im scared of the smart ppl at uni...is it that bad?
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The son of a family friend has just dropped out after the first year of his Medicine course. He's really smart, and had no difficulties with the intellectual demands per se. But it turned out that being very intelligent/quick on the uptake wasn't the critical factor.
A great deal of that first year was memorisation of anatomy and physiology, and there was a lot of opportunity for extra curricular activities. Because he wasn't *that* interested in the subject, he found it hard to put in the hours.
As an old git, I now know a lot of doctors both professionally and personally, and I can assure you that cleverness is not necessary to have a good career in Medicine! You *do* need to be interested and self disciplined. Oh, and having compassion helps!
Finally, like others people have suggested, "imposter syndrome" is really common - almost universal - for people who are high achievers. You're more like the cleverclogs you fear than you suspect!
A great deal of that first year was memorisation of anatomy and physiology, and there was a lot of opportunity for extra curricular activities. Because he wasn't *that* interested in the subject, he found it hard to put in the hours.
As an old git, I now know a lot of doctors both professionally and personally, and I can assure you that cleverness is not necessary to have a good career in Medicine! You *do* need to be interested and self disciplined. Oh, and having compassion helps!
Finally, like others people have suggested, "imposter syndrome" is really common - almost universal - for people who are high achievers. You're more like the cleverclogs you fear than you suspect!
Original post by HopefullyOneDay
I was just looking at the people going to study medicine with me and holy s**t they are all freaking geniuses!!! 😭 The eu and international students with their perfect IB scores from the best international schools and all the Duxes with multiple offers. And then there's me... Good old hard working me who got one good lucky offer. I'm not dumb don't get me wrong... I'm just normal and hard working and passionate but these people are something else!!! Ahhh I'm gonna drown there!!!
Has anyone got any wise words of wisdom for me? What is it like meeting people just as smart if not so much smarter than you?
Has anyone got any wise words of wisdom for me? What is it like meeting people just as smart if not so much smarter than you?
Once you enter, you'll realise that most doctors aren't genius's. To be honest, the entry requirements aren't impossibly high, I think with the correct teaching and hard work, anyone can achieve the grades to enter medicine.
They do appear more composed in genreal, but its mainly down to working hard.
Now i'm not saying you won't get genius's, becasue I know of one! One of my best friends, who seems to be able to do everything and know everything with minimal study , but thats life. Acept that there will be people better than you and jsut concentrate on yourself.
And lastly, on the bright side, grades don't really matter anymore if the ultimate goal is just to be a doctor. As long as you barely scrap through each year, you'll be a doctor. Thats all med school does anyway, it provides the bare minimum training in order for us to be considered "safe". so if you can do that, the nyou're already competent
Original post by OxFossil
The son of a family friend has just dropped out after the first year of his Medicine course. He's really smart, and had no difficulties with the intellectual demands per se. But it turned out that being very intelligent/quick on the uptake wasn't the critical factor.
A great deal of that first year was memorisation of anatomy and physiology, and there was a lot of opportunity for extra curricular activities. Because he wasn't *that* interested in the subject, he found it hard to put in the hours.
As an old git, I now know a lot of doctors both professionally and personally, and I can assure you that cleverness is not necessary to have a good career in Medicine! You *do* need to be interested and self disciplined. Oh, and having compassion helps!
Finally, like others people have suggested, "imposter syndrome" is really common - almost universal - for people who are high achievers. You're more like the cleverclogs you fear than you suspect!
A great deal of that first year was memorisation of anatomy and physiology, and there was a lot of opportunity for extra curricular activities. Because he wasn't *that* interested in the subject, he found it hard to put in the hours.
As an old git, I now know a lot of doctors both professionally and personally, and I can assure you that cleverness is not necessary to have a good career in Medicine! You *do* need to be interested and self disciplined. Oh, and having compassion helps!
Finally, like others people have suggested, "imposter syndrome" is really common - almost universal - for people who are high achievers. You're more like the cleverclogs you fear than you suspect!
Thanks for the advice. I'll just have to make sure I put in the extra hours then. And I totally agree with you that knowledge is not everything in medicine. I work in a local hospital and tbh everyone finds our doctors quite snobbish and unapproachable so that taught me to no matter what be kind and respectful and approachable when I'm older (and hopefully a doctor).
You could be right about the imposter syndrome...everyone must feel threatened starting uni and will probably try to make themselves look good...I'll just have to remember that and stay true to myself
Thank you!
Original post by Freyr
Once you enter, you'll realise that most doctors aren't genius's. To be honest, the entry requirements aren't impossibly high, I think with the correct teaching and hard work, anyone can achieve the grades to enter medicine.
They do appear more composed in genreal, but its mainly down to working hard.
Now i'm not saying you won't get genius's, becasue I know of one! One of my best friends, who seems to be able to do everything and know everything with minimal study , but thats life. Acept that there will be people better than you and jsut concentrate on yourself.
And lastly, on the bright side, grades don't really matter anymore if the ultimate goal is just to be a doctor. As long as you barely scrap through each year, you'll be a doctor. Thats all med school does anyway, it provides the bare minimum training in order for us to be considered "safe". so if you can do that, the nyou're already competent
They do appear more composed in genreal, but its mainly down to working hard.
Now i'm not saying you won't get genius's, becasue I know of one! One of my best friends, who seems to be able to do everything and know everything with minimal study , but thats life. Acept that there will be people better than you and jsut concentrate on yourself.
