I'm done

There are some professors who are so exceptional, that their ratemyprofessor reviews speak for themselves. For example, one of my all-time favorite professors has these reviews:


http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?ti…


(I didn’t write any of these reviews myself, but whole-heartedly agree with them.)


Croooz, it might be worth it to use the site and/or the advice of tutors (or seniors in that major) to seek out these kinds of talented teachers. I definitely used ratemyprofessor to decide on a number of my postbac classes, and in some cases moved my schedule around to accommodate taking a class section taught by one of these professors. I think it made all the difference in the world in terms of getting successfully through the prereqs!


I also agree with the comment about making sure you get enough sleep – whenever I hit a wall in my postbac studies, I took a nap, and woke up in a much better learning state of mind. It’s something I still do as a med student. :slight_smile:


Good luck! Sounds to me like maybe you’re not done quite yet!

  • ksyhe Said:
Good luck! Sounds to me like maybe you're not done quite yet!



And THIS is what I LOVE about this site so much positive encouragement!

Pathdr2be said:


“Finally, I suspect that the reason many of us are Nontrad premeds is because once upon a time, many of us were lazy ass, terrible students, looking for the easy way out.”


I think this is a gross generalization. It is highly unfair to paint us all broadly with the same brush. Most people do resent being “lumped into a bucket” with others who they feel do not represent their race, color, culture, genre, orientation, etc.


My personal experience on this site, and I am only speaking for me, is that most of us are amazing, talented, brilliant people, many who have had very successful careers, who at some point in their life, experienced a “koan moment” that they could fulfill themselves better, in career, and as life long learners, if they chose this undertaking.


Studies are difficult. Not all of us are gifted in the learning of math or science, but have excelled elsewhere in life. ALL of those skills are brought to bear in this process and help us to, in the long run, be better doctors.


Croooz, do not despair, sleep, exercise, food, tutors, Khan Academy, and professor reviews, have gotten a lot of us through this process.


Someone snidely suggest I carefully read posts in this thread. Well I’d like suggest you consider doing the same Vicki, because I NEVER said ALL, I said MANY. And I stand behind what I said.


FYI, not everything on this site is about YOU, for YOU, or directed to YOU, so PUL-Eezzee stop taking EVERY post you don’t like (or perhaps just mine) so darn PERSONAL.


Sorry to derail your thread Crooz, I’ll PM you from now on and keep my $100/hour advice private from now on.

Copied and pasted - direct quote.

dnelson said:


“I’d look at andrzej’s posts a bit closer and see what he was really trying to communicate. In the future, a few minutes spent on that would be a good investment of time and save a lot of thread derailing.”


Posts - not just a single thread. If you use the search option for his name, and read the accompanying topics (posts), it would be very clear as to his painful and personal reasons for needing to change his plans with med school right now.


Doing the same for anyone here would save going over ground that has already been gone over, and perhaps keep the conversation more focused, pertinent, and appropriate to the individual person’s circumstances. Sometimes “one size fits all” advice, doesn’t fit, depending on what someone has or hasn’t done, or has or hasn’t gone through.


http://www.hark.com/clips/bzltlwvlqy-paul -harvey

Vicki: I agree with you. Empathy is a major component in good medical practice. Before we can be good doctors, we all need to learn to be considerate to others.

First of all thanks everyone for the advice, it’s very much appreciated and timely. My days of darkness are behind me…for now. Had a long talk with my mentor and he recommended I go back to the strategy that worked for me up to this point of my academic career which is to not give a dang. Essentially not to make each homework, each quiz, each everything, so all consuming, all important, that the very fabric of the space-time continuum hangs on it. It doesn’t, never has, never will. I just have to keep reminding myself of that versus my current mentality of this is all extremely vital and an indicator of my success as a physician… It’s ain’t but even an old fart can get caught-up in traditional premed thinking.


On some of the advice like ratemyprofessor I’ve been on there. I don’t trust them. I agree they’re a good source and I also agree with pathdr that the ratings are not very accurate. One chem professor I have is rated just about evenly with the current one. The reality is my current professor is much better than the other. This one writes her exams specifically for each class whereas the other uses standard exams taken from test banks and there are many questions she doesn’t teach them on. She doesn’t lecture but she receives decent ratings. Why? She’s younger, fashionable, and an extrovert. She doesn’t lecture and if you have questions she asks you to come to her office for office hours. When you do she then directs you to the science learning center. She did it to me and still doing it to others. She has “favorites” and that’s known and understood so just about everyone is fighting to become one of her favorites. Sooo…while I appreciate the idea of ratemyprofessor you have to look at the ratings, read the comments, and read what’s there, what’s implied, and hope for the best.


The advice about this whole thing “I’m done” issue is the same advice I’ve given, and is a constant here, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. I lost sight of this after my abrupt departure from my job last year. However I’m back and while I would’ve preferred to take the MCAT next year before the change it ain’t meant to be. So I’m back to the slow and steady plan and looking for a job. This gives us a few years to get to med school and Lord-willing we will arrive with two baby’s in tow. I’m not sacrificing anymore of my current life to speed up the future…only to mess it up and prolong it even further. I wold much rather wait another year or two to apply to med school if it’ll mean my wife and I will be parents.


