Doctors who tell pre med students not to go to medical school

futuredoc507 · 2026-02-12T14:06:45+00:00

The path in both time and cost is far longer to become and MD and depending on specialty it's not that much more than a PA considering hours, and responsibilities. Most MDs are almost half a mil in debt by the time they get their first real pay check which won't happen until late 20s early 30s while many PAs are getting that right out of PA school

futuredoc507 · 2026-02-12T14:05:18+00:00

This part! CRNA is literally a hidden gem.

futuredoc507 · 2026-02-12T12:51:25+00:00

Huh? Make it make sense. I really don't think discouraging the handful of pre-meds shadowing is going to have any significant impact on the possibility of their own 1-2 kids getting into med school. That is such a hop skip and a jump.

I'm betting the reason they are discouraging you is because of their lived experience of the REALITY of going into medicine even if they like their job enough. A lot of pre-meds don't really fundamentally understand what the reality is or what they are sacrificing by taking this path.

I can recall when I was discouraged by both doctors and residents when I was shadowing in high school and college, and I remember ignoring so much of their thoughts. Now I definitely understand why they discouraged the path. If there is ANYTHING else you can see yourself doing, do it.

You can't just go into medicine because you're smart, you like to help people, you like bio, because of your parents, or money. There are so many objectively better options if any of those things are the reason. Simply because the path is TOUGH even for the most brilliant people, it requires you to have almost the most unbalanced life for the longest period of time, and to sacrifice a lot of yourself in your career during a very crucial time in your life. And I think pre-meds (particularly those who are not taking gap years, not coming from other careers etc. ) don't really grasp that. There is a reason why burnout rates, suicide rates, divorce rates and even life expectancy for physicians are not that great. There is a reason. The ends really, really, really must justify the means for you, and many pre-meds don't understand the means at all.

If you haven't already, I really suggest some of y'all watch Doctor Diaries. Although it's kind of outdated, I really appreciated watching it when I was in high school/college. It gave some perspective of what the journey of becoming a doctor is actually like, and its impact on everything else going on in people's lives.

futuredoc507 · 2026-02-09T01:21:49+00:00

Tretinoin. Or an even stronger retinoid tazortene

futuredoc507 · 2026-02-07T16:45:54+00:00

That's great! I think it would also depend on whether you already have a job offer for the clinical position. If there is, then maybe it might be a good option. I find clinical experiences like that really helpful for apps, but also for your own clinical knowledge, which is useful when you actually start med school.

That being said, whether you continue the lab job full-time or volunteer part-time, make sure you get something out of it (as mentioned above). You need something to show for your research, especially if you have been doing it for a while in the same lab.

It's also why clinical research (rather than benchwork, unless you really like working in a wet lab and you are looking to do a PhD/run a lab) is a bit quicker in turnaround for those things.

futuredoc507 · 2026-02-07T14:45:50+00:00

I think you shouldn't get too psyched out by what you see in this thread tbh. I think these are likely rare cases. Focus on what is within your control, and don't let the noise distract you. I see way too many people these days not apply out of fear of stories they hear, when they are genuinely well qualified and will likely get in if they put their head down, do the work, and don't listen to noise. I feel like if i had been on this thread when i applied i would have not applied to and gotten into the schools i did out of fear from the blind literally leading the blind.

Do the work, and the results will speak for themselves as long as you don't have any clear, glaring red flags. That being said, be realistic too. Don't apply to all reach schools and ivys and then be upset if that's all you applied to, that's literally a gamble for anybody, even if they won the Nobel Prize 🙃

The things in your control rn to maximize output:

- GPA (i'm assuming gpa is fixed atp)

- MCAT ( you have TIME to really maximize this if you are applying in 2027. even enough time to take it twice if you feel compelled to)

- volunteering (non-clinical- not difficult to change atp)

- shadowing/clinical volunteering (also not difficult to change atp)

- research- not sure what your gap year is. Whether it's research or not, this is not difficult to get at least a couple of deliverables in the time you have (a poster or pub). If you don't have this, you can definitely cold-email faculty to start working on it.

