MS1 is MSover (almost). What will MS2 be?

norcalguy
Fri, 13 May 2011 13:08:31 +0000

Is it possibly easier for some students to deal with their place in line if they come from a a school where everybody was a high-school star and they were just one of many? Or stated in the reverse, is it a more difficult transition for those who were always at the very top and now find themselves amongst equals and even their “betters”?



I think either way, medical school will be an adjustment, unless you are one of the few truly brilliant ones. Even students who attended top notch undergrads are used to a certain level of dominance. After all, if you attend a top 10 med school, it’s because you earned a 3.9 GPA at Harvard or Princeton or whatever while the average Harvard student only earned a 3.4. Now, you’re in a school where everyone else also earned a 3.9 at a prestigious college.

I would say, overall, med school is pretty collaborative. You root for your friends and classmates to do well. But, deep down, you (especially if you want to get into a competitive specialty) still want to be better than them. On our Dean’s Letters when we apply to residency, we are split into 5 tiers. You want to be in one of the top 2-3 tiers if you’re aiming for derm or plastics.