Im writing this so hopefully you can learn from my mistake.
I feel it necessary to address this comment, because I'm pretty disheartened that you chose to express your feelings this way.
1)
The faculty in general – I think most of our classmates would agree when I say that I have never felt disrespected or patronized by the faculty. The professors actually make the school for me; they always engage with you and make it crystal clear that they are there for
you, the student. They want to hear your grievances, through appropriate channels, and try to tailor their teaching and policies to your needs. Whenever I have needed help from a professor, they have been kind and humble. I always encourage the class to seek out the faculty if they ever need anything, because you are truly in good hands. There can be the occasional sarcastic/dry comment by the teachers, but there’s never any doubt that they truly want students to succeed.
2)
Professor “DB” – Referring to professors with derogatory names like “dingleberry” is super disrespectful, so I’m not sure if the faculty is the one with the rudeness problem here. Clearly, the professionalism lesson didn’t get through to you. It is true, as someone else stated, that this professor has a somewhat dry sense of humor, but many students learn very well from him. Like him or not, there is no denying that he knows his stuff. Just because you didn’t do well in his course does not mean he should lose his job.
3)
Professor “Professionalism” – Seriously, the professionalism lesson lasted the first week. Maybe two. He has definitely mentioned how we need to be, you know,
adults, but it didn’t kill any of us, and it is true that his time management skills are not great by any means. But saying he has never worked in “the real world” is just inaccurate. He has worked in his field for decades, and has taught at an Ivy League school. You may not learn from him or even like him, but again, other students do.
4)
OMM department – OMM is a whole, independent
course. It’s not just an extracurricular. There is a reason DO’s and MD’s have different names – DO’s learn an entire skill that MD’s do not. Did you expect it to be easy to add a whole other class to what you are already learning? It is a tough subject and requires hours upon hours of practice. Those who don’t want to deal with it should go to an allopathic school. The course can be disorganized, but unfortunately with multiple professors that is expected. I have definitely been frustrated because I learn very well from one professor, but another professor’s PowerPoints just confuse me. That doesn’t make the professors any less capable. It means I as a student have my own learning style. The course director absolutely loves his job, and you see it in his work every day. Whether you like the subject or not, those who deny the man’s work ethic and teaching skill are just being ridiculous. When the professors say “Learn it all,” it’s because you
have to learn it all. Again, medical school is not supposed to be easy. But if you go to the professors and ask for help, they will oblige.
5)
Anatomy – Again, it can be disorganized because there are different professors. You will learn better from some than you will from others. I did find it helpful to pre-study, however.
6)
“Group punishment” – Really? This one just made me laugh. A lot of students, unfortunately, cheat. They have been cheating since before we arrived and will long after we leave. If you think assigned seating is an elementary punishment, don’t act like an elementary student. And as for the laptops being closed, if you’re not hiding anything, what’s the big deal? Our school wants to be represented well, and there is nothing wrong with that. That being said, there is also absolutely nothing wrong with voicing your opinions, but please be respectful. Whether or not you regret it, this is your school too.
Bottom line for aspiring doctors: you absolutely cannot know what you’re going to get, or how you will feel, until you are here. That applies to any school. Some professors are better
for you than others. You will learn very well from some and not so well from others. It depends on your learning style, and again, this applies to any school. You will not pass every test, let alone get an A on every test. Medical school is hard. You will have to learn how to study, which is something no one can learn right away. If you do the work, go the extra mile, and get help when you need it, you WILL succeed. If you fail a course, you remediate it and learn from your mistakes. If you wake up one day and decide it isn’t for you, that’s perfectly okay too. But please don’t judge any school by one person’s experience, because I can personally attest to the fact that you cannot prepare for this. I (and many of my friends) chose this school because we saw true kindness in the faculty – knowing individual students by name, genuinely interested in their lives…those aren’t just qualities they play up for interview day.
As for the town, Hattiesburg is small but definitely not “rural.” You will have everything you need, and you really won’t have time to be adventurous anyway (though an occasional trip to New Orleans is possible).
Ultimately, all of this is just something you’re going to have to go through for yourself and discover what the right fit for you is. Good luck to all of you!