[anonylucy]

i've noticed over the past 2 years that there are many different types of med school applicant. i was naieve to assume that all applicants were people who abosolutely couldn't imagine doing anything that wasn't connected to helping people and science. here are a few of the species i have observed:

1.prestigous posers: these are applicants who will have law or architecture or something that their parents can still boast about at dinner parties as their second choice of career. they really just want the money, the job security and the status that often goes with the title "Dr". i don't really blame them or scoff at their desires as it's realistic to want job security and not abnormal to want to please your parents. i just question said applicants true passion and desire to help people. granted i have noticed that the overwhelming majority of these applicants succeed and get into medicine.

2.acedemic geniuses: now i don't mean every acedemic genius is in this category, but only the ones who actually have no interest in studying medicine but go ahead and do it simply because they have AAAA in the bag.

3.try hards: don't mean for that labelling to sound derogatory, i myself am in this group. try hards want medicine more than anyone for a multitude of reasons and mostly the right ones. they compromise the majority of applicants i think but so many of them will read every book and medical journal, write their personal statements, sit apptitude tests, study intently and yet they won't succeed. these applicants, since they really did want medicine will be at a loss as to what to do next if they fail.

since i know the later type of applicant the best, i have sub-classifications of them: there's try hards who publically announce that they have changed their minds and they don't want medicine. they then stick to their guns if they fail to get in, or have a dramatic change of mind if they do. there's also try hards that take a different course but fail to even commit to it as they're always thinking of what could have been.

then there's me, i'm a try hard that has given it her all despite considerable personal difficulty throughout the year (illness and death in the family), i've spent the whole year working and there's always been a nagging question in my mind: what if i don't get in? it's relentless: even after the exams are over i still have to ponder my chances. only big things like nights out, shopping trips with friends, going to the cinema and strenuous excercise take my mind off of it, but even then it doesn't completely leave my mind. anyway, i can't afford to shop and go out all the time. infact i can't afford it at all at the moment! this leaves me idle to reflect and reflect and reflect on my fate. i'd would help i'm sure if i had a job, and i have signed up for voluntary work, but that's only a few days a week. does anybody identify with my situation? ar am i just a nut?

i just find it hard when the bulk of a year has been spent focusing so hard and putting everything you have into something to just then sit and wait for the results day. when i was going through tough times, what kept me going was my ambition. i now have to retire that ambition as there's nothing more i can do.

i bet the other types of applicant are enjoying their summer to the max. i wish i was one of them!



ok i step down now.... sorry bout the rant!

[terpineol]

Are you looking for sympathy?

[anonylucy]

no, people that can relate.

[Miss_Scarlett]

Originally Posted by anonylucy

no, people that can relate.

I understand your predicament, I really do. But do you not think there are 100's of applicants with the same problem?

Furthermore, dont expect this sort of concern for the future to stop when you get into medical school. I have to resit an exam in a few weeks time, that if i dont pass I could get thrown out for. Its unlikely as i have extenuating circumstances, and I would like to think im going to pass, Im going to be putting the work in, but anyone can have a bad day.

Dont think about failure until and indeed if, it arises. Have a plan, but enjoy your summer...med school isnt all plain sailing, Ive learnt that and Ive only been there a year. Ive loved it, and perhaps its just me but found it very hard also, for a great number of reasons than just academic. In fact the academics is one of the easier things to handle.

[Spencer Wells]

Thanks, OP, for making me smile

[Democracy]

Sounds like a good assessment to me.

[blonde-beth]

yeh im a try hard... will just hope for the best i really think id make a good doctor, but there are more people like that than places so im trying to find a back up plan!
a few months ago i was like that, not wanting to do anything else and scared of not getting in, but now i realise there are so many other things that would perhaps be just as good (and easier!) such as physio. I would love to do medicine but I think now it would be ok if I dont get in as i have thought of alternitives (even though i really dont want to use them!) dont let it get you down!! enjoy your summer, that what its there for!
i like to think that us try hards will be favoured ahead of the other two at medical schools

[Myiesha_90]

See I had a AAAAAa at A-level and I didn't get any interviews for 08 entry so I had to do a gap year... It's been torture because I live in a village and it's almost impossible get out without a car... which i didnt have. So true to try hard nature I still took the year out to re-apply anyway, despite knowing the depressing-ness that was to ensue.

What does that make me? an academic try hard with a not as good as she thought personal statement? Glad it's over now... I was getting seriously down. A whole year in this place with all those friends at university (and not to mention not actually knowing what was going to happen to me) made me become a bit of a depressing person to be around.

But my advice is to think if you dont get the grades you want, then go for a related course and then go for grad entry medicine You'll get there eventually... that's how I made it through the summer of '08, autumn of 08... and by winter I had all my offers so I finally stopped worrying... it was great. I think us hard workers deserve to be in medical school more than the other 2 groups... if we dont get in there via the conventional route, we can always go for the unconventional rocky route because we are after all try hards! and that is exactly what we do.

