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

[907914]

I "know" someone with a sub 500 that got into an MD school. It was texas though.

Righteous. Killin it. *Cyberspace high five for being a statistical unlikelihood*

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[Lawpy]

 

[Stagg737]

Not necessarily. I'm assuming @Goro is talking about the apps he sees at his school. The distribution of applicant types is going to vary greatly between schools. I would guess that an adcom at a DO school would be more likely to see the types that don't belong in med school and less likely to see the competitive people who trash their chances by only applying to top-tier MD schools.

Some of those applicants don't even know DO schools exist though, so they'll inevitably end up donating to MD schools.

For oral boards, if we get to the really hard questions, you've already won.

You still have oral boards? The heck?

 

[gyngyn]

You still have oral boards? The heck?

Several specialties still do. Oddly, psych doesn't have them anymore.

 

[Stagg737]

Several specialties still do. Oddly, psych doesn't have them anymore.

That's why I was very surprised. Though we're required to complete a series of interviews throughout residency and cannot graduate without passing them. so that has taken the place of oral boards from what I understand. I just didn't know they were a thing in any field anymore.

 

[Dr. Foresight]

We get sued by irate parents from time to time.

Please tell me your school doesn't settle and the judge throws it out? I assume this gets around to other schools; effectively blacklisting the applicant?

 

[Seihai]

Please tell me your school doesn't settle and the judge throws it out? I assume this gets around to other schools; effectively blacklisting the applicant?

I'd think most of these cases get thrown out pretty quickly, but I'm not a lawyer (I just like reading up on various laws/legal situations). I can't imagine that one could argue that they treated you any differently than any other applicant.

No clue on the blacklisting; I doubt there's really a "list" out there, but I would think that this would come up in a cursory Google search to the point where they'd reject on principle.

 

[PA_dud3]

Unfortunately, as I have left my previous institution I no longer have any new and exciting pre-med quotes to contribute, however, I am glad to see this thread back up to the current feed.

 

[907914]

Not the premeds but all of the people we know...particularly coworkers...

“So have you gotten any acceptances yet? You applied like a month ago!”

No, Sue. It doesn’t work that way.

 

[PA_dud3]

Not the premeds but all of the people we know...particularly coworkers...

“So have you gotten any acceptances yet? You applied like a month ago!”

No, Sue. It doesn’t work that way.

I can relate to that, people somehow think medical school is just a big place where nurses, physical therapists, dentists, pharmacists, and pretty much all healthcare providers are trained. I have told people I wanted to go to medical school and they respond with "Oh yeah my sister-in-law went to medical school to be a nurse!"

 

[M&L]

View attachment 269097

Yes !!!! Love it !!!

 

[M&L]

I can relate to that, people somehow think medical school is just a big place where nurses, physical therapists, dentists, pharmacists, and pretty much all healthcare providers are trained. I have told people I wanted to go to medical school and they respond with "Oh yeah my sister-in-law went to medical school to be a nurse!"

You know , I used to laugh at that too , but then I realized why ppl think that way . For example , take EVMS- Eastern Virginia MEDICAL SCHOOL. They have a lot of different programs , even MS, and such , and MD is just one of them. So in a way , I might be a valid question

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Friendly reminder that this is the “on topic” edition. Keep it to the stories.

 

[907914]

Friendly reminder that this is the “on topic” edition. Keep it to the stories.

You know , I used to laugh at that too , but then I realized why ppl think that way . For example , take EVMS- Eastern Virginia MEDICAL SCHOOL. They have a lot of different programs , even MS, and such , and MD is just one of them. So in a way , I might be a valid question

I have an on topic post for the forum and the current conversation:

This may sound like a stupid quote from a premed, but I can resonate with exactly what you just said.

I currently have a degree from George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. It is just an Associates degree, but it lets me put “MLT ASCP” after my name in emails, so it makes me feel special lol

 

[PreMedMissteps]

I'd estimate that half of all apps are from people who have no business ever setting foot on a medical school campus, except as standardized patients.

