I hope you don't get into Med School, you prick.

The title says it all. I have a certain acquaintance, with whom I share my Embryology class, who is currently going through medical school interviews. In his inexhaustible and thorough rehersals of model answers to commonly, and uncommonly asked interview questions, he has managed to alienate himself from his friends. Truthfully, I don't think any one of us who know him in that class want him to make it.

A few weeks ago, while he was prattling on about yet another possible question and perfect answer, I offered to critique his responses. I suggested that though the content of his answer was correct, his method of delivery was discontinuous and lacked confidence. I alleged that his technique of memorizing lists of key points to recite led to discontinuity in his statements. His mind, seeking to spit out as much information as possible, performs far faster than he is able to communicate his thoughts. The result is a conglomerate of half-finished ideas and phrases. On top of that, he has a habit of saying "you know?" and tends to turn every statement into a question with that rising inflection in his voice. So, it seemed like he was asking a series of questions rather than making a series of statements, possibly to elicit confirmatory replies or acknowledgement or appraising nods from the interviewer.

What was his response to me? He became hostile and defensive (as if he could do no wrong), and questioned my credibility and knowledge of what a good answer entailed, "What the hell do YOU know? The people who I did mock interviews with said I was fine." So sorry, but if you're looking for a yes-man, you won't find one in me. I resisted the urge to become hostile and defensive myself, and explained that I focused specifically on his methods of communication rather than the content he was communicated. He maintained that I was definitely not the authority on the matter, even when one of our other friends in the class chimed in, supporting my evaluation of his 'perfect' response.

Needless to say, where once I was one of the few who could tolerate his presence, he has managed to do the difficult and make an enemy of me. Even today, before our Embryo midterm, while the group of us were running through the practice exams, some of the other guys' were ignoring his constant scheming for more clever answers and strategies for the interview.

I hope he doesn't get what he wants in life, and for me to wish that upon someone probably takes quite an effort on their part to antagonize me.