<p>How intelligent do you have to be in order to succeed in premed and med, this may come as a ridiculus question, but I'm just concerned. I realize that the passion to work hard and the desire to succeed play a large role but so does the intelligence factor. I fear that I won't be up to par with my other classmates and the courseload; I won't let this stop me from pursing my goal, but I'm just a bit concerned. Input would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>I have always noticed that intelligence AND the passion to work hard and the desire to succeed often compliment each other when it comes to succeeding in anything one pursues. However, in order to succeed in premed and med, you DO NOT have to be a genius; you DO NOT have to have the brain of a rocket scientist (or Einstein LOL!); you DO NOT need have to have a 4.0 GPA, 45 MCAT or be going to HYP! If you did, why would there be SO many (and I mean hundereds and hundereds) who are successfull in the medical field today? </p>
<p>My POV: if you are 'intelligent' enough to have the passion, hard work, ambition, persistence, and endurance to do what you do, you can succeed in achieving absolutely ANYTHING (and I mean anything) you set your heart on.</p>
<p>Well written and insightful, I appreciate it.</p>
<p>Intelligence is usually defined as the ability to learn or adapt. Intelligence should not be confused with having knowledge.</p>
<p>In pre-med and medical training, you'll do fine as long as you have an adequate ability to learn and remember things. To some degree, relative inefficiency in learning ability can be offset by longer study hours; "Intelligent" medical school students don't necessarily do better in medical school, they just spend less time studying. The standout students in medicine work hard, learn quickly and care about what they are doing.</p>
<p>In the practice of medicine, being careful, thorough and conscientious is much more important than being intelligent. Most bad outcomes and torts in medicine arise from failure to complete a tasks, ignoring a problem, or failure in communication rather than from lack of superior intellect.</p>
<p>Recognizing one's limitations in knowledge is as important as having an extensive knowlege base or being intelligent.</p>
<p>See the article at the American Academhy of Family Physicians entitled "Seven reasons why family doctors get sued" at <a href="http://www.aafp.org/fpm/20030300/29seve.html%5B/url%5D">www.aafp.org/fpm/20030300/29seve.html</a></p>