[deutschmann59]

Originally Posted by shimshimhada

A CLOCKWORK ORANGE

I was thinking the same thing!

"I'm singin' in the rain, just a singin' in the rain!"

[Squawks]

Sharp, being a biologist myself I can answer your question:

You ask why people today exist with poor eyesight - and you mentioned evolution - which is good.

If you remember how evolution works, natural selection plays a role in selecting only the fittest of the fittest. So if we were still cavemen today, all the folks with poor eyesight would die off since they'd be unable to hunt or fend for themselves upon being attacked. So, cavemen with poor eyesight usually fail to survive while only cavemen with good eyesight survive and even so, the ones with the best eyesight proliferate more as they are able to live longer due to their increased vision in facilitating their hunting.

But, the concept of 'survival of the fittest' has been extirpated upon the advent of the eyeglass. This literally gave people with poor eyesight a benefit which placed them on par with people with perfect vision in terms of being able to see things properly.

The same goes with dental health, fat people, etc. etc. We have so many amenities and our healthcare today basically lets everybody survive with great chances - hell, Magic has had HIV for 15 years already and still alive and well. That's why hordes of genetic diseases continue to prosper - from cystic fibrosis to xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) exist. In the cavemen days, someone with XP would have no chance of survival because an XP patient can get sunburned within seconds of exposure to sunlight and eventually skin cancer (within short timescales of hours).

Mankind rose above natural selection. We're balking nature's way of keeping the best of the best and hence, why we have poor dental health when cavement obviously didn't have toothbrushes back in the days.

[deutschmann59]

Originally Posted by Squawks

Sharp, being a biologist myself I can answer your question:

You ask why people today exist with poor eyesight - and you mentioned evolution - which is good.

If you remember how evolution works, natural selection plays a role in selecting only the fittest of the fittest. So if we were still cavemen today, all the folks with poor eyesight would die off since they'd be unable to hunt or fend for themselves upon being attacked. So, cavemen with poor eyesight usually fail to survive while only cavemen with good eyesight survive and even so, the ones with the best eyesight proliferate more as they are able to live longer due to their increased vision in facilitating their hunting.

But, the concept of 'survival of the fittest' has been extirpated upon the advent of the eyeglass. This literally gave people with poor eyesight a benefit which placed them on par with people with perfect vision in terms of being able to see things properly.

The same goes with dental health, fat people, etc. etc. We have so many amenities and our healthcare today basically lets everybody survive with great chances - hell, Magic has had HIV for 15 years already and still alive and well. That's why hordes of genetic diseases continue to prosper - from cystic fibrosis to xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) exist. In the cavemen days, someone with XP would have no chance of survival because an XP patient can get sunburned within seconds of exposure to sunlight and eventually skin cancer (within short timescales of hours).

Mankind rose above natural selection. We're balking nature's way of keeping the best of the best and hence, why we have poor dental health when cavement obviously didn't have toothbrushes back in the days.

Hey, great explanation, Squawks! Thanks for that. So you're a biologist? I never knew that! I'll tell you, if I was only allowed to have one dream to come true, it would be that I was an undergrad biology major applying for med school.

I've always wanted to be a doctor. I've always loved biology and actually considered pre-med quite often. Especially when I was in college. I had "basic" 4 credit A&P I and 4 credit A&P II classes and I did so well that my professor actually approached me out of everyone else saying he'd give me any references I'd need if I was to consider a pre-med route.

I know in pre-med you can major in practically anything as long as you've got Calculus I & II, Chem I & II, Organic Chem I & II, and Physics I & II. And that's what scared me off. I never did well in math in high school, I got through a basic 4 credit microbiology class by the skin of my teeth (but I had a bad teacher, and was concentrating mostly on A&P II at the time). And the physics and organic chem part was enough to seal the deal.

But like I said, I wish I was smart enough to keep up with classes like that, but that's what I get for taking blow-off classes in high school.

I still think about going back from time to time, just to try it, since I'm only 22. But the money part scares me, though, too, especially if it turns out I literally CAN'T do it. All that money would be wasted just for me to find out what I already had a hunch about...

That's life, I guess.

[Squawks]

22? Hey man, you're still young. In fact, I would rate your chances of going into med school to be extremely high if you take the pre-reqs at any school (assuming you already have a bach degree) and then join the Peace Corp to do volunteer stuff in the healthcare branch in an impoverished 3rd world country for a couple years. You can get into any school with that under your belt.

Also, biologists are different from MD'ers, heh. While most people who go into medicine come from a biology background (up to 40-50%) I actually don't want to go become a doctor but instead do science as PhD'er. I actually want to be a professor at a nice school in California like UC Berkeley or even UC San Diego. Life as a professor is so damn nice...despite having to maintain a laboratory!

[shimshimhada]

I want to major in German and do premed.

[nabutes]

Originally Posted by shimshimhada

I want to major in German and do premed.

I minored in German and did premed...

[Squawks]

You guys know that up almost 50% of all applicants who get accepted into med schools hold liberal arts majors?

Even if those kids majored in English, they're not stupid - they still had to take all the pre-reqs and take the MCAT (which includes vast, detailed questions from physics, organic chemistry, and biology/biochemistry).

[shimshimhada]

I could never major in a science and do courses beyond o-chem/biochem. It would kill me inside. A lot of asian parents have this misconception that you have to major in bio or chem to get into med school.

[Squawks]

Hey, but even if you did a liberal arts major you'd still have to take upper division courses in biology and chemistry in order to even have the bare-minimum to do decent on the MCAT. They're required, as well, to enroll in med school.

