Five reasons to dislike pre-med students. I knew a few who didn’t fit this mold, but a large percentage were exactly this kind of asshole. The major crime, in my opinion, is number one on the article’s list:
They are not motivated by curiosity.
If they ask a question in class, it’s often to find out what will be on an upcoming exam. Some of them volunteer to work in a lab on real research projects, but they don’t give it their all because they have no passion for scientific inquiry — it’s just another line on their résumés.
The biology and chemistry majors in my classes hated many of the pre-meds for exactly this reason.
Picture this: A professor is in front of the class, weaving an elegant story about complex processes working in perfect harmony to sustain homeostasis. She’s just getting to the most fascinating part, and a pre-med’s hand shoots up: “Will we need to know this for the next quiz?”
At this point, the other pre-meds nod in unison, while the science majors do their best to prove that negative thoughts can cause someone to spontaneously combust.
Some of the commentors on that article miss the point completely:
But as to us not caring or being uninterested in learning, I think that is completely false. We may not be interested in learning biochemistry or microbiology because these are courses we are forced to take but will not be needed by most future doctors. We do care about relevant courses that we take in medical school, but any “pre-med” course taken in undergrad is completely useless in our future careers. Would the average biochemistry major be interested in Gross Anatomy if they were forced to take it?
Where do I start…
First of all, if you think that doctors don’t need to know microbiology or biochemistry, I hope that I never end up in your clinic. If you can’t understand pathogenic organisms or the way in which pharmaceuticals affect the body, there’s no way I’m putting my life in your hands.
Secondly, yes, many biochem majors would be interested in gross anatomy. As a biology major, I tried to get into anatomy in college, because I wanted to satisfy my curiosity about how the body works at a deeper level. (The pre-meds were taking up all the open slots, though). A true education demands more than just vocational training. I know this is shocking, but being interested in learning means that you enjoy hearing about things that have nothing to do with your job. I’m a better person today because I dabbled in art, and learned more about world history. Knowing gross anatomy wouldn’t have directly helped my career, but it would have been fascinating.
To the few pre-meds I knew who bucked the stereotype, I’m sincerely sorry. After all, I was able to escape these dipshits after leaving college. You had to spend 4 more years in med school with them.