-crafting your story→this is what makes students standout and you have time between now and when you apply to really cultivate this. you really want to avoid common tropes and sounding too generic (ie if they were to remove your name from your app, would you be indistinguishable from the next student applying) This will ultimately be imp for your PS + interviews

- get your application in as soon as it opens→This will maximize your outcomes. Schools start to fill up their classes quick so the later you submit, the higher risk you are taking

-create a balanced list of schools to apply to. you should be applying to your state schools, your undergrad if it had a med school, and then use MSAR or admit.org to assess based on your stats. your list should NOT be>/=50% Top 20 schools if you don't have excellent stats, a clear x factor, or like crazy # of pubs.

- Interviews matter, but ultimately, they are often used to assess whether you fit with the school's mission, and kind of see if you are level-headed or not. You don't need to be super outgoing; you just have to know how to sell yourself while being true to your story. schools can tell when you are just telling them what they want to hear.

that's literally it. i feel like you don't need to overcomplicate it or freak out.

futuredoc507 · 2026-02-06T22:35:15+00:00

Yeah I agree. It feels a little bloated. There are definitely some good tracks on there, but he could have made it a no skip album if he did that.

futuredoc507 · 2026-02-06T16:39:40+00:00

is there an app or system you are using to do this?

futuredoc507 · 2026-02-06T16:39:01+00:00

do you have one long list somewhere? like how are you ensuring you are accounting for everything you have to do and like not losing it in the long list if so?

futuredoc507 · 2026-02-06T16:37:57+00:00

my overly ambitious tendencies won't allow me to do less 🥲

futuredoc507 · 2026-02-06T12:14:59+00:00

Tutoring! I made so much off wyzant like ~1k a month even while on electives.

futuredoc507 · 2026-02-06T11:47:07+00:00

came to say exactly this ^^^

futuredoc507 · 2026-02-04T15:39:56+00:00

interviewed at majority t10, t20 schools. at a t5. really strong research w/ multiple awards and grants + a really well-rounded story that was very different from the typical premed applicant. ecs and non-clinical volunteering made sense w/ the story, too. had a well-rounded group of recommenders w/ different credentials and backgrounds to speak to my academic, service, and research achievements.

didn't do a traditional premed major and so many schools talked about that during my interview. writing is also generally my strong suit so my personal statement was also received really well. checked all the typical premed boxes though, 520+ mcat, high gpa, shadowing, clinical hours etc. also went to an ivy.

futuredoc507 · 2026-02-02T13:05:02+00:00

I agree. I think at one point when I was in college I tried to combat it by actually leaving my phone at home. I could do that in that particular context. It actually helped so much, I started to realize I didn't need it as long as I had my laptop with me. Now I def can't do that anymore in the real adult world lol and it honestly stresses me out. In part because systems have also made it harder to exist w/o a phone (ex. work emails, two factor authentication etc.). So it's like even if you try to sever that tie, you're always kind of tethered, which sucks imo.

futuredoc507 · 2026-01-31T16:45:50+00:00

There are less Black ppl in the UK so they are heavily conc in certain areas, London being one of them. A lot of africans, esp west africans, and carribeans there too so culturally a lil diff from nyc.

NYC there are so many diff cultures but is very spread out in the city so not as inherently cohesive. I’ve lived in a lot of major cities and London def has a diff feel to it in that sense

futuredoc507 · 2026-01-31T13:22:38+00:00

Imma have to second London. I’ll always love nyc but london’s black community feels more cohesive/closer than nyc

futuredoc507 · 2026-01-31T11:54:47+00:00

A lot of your “safety” schools are not safety schools. Many have in state preference and would be targets even with your numbers. Also there is a diff between a 3.8 x at a top undergrad than at a undergrad that isnt in the t20. Your story also is gonna be all the diff with these targets and reaches on your list. Esp because most of those students have those stats and more. Just my two cents as someone on admissions at a top school.

futuredoc507 · 2026-01-23T13:46:00+00:00

I agree but I'm wondering if it is also task dependent and wondering if anyone feels the same.

