Med Student Archetypes

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Prometheus123

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What are some of the most common "types" of medical school students in your experience, if you will? Or are your classmates just too diverse to form mental categories like that?

So far I've written "the type-As and the shy smart kids". Are those reasonable descriptions of typical students? Not really? Are there other student archetypes?

EDIT: The reason I wrote "classmates" in this message is because I originally posted this in the subforum for current medical students, and it got moved to the Pre-Med one.

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Reminds me of an old cartoon (Credit goes to Michelle Au, MD - the underwear drawer)

12+Types+of+Med+Students+on+one+page+(small).jpg
 
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Those are two good places to start. And the comic sums up a lot more. I'll add in the "falsely confident". I have intentionally avoided arguments with a couple of people who were spouting off very inaccurate "facts" like they were gospel. I asked a kid where he got some info from and he literally said "I used to watch attendings do this". It's difficult seeing fellow students act like they already know things and teach other people fallacies, just because they scribed for a year. Some of us have real clinical experience. We don't act like we know everything because we know the depth of our knowledge and experience and associated boundaries. I don't tell classmates about my experience unless they ask, but sometimes it's incredibly hard to bite my tongue and listen to their BS.
 
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The guy who shamelessly hits on every girl in the class.
 
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Those are two good places to start. And the comic sums up a lot more. I'll add in the "falsely confident". I have intentionally avoided arguments with a couple of people who were spouting off very inaccurate "facts" like they were gospel. I asked a kid where he got some info from and he literally said "I used to watch attendings do this". It's difficult seeing fellow students act like they already know things and teach other people fallacies, just because they scribed for a year. Some of us have real clinical experience. We don't act like we know everything because we know the depth of our knowledge and experience and associated boundaries. I don't tell classmates about my experience unless they ask, but sometimes it's incredibly hard to bite my tongue and listen to their BS.
The guy who shamelessly hits on every girl in the class.

These observations are interesting too, thank you guys!
 
The "I'm only here because my dad made me" guys
The "pretty girls doing either derm or peds"
Obviously the "bone bros"
The "nerd radiologists/pathologists"
The "SJW FM kids"
 
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What are some of the most common "types" of medical school students in your experience, if you will? Or are your classmates just too diverse to form mental categories like that?

So far I've written "the type-As and the shy smart kids". Are those reasonable descriptions of typical students? Not really? Are there other student archetypes?
I have had students who I would trust my children's lives with.

I've had others I wouldn't let touch my car, much less my kids.

I've had shy students, gregarious students, those who loved being here, and those who hated being here. Happy students, depressed students, mediocre students, brilliant students, terrible students, and a handful who never "got" medical school.

One thing I do NOT have is gunners. I suppose they go elsewhere, or somehow magically lose the mentality once they matriculate.

In short, they are really diverse, and it's a waste of time trying to pigeonhole them, or stereotype them.
 
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I have had students who I would trust my children's lives with.

I've had others I wouldn't let touch my car, much less my kids.

I've had shy students, gregarious students, those who loved being here, and those who hated being here. Happy students, depressed students, mediocre students, brilliant students, terrible students, and a handful who never "got" medical school.

One thing I do NOT have is gunners. I suppose they go elsewhere, or somehow magically lose the mentality once they matriculate.

In short, they are really diverse, and it's a waste of time trying to pigeonhole them, or stereotype them.

I thought you might say something like that. Thank you.

1. Have you ever heard about a conflict between two students that made you think "Wow, I wish these kids could realize they're on the same side and work together rather than tearing each other down," or something like that? If so, how would you describe those two students in a word or two each?

2. Let's say you have reason to believe an applicant may improve the cohesiveness of your incoming class by helping diverse students connect with each other and patients. Would this make you more likely to admit the applicant, less, or neutral?
 
1. Have you ever heard about a conflict between two students that made you think "Wow, I wish these kids could realize they're on the same side and work together rather than tearing each other down," or something like that? If so, how would you describe those two students in a word or two each?

No, because if my kids have disputes, they either work it out among themselves, or make do and never tell the Faculty. It's med school, not high school. I have a feeling that current students will disagree with me and in fact, have some hair raising tales.