[billykwok]

A rather interesting, and true observation... but... what is it exactly that you would like us to discuss?

[Lamasamaka]

Just to clarify, "To be, or not to be" refers to living as opposed to taking one's life, not just any old question. Be careful that you don't give anybody the wrong idea :P

[vas876]

I'm not a technical try hard, I'm a want it most!

So i can relate.

I'm going to be re-applying this year, and taking a gap year, got 4 straight slaps in the face last year.

PM Me if you want a chat or add me on msn!

[terpineol]

Originally Posted by Lamasamaka

Just to clarify, "To be, or not to be" refers to living as opposed to taking one's life, not just any old question. Be careful that you don't give anybody the wrong idea :P

Seems perfectly appropriate to me.

To be a medic, and thus throw all opportunity away, taking ones life and throwing it into the massive cess pool of MMC-ETC

Vs

To do something else, and live again.

[anonylucy]

Originally Posted by Tzar_Chasm

First and foremost, learn punctuation and grammar.

ouch! yeah i read it there and there are far too many commas in the wrong place. it's a very bad habit of mine that i got from public speaking. everytime you see a comma it represents a moment i'm allowed to take a breath incase i'd forgetten.

wait why am i trying to defend myself to a complete stranger who thinks spotting grammar mistakes puts him above me?! ...typical try hard nature.

anyone who's in a better position than me who's scoffing at this thread has indeed repressed the memory of the stress of trying to get into medical school. i hope to repress someday myself.

the point of this thread was to see who else felt the same way or feels the same way. i know i'm feeling sorry for myself and it's not a major problem but i never claimed it to be.

i'm just one of the many frustrated student who is sick of waiting for doomsday. anyway i think my mission has already been acomplished as there are a few who feel or felt the same. it's comforting for me and perhaps for them also. myiesha i really admire what you did and simply can't imagine how hard it must have been for you. i'd go crazy if i had to stay at home for that long, heck i can't even stick a few weeks. i'm usually in a boarding school that's really far from home. well done on getting in this year!

[HiBear]

Originally Posted by anonylucy

3.try hards: don't mean for that labelling to sound derogatory, i myself am in this group. try hards want medicine more than anyone for a multitude of reasons and mostly the right ones. they compromise the majority of applicants i think but so many of them will read every book and medical journal, write their personal statements, sit apptitude tests, study intently and yet they won't succeed. these applicants, since they really did want medicine will be at a loss as to what to do next if they fail.

since i know the later type of applicant the best, i have sub-classifications of them: there's try hards who publically announce that they have changed their minds and they don't want medicine. they then stick to their guns if they fail to get in, or have a dramatic change of mind if they do. there's also try hards that take a different course but fail to even commit to it as they're always thinking of what could have been.

i am the bold. or will be probably.
im heading towards no gap and just chem engineering through clearing.

ive lost all faith in myself.

[ThisLittlePiggy]

Originally Posted by anonylucy

1.prestigous posers:

2.acedemic geniuses:

3.try hards
!

Fortunately, I haven't met much of group one though I have seen a few twos* and as for threes;I'd say the majority of applicants are this.

* All applicants are going to be smarter than the average bear though I think you are talking about those amongst us whom are able to memorize tomes and seek to become an their very own eponym.

[billykwok]

Originally Posted by anonylucy

ouch! yeah i read it there and there are far too many commas in the wrong place. it's a very bad habit of mine that i got from public speaking. everytime you see a comma it represents a moment i'm allowed to take a breath incase i'd forgetten.

wait why am i trying to defend myself to a complete stranger who thinks spotting grammar mistakes puts him above me?! ...typical try hard nature.

anyone who's in a better position than me who's scoffing at this thread has indeed repressed the memory of the stress of trying to get into medical school. i hope to repress someday myself.

the point of this thread was to see who else felt the same way or feels the same way. i know i'm feeling sorry for myself and it's not a major problem but i never claimed it to be.

i'm just one of the many frustrated student who is sick of waiting for doomsday. anyway i think my mission has already been acomplished as there are a few who feel or felt the same. it's comforting for me and perhaps for them also. myiesha i really admire what you did and simply can't imagine how hard it must have been for you. i'd go crazy if i had to stay at home for that long, heck i can't even stick a few weeks. i'm usually in a boarding school that's really far from home. well done on getting in this year!

Says the person who was in the top 20% percentile of the HPAT Providing you get your grades you are in!...

[No Future]

Originally Posted by anonylucy

i've noticed over the past 2 years that there are many different types of med school applicant. i was naieve to assume that all applicants were people who abosolutely couldn't imagine doing anything that wasn't connected to helping people and science. here are a few of the species i have observed:

1.prestigous posers: these are applicants who will have law or architecture or something that their parents can still boast about at dinner parties as their second choice of career. they really just want the money, the job security and the status that often goes with the title "Dr". i don't really blame them or scoff at their desires as it's realistic to want job security and not abnormal to want to please your parents. i just question said applicants true passion and desire to help people. granted i have noticed that the overwhelming majority of these applicants succeed and get into medicine.