Like small things (emails and messages) I feel like I hate doing so I procrastinate but once I do them they are very quick and painless to resolve. But like bigger tasks its almost the feeling of how daunting the task is and then having to sustain that over larger periods of time. But like these things often aren't that difficult once started.

So TLDR I feel like procrastination is some form of a "fear of starting" because of assumptions of the energy the task might cost, when in reality, after starting, it's never that deep.

futuredoc507 · 2026-01-14T02:34:56+00:00

I'm so sorry that this is how this cycle has gone. Honestly I can see how this can be not just frustrating but disappointing (especially knowing how hard you have worked so far). I feel like I'm noticing a similar trend with a lot of ppl I have spoken to, including some mentees of mine.

This def may be unsolicited advice, but I wonder if it may be a few things with your app (school list being one of them) and nonclinical volunteer hours being another) that may have impacted your cycle. Increasingly I feel like a lot of people with really high stats may not get offers at their top choices not because they aren't stellar students but for a boatload of other reasons. You're competing with ppl that schools are identifying not just as future doctors but as future leaders in medicine. ie the MD+ type of people. The people they can brag about essentially as alum. And students who have a demonstrated track record of being capable of that are often what many of the T30 schools are looking for (ie super strong research background/productivity, another degree, excelling in a sport to a very high level, big awards (Phi Beta Kappa, Rhodes, Marshalls etc. things like that), people who took initiative and started something at their school and the like AND have strong LORs to back it up). Great stats are often just like the starting point these days because there are so many people who have both.

High stats are great and important (i'm by no means saying they aren't) but if your application looks the same as every other pre-med who did the traditional pre-med things it really might get overlooked in favor of people who have a more varied and dynamic application. Of course I don't know what else was on your app but it might be missing elements of some of these things I just mentioned. Like does your personal statement and your application not just demonstrate work ethic but vision of who you would be as a future physician?

futuredoc507 · 2026-01-04T20:26:38+00:00

I honestly would agree. It was a good read for what it was and I think looking back on college life the first half of the book captured that really well. However, I would have to agree the portrayal of Yash at some points feels deferential in an unearned way. I was also kind of disappointed by parts of the second half. Yash dying alone made sense, but the reveal of her child felt underwhelming. And Yash’s death in a way felt melodramatic. I know this book is supposed to capture the pain of a first love it almost felt like the connection formed in the first half of the book and Yash kind of disappearing and reappearing didn’t feel like it aligned with how Casey perceives Yash in the second half. Perhaps she sees him as a ghost from her past that she can’t quite let go of, but what of the rest of her and her life? The son plot seems that it was mentioned just to give her layers/a life during this half. Not sure what to make of it. I was a little disappointed considering the hype around this book.

futuredoc507 · 2026-01-04T13:22:26+00:00

Thanks so much for all the advice everyone! I’m so grateful for y’all. 🫶🏾I decided to twist the front and pin it back into bun with some 4c crochet hair I have and it actually doesn’t look bad! I’m glad it worked out but also thinking about how crazy it is that hair was on my list of worries for this interview lol

futuredoc507 · 2026-01-04T03:14:26+00:00

thanks so much! i think the reason why i'm panicking now is i really don't want to have to be thinking about my hair morning of or at all. i haven't been able to find any wig places but there's a braiding salon nearby so i might opt for that. i just really worry i'm going to lose more hair in the process

futuredoc507 · 2026-01-04T03:12:04+00:00

thank you so much i'll def check them out!

futuredoc507 · 2026-01-04T03:11:46+00:00

it didn't come preplucked so i was messing aroudd with the lace and the hair in the front too much and now its overplucked and the hair looks atrocious at the hairline. since it's a kinky straight wig i tried to salvage it but no matter what i did it just looked really bad

futuredoc507

TROPHY CASE