CASPer Scenario For Discussion #8

[PrepMatch]

A close friend in your 1st-year veterinary school class tells you that his mother was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. He feels overwhelmed by his studies and is considering dropping out of veterinary school to spend more time with his mother.

1. Should you encourage him to do so?
2. How can you help?
3. Describe a time when you felt stressed during your studies.

Discuss Below !!

(This scenario is from PrepMatch.com, the free peer-to-peer CASPer preparation platform that allows you to practice hundreds of scenarios for free. PrepMatch is a non-profit partnered up with organizations such as the Student Doctor Network that aims to make the admission process more equitable)

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[IAmTheBest35]

1. no. i would tell him to focus on his studies. cant put your life on hold just because mom got breast cancer.
2. i am not sure if i can help. i dont get to decide who gets breast cancer, and i cant do his studies for him. not really sure what he would expect of me anyway.
3. i felt stressed when i had lots of studies but i got through it just like everybody else does. not really much else to say about it. just do your school work.

thanks for the scenario. im testing 7/29 so i am trying to get some practice in before test day.

 

[docemmettbrown]

I am testing too today. Let's rock this thing!

 

[drthedude]

1. I would approach my friend in a nonjudgemental and non confrontational manner. I would allow for an open conversation and dialogue to be expressed between us two and I would encourage my friend to discuss all of their feelings. I would encourage my friend to speak with their professors and encourage them to have this dialogue for the semester. I would remind my friend that I am here for them throughout this process.
2. I would help by helping to create this dialogue between the professor and my friend should they choose to need my help. I would remind my friend that I am here for them in whatever capacity they may need me and that I would always be open to lend a hand or ear if need be.
3. I have felt stressed during my studies when I decided to take twenty one credits in a single semester creating a credit overload for my final semester before I have graduated. I was able to accomplish this and excel by creating positive study habits and open dialogues with others in regards to study critiques.

Thank you for the prompt! I would appreciate any critiques on my response and how I may do better!

 

[deleted1109225]

I would encourage him to do what is right for him, and through discussion, seek alternatives that could mitigate both his professional burdens and allow him to spend ample time with his mother. Then I would encourage him to advocate for himself if that meant talking to professors to offset his workload temporarily, taking some time off in order to focus on his personal life, or if he was ready to discontinue his pursuit of veterinary medicine.

I can help by acknowledging and validating his concerns while encouraging him to advocate for himself. If he needed me to mitigate his conversation between his professors, I would be open to creating that dialogue. If he needed me to support him in his decisions, I would also do so with an open mind.

I was stressed with my studies when I was working, interning, and taking a full load of classes during my last semester. Each of these parts were important and unable to be traded in order to maintain my financial stability, career mobility, and complete my education. I created an open dialogue with my professors and supervisor to ensure we were all on the same page concerning my productivity capacity. I was able to make minor adjustments that ultimately enabled me to fulfill all of my responsibilities without trading off one for another.

 

[fluffycookie1231]

1. I believe it is important to gather more information on the situation. I would approach him in a private area and in a nonjudgemental tone ask him if he would like to continue his veterinary studies and how long he expects to spend time with his mother. If he wants to continue veterinary studies, then I would suggest he talks to student services or the dean to work out a plan for his return or to make a compromise with his class schedule. Perhaps they will allow him to defer and wait a year before returning to his classes.. However, if he decide he really does not want to pursue veterinary school anymore, i would suggest that perhaps at this time spending time with his mother is his current priority and he can decide later what career path he wants to pursue and that I will help support him no matter the decision he makes. In the end, I believe it is important to consider the situation and other solutions before dropping out completely.
2. I can help him by being supportive emotionally and being there for him. I can also help by doing research and looking for school resources he could talk to that can help him out in this situation. As mentioned, if he really enjoys vet school, then perhaps I could reach out to student affairs to see if they are able to help with this situation. I can also look for other students who have been in the same situation. In the end, i want to offer good resources to my friend who can help with this situation and be supportive.
3. I was stressed while studying for my MCAT. I was going to retake it 2 months later, which is a short time. I knew I had to work extra hard to improve my score. I began to make a two month schedule with each day showing how much time I ma going to spend on each subject and how many practices test I will take. In the end, I was able to jump up 7 points from my previous score!