors/committee weren't too bad. But the rest of the science advisors....awful.

Thank you for your response.

Would you say that you received personal one-on-one tailored premed advising? Did you receive help/advice on your med school app list? Did they know very much about med schools that are outside of your region?


I was reading on JHU's website and there was a statement that implied that their med school acceptance rate is hurt by applicants who don't listen to the advisors and/or apply based on family pressures.

 

[JoaoMoutinho]

So this one technically isn't about a pre-med, but I'll throw it out for giggles. My wife's old roommate was a journalism major who had no idea what a press conference was

 

[bioboy23]

I don't know how I forgot about this:

A few months ago I was catching up with a friend from high school. He asked what I was doing in college, so I told him I was majoring in bio then hopefully going to med school. He proceeded to ask if I had been accepted into a residency yet... I thought it was kind of weird but brushed it off like this:

So, then a few days ago I'm training a new person at work (hospital) who sort of has a medical background (CNA) and she asked the same exact thing...

Is this a common belief? I was so confused how they even knew what a residency was but didnt know when that is done.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

I don't know how I forgot about this:

A few months ago I was catching up with a friend from high school. He asked what I was doing in college, so I told him I was majoring in bio then hopefully going to med school. He proceeded to ask if I had been accepted into a residency yet... I thought it was kind of weird but brushed it off like this:

View attachment 216263

So, then a few days ago I'm training a new person at work (hospital) who sort of has a medical background (CNA) and she asked the same exact thing...

Is this a common belief? I was so confused how they even knew what a residency was but didnt know when that is done.

Not unusual. People who have no real connection to the premed to med school to residency process have no idea how it all goes down.

A friend of the family was announcing at her daughter's high school graduation party that her daughter would go to her flagship public university in Midwest state for two years and then "transfer" to Boston U med school. Everyone was oohing and ahhing

 

[freak7]

Is this a common belief? I was so confused how they even knew what a residency was but didnt know when that is done.

I mean I get it. It's the kind of stuff you don't really figure out until you're looking at the career. If you go to see your PCP, it's never really brought up. There's a ton of steps to the process that the general public never sees. For all an average adult knows the process could be high school then college (which for all they know is medical school) then you're a regular doctor.

 

[Spoderman]

Curious...what type/level of undergrad do/did you all attend? Top ranked? Mid-tier? Low-ranked? I think people expect that top schools have awesome advising, but really it seems like premed advising sucks everywhere. Maybe because the job just doesn't pay enough to get serious quality?

I went to a small top-tier LAC. Advising was pretty awesome. You pretty much got out of it as much as you put in, if that makes sense. Big proponents of not applying before you're ready, which is something that a lot of premeds don't want to hear (but need to hear).

 

[ViolaHastings]

"I've taken the MCAT 3 times, plus a few voids. It's cheaper and less time consuming to try to get one good score, but admissions likes to see people are not willing to settle for their first attempt."

 

[dwgrubbs1s]

I don't know how I forgot about this:

A few months ago I was catching up with a friend from high school. He asked what I was doing in college, so I told him I was majoring in bio then hopefully going to med school. He proceeded to ask if I had been accepted into a residency yet... I thought it was kind of weird but brushed it off like this:

View attachment 216263

So, then a few days ago I'm training a new person at work (hospital) who sort of has a medical background (CNA) and she asked the same exact thing...

Is this a common belief? I was so confused how they even knew what a residency was but didnt know when that is done.

Yea theres plenty of people who don't get the concept of medical school/residency/fellowship/attending. I don't blame them because it kind of gets confusing. However, it is a little demoralizing when people refer to everyone in the healthcare field as doctors (paramedics, nurses, etc). Like when someones says.. "Yea he's a doctor or sumthin over at that one place" (referring to a paramedic).

 

[JB50]

Oh ok, I think you misunderstood what I said. An above poster said that doing 17 hours of anything outside of class was very abnormal, I just pointed out that a lot of students easily do 20 hours of work/ECs on top of school on a regular basis. I agree with you that the average applicant does not spend like 40 hours outside of class on work or ECs.

That is just for my school, I will be the first to admit that it is atypical.

Ah, missed that post. I think we're on the same page lol. Are you somewhere out west? Wyoming? Montana?

What? They said that 17hrs on top of a full class load was not outside of ordinary.

See above.

Not sure how common it is, but I took 12-14 credits a semester, worked 70-100 hours per week, raised two kids and had my marriage, and did research (that resulted in at least one pub) and volunteering. I know it's anecdotal but I wasn't even the only one at my command to do that. I think you might be underestimating people's commitments.