Maybe we need to make a new thread that asks: “Hey you with crap stats, tell us why you’re applying”.
I’m wondering if we’d get a few, “but I interview well,” comments.

 

[907914]

Maybe we need to make a new thread that asks: “Hey you with crap stats, tell us why you’re applying”.
I’m wondering if we’d get a few, “but I interview well,” comments.

Quoth I of an ORM, 2.1 uGPA, 1.9 post-bacc, 488 MCAT:

“I applied to 64 schools last. I only got 38 secondaries, but all of them were turned in first day I got’em. I have not gotten a single interview! If they would just give me a chance in the interview...”

 

[PreMedMissteps]

Quoth I of an ORM, 2.1 uGPA, 1.9 post-bacc, 488 MCAT:

“I applied to 64 schools last. I only got 38 secondaries, but all of them were turned in first day I got’em. I have not gotten a single interview! If they would just give me a chance in the interview...”

Is this quote on SDN somewhere? Link?

 

[Goro]

Quoth I of an ORM, 2.1 uGPA, 1.9 post-bacc, 488 MCAT:

“I applied to 64 schools last. I only got 38 secondaries, but all of them were turned in first day I got’em. I have not gotten a single interview! If they would just give me a chance in the interview...”

Actual quote: "I know I can win them over if I can just get an interview"

 

[deleted972488]

Actual quote: "I know I can win them over if I can just get an interview"

I wish I had this level of confidence.

 

[907914]

Actual quote: "I know I can win them over if I can just get an interview"

I summarized an hour long conversation with 3 sentences. True story.

 

[Seihai]

Quoth I of an ORM, 2.1 uGPA, 1.9 post-bacc, 488 MCAT:

“I applied to 64 schools last. I only got 38 secondaries, but all of them were turned in first day I got’em. I have not gotten a single interview! If they would just give me a chance in the interview...”

At least he didn't apply to Caribbean schools. I've seen enough people desperate enough to do that.

 

[907914]

I wish I had this level of confidence.

More like “I hope they can forget my interview when they are reviewing my application a month later.”

 

[DrMcCoyDO]

I can relate to that, people somehow think medical school is just a big place where nurses, physical therapists, dentists, pharmacists, and pretty much all healthcare providers are trained. I have told people I wanted to go to medical school and they respond with "Oh yeah my sister-in-law went to medical school to be a nurse!"

Had a patient tell me (back when I was a dialysis tech) that I was doing things the wrong way. Told me that I should become an LPN first, then RN, then NP, and only after that go to med school. I just said something like “Hmmmm” and just walked off.

 

[Ms Procrastinator]

Had a patient tell me (back when I was a dialysis tech) that I was doing things the wrong way. Told me that I should become an LPN first, then RN, then NP, and only after that go to med school. I just said something like “Hmmmm” and just walked off.

Same with my aunt but she mentioned being a PA first

 

[ciestar]

Same with my aunt but she mentioned being a PA first

The work your way up method lol

 

[gyngyn]

Please tell me your school doesn't settle and the judge throws it out? I assume this gets around to other schools; effectively blacklisting the applicant?

We don't settle.

 

[907914]

The work your way up method lol

Or how NP's are advertised: "Brain of a doctor, heart of a nurse."

 

[Stagg737]

Or how NP's are advertised: "Brain of a doctor, heart of a nurse."

Every time I hear this my eyes roll a little bit farther back into my head...

 

[DrRedstone]

Or how NP's are advertised: "Brain of a doctor, heart of a nurse."

Considering I've heard a lot of nurses tell me they are dead inside...

 

[Dr. Foresight]

We don't settle.

Where have I heard that before?

 

[PreMedMissteps]

Not the premeds but all of the people we know...particularly coworkers...

“So have you gotten any acceptances yet? You applied like a month ago!”