2. Let's say you have reason to believe an applicant may improve the cohesiveness of your incoming class by helping diverse students connect with each other and patients. Would this make you more likely to admit the applicant, less, or neutral?

I have no idea how someone would do this, Mere words wouldn't suffice, we'd have to see evidence that they have done this. Maybe someone in the military would fit the bill. It's the job of the Faculty to help students connect with patients. It's rather a conceit to think that a student would do this, especially without evidence.
 
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1. Have you ever heard about a conflict between two students that made you think "Wow, I wish these kids could realize they're on the same side and work together rather than tearing each other down," or something like that? If so, how would you describe those two students in a word or two each?

No, because if my kids have disputes, they either work it out among themselves, or make do and never tell the Faculty. It's med school, not high school. I have a feeling that current students will disagree with me and in fact, have some hair raising tales.

1. The fact that you have this nuanced perspective makes me think this might be a fruitful avenue for some ADCOMs.

2. Let's say you have reason to believe an applicant may improve the cohesiveness of your incoming class by helping diverse students connect with each other and patients. Would this make you more likely to admit the applicant, less, or neutral?
I have no idea how someone would do this, Mere words wouldn't suffice, we'd have to see evidence that they have done this. Maybe someone in the military would fit the bill. It's the job of the Faculty to help students connect with patients. It's rather a conceit to think that a student would do this, especially without evidence.

2. My evidence is an anecdote, but I think it's a pretty compelling one. The question is, will this anecdotally-supported claim (along with my application's other primary themes) be enough to get IIs. If so, it's enough. That's because once people talk to me in person, they usually get the sense pretty quickly that this is just the kind of person I am. For example, even on SDN (where I can't read people's body language and facial expressions like I do in person), I've often found myself "harmonizing" diverse people and perspectives and advocating for the little guy in subtle ways. It's not an EC, it's just my personality / one of my favorite ways to relate to people. In an interview, that will be seen.

You're right that assuming that will extend to patients is a bit conceited and completely unsupported by the evidence, so I withdraw that.

As always, thank you for your feedback, Goro ji! (BTW, ji is an Indian honorific that shows respect and affection.)
 
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  1. If this is for a diversity secondary essay, you should focus more on yourself than on other people. Your characters/words are limited and you don't want to spend them on others!
  2. Please don't write out a list of med student stereotypes in your secondary, and how you would unite them toward a common goal a la Breakfast Club. It currently sounds like you're drifting toward grandiose territory again.
  3. Just like personal statements, I think that the vast majority of secondary essays (including mine and yours) will not be so good as to guarantee an II.
  4. To put this as politely as possible, I'm not sure you're correctly reading/interpreting people on SDN if you think that you've harmonized diverse people and perspectives here.
 
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  1. If this is for a diversity secondary essay, you should focus more on yourself than on other people. Your characters/words are limited and you don't want to spend them on others!
  2. Please don't write out a list of med student stereotypes in your secondary, and how you would unite them toward a common goal a la Breakfast Club. It currently sounds like you're drifting toward grandiose territory again.
  3. Just like personal statements, I think that the vast majority of secondary essays (including mine and yours) will not be so good as to guarantee an II.
  4. To put this as politely as possible, I'm not sure you're correctly reading/interpreting people on SDN if you think that you've harmonized diverse people and perspectives here.

1. 95% of what I've actually written (not posted here) is about me.
2. I haven't. It's a 4 word long sentence fragment, and that's not my point.
3. I completely agree, I'm just trying to optimize my (not great) chances. I have about a 50/50 shot of getting in anywhere this cycle, so I'm trying to do what I can to frame my application in the best way possible.
4. Fair enough, although I suspect you haven't read everything I've posted on SDN then. Examples that come to mind are the threads on bullying and in response to someone who was dealing with some mood problems.

Thank you for your feedback, I really do appreciate it.
 
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I thought this thread was going to be a lot more fun than it turned out to be.
 
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The "I'm only here because my dad made me" guys
The "pretty girls doing either derm or peds"
Obviously the "bone bros"
The "nerd radiologists/pathologists"
The "SJW FM kids"
Future bone bro checking in.
 
