premeds...

[casioplus]

So today I had my first year orientation where faculty and staff members introduce themselves etc etc. At one point in the day we were divided into faculties so the engineers, arts and science students can learn more about their programs. At one point one of the faculty of science staff members asked the auditorium "who here wants to become a doctor after UG?". I looked back and I'd say at least 40% had their hands up! So I was just wondering if this it is normal for so many students to be considering medical school.

 

Thanks!

[Birdy]

From what I hear from other students, it isn't abnormal.

 

In my program, most of the students want to go to veterinary school. I've met very few premeds, probably less than a dozen.

[lost__in__space]

I think this scenario is repeated in every freshman undergrad bio course at most big universities every year. My freshman bio course almost 80% of the class (of 2000) raised their hands! Out of my group of friends (~20 people), almost all of us wanted to get into medical school (which was pretty nauseating). Me and two other people were the only ones who actually did make it. The rest of my friends went into other fields.

[futurefamilydoc]

In my first year physics class at McGill the prof asked this, about 75% raised their hands. Then in a third year bio class, the question was asked again and maybe only 20% raised their hands, it was amazing to see the difference!

[mrewmrew]

Surprisingly no faculty member actually asked us that in first year but a guest speaker did, and like 70% of my 300 persons chem class raised their hands, no exaggeration. The group of friends I was sitting with didn't bother raising their hands, even though I knew they were med school gunners.

[DDS2017]

I didn't raise my hand when the prof asked a large number of people in the auditorium (1st year biology course) about who wanted to get into medical school (Because I was aiming for dentistry)

 

I would say a good 80%-85% of people raised their hands.

 

I don't know what happened to most of them. Few of my undergrad science friends who have graduated are now working as tellers, real estate agent, insurance agent, and so on.

[rogerroger]

Pretty normal.

 

I will always remember a certain bio prof I had during undergrad who asked this question to a class of senior students. He then went on to give a rant about how some ridiculously small number of people will get into meds. The anxiety in the room after this rant was palpable. Kinda a jerk move on the profs part IMO.

 

I knew several people who were in that lecture hall. Today a fair number of them are residents.

[rmorelan]

I think this scenario is repeated in every freshman undergrad bio course at most big universities every year. My freshman bio course almost 80% of the class (of 2000) raised their hands! Out of my group of friends (~20 people), almost all of us wanted to get into medical school (which was pretty nauseating). Me and two other people were the only ones who actually did make it. The rest of my friends went into other fields.

 

I never really got a good sense of how many people wanted that in my UG. Of my circle of friends I think only 2 of us eventually got in and the other one that did had to go to ireland for for it.

 

I do a premed workshop a few times a year at Waterloo - we usually get upwards of only 70 people attending - and that is considered a good turn out.

 

I think it would be interesting to see how the interest changes year to year.

[rmorelan]

Pretty normal.

 

I will always remember a certain bio prof I had during undergrad who asked this question to a class of senior students. He then went on to give a rant about how some ridiculously small number of people will get into meds. The anxiety in the room after this rant was palpable. Kinda a jerk move on the profs part IMO.

 

I knew several people who were in that lecture hall. Today a fair number of them are residents.

 

I always wonder why profs actually rant on that. I mean it is doesn't effect them in anyway. What is the point - and you would think profs should be encouraging people to go for harder things anyway.

[future_doc]

Perhaps that prof. was not accepted into medicine.

[rmorelan]

Perhaps that prof. was not accepted into medicine.

 

ha - maybe but back then for most of these profs medical school admissions wasn't as hard. It may be a touch of annoyance that they worked quite hard and learned so much and yet are not earning as much as a "real doctor". Who knows

[future_doc]

The grass is always greener.

[D-Rock]

Perhaps that prof. was not accepted into medicine.

 

I think chances are he was tired of having a bunch of self-entitled, mediocre students whining to him about not getting the grades that they needed to get into medical school and asking him to add a few marks. You can only deal with so many of those emails or office visits...

[Birdy]

I think chances are he was tired of having a bunch of self-entitled, mediocre students whining to him about not getting the grades that they needed to get into medical school and asking him to add a few marks. You can only deal with so many of those emails or office visits...