No, Sue. It doesn’t work that way.

Wait until you’re in the residency app process. Shortly after each interview you’re going to be bombarded with, “did you get accepted”?

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

The work your way up method lol

I started out as an OR tech and now I’m a med student, so I sort of worked my way up. Skipped a bunch of steps though lol.

 

[ciestar]

I started out as an OR tech and now I’m a med student, so I sort of worked my way up. Skipped a bunch of steps though lol.

Ive actually met people who think you can start out as a nurse and work your way up to a physician without extra school. Like getting promoted basically

 

[PA_dud3]

Ive actually met people who think you can start out as a nurse and work your way up to a physician without extra school. Like getting promoted basically

It just surprises me how many people come here wanting to go to medical school and start out by taking Nursing or something. I guess they perceive some benefit.

 

[Jeremy Bearimy]

It just surprises me how many people come here wanting to go to medical school and start out by taking Nursing or something. I guess they perceive some benefit.

I understand the confusion. Its pretty incredible clinical exposure and background knowledge. Of course, a nursing degree doesn't cover all of the premed curriculum so you would have to cover those on your own, but as far as experience in the medical field and patient interaction, I understand why it would be seen as a benefit. As far as having to explain why not nursing, we all get degrees that are not called "premed" or might have work experience in other fields. I know now that it isn't a good pathway to medicine, but I think if I hadn't read the opinions of people of SDN and elsewhere, I wouldn't think it was bad necessarily.

 

[Goro]

It just surprises me how many people come here wanting to go to medical school and start out by taking Nursing or something. I guess they perceive some benefit.

It's actually a good decision node. If the med school route doesn't work out, they still have a fallback career.

 

[NeuResurgens]

I understand the confusion. Its pretty incredible clinical exposure and background knowledge. Of course, a nursing degree doesn't cover all of the premed curriculum so you would have to cover those on your own, but as far as experience in the medical field and patient interaction, I understand why it would be seen as a benefit. As far as having to explain why not nursing, we all get degrees that are not called "premed" or might have work experience in other fields. I know now that it isn't a good pathway to medicine, but I think if I hadn't read the opinions of people of SDN and elsewhere, I wouldn't think it was bad necessarily.

I have a classmate who knew going in she wanted to go to med school, but did a nursing undergrad. She wanted to get the clinical skills and experience, as well as see things from the perspective of another very important group of coworkers in healthcare. Seemed like a smart move to me actually.

 

[907914]

I started out as an OR tech and now I’m a med student, so I sort of worked my way up. Skipped a bunch of steps though lol.

It's actually a good decision node. If the med school route doesn't work out, they still have a fallback career.

I am biased because this is the pathway I am taking, but I think medical lab tech to MED student is an excellent pathway. You do cover all of the Premed prerequisites, you get direct patient/clinical exposure as part of the curriculum, it is probably the most ‘sciency’ part of the hospital, plus you come out of it already knowing how to read a chart, bedside manner, understanding clinical significance of lab results (as opposed to just the underlying science). Again, biased - but I feel like it was/is a good route.

Plus, if medicine doesn’t work out then pay is pretty good and the work is pretty easy.

 

[Bonne Nuit]

Same with my aunt but she mentioned being a PA first

I had a premed classmate who had carefully created a 10 year plan for herself: PA school > work as a PA 1 or 2 years > medical school. She was very excited about this future she had envisioned.

When I asked her why she wasn't just going straight into medical school, she looked at me like I was crazy and was like "You should really get training before you commit to being a full doctor."

I think she sincerely believed that PA works like an apprenticeship or something.

 

[Goro]

I had a premed classmate who had carefully created a 10 year plan for herself: PA school > work as a PA 1 or 2 years > medical school. She was very excited about this future she had envisioned.

When I asked her why she wasn't just going straight into medical school, she looked at me like I was crazy and was like "You should really get training before you commit to being a full doctor."

I think she sincerely believed that PA works like an apprenticeship or something.