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1. 95% of what I've actually written (not posted here) is about me.
2. I haven't. It's a 4 word long sentence fragment, and that's not my point.
3. I completely agree, I'm just trying to optimize my (not great) chances. I have about a 50/50 shot of getting in anywhere this cycle, so I'm trying to do what I can to frame my application in the best way possible.
4. Fair enough, although I suspect you haven't read everything I've posted on SDN then. Examples that come to mind are the threads on bullying and in response to someone who was dealing with some mood problems.

I apologize for my snippy reply! I probably haven't read everything you've posted here – I've mostly come across your posts about your PS and AMCAS descriptions so they probably don't paint the best or most complete picture of who you are as a person. Glad to see that you have taken others' advice, and good luck! :)
 
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I apologize for my snippy reply! I probably haven't read everything you've posted here – I've mostly come across your posts about your PS and AMCAS descriptions so they probably don't paint the best or most complete picture of who you are as a person. Glad to see that you have taken others' advice, and good luck! :)

No worries, I appreciate your honesty! I completely understand where you're coming from. And yes, if you've only read the more, um, spirited threads I've started about trying to reframe some of my motivations for medicine, I can see why my comment didn't track with your experience. When I post something online for feedback it's because I know it's not good enough, so it tends to attract a lot of debate and criticism. It's difficult feedback to receive sometimes, but I keep coming back for more and am grateful for it because it helps me improve my material. I don't post my gems publicly for obvious reasons.
 
1. The fact that you have this nuanced perspective makes me think this might be a fruitful avenue for some ADCOMs.



2. My evidence is an anecdote, but I think it's a pretty compelling one. The question is, will this anecdotally-supported claim (along with my application's other primary themes) be enough to get IIs. If so, it's enough. That's because once people talk to me in person, they usually get the sense pretty quickly that this is just the kind of person I am. For example, even on SDN (where I can't read people's body language and facial expressions like I do in person), I've often found myself "harmonizing" diverse people and perspectives and advocating for the little guy in subtle ways. It's not an EC, it's just my personality / one of my favorite ways to relate to people. In an interview, that will be seen.

You're right that assuming that will extend to patients is a bit conceited and completely unsupported by the evidence, so I withdraw that.

As always, thank you for your feedback, Goro ji! (BTW, ji is an Indian honorific that shows respect and affection.)

grandiose af
 
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The "I'm only here because my dad made me" guys
The "pretty girls doing either derm or peds"
Obviously the "bone bros"
The "nerd radiologists/pathologists"
The "SJW FM kids"

you forgot "femi bitch goddess ob/gyns"
 
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grandiose af

Thank you for the feedback. What I said about my personality is based on feedback from people who know me. The word "harmonizing" was not the best word choice, and I grant you sounds a little grandiose. I just couldn't think of the right word and was writing quickly.

And in case this wasn't clear, I am very doubtful about whether anecdotal evidence will fly to prove a point on my application. However, I think it's probably the best chance I've got. I'm even more of an underdog than most premeds, unfortunately.
 
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I'd definitely be the questionable admission + sensitive soul.
 
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Reminds me of an old cartoon (Credit goes to Michelle Au, MD - the underwear drawer)

12+Types+of+Med+Students+on+one+page+(small).jpg
I've known several Criers. They're not pleasant to be around. So thin skinned that light passes right through them, and offended by things like air. A sub-variant is the "Tightly Wound". We worry about them the most once they hit the third year, never knowing if they're ruin a rotation site for us.

I've had a few Grade Grubbers. Not quite Gunner status. But they would argue about why their 76 should really be a 77 with such contortion to the laws of mathematics that they would warp space-time and exceed the speed of light. Needless to say, if they actually spent as much time studying as they did grade grubbing, they would have earned that 77.
 
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To put this as politely as possible, I'm not sure you're correctly reading/interpreting people on SDN if you think that you've harmonized diverse people and perspectives here.
Crying:lol:
 
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I've known several Criers. They're not pleasant to be around. So thin skinned that light passes right through them, and offended by things like air. A sub-variant is the "Tightly Wound". We worry about them the most once they hit the third year, never knowing if they're ruin a rotation site for us.

