Can Med Students go Greek?

[ucirvinealumnus]

Hey guys,

I’m new to the forum. this is kind of a double post, but my situation differs from others.

Looking back, it was the dumbest mistake for me not going greek when I was an undergraduate. I had a blast in my undergrad, but I would go greek if I could go back and redo everything. I’m currently in the application process for med school (future doctor in training over here, haha). I was wondering do fraternities accept guys in grad/medical schools?

I’m a chill guy, nothing wrong with me…except maybe that im 23. I’m a pretty well rounded guy. I surf, used to play water polo in high school and won CIF. I majored in drama (great for songfest/greek sing). Also, I’m Asian (if that affects people’s decisions), but like I said I’m chill. I’m financially stable/affluent (got a porsche ) and dont mind kicking it with freshman. no discrimination over here.

I’m not interested in professional fraternities (esp since I don’t think there are ones for doctors…). I just really messed up by rushing the wrong house as an undergrad. i was bidded by a top house, but it just didnt feel right and didnt take it.

So, does anyone know of a fraternity with an open mind that will take med students? or am I sunk? thoughts? anyone got any suggestions about how to approach this non-traditional situation? should i contact nationals first to talk with the chapter advisor and discuss my situation with him mono y mono or would that piss the actives off? should i even try? i mean, you would think that at least one chapter could use a rich athletic chill soon-to-be doctor, right?

thanks in advance. take it easy

[Kappamd]

I can't comment on whether or not fraternities can/will accept guys in grad/med school, but I can comment on the fact that the chances of you having the time to commit to a fraternity are minuscule, assuming you get in.

[ucirvinealumnus]

Originally Posted by Kappamd

I can't comment on whether or not fraternities can/will accept guys in grad/med school, but I can comment on the fact that the chances of you having the time to commit to a fraternity are minuscule, assuming you get in.

i thought about the whole time commitment thing too. but, it shouldnt be a problem because i still gotta drink and have a life. that doesn't change even though id be in med school.

[Kappamd]

You have NO idea what you are getting yourself into.

[JennRN]

Originally Posted by ucirvinealumnus

i thought about the whole time commitment thing too. but, it shouldnt be a problem because i still gotta drink and have a life. that doesn't change even though id be in med school.

Hahahaha!!! Oh, thats awesome.

In a serious answer though, I had quite a few friends in med school who were in " professional" fraternities-but at my school there were like, 4 for med students. And they were anything but professional....thats meant in the best way possible. However, they were different from your traditional undergrad fraternities in that, while they threw a few themed parties a year, they didn't have the community service time commitments, formals, etc that you'd normally see.

[JennRN]

Originally Posted by Kappamd

You have NO idea what you are getting yourself into.

AGREE.

[excelblue]

Can't hurt to ask the specific fraternities in question.

[Barbie's_Rush]

Originally Posted by ucirvinealumnus

Hey guys,

I’m new to the forum. this is kind of a double post, but my situation differs from others.

Looking back, it was the dumbest mistake for me not going greek when I was an undergraduate. I had a blast in my undergrad, but I would go greek if I could go back and redo everything. I’m currently in the application process for med school (future doctor in training over here, haha). I was wondering do fraternities accept guys in grad/medical schools?

I’m a chill guy, nothing wrong with me…except maybe that im 23. I’m a pretty well rounded guy. I surf, used to play water polo in high school and won CIF. I majored in drama (great for songfest/greek sing). Also, I’m Asian (if that affects people’s decisions), but like I said I’m chill. I’m financially stable/affluent (got a porsche ) and dont mind kicking it with freshman. no discrimination over here.

I’m not interested in professional fraternities (esp since I don’t think there are ones for doctors…). I just really messed up by rushing the wrong house as an undergrad. i was bidded by a top house, but it just didnt feel right and didnt take it.

So, does anyone know of a fraternity with an open mind that will take med students? or am I sunk? thoughts? anyone got any suggestions about how to approach this non-traditional situation? should i contact nationals first to talk with the chapter advisor and discuss my situation with him mono y mono or would that piss the actives off? should i even try? i mean, you would think that at least one chapter could use a rich athletic chill soon-to-be doctor, right?

thanks in advance. take it easy

Originally Posted by ucirvinealumnus

i thought about the whole time commitment thing too. but, it shouldnt be a problem because i still gotta drink and have a life. that doesn't change even though id be in med school.

Originally Posted by Kappamd

You have NO idea what you are getting yourself into.

This guy thinks he's going to have time to be a frat daddy when he's not even going to have time to sleep.

[lucgreek]

Honestly, most fraternities won't take a non-undergrad. I say most because there are some campuses where grad students can pledge. I have never heard of or seen these campuses, but from what I've heard on GC this does occur. That being said, that is definitely an exception, not the norm.

You say you got a bid at a 'top' house at UCI, so you know how rush works. The national organization has little say in how groups on campus select their members (unless the group is being watched like a hawk or a new colony). Contacting the national organization would be pretty useless. The only way you would know for sure is by contacting rush chairmen.

There is a reason why, although the NIC allows it, grad/med/law students are not given bids. The work load is intense and your free time is not even close to how it was as an undergrad. How can you make pledge meetings, chapter, fraternity events, mixers and philanthropy events all while balancing the work load of a med student? I have friends (who were in Greek Life) in med school right now and there is no way they could balance med school with being Greek.

Like others said, professional fraternities in med school are the only option available to you.

Though, talking about how awesome, rich, good-looking and athletic you are would be enough to make me not want to give you a bid.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by excelblue

Can't hurt to ask the specific fraternities in question.

The issue is not on the fraternity's end here.

Originally Posted by Kappamd

You have NO idea what you are getting yourself into.

Hell, I've never been a med student, and I apparently have a better idea of what he's getting into than he does. I have friends in med school who don't have time to get a meal with me because of their rotations.

[ZTA72]

good luck and please check back in with us when you are accepted and let us know where you are in school to be a "soon to be doctor".

[ZTA72]

Originally Posted by ucirvinealumnus

i thought about the whole time commitment thing too. but, it shouldnt be a problem because i still gotta drink and have a life. that doesn't change even though id be in med school.

sorry to double post, but this made me spray my glass of wine on my laptop. I'm still laughing.....but what do I know, Dr. ZTA is a surgeon and our daughters are in med school.

[dreamseeker]

Originally Posted by Barbie's_Rush

This guy thinks he's going to have time to be a frat daddy when he's not even going to have time to sleep.

heee.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by lucgreek

I say most because there are some campuses where grad students can pledge.

This isn't a campus decision. It's a GLO decision.

To the OP -- You won't have the time or energy to pledge during med school. "Having a drink" is not that same as learning the history of an organization and bonding with its members.

[Senusret I]

To throw in the mix though, I know several people who were active in their GLOs while in med school. And I know ONE person who became an Alpha while in med school.

But clearly their activity ceased by the time they got to year three.