[3s-a-charm]

Originally Posted by slubu

25, prescription hasn't changed in a couple of years. vision is -1.75 in right eye, -2.25 in left.

I had mine done at 25 +/-. I was also about -1.75 in each eye. My vision has been very good since then (I'm 31 now). It's not quite 100% but a solid 99% for sure. For night driving I have a pair of very weak perscription glasses that help when needed. Otherwise, it was the best thing I ever did for myself (until I recently ordered an E90 that is )!

It's such a quick and easy proceedure you shouldn't worry about a thing!

[deutschmann59]

Originally Posted by shimshimhada

I could never major in a science and do courses beyond o-chem/biochem. It would kill me inside. A lot of asian parents have this misconception that you have to major in bio or chem to get into med school.

From what I read, majoring in biology or chem can help to an extent, but like squawks said, if you've got overseas experience in volunteering 3rd world countries, med schools will look at that more than they would what your major was. Not that doing well and your major isn't important, but I understand that med schools like to find people that stand out from the rest.

[shimshimhada]

Originally Posted by sharp1183

From what I read, majoring in biology or chem can help to an extent, but like squawks said, if you've got overseas experience in volunteering 3rd world countries, med schools will look at that more than they would what your major was. Not that doing well and your major isn't important, but I understand that med schools like to find people that stand out from the rest.

no way in hell I'm doing that. If you get like the top 10 percentile on the MCATs and maintain a high GPA, I don't think your major is significant. Of course, extra stuff helps. I am never getting into med school.

[deutschmann59]

Originally Posted by shimshimhada

no way in hell I'm doing that. If you get like the top 10 percentile on the MCATs and maintain a high GPA, I don't think your major is significant. Of course, extra stuff helps. I am never getting into med school.

Yeah, but just think about that. Top 10%??? I think you'd have to be literally brilliant to do that well. I know there are people out there like that, but for me, it just boggles my mind. But I guess for people that are truly 100% dedicated, anything is possible.

I was just saying volunteering overseas isn't a silver bullet, but think about how much it would help coupled with a high GPA, and high score on the MCATs. I think American medical schools would be contacting you, rather than the other way around.

[Squawks]

You both are wrong. High GPAs and MCATs mean absolutely nothing next to your 'extracurricular' activities - mainly those that relate to the world of medicine (e.g. spending a couple years abroad helping fight AIDS in Africa). Trust me when I say this - there's a reason why quite a bulk of incoming med students are rather old because most of them spent time after school doing something crazy like being an Apache pilot in the army or fighting polio in India.

My little bro is in the top 1% GPA wise with MCAT scores in the top 20% using a double major of Biochemistry & Psychology. Yet, it's ironic, his hopes are extremely dim now after he realized that just 400 hours of hospital volunteering doesn't amount to anything next to people who did something much more extraordinary.

Then again, he *only* applied to the top 10 med schools in the nation (Stanford, Yale, Harvard, OSU, UCLA, UCSD, etc.). That was his worst mistake - thinking that his grades and MCAT scores will take him all the way. I feel really bad for him because back then I honestly thought he could make it in one of those insane schools but after all the expectations I threw on him, his attitude isn't so bright these days...if only I knew he should have done more extracurricular things...

[magmd]

High scores are helpful but not a guarantee.

Other activities are important, but as you stated...the type of activity is crucial. Spending 1000 hours of patient escort at the hospital is rather unimpressive.

Medical schools look for individuals that can bring a unique perspective to their student body. Yes...they must be smart in order to handle the curriculum (usually noted by grades, MCAT's, etc.) But too many students these days have great numbers...thus it is highly competitive. What you need is something that will make you stand out from the rest. While joining the peace corp is quite noble, there are plenty of activities that one can become involved with here in the US, that are equally impressive in the eyes of admission panels. No need to go overseas...just need to have a humanitarian perspective, a scientific perspective, or a unique life experience that will help one to successfully matriculate.

[magmd]

he *only* applied to the top 10 med schools in the nation


yep...this can be a huge mistake. One needs to apply to seperate tier programs. Hate to break it to you...but most applicants apply to 35+ programs.

[BMW786]

The idea of never having to deal with contacts/glasses sounds appealing but I don't know, the idea of a laser being used on something as delicate as your eyes kind of scares me. I know people who have gotten it done but I don't think it's been around long enough to really be able to guage the long-term effects...who knows what your vision will be like in 20, 30, 40 years..I've also heard stories where things have gone awry...

Contacts are a pain in the a$$ but I'll put up with it for the peace of mind.

[tl_boy]

This dude across the hall from me in college did it. It was pretty cool actually.

So he wore glasses like all of his life, he went to the doctor and came back in like an hour. It was nuts, his glasses were gone, and we were all like dude, where's you coke bottles? He's like I had laser eye surgery. He said he was able to see 80% perfect in 15 minutes after the op.

I think after a few hours he was 20/20 or better.

I would love to consider it, but I'm very conservative on these things, and read that night vision can be impaired slightly, but then some say its not. I just want it to be 100% fool proof before i try it.

Good luck though, i'm sure it will turn out to be great for you.

Originally Posted by slubu

What the hell? Can you elaborate? Which doc did he use?

[slubu]

The surgery is tomorrow...!!!!!!! If you don't see more posts next week you'll know why

[Squawks]

Good luck, have a safe surgery! Remember to give a synopsis of the whole procedure - I'd like to one day have LASIK done on just my left eye.

[nabutes]

Good luck!!! Make sure you try to get a copy of the surgery video....

[slubu]

Originally Posted by nabutes

Good luck!!! Make sure you try to get a copy of the surgery video....

they videotape it??