<p>@mcat2,
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<p>LOL, I have had talks with several people who felt this way. When I mention medical school they ask things like “so you want to be a plumber?”. :D</p>
<p>^ A friend of mine once told me that “a surgeon is like a butcher.” He also claimed that an athlete is a better fit for such a job because of his physical strength and endurance. (curm’s D and somemom’s D score something on this front if this is true. WowMom’s D1 is not that behind as she is a rock climber/outdoor-y :)) This was back in those days when the brute force was still needed. (I am old…) </p>
<p>In one year, an applicant from Pomona College was a Rhode Scholar mostly because of his achievement in research. His close science adviser/mentor said she was fully aware that many students like him have “other career interests” than what they were educated for (something along this reasoning). It was as if she’s implying that his talents in science and research will not be utilized when her prized student goes to any such 'trade school." Wonder whether he ends up in academic medicine so that his mentor will not be “so sentimental”?</p>
<p>Is the sole purpose of being very good in science classes and in research to get into a med school and then forget about the whole thing?! (I may have exaggerated this here.) Do many med schools mostly value a student who can learn basic science better than his peers within a much shorter time (as demonstrated by the fact that he can still afford tons of time for ECs? After all, STEP-1 requires lots of learning in a short time – It is said to prepare for STEP-1 for a longer time does not really help. Try to tell this to those who curl up in a research lab many years if not for decades that a longer time in doing research won’t help him achieve something in a lab!</p>
<p>NCG once joked that because he was a premed, he was ashamed while walking on campus at a top college. In some situation (especially in some top research group/top classes, in the eyes of some top professor at any top research school), premeds could be viewed as second class citizens. (but better treated than those who are heading to the wall street these days, who may be third-class citizens where there are too many left-leaning professors - which top college is not left leaning today?!)</p>