Last year, some of you may recall that my MD-PhD program instituted a "Big Brother/Big Sister" thing which was supposed to give the new students a person that they could ask questions of who had been doing this for a while.
With some reservations, I signed up to do it. And I ended up getting assigned the 2nd Epi MD-PhD student to come through (after me). He turned out to be a decent guy, and I was glad I did it. And I've actually been helpful to him at times. I think.
What were my reservations? Well.... I was worried that conversing with him would end up being me telling him about potential roadblocks -- ones that had happened to me -- and then having him pooh-pooh what had happened. I was worried that if I said, "I had problems with XYZ and here's what you can do to avoid this yourself," he would patronizingly nod and say, "That sounds really difficult," and think to himself, "God, SHE'S a total idiot."
Why was I worried about that? That sort of interaction happens all the time during med school! Sheesh people.
I think I was also worried that he would think that I was uncool/old/boring, well.... because I am these things. At least by the standards which most 22 year olds use to judge coolness.
Oh and finally? I was worried that the conversation would devolve into a let-me-tell-you-my resume, which it can sometimes do with some pre-med types.
But anyway, all these fears were for naught with my first little sib. He turned out to be awesome, and I'm really glad I've gotten to know him. He has his s*** together, and seems to be a nice person. And he laughs at my jokes. (Very important!)
So, it was with less trepidation this time that I signed up again to be a big sib. This time I got a guy who is not going to be in my department. He's not doing basic science, but his field is enough different than mine that I'm not sure how helpful I will be able to be.
And (I know this is petty), his email signature reads as follows:
Name
Very Important Award Winner
Famous University
People, come on. I'm sorry. But who signs their email: Old MD Girl, Rhodes Scholar* (haHA! I wish)? Really.
Well, maybe a lot of people do. Maybe I'm just jealous. Still, it seemed a little douchey to me.
TRYING VERY HARD TO SUSPEND JUDGMENT THOUGH. FYI. So please don't post a bunch of comments about what a complete bitch I am. Thanks.
We meet sometime next week. If he gets around to responding to my email.
Well, maybe it will be like last year and it will all go a lot better than I fear.
Let's hope!
*This wasn't the award he won (you know you just opened up google and started typing "Rhodes Scholar" you little stalker, you). I had actually never heard of the award he won.
9 Pearls of Wisdom:
It's funnier that you've never heard of the award he won, though, isn't it?
Makes me wish I'd gotten a best attendance award in third grade or something, so I could list that on my resume.
this is very D-bagish. but funny. and maybe i'm just jealous too because i haven't won any awards!
I totally know what you're talking about with the patronizing "That sounds really difficult". I'm embarrassed to even tell people I'm a doctor, much less put my college and awards I've won in my signature (not that I've won any famous awards or anything).
Unrelated, but I wanted to comment that of all the blogs I have on my feed that's on the filter I actually read, you update the most. (Except for Cake Wrecks.) Very impressive! :)
God, what a bitch you are! JK...He sounds a complete douche. Who the hell signs ANYTHING like that unless it's to completely show their "importance".
RAG
Hates Most Things Douchey Award recipient
CYA University
One of my girlfriends goes to a top ivy for grad school and has it in her signature as well.. i think its obnoxious, especially since its NOT her school email, its her personal one...
My med school does the big sib thing also, I hope mine is a good one :)
Yeah, I just feel bad because maybe he's just really proud of the award and thought (erroneously) that it would look good on his signature, not realizing that it looks douchey.
On the other hand, maybe he is an arrogant jerk who thinks he's better than everyone else.
We'll just have to see!
The most positive take on this I can figure is that he did it while drunk and forgot to change it (not all email clients show your own sig at the end, and you stop looking after a while).
On my school email, I had a ridiculous sig for a while:
Gabbiana [Surname]
MedSkool '09
email@schooladdress.edu
215-555-5555
55 Fake St.
Phila, PA 19130
Mostly because I kept sending fishing emails to away rotation coordinators and interview-schedulers, and I wanted them to know who I was and EVERY POSSIBLE WAY to get in touch with me. But I'd delete a lot of it -- only if I remembered -- when I was just emailing in-school people.
Yeah.. my husband does that kind of, where he puts too much self-aggrandizing info in his signature (not so bad as his awards, thank goodness). I keep trying to gently hint that it makes him look like a pretentious a** - he isn't one, of course, but he's a little clueless about humility as a social grace. Ah, well... he has other redeeming qualities. :)
Oh, sorry - so my point (ahem) was, maybe he's just a little clueless and very proud of his achievement? good for you, giving him benefit of the doubt.
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