There is some method to her madness.

 

[Bonne Nuit]

There is some method to her madness.

Perhaps, but I will never know for sure - she unfortunately didn't make it through General Chemistry.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I am biased because this is the pathway I am taking, but I think medical lab tech to MED student is an excellent pathway. You do cover all of the Premed prerequisites, you get direct patient/clinical exposure as part of the curriculum, it is probably the most ‘sciency’ part of the hospital, plus you come out of it already knowing how to read a chart, bedside manner, understanding clinical significance of lab results (as opposed to just the underlying science). Again, biased - but I feel like it was/is a good route.

Plus, if medicine doesn’t work out then pay is pretty good and the work is pretty easy.

I dunno. Probably a small sample size fallacy, but almost all the lab techs I know had trouble with the MCAT.

 

[Ms Procrastinator]

Perhaps, but I will never know for sure - she unfortunately didn't make it through General Chemistry.

Ahhhh Gen Chem, It's not letting these guys breathe. Seriously though a lot of the "uninformed" get taken down by it. It must have mystical powers or something.

 

[Bonne Nuit]

Ahhhh Gen Chem, It's not letting these guys breathe. Seriously though a lot of the "uninformed" get taken down by it. It must have mystical powers or something.

It even weeded out a bunch of students who actually passed the course at my university.

I think when some students realized that the workload of gen chem was representative of the next 8+ years of their education, they were like "Nah, no thanks" and changed gears shortly thereafter.

 

[xDNA]

It just surprises me how many people come here wanting to go to medical school and start out by taking Nursing or something. I guess they perceive some benefit.

Yeah, I'm currently a RN and I don't think its the BEST choice if someone knows for sure they want to be a Physician, but like @Goro said, it's sorta nice to have something to fall back on if all else fails.
I personally had no intentions of being a physician when I went to nursing school. I thought it was inconceivable for me personally but, exposure in the clinical setting, learning the scope of practice of the various health professions and working within the interdisciplinary team to provide high quality patient care helped guide me to my decision to pursue medicine. Being more financially stable is a plus as well.

 

[xDNA]

There's a pre-dental student in my Physics course currently who swears he knows everything about what ADCOMS want in an applicant.

After I told another RNtoMD hopeful, I had a sGPA of 3.6, and about my volunteerism

He jumped in our conversation and said, and I quote "Med Schools only want 4.0gpa and 525 MCATs, you don't need to volunteer or any of that other crap"

I just looked at him as said ".....okay"

 

[PreMedMissteps]

I just had a parent tell me that their child’s St. Kitt’s Caribbean med school is a “US med school” because it has an office in NY and they do rotations in US hospitals.


Just wait until said child is a MS4 and can’t register for the Match as a US senior, and instead be an IMG.

 

[21Rush12]

I just had a parent tell me that their child’s St. Kitt’s Caribbean med school is a “US med school” because it has an office in NY and they do rotations in US hospitals.


Just wait until said child is a MS4 and can’t register for the Match as a US senior, and instead be an IMG.

Well to be fair it certainly accepts US dollars

(2112th post!)

 

[907914]

I dunno. Probably a small sample size fallacy, but almost all the lab techs I know had trouble with the MCAT.

n=2 (hopefully 3 after this cycle if your boy Elmo gets that A) but like a quarter of the lab techs from my unit have successfully gone on to medical school in the last 4 years with no one being unsuccessful lol Sucks for the unit due to early contract separations and lacking the re-up but it is what it is.

One is an M2 at your school now, I believe.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

n=2 (hopefully 3 after this cycle if your boy Elmo gets that A) but like a quarter of the lab techs from my unit have successfully gone on to medical school in the last 4 years with no one being unsuccessful lol Sucks for the unit due to early contract separations and lacking the re-up but it is what it is.

One is an M2 at your school now, I believe.

Oh they all are in or starting med school. A lot of them just struggled with the MCAT.