Are doctors smarter than mathematicians.

Blackpanther95

Alright so a girl I know was convinced that studying medicine is much harder than any other subject and doctors are smarter than mathematicians in general. Everyone I talked to who does maths strongly disagreed and so do I. Does anyone have any good reason why mathematics is harder than medicine?

sopretty

If you're a bit thick, both mathematics and medicine would be very difficult.

Different aptitudes required. For every faculty you could choose to go down.

Including long term dole studies.

jeepers101

With mathematics you have to understand abstract ideas. Medicine would mainly be (as far as I can see) learning and being able to recall massive amounts of information.

Its a different kind of smart. I have a maths degree but forget about me trying to learn an encyclopaedia of medicine off by heart.

TheBody

jeepers101 wrote: »

With mathematics you have to understand abstract ideas. Medicine would mainly be (as far as I can see) learning and being able to recall massive amounts of information.

Its a different kind of smart. I have a maths degree but forget about me trying to learn an encyclopaedia of medicine off by heart.

I was gonna write something similar!!

moycullen14

Yes, because they earn more!

cruizer101

How long is a piece of string?

There is no answer it just different types of smart, who is smarter the doctor, the mathematician, the mechanic who is very brilliant at figuring out what is wrong with your car, the chef who has a great understanding of flavors and how to combine them, the composer who puts together amazing pieces of music.

Its all relative really, there are different kinds of smart.
There is no way I could have done medicine but I'd be confident I could get a reasonable grade in maths (did engineering so fair bit of maths anyway) but by the same token I'm sure there are doctors who would have struggled to get by in a maths degree.

Yakuza

A bit of an assinine statement from your acquaintance, OP. There are so many kinds of smart and ways to measure intelligence that what she says is utterly meaningless. You could have two doctors, one of whom can remember every fact they've ever learned but can't communicate well with patients, and the other who might have to refer to a journal or external source of info to look something up, but has a great bedside manner. Who is the better doctor?

It sounds like yer wan has a bit of a superiority complex. I'd feel sorry for her prospective patients.

Mr Pseudonym

cruizer101 wrote: »

How long is a piece of string? Who is smarter the doctor, the mathematician, the mechanic..?

Julez

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

― Albert Einstein

Blackpanther95

Which is harder though. Her logic was that most doctors could probably pass maths but not vice versa, looking around the classroom I'd say she's right.

Brussels Sprout

Blackpanther95 wrote: »

Which is harder though.

You think there's an absolute scale of difficulty to compare them against each other but there isn't. They're entirely different subject areas.

It's a bit like asking: "Who's more talented, Lionel Messi or Usain Bolt?"

Iwasfrozen

Blackpanther95 wrote: »

Which is harder though. Her logic was that most doctors could probably pass maths but not vice versa, looking around the classroom I'd say she's right.

As others have already said it's like comparing apples and oranges. Whichever one is harder is subjectiveas it depends on the strengths of the person the the relative complexity of the Medical or Mathematical courses in comparison to each other, do you follow me?

What do you mean when you say "pass maths?" Could most doctors pass a first year maths exam? Sure, if given time to study. They are after all obviously studious people. Could the doctor pass a Masters in maths? No, not unless they had a lot of prior knowledge on maths not necessary to be a doctor.

Exact same situation with a mathematician, most could pass first year medical exams given time as they are also obviously studious people but the finals would be way over their heads unless they had a lot of prior knowledge on medicine.

That answer your question?

Turtwig

Everything is easy once you know it. How hard it is to learn depends on what you already know. It's like comparing a marathon to a 10 km swim.

Davidius

Mathematicians are the smartest people in the world. This was proven by Hilbert in his 1903 publication Mathematiker sind übermenschen.

Yakuza

Davidius wrote: »

Mathematicians are the smartest people in the world. This was proven by Hilbert in his 1903 publication Mathematiker sind übermenschen.

Ah yes, I think I read that while staying in his hotel. I felt sorry for the cleaning staff in that place, having to change an infinite amount of bed sheets.

Blackpanther95

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

As others have already said it's like comparing apples and oranges. Whichever one is harder is subjectiveas it depends on the strengths of the person the the relative complexity of the Medical or Mathematical courses in comparison to each other, do you follow me?

