Character, Not Just Credentials: What Pre-Med Discourse Says About the Future of Medicine

An Interview with Dr. Rekha Srinivasan

The Story 

For this month’s OvaCare article, I sat down with Dr. Rekha Srinivasan, a professor at Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Sri, as she is known to her students, teaches the notoriously challenging subject of Organic Chemistry to hundreds of pre-med students each semester. Recently, she has noticed a concerning trend: a small but significant number of these students are making negative and personal comments about their professors. While Dr. Sri has faced disrespect from students in the past, last semester marked the first time she received negative comments regarding her physical appearance. Using online platforms that allowed students anonymity, she was repeatedly called fat, told to work out, and derogatorily compared to cartoon characters. Her disposition was also targeted during the circulation of a false rumor claiming that she had announced the names of students who dropped the course to shame them. These incidents of disrespect are not isolated to a single professor; they can be observed throughout the university and beyond. The growing prevalence of ad hominem attacks has left both faculty and students deeply troubled, to say the least. 

Rather than take these comments personally, Dr. Sri allows them to roll off her back. During our conversation, she expressed having a strong sense of internal love for her soul and her beauty– an appreciation that no student can come close to disrupting. However, she also does not let these comments exist without calling attention to their harmful nature. In a class during the semester of incident, she shared the remarks that had been made about her. She emphasized that while the comments did not impact her personally, the behavior was unacceptably unprofessional and similar actions could harm others if directed at them. This is where Dr. Sri made a very important connection: if students were to one day speak to or about their patients in such a manner, it would be immensely detrimental to the patient and to the future of medicine as a whole.

The Problem 

Do these ad hominem attacks against professors reveal something about how pre-med students will treat their future patients?

Dr. Sri, along with several students who have discussed the incident with her, is concerned that the disrespect many pre-med students show toward their professors will translate into disregard and judgment toward patients in the future. She questions how students who resort to making disparaging remarks when faced with challenges can become compassionate, supportive doctors. More importantly, Dr. Sri seeks to discover ways we can intervene and prevent future instances of unprofessionalism in medicine. She hopes that addressing the problematic behaviors exhibited by pre-med students will cause them to reflect on their actions and learn to treat patients with honesty, empathy, and respect as they progress in their medical careers. 

Medical Unprofessionalism 

Medical unprofessionalism is commonly separated into four categories: lack of integrity, lack of involvement, lack of interaction, and lack of introspection (1). The behaviors in these categories are the very ones displayed by many pre-med students. In my conversation with Dr. Sri alone, I found instances of lying, misrepresentation, bullying, discrimination, lack of insight into one's own behavior, blaming external factors for personal inadequacies, and resisting positive change. This phenomenon has been observed in medical school as well, with professors noticing unprofessionalism in up to 20% of students (1). It is unrealistic to believe that students exhibiting such harmful behaviors will grow into professional and compassionate doctors. Therefore, it is alarming that the very students who are displaying overt disrespect and bias toward their professors could shape the future of the medical field. Neither patients nor professors should have to endure negative comments about their bodies or character. 

While there is no simple solution to this issue, I believe the growing instances of disrespectful and unprofessional behavior deserve the attention of students, professors, admissions officers, and hiring committees alike. The medical field needs more high-quality doctors, and to achieve this, we must evaluate the character of medical students and intervene early on when concerning behaviors become evident. Dr. Sri has attempted to do this by calling attention to the disrespect she has been shown, as well as encouraging students to engage in self-reflection. For example, she had students reflect on the effectiveness of their study techniques for an extra credit assignment, pushing them to recognize the role they play in their own success and identify areas for improvement. 

Conclusion

Given that female professors are the primary target of students’ ad hominem attacks, the gender biases of students entering a medical field are a prominent concern. The current unprofessionalism and lack of compassion pre-med students show will unequivocally translate to the way women are cared for in the healthcare space. This can manifest as inadequate care, neglect of symptoms, medical gaslighting, and more. It is for this very reason that teaching and enforcing professional behavior for medical students at the undergraduate level is critical for creating medical spaces where women feel cared for and respected.  

Citations 

R. Igarashi, Medical students’ unprofessional behavior and educators’ support. Korean Journal of Medical Education (2025), (available at https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11900838/#:~:text=The%20definitions%20of%20each%20are,shifting%20responsibility%2C%20and%20so%20forth.)