Med student said they got their place because faculty felt sorry for them

I Was at the hospital today and i asked a 3rd year med student that was in my consult what made them choose medicine, what made you want to be a doctor? She said she didnt know, things change, I've never really known (how did she write a good PS if she doesn't know) Then she went on to say i think i got their place because faculty felt sorry for me... Im left thinking is this a typical med student? I left feeling a bit half and half, as half of me was angry if someone that was like this got my place id be annoyed and half of me felt sorry for her because she was shy, trying to canulate me and my veins are stingy, i am not sure if she just said this to shut me up (she is probably sick of patients asking) so she could concentrate or not.




Posted from TSR Mobile

Er...she was probably joking with you?

Tbf, you did ask quite a personal question...do you ask everyone you meet why they got into their line of work?

I want to say she has onviously work exceptionally hard and i would never judge a med schools decision, but i dont understand why you would say this to someone thinking of applying to med school. So I Was at the hospital today and i asked a 3rd year med student that was in my consult what made them choose medicine, what made you want to be a doctor? She said she didnt know, things change, I've never really known (how did she write a good PS if she doesn't know) Then she went on to say i think i got their place because faculty felt sorry for me... Im left thinking is this a typical med student? I left feeling a bit half and half, as half of me was angry if someone that was like this got my place id be annoyed and half of me felt sorry for her because she was shy, trying to canulate me and my veins are stingy, i am not sure if she just said this to shut me up (she is probably sick of patients asking) so she could concentrate or not.




Posted from TSR Mobile

Probably because she's trying to concentrate on your care and doesn't really feel like answering that kind of question while doing it. It's not exactly small talk is it...


Posted from TSR Mobile

I didn't think but everyday people ask why people go into midwivery, nursing but i see how that could be personal. I explained to her i was applying to med school and in particular the one she studies at so i didn't expect that response, she was lovely and did a great job with my canular. I guess i know there are many reasons a person choses medicine and i like to ask tge question most med students ive come across (i have a sick father and always with him in hospital) have always been very honest this is the first female student I've asked and i think i may have caught her of guard. Hope i didnt cause her offence


Posted from TSR Mobile

I'm sure she wasn't offended!

It's not that it's a rude or inappropriate question to ask...it's just that it's quite personal and she might have been caught a bit off guard by it, as you say. Some doctors/students are very open and chatty with their patients, but she might have just been a bit more reserved. Nothing wrong with that as long as she was still friendly and provided you with a good level of care (which it sounds like she did).

Oh yeah her care was great she did a good job and she was very polite, i just thought saying faculty felt sorry for me was a bit of a strange answer thats why i posted because i didn't expect it as she probably didnt either. I was having a colonoscopy and i was worried and i had a gastrocopy too. I did not engage my brain before my mouth on this occassion.
She will be a good doctor


Posted from TSR Mobile

Probably a bit of dry/awkward humour - it's clearly not true, people don't get into medical school because the faculty feel sorry for them!

I would not think any more about it. I've had sixth formers ask me the same question and I pretty much responded in a similar fashion. It was most likely dry humour/feeling meh about medicine in general. OP is a med applicant and obviously very passionate, bright eyed and bushy tailed. Don't be disappointed if a med student who has been in it for a few years doesn't give you an equally enthusiastic response. And don't get angry, she earns her place at the end of the day why would you think otherwise? Anyway, she was probably way too focussed on getting that cannula in!


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I want to say she has onviously work exceptionally hard and i would never judge a med schools decision, but i dont understand why you would say this to someone thinking of applying to med school. So I Was at the hospital today and i asked a 3rd year med student that was in my consult what made them choose medicine, what made you want to be a doctor? She said she didnt know, things change, I've never really known (how did she write a good PS if she doesn't know) Then she went on to say i think i got their place because faculty felt sorry for me... Im left thinking is this a typical med student? I left feeling a bit half and half, as half of me was angry if someone that was like this got my place id be annoyed and half of me felt sorry for her because she was shy, trying to canulate me and my veins are stingy, i am not sure if she just said this to shut me up (she is probably sick of patients asking) so she could concentrate or not.




Posted from TSR Mobile

Sounds like a good example of British self-deprecating humour to me. She wouldn't have inspired your confidence if she'd said "because i'm amazing and I thought i'd share some of that with patients."

...but i dont understand why you would say this to someone thinking of applying to med school.

Its called false modesty.

Although I'm not a fan, it does come across better than saying that you got in because you were just super clever and an awesome person.



By repeating the same tired clichés that the med schools expect you to, same as everyone else.