What do you mean when you say "pass maths?" Could most doctors pass a first year maths exam? Sure, if given time to study. They are after all obviously studious people. Could the doctor pass a Masters in maths? No, not unless they had a lot of prior knowledge on maths not necessary to be a doctor.

Exact same situation with a mathematician, most could pass first year medical exams given time as they are also obviously studious people but the finals would be way over their heads unless they had a lot of prior knowledge on medicine.

That answer your question?

I have to disagree, most of the people I see doing maths aren't smart at all. Sure there's one or two who could do just about anything but the rest wouldn't pass medicine. You say its like apples and oranges but one can compare apples and oranges, for example one could compare them on weight, value, color etc. So if one had to compare maths with Medicine would you say that getting an undegrad in maths is easier than getting an MD?
I'd say - absolutely.
Getting a phd in maths vs in medicine?
- I'd say the ph.d in maths is harder.
And here I'm talking about the average student, not Sheldon Cooper vs Dr. House

Iwasfrozen

Blackpanther95 wrote: »

I have to disagree, most of the people I see doing maths aren't smart at all. Sure there's one or two who could do just about anything but the rest wouldn't pass medicine. You say its like apples and oranges but one can compare apples and oranges, for example one could compare them on weight, value, color etc. So if one had to compare maths with Medicine would you say that getting an undegrad in maths is easier than getting an MD?
I'd say - absolutely.
Getting a phd in maths vs in medicine?
- I'd say the ph.d in maths is harder.
And here I'm talking about the average student, not Sheldon Cooper vs Dr. House

Apples and oranges is a bad example it's like comparing two unknown random variables.

Harder for whom though? Whichever is harder a masters in Maths or an MD depends on the person. There is no subjective means of measuring this.

Blackpanther95

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

Apples and oranges is a bad example it's like comparing two unknown random variables.

Harder for whom though? Whichever is harder a masters in Maths or an MD depends on the person. There is no subjective means of measuring this.

I think you mean "objective". Even still you don't need an objective measurement, simply the most subjective measurement. i.e. what do most people actually think plus a little common sense. I mean the whole point of IQs is to give a sort of objective measure of intelligence. I guess one could rephrase the question as 'do doctors have higher IQs?'

smcgiff

Blackpanther95 wrote: »

Which is harder though. Her logic was that most doctors could probably pass maths but not vice versa, looking around the classroom I'd say she's right.

By the same token most people are quite literate when it comes to health matters.

Go to your local GP, his knowledge is so dilute he'll probably give you an antibiotic for a flu!

Iwasfrozen

Blackpanther95 wrote: »

I think you mean "objective". Even still you don't need an objective measurement, simply the most subjective measurement. i.e. what do most people actually think plus a little common sense. I mean the whole point of IQs is to give a sort of objective measure of intelligence. I guess one could rephrase the question as 'do doctors have higher IQs?'

Higher intelligence than whom? Undergraduates? Masters students? Phd students? Lecturers? Andrew Wiles?

Blackpanther95

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

Higher intelligence than whom? Undergraduates? Masters students? Phd students? Lecturers? Andrew Wiles?

than mathematicians. The average doctor versus the average mathematician. BTW this is how mathematicians answer the question; so rigorously, a doctor would say: 'we are' ; someone doing arts mights say: "the doctors obviously", but a mathematician says: "Its like comparing to random variables."

MyPeopleDrankTheSoup

Julez wrote: »

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

― Albert Einstein

einstein never said this, it appeared in some self help book years later.
http://quoteinvestigator.com/2013/04/06/fish-climb/

i think it's a head in the sand idea anyway. yes, some people have higher IQs than others, the same way some people are just better looking than others. deal with it!

Iwasfrozen

Blackpanther95 wrote: »

than mathematicians. The average doctor versus the average mathematician. BTW this is how mathematicians answer the question; so rigorously, a doctor would say: 'we are' ; someone doing arts mights say: "the doctors obviously", but a mathematician says: "Its like comparing to random variables."

The only correct answer is it depends.

Windy Bum

As far as I know, medical degrees mainly involve memorising thousands of little facts that the average 12 year old can understand. I don't think many 12 year olds can understand high level maths, though.

Bafucin

Blackpanther95 wrote: »

Alright so a girl I know was convinced that studying medicine is much harder than any other subject and doctors are smarter than mathematicians in general. Everyone I talked to who does maths strongly disagreed and so do I. Does anyone have any good reason why mathematics is harder than medicine?