 

I have on prof whose policy on people begging for marks is 'No.' A miscount is one thing, or something clearly correct that was marked wrong, but reinterpreting a short answer, etc. he won't do.

[rmorelan]

I have on prof whose policy on people begging for marks is 'No.' A miscount is one thing, or something clearly correct that was marked wrong, but reinterpreting a short answer, etc. he won't do.

 

don't most profs have that policy Or if not eventually they seem to acquire it. It is a) fair, and takes less of their time, particular when the word gets out.

[z12345]

ya I have noticed that profs just starting out seem to be more receptive to students asking for reconsideration of their grade compared to seasoned profs who will shut that down pretty quick. It comes down to profs getting sick of the domino effect that things of that nature cause and also the personality of the prof combined with how you approach them and if you genuinely have grounds for making such requests

[rmorelan]

ya I have noticed that profs just starting out seem to be more receptive to students asking for reconsideration of their grade compared to seasoned profs who will shut that down pretty quick. It comes down to profs getting sick of the domino effect that things of that nature cause and also the personality of the prof combined with how you approach them and if you genuinely have grounds for making such requests

 

all this reminds me of a joke I heard about an apparently real organic chem professor that always said "I love my job. I get to save lives every day by stopping stupid people from getting into medical school"

[Birdy]

don't most profs have that policy Or if not eventually they seem to acquire it. It is a) fair, and takes less of their time, particular when the word gets out.

 

Yeah, it's very reasonable. I've seen students grumbling about it, but hey, that's life. University is not a transaction - money in, good grades out - as so many seem to think.

 

all this reminds me of a joke I heard about an apparently real organic chem professor that always said "I love my job. I get to save lives every day by stopping stupid people from getting into medical school"

 

That is awesome.

[rmorelan]

That is awesome.

 

Thing is I don't think he was completely joking either

[Savac]

I've talked to the professors at my school that teach the first year bio course about doing this. Although they haven't actually asked this question for a few years, they say it's always interesting to see how many hands will go up. Naturally, if they ask who wants to be a scientist, 1-2 hands MIGHT go up... haha

[rogerroger]

I always wonder why profs actually rant on that. I mean it is doesn't effect them in anyway. What is the point - and you would think profs should be encouraging people to go for harder things anyway.

 

Agreed.

 

During my final year of undergrad I was working in a lab with a few other students who were applying for meds. The supervisor was trying really hard to recruit us into his lab as grad students throughout the year. After all of us were accepted into meds and after he offered his congratulations he did express some frustration with many of his desired applicants for grad school being swept up into medicine. I suppose I can understand this frustration. If you have dedicated your life to a field it is only natural that you would want those applicants whom you desire to enter into it.

 

Also as previously mentioned in this thread, some pre-meds can also be pretty damn annoying. Putting this together I can see why some undergraduate profs can be tempted to be bias towards prospective med applicants.

[PreMedAK]

Agreed.

 

During my final year of undergrad I was working in a lab with a few other students who were applying for meds. The supervisor was trying really hard to recruit us into his lab as grad students throughout the year. After all of us were accepted into meds and after he offered his congratulations he did express some frustration with many of his desired applicants for grad school being swept up into medicine. I suppose I can understand this frustration. If you have dedicated your life to a field it is only natural that you would want those applicants whom you desire to enter into it.

 

Also as previously mentioned in this thread, some pre-meds can also be pretty damn annoying. Putting this together I can see why some undergraduate profs can be tempted to be bias towards prospective med applicants.

 

Definately, but some profs (atleast in my case) genuinely want to give a reality check to some students. Its easy to raise your hand when you have a 4.0, those that are not competitive need to re-evaluate some decisions, but people around them or they themselves keep believing they can make it.

[rmorelan]

Definately, but some profs (atleast in my case) genuinely want to give a reality check to some students. Its easy to raise your hand when you have a 4.0, those that are not competitive need to re-evaluate some decisions, but people around them or they themselves keep believing they can make it.

 

Perhaps but most of these questions are asked of first years - that is the classic time after all. They would have no idea about GPA. Most don't even know what GPA even is

[Cerena]

K, I just have to post this video now:

[markov79]

K, I just have to post this video now:

 

soooooo mean. the laptop kill count was lols