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* Top 10 Mistakes!!!
#10021
- 02/14/04 23:08
pla-pla-pla
The TOP 10 ERRORS/MISTAKES made by foreign medical students & graduates
Hello,
This is the good reverend with this week?s sermon. This compilation was YEARS in the making. The recipe was simple. One part observation and 2 parts personal experience. I now present the TOP 10 MISTAKES/ERRORS made by foreign medical students/graduates....FIRE UP THE ORGAN Deacon Durst. Neil C will be passing the collection plate around, and Stephew will lead the choir...LOL
#10-->Believing EVERYTHING you hear:
As your mamma used to say, "DON'T believe everything you hear". It always amazed me the degree to which certain people were so gullible that they believed everything that they heard from other folks. During medschool at UNIBE, there was always a contingency of students (mostly transfers from Ross), who were the source of EVERY SINGLE rumor out there. Here is a brief sampling..
-Tuition is going to be raised to $5000.00 per semester
-Our graduates are only recognized in 4 states
-The AMA is gonna pass a law preventing us from getting residency (Hmmmm..AS IF the AMA has any legislative power??? DUH)
#9-->Depending TOO MUCH on OTHERS for information:
Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with asking questions and exchanging ideas, however, there is this tendency of some people on this forum to overstep that bound, and treat this as the "Miss Cleo Psychic Forum". Here are some examples:
"I have a 78 and 82 on my boards. What are my chances of getting into XYZ residency?"
"I have a 25 on my MCAT, what are my chances with XYZ School??"
Do I look like Miss Cleo to you????...OK...let's try this...(putting on my turban and rocking my fake Jamaican accent)
"Yees my chyld, wit dose board scores, you have a 65% chance of getting into Mass Generals Internal Medicine Program"
"Yees my chyld, wit dose MCAT scores, you have a 80% chance of getting into the University of Michigan's Med school"
(taking off the turban and back to my regular accent)
Now, do you feel better?? Did your confidence go up because I threw out some numbers at you?
A public forum is the absolute WORSE place to ask "What are my chances of XYZ ?". Even if you were to call the individual program itself and ask that very question, no one can tell you with metaphysical certitude what your chances are.
Also, in a forum as EXTENDED and VAST in the DEPTH of information, NO ONE should be asking "what do I have to do to get a residency in the states? That means they have not lifted a finger to check out the basic information sources like the AMA, ECFMG, USMLE, all of which guide you through some of the basic fundamentals, and whose links are on this site.
#8-->Putting TOO MUCH FAITH in superficial things as predictors of success
In the world of daily private practice, NOBODY makes a distinction between who is US trained vs. foreign trained, MD vs. DO, Mass General trained vs. University of Arkansas Medical Center trained, Harvard med school vs. UCE med school. To me, they are just Ron, Waddah, Jen, Howard, Simi, Saad, Bernie, Robin, etc. I and others depend on these people for consults and help with patient care. I don't have the foggiest idea, nor do I care where each one of them trained or went to med school, and NEITHER DO THEY. All I see is a dependable consultant who is a colleague/friend and helps when asked.
#7-->Depending too much on board review courses
If basic science could be taught in 6 weeks, IT WOULD. Fact is, it CAN'T. Basic science takes 2 years to learn and process. I saw too many people neglect their basic sciences by trying to get by with old tests, not studying, cheating, etc. and expecting Kaplan, Arc Ventures, etc to fill in the gap, only to be disappointed with a low or failing board score.
#6-->Too quick to transfer schools at the drop of a hat for "greener pastures"
This is another disaster/tragedy I saw too much of. becau
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* Re: Top 10 Mistakes!!!
#36258
- 02/15/04 09:50
Jablomee, Wood
Many thanks reverend for an original and fun sermon.
Respek!
Aiiii!
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* Re: Top 10 Mistakes!!!
#36259
- 02/15/04 11:32
And another piece of advice
If you hear from a program coordinator, "we don't have any minimum score requirements, no requirements as for the year of graduation from medical school, and no specific requirements for the clinical research and US clinical experience. We consider the whole application", just thank her for her time and hang up. She is likely to give you FALSE information. Don't rush to apply there, if you are an old grad with low scores and no US clinical experience. They won't even grant you an interview. It's better to apply to a program where you don't meet one or two requirements, but you DO satisfy ten others. Don't get trapped by lying program coordinators!
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* Re: Top 10 Mistakes!!!
#36260
- 02/15/04 19:27
DDt
Dear Rev. Sampsom
I loved the sermon!! God bless and hope to hear about the bingo sessions soon!
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* Re: Top 10 Mistakes!!!
#36261
- 02/22/04 06:46
pla pla pla
Obviously this needs to be read again bec of these non-sense questions popping out from nowhere!!!
Hope this helps!!
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* Re: Top 10 Mistakes!!!
#36262
- 02/23/04 20:16
elena1
pla pla pla sounds like a loser who came from the Caribbean. Shut up and stop sounding like an expert. Remember you are from the CARIBBEAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!???????????? Your advice would be good as a joke, why not post it at SDN?
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* Re: Top 10 Mistakes!!!
#36263
- 02/24/04 15:25
Pretty me
I think pal pla pla is great! He gives very true advice. Thanks a lot. And hope you do well in your private practice.
Right now I am trying to get into UCSF IM program.
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* Re: Top 10 Mistakes!!!
#36264
- 02/24/04 16:12
hey
Hey ELENA1 ....what do you mean by a loser from the caribbean???? Your the only LOSER here. I am for the Caribbean and very much take offence to it.
As for you Mr PLA PLA PLA....last time I was in Jamaica I didn't see anyone wearing turbans down there....IDIOT. Stop giving bad impression of Caribbean folks. I STUDIED in the caribbean and I did NOT see any of my classmaTES, OVER 100 of us, partying etc as you suggest. TRUST ME FOLKS>>>>THIS GUY DONT HAVE A CLUE WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT.....just a damn IDIOT.
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* Re: Top 10 Mistakes!!!
#36265
- 02/25/04 09:04
ananasmedik
to hey,
so your criteria of inteligence is proportional to people wearing the turbans???
sure you are in the same bracket as elena!
Take care!
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* Re: Top 10 Mistakes!!!
#36266
- 02/25/04 12:15
hey
ANANASMEDIK
I guess english is not your first language. If it was you would know how to interpret what others are saying.....
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* Re:Top 10 Mistakes!!!
#176778
esquander - 08/03/05 23:04
From the library.
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