Finally…y’all take it easy on each other and my girl pathdr2b. A decade ago I was as rough as they come with little tact and little care for anyone else’s feelings…now look at me. All sensitive and crap! lol! While we’re all in the hunt and are frustrated with not achieving our dreams just yet or perceiving them to be slipping away taking it out on each other doesn’t help. My recommendation is if you have an issue with someone PM them and handle it. Sniping on an online forum just inflames the situation and unlike that other site, we hold yearly conferences and put faces to names…so be cool. It ain’t the end of the world if someone is wrong in their advice or you don’t care for it. Shooo…I’ve got the biggest ego in the bunch so believe me that when I give advice I dang near assume it should be canonized and adhered to as gospel. It ain’t that serious.


Thanks for the advice. Thanks for reading. Thanks for the encouragement and thanks for not pulling any punches. I appreciate the advice and camaraderie. May we all one day laugh about this, drinking a few pints of some dark stout or ale and smoking one of Fidel’s best…at the OPM conference where we’re speaking as attendings.

Well said Croooz, well said!

Hey Crooz


Personally, I think you should slow down. No rush before your start Med School.


First you should develop a solid way of going about your classes and it may take some time. Second you will acquire confidence in YOUR ABILITIES and that helps a lot, especially when it comes to guessing answers (because the MCAT is full of these).


And finally, I am in Med School now. I aced all my pre-reqs, and was always top of class (except perhaps for 1 class where I was 2nd). Not that I want to brag about it (in truth it was community college). However, Med school is an entire other ball game my friend. This thing is kicking my butt. It’s not hard, but it is a lot of stuff and with kids and a job on Sat I struggle to make it in the top quartile with kids that do one thing only: study.


So my point is that you should find a way to handle 1 class well, then 2, then 3. Because once you hit Med School, and no matter how smart or good you are, you will have to handle a lot more. Again, the issue is not so much the difficulty, but the quantity and being older also means responsibilities and other crap we have to deal with.


So take a deep breath, slow down, refocus and do it step by step. Good luck buddy.

Having spent 5000 hours in CD counseling, you get a very firm grasp of some principles that are practiced in some places. I think a lot of them are applicable when it comes to the dynamics of any group. For the individual to move forward towards a goal, there has to be some sense of unity on the part of the group that is supporting that person, regardless of differences in backgrounds, ethnicity, language, culture, experience, etc. Respecting individual differences and diversity, while at the same time being unconditionally loving and supportive of ALL who are seeking the same goal. Not necessarily a mandate for this site, but a personal principle that I seek to practice consistently within my daily life. The other piece of that, is that when negative behavior threatens the unity of the whole, there is a responsibility to hold individuals accountable for such, so that the whole can not be distracted and continue to remain focused. The old “If one person says you have a tail, you can ignore them. If 5 people say you have a tail, take a look at your behind, you just might have a tail.” Being each other’s eyes and ears, in an effort to maintain an atmosphere that is collaborative and promotes support that leads us, again, all towards the same goal. Being accountable to the reason we are here, is not, in my mind, a bad thing, but the best ideal. Maintaining a positive atmosphere of support is invaluable as we struggle towards our goals.


And mi amigo, your bravado and machismo is an asset, not a liability. The only time I have ever seen you hurt anyone with it, is when you have hurt yourself…The way is evident, Vaya con Dios…


  • croooz Said:
Finally...y'all take it easy on each other and my girl pathdr2b. May we all one day laugh about this, drinking a few pints of some dark stout or ale and smoking one of Fidel's best...at the OPM conference where we're speaking as attendings.



Thanks Crooz, it's cool.

Thanks redo-it-all.


Just to be clear, I have decided to slow way down. I dropped the physics. No choice really because I either drop it and focus on orgo or I suffer low grades in both courses. Just finished my third orgo exam and I’m feeling pretty good. We’ll see because there are so many little things to mess up on. There’s a fourth exam and a final. The great thing is that the final serves as another exam so she drops the worst exam grade.


I spoke to my wife and she’s on board…as usual. I called a friend and I’m praying for a job working with him. It would be at a university as a veteran, undergrad, graduate advisor. I’ve been doing that all year for free so might as well get paid for it. So my future will be a part-time/full-time job, one prereq, and working on adoption. I pray that within the next couple years we are blessed with a couple of little ones and then begins the fun of med school. My ego definitely took a hit and overrode any bit of commonsense I had…so if anyone doubts I’m Cuban and male…well that should be proof enough right there.


Thanks all! Off to review my 1x3 cards before part II of the exam.

Good luck with the exam!

Crooz


Take it slow and steady. We’re here for you man. Work hard. I have access to whole chad mcat material. If you need it, let me know. I’ll send it to you. His orgo section’s pretty good.