Is it just me - or is 'where's the gratitude for an offer?' a reasonable response....

[Gabby]

I do hope this doesn't sound like some kind of sour grapes - but I have been a bit struck by the number of posts from people who are already holding an offer from a Med School - but seem to be disappointed about not having heard anything from A.N.Other Med. School.
I was going to say 'call me old-fashioned' but I dare say it would be more accurate to say 'Call me old....but' I would be one very contented person if I were holding an offer to study Medicine anywhere in this Hemisphere at the moment.....! Heck - I'm actually really happy to be holding an offer of an interview lol.

It's probably just because my choices are soooooooo reduced by my advanced years that I am looking at it this way - but I am so surprised, given how competitive it is to get into Med at all, that some people aren't jumping up and down with hysterical glee when they get an offer, any offer, no, really - anything at all - I'll take it....if you don't want it - please pass it on! lol
love G

[katkats]

I was jumping up and down here at home...
I was not expecting to get an interview and for sure not expecting to get an offer the first time trying.

Good luck to you Gabby! (My Grandmother got her medical degree when she was 50, and she loved practising until she was 75. so you never know ...)

[no_estrella]

my chances of getting in have been slimmed down by my grades, so although i'm not a mature student, i still know what you mean. one offer would be just grand....
best of, ill keep my fingers crossed and all.

[Gabby]

Congratulations, Katkats - and thanks for the info about your Gran - that is truly inspiring!
Good luck and keep on going, no_estrella!!
- eres espanola? Estrellas - That's the name of a very pleasant Spanish cerveza! (Perdones, mi hermano vive en Barcelona con su familia, y mi encanta espana, pero no hablo mucho......!)

[no_estrella]

heheh no im not spanish, although i did study it till AS level. i always thought it meant star... but i was never that good at spanish anyway! is it a good beer, perhaps i should try it out next time i visit. where have you been in spain, just barcelona? i went in summer, i loved it! what a beautiful place!
have a great christmas!

[Gabby]

The beer is called Las Estrellas, (the stars) I seem to remember! I have been to Barca and Sitges a few times now - my brother got married over there in '96.
I also went to Malaga/Torremolinos/Fuerengirola earlier this year with a couple of my colleagues who are Spanish/English - it was lovely! I like Spain very much, and I enjoy speaking Spanish - although I am only able to 'get by' in it, really! Mind you, I do better than one of my other brothers, who decided that the best way to be understood whilst over there was to put 'os' at the end of every English word (Oh the shame!) Needless to say, the waiters at the restaurant had no idea what he wanted when he kept saying 'Dos Corkos, por favor' - he wanted two corks so that he could take away the two opened bottles of wine that the party hadn't drunk.........the waiters came back with two more opened bottles of wine lol.
Have a great Christmas, and good luck with Med School.
G x

[MattWillum]

I have been a bit struck by the number of posts from people who are already holding an offer from a Med School - but seem to be disappointed about not having heard anything from A.N.Other Med. School.

To be honest Gabby i haven't noticed too much of that, but i only peruse a few of the threads on here so maybe i've just missed it.

I'm afraid it's just a fact of life when applying to med school, the majority of the younger people applying have got used to being the best at school, best at this, best at that etc..... Very often the sort of people we all envied at school.

So there's still a little bit of "aren't i great, why aren't they fighting amongst themselves to give me an offer" type of attitude around.

The message that there is another 20,000 other great people out there obviously hasn't got through yet in some cases, although as we now see more and more "girl with 4 A's fails to get into med school" type headlines in the press every year, maybe people will become a bit more grateful if they are lucky enough to get the chance.

I think you notice it more as an older applicant who has spent time in the "real world", working hard, raising a family, educating yourself etc....

Anyway all the best

Matt

[Gabby]

Hi, Matt - I'm sure you are right about the reasons behind this phenomenon! My eldest daughter got a sixth form scholarship to a top private school and found it very hard to adjust from having been academically streets ahead of most of her peers in her State comprehensive to being one of the many able students in the new school. It took the whole of Lower 6th (year whatever it is in new language - never got my head around the number system!) for her to settle and find her level.

I just worry that some applicants may focus too much on getting in to a particular Med. School, without realising that it is sooooo competitive out there that they would probably be well advised to grab any offer with both hands! At the end of the 4/5/6 years they will have the pleasure of being a Doctor of Medicine, regardless of which School they attended.

Thanks for your supportive posts on here - I'm continuing to trudge purposefully in the direction of my dreams - and will be bouncing off the walls for many months if I am lucky enough to get an offer.....from anywhere lol.

Take care, and all the best with your studies - are you enjoying life at Liverpool?

Cheers, G

[MattWillum]

My eldest daughter got a sixth form scholarship to a top private school and found it very hard to adjust from having been academically streets ahead of most of her peers in her State comprehensive to being one of the many able students in the new school. It took the whole of Lower 6th (year whatever it is in new language - never got my head around the number system!) for her to settle and find her level.

Good for her, not doubt she benefited from it though, its a better situation to be in surrounded by people of a similar ability, healthy competition.
It's very similar at med school, everyone is used to being the top dog at school, but only a few can be the top at med school.

I just worry that some applicants may focus too much on getting in to a particular Med. School, without realising that it is sooooo competitive out there that they would probably be well advised to grab any offer with both hands! At the end of the 4/5/6 years they will have the pleasure of being a Doctor of Medicine, regardless of which School they attended.

Agree, i've said this before and ruffled a few feathers, although i appreciate not everyone can drop everything and run to the other side of the country, but unfortunately it's competitive enough without placing your own limits on your application.

Thanks for your supportive posts on here - I'm continuing to trudge purposefully in the direction of my dreams - and will be bouncing off the walls for many months if I am lucky enough to get an offer.....from anywhere lol.

Well all the best, i can tell from your posts that you are something different from the norm, you still have the inner drive/won't settle for 2nd best outlook, which for most people disappears when the comfort zone of material comfort/middle age creeps upon them.

are you enjoying life at Liverpool?

Yes, in so many way both personal and academic. We lived in Scotland for the last 3 1/2 years, and my wife is from Liverpool and wanted to come back so she's happy to be able to pop round her mums/sister/friends whenever she wants as opposed to once a month. Personally, i love learning and to know that my job for the next 5 years is solely to educate myself or be educated to the best of my ability is a great feeling. Medicine is a good degree to do in so many ways as it covers so many different areas. For example, my first year project is on the illnesses of famous people, so for a month i'll be in the art/literature library reading the books and biographies of George Orwell (my favourite author).

All the best Gabby

Matt

[AtheJ]

Thanks for your supportive posts on here - I'm continuing to trudge purposefully in the direction of my dreams - and will be bouncing off the walls for many months if I am lucky enough to get an offer.....from anywhere lol.

Take care, and all the best with your studies - are you enjoying life at Liverpool?

Cheers, G[/QUOTE]

I with you sis... oh the callowness of youth.

The problem with the clever kids is that if left unchecked (by some element of reflection), this aspect of their self image translates into some rather unattractive characterisics in later life. I have worked with/for several that fit this category and to a man, they suffer as a result - mostly in relationships with other humans :-)

oh and if it's of interest, one comes outr a bachelor of medicine & surgery, the Doctor title is sort of honary.