Everyone Has To Read This

[gastroenterologist]

Hello:

I wanted to tell you guys an interesting story. I'll try not to make it too long. I have this one student in my class whose father works with me at an hospital. When I told him that I had gotten accepted to SMU, he was surprised as if he had done something wrong. As a result, I have come to discover that he wants to make his son a doctor as well. This is his son's situation: he got C's and D's throughout his premed courses, and so couldn't get into a Caribbean schoool. Just last month, this guy's dad sent his son to some third world country whose name I can not even spell. The program there is 5.5 years. Today the officials of the school called his dad here in the United States and told him that his son is failing majority of his classes at this medical school. The father told them that he will tip them if they pass him out with an MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine; Bachelor of Surgery). They agreed. Now when he gets done with these five and half years, he wants to come back to the United States to practice, which means he will have to take those USMLE's. I am kind of questioning myself as to how he will do on these exams. Give me some reflections on this. I would love to hear from you guys. Thanks.

[JTP73]

Hello:

I wanted to tell you guys an interesting story. I'll try not to make it too long. I have this one student in my class whose father works with me at an hospital. When I told him that I had gotten accepted to SMU, he was surprised as if he had done something wrong. As a result, I have come to discover that he wants to make his son a doctor as well. This is his son's situation: he got C's and D's throughout his premed courses, and so couldn't get into a Caribbean schoool. Just last month, this guy's dad sent his son to some third world country whose name I can not even spell. The program there is 5.5 years. Today the officials of the school called his dad here in the United States and told him that his son is failing majority of his classes at this medical school. The father told them that he will tip them if they pass him out with an MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine; Bachelor of Surgery). They agreed. Now when he gets done with these five and half years, he wants to come back to the United States to practice, which means he will have to take those USMLE's. I am kind of questioning myself as to how he will do on these exams. Give me some reflections on this. I would love to hear from you guys. Thanks.
I do not speak from the role of a med student yet, graduate of med school, etc, but if he is failing his classes, chances are that he is not mastering the material he is supposed to be learning. The bigger issue that appears most relevant to me is the unethical nature in which his father behaves. For any and all professions, people with power (hence money) cheat in various ways, essentially abusing their power. What kind of lesson do you feel that his son has learned? What will he learn from his father buying his son's way to a degree? For these reasons and many more, the powers that be have standardized exams like the USMLE. As I write this (post) now, as a consumer of medicine and future physician, I am pleased that the system has inherent checks and balances.

"It is impossible for a man to be cheated by anyone but himself."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson

[teratos]

If the guys dad is a doc he should know better. Sure, he can get the MBBS by paying them off, but He'll never pass the boards. he will serve fries. G

[mo5225md]

hey...i got into the jan 06 class of SMU. I don't have the undergraduate grades that would qualify me to be a doctor, but my determination and clinical experience was extensive. Going to another school, you need to know that you have to work your A** off in order to acheive your goal. Strictly speaking as a pre med....i think that his son didn't learn that and does not have that determination factor. How could a father help his son like that. I mean getting him into the school, i think any parent would do, but if you don't know the material, how are you going to be responsible for the lives of others. He, himself, being a doctor should have been aware of that. The son should not have been able to graduate that school, by fault of parent and school alike. I think it will show on the USMLE, because there is no way you can bribe anyone with getting those scores...or at least, i hope not. I got a rare chance to go to a great school and i don't take that for granted at all. Im actually very excited about attending in january and am thinking of upping it to august if all goes well. I think he needs to learn the same thing we all already know....bad grades can be forgiven, but doing something that involves lives of others is not taken lightly and shouldnt be treated as if it were just another task. Take these chances very seriouisly, because you never know how rare they are until you complete your goal.Thats my take on the situation...long huh?...haha.

[AUCMD2006]

son probably doesn't want to be a doctor and doesn't have the vans deferens mass to say so....? i know only us minority kids are afraid of our dads to this extreme! :lol:

[NYC27]

Honestly, I feel bad for his son. He obviously does not want to be a doctor. Maybe he is failing his classes on purpose and his father is too stubborn to read the signs.
I agree, there are people or possibly certain minorities who end up sacraficing their real dreams just to please their parents. Nothing good can come out of that.

[dapimp36]

Who cares?!?! I don't. ...has nothing to do with SMU. Not that important for "everyone to read"