I've had a few Grade Grubbers. Not quite Gunner status. But they would argue about why their 76 should really be a 77 with such contortion to the laws of mathematics that they would warp space-time and exceed the speed of light. Needless to say, if they actually spent as much time studying as they did grade grubbing, they would have earned that 77.


Goro, I'm curious, when you're interviewing students for admission, can you sort of tell how they're going to turn out in medical school? Can you interview or read someone's application and think, "yep, definitely going to become a crier."
 
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Goro, I'm curious, when you're interviewing students for admission, can you sort of tell how they're going to turn out in medical school? Can you interview or read someone's application and think, "yep, definitely going to become a crier."
It's hard. Sometimes people will telegraph something in their essays, and I will ask them a question at interviews that helps me gauge their emotional state. This is not common though.

Rarely, someone will be so passionate about some issue that they crack under ghe pressure of the interview, and start to cry.
 
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Quoting Neitzsche, Thomas, Stoic Philospohy, using Indian honorifics, talking about harmonizing med students... not sure what stereotype you are, but I'm typing this blind cause I just detached both my inferior recti from rolling my eyes.
 
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Quoting Neitzsche, Thomas, Stoic Philospohy, using Indian honorifics, talking about harmonizing med students... not sure what stereotype you are, but I'm typing this blind cause I just detached both my inferior recti from rolling my eyes.

Thank you for the feedback.

Eh, I just like philosophy. I'm not sure if I'm willing to accept that's a bad thing. I'll think about replacing the quotes in my signature with stats or something like most people though.

I apologized about the word "harmonize", I really just couldn't think of the right word and that wasn't the best placeholder.

I like calling people "ji" because I lived in India for a year, and it's just the perfect word for some situations. I use "sir" and "ma'am" too sometimes, but those don't have all the same layers of meaning. I can understand that sounds a bit odd though.

Which stereotype(s) are you closest to?
 
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Quoting Neitzsche, Thomas, Stoic Philospohy, using Indian honorifics, talking about harmonizing med students... not sure what stereotype you are, but I'm typing this blind cause I just detached both my inferior recti from rolling my eyes.
it's promy tryna get app chances again
Nope, just trying to get some feedback about some unconventional essay topics that might be good but also might not be. I have a 50/50 shot, so I'm probably way overthinking the whole process.
 
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I like calling people "ji" because I lived in India for a year, and it's just the perfect word for some situations. I use "sir" and "ma'am" too sometimes, but those don't have all the same layers of meaning. I can understand that sounds a bit odd though.

Wait you're not Indian and you use Indian honorifics because you lived there for a year? Isn't that like someone going to Japan and calling people -San after coming back to the States? Sorry I feel bad because people are already kinda ripping on you, but c'mon man....
 
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Wait you're not Indian and you use Indian honorifics because you lived there for a year? Isn't that like someone going to Japan and calling people -San after coming back to the States? Sorry I feel bad because people are already kinda ripping on you, but c'mon man....

No worries, it is kind of cultural appropriation. My wife is Indian and I'm really close with her family too, for what it's worth.
 
Wait you're not Indian and you use Indian honorifics because you lived there for a year? Isn't that like someone going to Japan and calling people -San after coming back to the States? Sorry I feel bad because people are already kinda ripping on you, but c'mon man....
I'm not Indian, but every one of my Indian friends loves it when I call them [name]-saab, like Ram-saab or Sanjay-saab. And in return, they call me "Goro-saab". So on this score, cut him some slack.
 
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Haha fair enough. I'll keep the honorifics on the DL and stick to "sir" and "ma'am".


As an Indian, if someone I just met called me ji, sahib, kumar, etc. I might think he's being playfully racist....like calling every Arab person you know habibi. @Goro 's friends like it because they are his friends and know his intentions...I agree with everyone above- living in India for a year might have given you some perspective, but its foolish to assume that other people will know what Ji means and you're probably gonna have to explain it to them...unless of course that is the real reason you call people Ji, as a talking point, so you can talk about your adventures in India and how that makes you soooooo interesting
 
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