And lastly, on the bright side, grades don't really matter anymore if the ultimate goal is just to be a doctor. As long as you barely scrap through each year, you'll be a doctor. Thats all med school does anyway, it provides the bare minimum training in order for us to be considered "safe". so if you can do that, the nyou're already competent
I'll just have to deal with the super smart ones and work hard i suppose...hopfully I'll find some normal down to earth people
Original post by Ghotay
Remember that if you're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong room.
LOVE this, never heard that before. There are always gunna be insanely 'intelligent' people at med school. That intelligence doesnt help them when they are trying to break bad news though, or take a history from a drunk patient, or build relationships with the nursing staff. Seriously, and knowing the ins and outs of the cytochrome P450 system doesnt make you better at interpreting LFTs either. relax. you were given a place because you have the stuff to be a good doctor. a photographic memory is no substitute for being able to convince someone to have an ABG when they really dont want one, or being able to get a cannulla in at 4am because your patient is desperately anaemic and needs a transfusion. doctoring is a ridiculously practical job, its easy to forget that at med school
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by HopefullyOneDay
I'll just have to deal with the super smart ones and work hard i suppose...hopfully I'll find some normal down to earth people
Oh you will, medicine intakes at each university are amount the highest there, and msot of they cater to keep the med students together both in study and socially. So there are loads of people to meet, and you're bound to get along with some of them!
As for the real genius, you jsut need to come to terms with it, theres always some one better. You can put in several times more effort, and they maybe put you at equal footing... But for the amount of effort you need to put in to what you get back, its not worth it, use that time to live your life. If however you NEED that extra work to scrap minimal grades, then of course you need to work though
I was a 96% ums A-level student and found that I was amongst the top 10% within weeks at a top london medical school. But I think this was due to competition motivating me throughout the year lol.
On the first week I thought that they were like pretty clever. But then I realised they were just 'seen' to be smart and good talkers in PBLs and lectures lol.
Turns out the 'competition' in medical school was a massive motivation as I always had previously strived to be the best (I finished in top decile with distinction at the end of first year with not that much revision).
There are people who are dumb, and some who are like prodigies, but don't forget we are doing medicine.
On the first week I thought that they were like pretty clever. But then I realised they were just 'seen' to be smart and good talkers in PBLs and lectures lol.
Turns out the 'competition' in medical school was a massive motivation as I always had previously strived to be the best (I finished in top decile with distinction at the end of first year with not that much revision).
There are people who are dumb, and some who are like prodigies, but don't forget we are doing medicine.
Original post by HopefullyOneDay
I was just looking at the people going to study medicine with me and holy s**t they are all freaking geniuses!!! 😭 The eu and international students with their perfect IB scores from the best international schools and all the Duxes with multiple offers. And then there's me... Good old hard working me who got one good lucky offer. I'm not dumb don't get me wrong... I'm just normal and hard working and passionate but these people are something else!!! Ahhh I'm gonna drown there!!!
Has anyone got any wise words of wisdom for me? What is it like meeting people just as smart if not so much smarter than you?
Has anyone got any wise words of wisdom for me? What is it like meeting people just as smart if not so much smarter than you?
Do you think that all those people with perfect IB scores and straight A*'s at a-level didn't lift a finger to get those results? Don't be silly, they'll all be thinking the exact same thing as you
Original post by medicalstudent1
I was a 96% ums A-level student and found that I was amongst the top 10% within weeks at a top london medical school. But I think this was due to competition motivating me throughout the year lol.
On the first week I thought that they were like pretty clever. But then I realised they were just 'seen' to be smart and good talkers in PBLs and lectures lol.
Turns out the 'competition' in medical school was a massive motivation as I always had previously strived to be the best (I finished in top decile with distinction at the end of first year with not that much revision).
There are people who are dumb, and some who are like prodigies, but don't forget we are doing medicine.
On the first week I thought that they were like pretty clever. But then I realised they were just 'seen' to be smart and good talkers in PBLs and lectures lol.
Turns out the 'competition' in medical school was a massive motivation as I always had previously strived to be the best (I finished in top decile with distinction at the end of first year with not that much revision).
There are people who are dumb, and some who are like prodigies, but don't forget we are doing medicine.
Wowwww get a load of this guy
Original post by Ghotay
Wowwww get a load of this guy
couldnt have put it better myself!*
Original post by medicalstudent1
I was a 96% ums A-level student and found that I was amongst the top 10% within weeks at a top london medical school. But I think this was due to competition motivating me throughout the year lol.
On the first week I thought that they were like pretty clever. But then I realised they were just 'seen' to be smart and good talkers in PBLs and lectures lol.
Turns out the 'competition' in medical school was a massive motivation as I always had previously strived to be the best (I finished in top decile with distinction at the end of first year with not that much revision).
There are people who are dumb, and some who are like prodigies, but don't forget we are doing medicine.
On the first week I thought that they were like pretty clever. But then I realised they were just 'seen' to be smart and good talkers in PBLs and lectures lol.
Turns out the 'competition' in medical school was a massive motivation as I always had previously strived to be the best (I finished in top decile with distinction at the end of first year with not that much revision).
There are people who are dumb, and some who are like prodigies, but don't forget we are doing medicine.
Here, I've edited your post for relevance:
There are people who are dumb, and some who are like prodigies, but don't forget we are doing medicine.
With any luck, the OP will return shortly to lavish you with praise befitting such a profound and rarefied insight as you have so graciously deigned to impart on this, most momentous and historic day. In the meantime, Tumblr is this way.
(edited 7 years ago)
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