2.acedemic geniuses: now i don't mean every acedemic genius is in this category, but only the ones who actually have no interest in studying medicine but go ahead and do it simply because they have AAAA in the bag.

3.try hards: don't mean for that labelling to sound derogatory, i myself am in this group. try hards want medicine more than anyone for a multitude of reasons and mostly the right ones. they compromise the majority of applicants i think but so many of them will read every book and medical journal, write their personal statements, sit apptitude tests, study intently and yet they won't succeed. these applicants, since they really did want medicine will be at a loss as to what to do next if they fail.

since i know the later type of applicant the best, i have sub-classifications of them: there's try hards who publically announce that they have changed their minds and they don't want medicine. they then stick to their guns if they fail to get in, or have a dramatic change of mind if they do. there's also try hards that take a different course but fail to even commit to it as they're always thinking of what could have been.

then there's me, i'm a try hard that has given it her all despite considerable personal difficulty throughout the year (illness and death in the family), i've spent the whole year working and there's always been a nagging question in my mind: what if i don't get in? it's relentless: even after the exams are over i still have to ponder my chances. only big things like nights out, shopping trips with friends, going to the cinema and strenuous excercise take my mind off of it, but even then it doesn't completely leave my mind. anyway, i can't afford to shop and go out all the time. infact i can't afford it at all at the moment! this leaves me idle to reflect and reflect and reflect on my fate. i'd would help i'm sure if i had a job, and i have signed up for voluntary work, but that's only a few days a week. does anybody identify with my situation? ar am i just a nut?

i just find it hard when the bulk of a year has been spent focusing so hard and putting everything you have into something to just then sit and wait for the results day. when i was going through tough times, what kept me going was my ambition. i now have to retire that ambition as there's nothing more i can do.

i bet the other types of applicant are enjoying their summer to the max. i wish i was one of them!



ok i step down now.... sorry bout the rant!

um, that's nice? :s

btw it is just possible that some people do have strengths and interest in medicine and...other subjects? and hence why they consider law? lol

[Baki]

Originally Posted by anonylucy

i've noticed over the past 2 years that there are many different types of med school applicant. i was naieve to assume that all applicants were people who abosolutely couldn't imagine doing anything that wasn't connected to helping people and science. here are a few of the species i have observed:

1.prestigous posers: these are applicants who will have law or architecture or something that their parents can still boast about at dinner parties as their second choice of career. they really just want the money, the job security and the status that often goes with the title "Dr". i don't really blame them or scoff at their desires as it's realistic to want job security and not abnormal to want to please your parents. i just question said applicants true passion and desire to help people. granted i have noticed that the overwhelming majority of these applicants succeed and get into medicine.

2.acedemic geniuses: now i don't mean every acedemic genius is in this category, but only the ones who actually have no interest in studying medicine but go ahead and do it simply because they have AAAA in the bag.

3.try hards: don't mean for that labelling to sound derogatory, i myself am in this group. try hards want medicine more than anyone for a multitude of reasons and mostly the right ones. they compromise the majority of applicants i think but so many of them will read every book and medical journal, write their personal statements, sit apptitude tests, study intently and yet they won't succeed. these applicants, since they really did want medicine will be at a loss as to what to do next if they fail.

since i know the later type of applicant the best, i have sub-classifications of them: there's try hards who publically announce that they have changed their minds and they don't want medicine. they then stick to their guns if they fail to get in, or have a dramatic change of mind if they do. there's also try hards that take a different course but fail to even commit to it as they're always thinking of what could have been.

then there's me, i'm a try hard that has given it her all despite considerable personal difficulty throughout the year (illness and death in the family), i've spent the whole year working and there's always been a nagging question in my mind: what if i don't get in? it's relentless: even after the exams are over i still have to ponder my chances. only big things like nights out, shopping trips with friends, going to the cinema and strenuous excercise take my mind off of it, but even then it doesn't completely leave my mind. anyway, i can't afford to shop and go out all the time. infact i can't afford it at all at the moment! this leaves me idle to reflect and reflect and reflect on my fate. i'd would help i'm sure if i had a job, and i have signed up for voluntary work, but that's only a few days a week. does anybody identify with my situation? ar am i just a nut?

i just find it hard when the bulk of a year has been spent focusing so hard and putting everything you have into something to just then sit and wait for the results day. when i was going through tough times, what kept me going was my ambition. i now have to retire that ambition as there's nothing more i can do.

i bet the other types of applicant are enjoying their summer to the max. i wish i was one of them!



ok i step down now.... sorry bout the rant!

Umm..Just because you find enjoyment in another career it doesn't mean you wouldn't enjoy/make a good doctor. It would be naive to think that there is just *one* career that suits an individual.

[digitalis]

I got bored after I read the first para.