16 credits is the norm for the AVERAGE undergrad, unless you're in the orgo semester. You are not the average/norm pre-med. What I am trying to avoid by refuting you and @AnatomyGrey12 is pre-meds reading that it's normal to be doing what you're doing. Most of us/them are neurotic enough about getting a 98 instead of a 99.

Simply put, most students cannot do what you're doing and make it through with grades that are acceptable to get in to school. You are an anomaly navy man.

I would probably say the average pre-med that knows what's required is doing 16 credit hours, research in the summer or doing research as a class during their semesters (Junior and Senior year), and simply volunteering/working part time during the week, all while still getting hammered and frisky every other weekend.

 

[pseud0]

Ah, missed that post. I think we're on the same page lol. Are you somewhere out west? Wyoming? Montana?



See above.



16 credits is the norm for the AVERAGE undergrad, unless you're in the orgo semester. You are not the average/norm pre-med. What I am trying to avoid by refuting you and @AnatomyGrey12 is pre-meds reading that it's normal to be doing what you're doing. Simply put, most students cannot do what you're doing and make it through with grades that are acceptable to get in to school. You are an anomaly navy man (it's a good thing).

actually, if you're talking lab sciences, three (12 credits) science classes with individual labs is the norm, at least at the school I went to. they feel like 3 lab sciences + another class or 4 lab sciences is too much at one time.

 

[JB50]

actually, if you're talking lab sciences, three (12 credits) science classes with individual labs is the norm, at least at the school I went to. they feel like 3 lab sciences + another class or 4 lab sciences is too much at one time.

True that. Lab blows ass for 1 credit.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

"I've taken the MCAT 3 times, plus a few voids. It's cheaper and less time consuming to try to get one good score, but admissions likes to see people are not willing to settle for their first attempt."

3 times plus a few voids???

Not only a terrible idea but what a total masochist

 

[bioboy23]

Not unusual. People who have no real connection to the premed to med school to residency process have no idea how it all goes down.

A friend of the family was announcing at her daughter's high school graduation party that her daughter would go to her flagship public university in Midwest state for two years and then "transfer" to Boston U med school. Everyone was oohing and ahhing

I mean I get it. It's the kind of stuff you don't really figure out until you're looking at the career. If you go to see your PCP, it's never really brought up. There's a ton of steps to the process that the general public never sees. For all an average adult knows the process could be high school then college (which for all they know is medical school) then you're a regular doctor.

Yea theres plenty of people who don't get the concept of medical school/residency/fellowship/attending. I don't blame them because it kind of gets confusing. However, it is a little demoralizing when people refer to everyone in the healthcare field as doctors (paramedics, nurses, etc). Like when someones says.. "Yea he's a doctor or sumthin over at that one place" (referring to a paramedic).

I guess that is true... it is a rather confusing string of events if you're not constantly surrounded by it/pursuing a career in medicine. I grew up with a surgeon step dad, currently two brothers in medical school, and an uncle who just started residency, so for a while there ALL my family talked about was medical school.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Simply put, most students cannot do what you're doing and make it through with grades that are acceptable to get in to school. You are an anomaly navy man.

I really don't think so. I think maybe the average applicant doesn't do what I've been doing. I certainly wouldn't have if I didn't have to. That doesn't mean they can't.

 

[kraskadva]

I really don't think so. I think maybe the average applicant doesn't do what I've been doing. I certainly wouldn't have if I didn't have to. That doesn't mean they can't.

Eh, I agree with @JB50 on this.

I'm pretty sure we're the same age, you and I, and have similar "strap in and get it done" mentalities. I don't do quite as much as you in a week, but I do a lot. And I used to think the same - that I wasn't doing anything special, and that the trad kids totally could do the same if they'd just get up and do it. But, Dunning-Kruger effect, the more you know...
I started teaching at my college, and comparing notes with the professors, and realized that the trads, for the most part, really can't. By that I don't mean that they aren't mentally or physically capable, because they usually are. But they're not emotionally or psychologically capable, because more often than not, they've never had any real responsibilities or serious time-management training. They've been babied up to this point in their lives and don't know how to pick up the ball, take responsibility, and run with it. If they're smart about it, and build up by adding more responsibilities/commitments as they go through, then they often come out pretty well. But they really can't jump straight to the level of what you or I do in a week, and keep juggling all the balls. Their heads would explode.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Eh, I agree with @JB50 on this.

I'm pretty sure we're the same age, you and I, and have similar "strap in and get it done" mentalities. I don't do quite as much as you in a week, but I do a lot. And I used to think the same - that I wasn't doing anything special, and that the trad kids totally could do the same if they'd just get up and do it. But, Dunning-Kruger effect, the more you know...
I started teaching at my college, and comparing notes with the professors, and realized that the trads, for the most part, really can't. By that I don't mean that they aren't mentally or physically capable, because they usually are. But they're not emotionally or psychologically capable, because more often than not, they've never had any real responsibilities or serious time-management training. They've been babied up to this point in their lives and don't know how to pick up the ball, take responsibility, and run with it. If they're smart about it, and build up by adding more responsibilities/commitments as they go through, then they often come out pretty well. But they really can't jump straight to the level of what you or I do in a week, and keep juggling all the balls. Their heads would explode.

It's probably just sample bias for me then. Most (all) of the people I know who handle the sort of schedule I had/have are pretty emotionally mature.

 

[freak7]

It's probably just sample bias for me then. Most (all) of the people I know who handle the sort of schedule I had/have are pretty emotionally mature.

I think once you go through Basic, you probably start realizing that you're capable of more than you think. Lots of people have never been pushed THAT far.

 

[kraskadva]

It's probably just sample bias for me then. Most (all) of the people I know who handle the sort of schedule I had/have are pretty emotionally mature.

I think once you go through Basic, you probably start realizing that you're capable of more than you think. Lots of people have never been pushed THAT far.

Yeah... the difference between a 18-22yo who's been through basic and one who hasn't is enormous.
I'm not a fan of the military generally, but it does do a superb job of making kids grow the f* up, right now.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Yeah... the difference between a 18-22yo who's been through basic and one who hasn't is enormous.
I'm not a fan of the military generally, but it does do a superb job of making kids grow the f* up, right now.

Kind of interested in why you're not a fan of the military if you want to PM me. I'm not a recruiter or anything, just curious where that comes from because most people I've talked to with that view have a misperception of what we do.

 

[kraskadva]

Kind of interested in why you're not a fan of the military if you want to PM me. I'm not a recruiter or anything, just curious where that comes from because most people I've talked to with that view have a misperception of what we do.

The short answer is 'philosophical reasons', but I'll PM you to not derail this thread any further.

 

[Lawpy]

Bumping this thread with a pair of comics. Enjoy!

And...

 

[BoysWhoCry]

-

 

[Lawpy]

Probably posted elsewhere before but reposting it here.

Example link

 

[mwsapphire]

"I've taken the MCAT 3 times, plus a few voids. It's cheaper and less time consuming to try to get one good score, but admissions likes to see people are not willing to settle for their first attempt."

WTF
Voiding is only for medical emergencies!!!

 

[mwsapphire]

I was overhearing a conversation between a "pre-med" and an adviser for chemistry majors (who has no idea about the medical school process), here are the best bits:

1) Pre-med: "So I don't know what would be better for what I want to do in the future, medical school or graduate school?"
My thoughts: Well do you want to be a physician or not?

2) Pre-med: "I really want to stay on track for med school..."
"Oh my God! Psychology isn't required for my major? GOOD, I hate psychology!"
My thoughts: While most med schools don't require social sciences, many highly recommend taking them. Plus, it might be a good idea to take it in prep for the MCAT? The fact that our adviser didn't mention any of this was disappointing.

3) Adviser: "Do you know if you need cell bio for medical school?"
Pre Med: "YES I DO, all my friends are taking it!"

Taking an upper level BIO class is generally a good idea, even if you aren't a science major, that's not so unreasonable.

 

[Cotterpin]

WTF
Voiding is only for medical emergencies!!!

I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic or not, but plenty of people void their MCAT. If you are taking the exam and you are having a total brain fart and you know you're not performing to your best ability, a void might be a smart way to not have a terrible MCAT score on your application forever. It would be a lot worse to have a 490 stuck to you than to just waste the money on a void.

 

[mwsapphire]

I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic or not, but plenty of people void their MCAT. If you are taking the exam and you are having a total brain fart and you know you're not performing to your best ability, a void might be a smart way to not have a terrible MCAT score on your application forever. It would be a lot worse to have a 490 stuck to you than to just waste the money on a void.

For the most part its for medical emergencies, most people cant tell if their score is going to be awful, plenty of people think their score is gonna be terrible but they break 520. It's generally advised that you NOT void unless you have a medical issue, or some kind of panic attack related brain fart. Voiding once might be fine, but three times? That is wild.
Maybe I was being a bit intense, one void is fine, but THREE TIMES is just insane.

 

[Cotterpin]

For the most part its for medical emergencies, most people cant tell if their score is going to be awful, plenty of people think their score is gonna be terrible but they break 520. It's generally advised that you NOT void unless you have a medical issue, or some kind of panic attack related brain fart. Voiding once might be fine, but three times? That is wild.
Maybe I was being a bit intense, one void is fine, but THREE TIMES is just insane.

Ideally, yes, you wouldn't use the void option unless you have a medical emergency, but that's not always what happens. I took the MCAT only one time and got a great score and I'm going to med school in a couple of months. But on my actual test date I talked to at least two people during the lunch break who were already planning to void the test at the end. One of them was using it as a practice test and the other one knew she was doing really badly. I would never recommend using the void to take the MCAT as a practice test over and over, but people do it. It's their money.

 

[sammiesings]

For the most part its for medical emergencies, most people cant tell if their score is going to be awful, plenty of people think their score is gonna be terrible but they break 520. It's generally advised that you NOT void unless you have a medical issue, or some kind of panic attack related brain fart. Voiding once might be fine, but three times? That is wild.
Maybe I was being a bit intense, one void is fine, but THREE TIMES is just insane.

Lol. No. There's no rule that says it's just for "medical emergencies!!!" Chill.

No, I wouldn't advise people to void every sitting, but I would advise you to do so if you freak out, or know you sat unprepared. If you guessed wildly on 12 questions each section--void.

 

[mwsapphire]

I'm pretty sure @gonnif said it's a really bad idea to void an MCAT just because you " think" you didn't do well....
Or maybe I'm hallucinating

 

[deleted668917]

@mwsapphire why are you so annoying?

 

[SydSing]

Lemme tell you. I should've voided my second score.

I stared at the first paragraph of the first passage on VR for a whole 10 minutes, crying internally about how the Physical Sciences section had just snatched my soul. Sometimes it is very clear that you should not score the exam. I decided to do it out of desperation, and the score turned out to be exactly what I thought it would be.

Voiding can be your friend.

 

[BoysWhoCry]

Taking an upper level BIO class is generally a good idea, even if you aren't a science major, that's not so unreasonable.

Point is she is doing what her premed friends are doing without actually knowing what she needs/doesn't need.
Bio majors in my school take cell bio sophomore year while chem majors take physics. She will have a pretty unnecessarily hefty schedule if she wants to implement cell bio as a chem major.

 

[mwsapphire]

^ Didn't realize she was a chem major. One point off on CARS for me.

 

[Goro]

No. Voiding is a very good idea if you really feel that you did poorly, or, for example, run out of time during a section.

People who take the exam and then void, for practice purposes, well, that's plain stupid, even if it doesn't get held against them.

WTF
Voiding is only for medical emergencies!!!

 

[mwsapphire]

Okay, okay, I learned a thing.
I'm just thinking of that thread were somebody voided because they literally got sick during the test ( and Gonnif made a bunch of God-awful puns ad nauseam).

 

[aalamruad]

Okay, okay, I learned a thing.
I'm just thinking of that thread were somebody voided because they literally got sick during the test ( and Gonnif made a bunch of God-awful puns ad nauseam).

nice (if you tried to do that)

 

[Lawpy]

Okay, okay, I learned a thing.
I'm just thinking of that thread were somebody voided because they literally got sick during the test ( and Gonnif made a bunch of God-awful puns ad nauseam).

You mean this thread? I voided my MCAT. ADCOM's help!

You "voided" your stomach contents and therefore properly "voided" the exam. I could go on ad nauseam about this but frankly it has been regurgitated regularly in these forums enough to make me want to gag. It all just makes me want to throw up my hands in the air. So before hurl any more comments, which will make feel retched, I will give this post a good heave-ho and shove off

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

"Ugh how is this fair that the average for every test is 71 this biology class is so unfair"
"I just hate biology and chem I just want to go to med school"

 

[Welshman]

Not premed but still funny

A visiting director of admissions at my school today said " Be careful where you get your advice, websites like SDN shouldn't be trusted"
Meanwhile, the day before I told my friend who was now sitting next to me to check out the SDN forums, safe to say he won't be coming here lol

 

[fball22]

Not premed but still funny

A visiting director of admissions at my school today said " Be careful where you get your advice, websites like SDN shouldn't be trusted"
Meanwhile, the day before I told my friend who was now sitting next to me to check out the SDN forums, safe to say he won't be coming here lol

At one of my interviews the director of admissions told us not to get on SDN.

 

[Gurby]

At one of my interviews the director of admissions told us not to get on SDN.

At one of mine they trolled us by making references to the school-specific application thread which they had clearly read in detail

 

[mwsapphire]

At one of mine they trolled us by making references to the school-specific application thread which they had clearly read in detail

That's the way to do it

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

At one of my interviews the director of admissions told us not to get on SDN.

"Please don't be informed about the application process!"

 

[mwsapphire]

@mwsapphire why are you so annoying?

Damn. You got me. I definitely don't post things dramatically to be funny, nope.

 

[CyrusHabs7695]

"I want to go to PA school, and if that doesnt work I'll just go to Med school"

I dont even understand the thinking behind that, but ive heard it multiple times


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