My thoughts would be that you are required to work harder in Medicine. And that the volume of learning required is harder. However you need a greater aptitude for maths to thrive in it. The endurance for learning is higher in Medicine.

Also we are looking at the subject of Medicine as theory, it's not there is much more to it they have practical skills.

It is probably much more tiring and emotionally draining to be a doctor and the ability to still think logically in those circumstances is hard.

I would say the theory of maths is harder than maths but the job of Doctor is harder than mathematician.

sock puppet

Most mathematcians are a pretty shy bunch, and wouldn't be vain enough to get involved in such a debate. You'd be far better off asking it in a forum of lawyers.

jeepers101

sock puppet wrote: »

Most mathematcians are a pretty shy bunch, and wouldn't be vain enough to get involved in such a debate. You'd be far better off asking it in a forum of lawyers.

That's just ridiculous on so many levels

MathsMedMixed

An answer to the question is rather subjective as many have concluded. I am neither a mathematician nor a physician (yet). During my leaving cert. days, maths was a form of escapism for me. Today, where I can, I assist students with maths ONLY at leaving cert. level. I recently got a GAMSAT score enough to start medicine in September. My primary degree which is up to a masters level is in law. An aptitude for mathematics is the basis with which one can accomplish many subjects (if not any), given time. Medicine just like mathematics, I'd imagine, require both meditation and attention.

endacl

A doctor of what, op?

See? Abstract thinking? From a non-medical, B in pass maths musician!

Me smartest.

ClovisI

Whether doctors are, on average, smarter than mathematicians (OP's question) is an entirely different question to whether medicine undergrads are, on average, smarter than maths undergrads (which is what most people seem to be discussing here).

As for the second question I have no idea, but the answer to the first is clearly that mathematicians are smarter. The reason for this is quite simple: of the ~500 medicine students per year in Ireland, almost all become doctors. But of the ~250 maths students, only a fraction pursue PhDs, and of these not all become "mathematicians". Thus (in theory at least) only the best maths students become mathematicians, but the same is not true of doctors.

sock puppet wrote: »

Most mathematcians are a pretty shy bunch, and wouldn't be vain enough to get involved in such a debate. You'd be far better off asking it in a forum of lawyers.

I don't think this is ridiculous at all - not the first part anyway. (I am not a mathematician (yet)).

Blackpanther95

ClovisI wrote: »

Whether doctors are, on average, smarter than mathematicians (OP's question) is an entirely different question to whether medicine undergrads are, on average, smarter than maths undergrads (which is what most people seem to be discussing here).

As for the second question I have no idea, but the answer to the first is clearly that mathematicians are smarter. The reason for this is quite simple: of the ~500 medicine students per year in Ireland, almost all become doctors. But of the ~250 maths students, only a fraction pursue PhDs, and of these not all become "mathematicians". Thus (in theory at least) only the best maths students become mathematicians, but the same is not true of doctors.



I don't think this is ridiculous at all - not the first part anyway. (I am not a mathematician (yet)).

I agree, cased closed.

sock puppet

jeepers101 wrote: »

That's just ridiculous on so many levels

Sorry for not treating this topic with the seriousness which it deserves.

764dak

ClovisI wrote: »

Whether doctors are, on average, smarter than mathematicians (OP's question) is an entirely different question to whether medicine undergrads are, on average, smarter than maths undergrads (which is what most people seem to be discussing here).

As for the second question I have no idea, but the answer to the first is clearly that mathematicians are smarter. The reason for this is quite simple: of the ~500 medicine students per year in Ireland, almost all become doctors. But of the ~250 maths students, only a fraction pursue PhDs, and of these not all become "mathematicians". Thus (in theory at least) only the best maths students become mathematicians, but the same is not true of doctors.



I don't think this is ridiculous at all - not the first part anyway. (I am not a mathematician (yet)).

Hmm, how many mathematicians are there compared to philosophers?

jeepers101

sock puppet wrote: »

Sorry for not treating this topic with the seriousness which it deserves.

touché

steddyeddy

Blackpanther95 wrote: »

I have to disagree, most of the people I see doing maths aren't smart at all. Sure there's one or two who could do just about anything but the rest wouldn't pass medicine. You say its like apples and oranges but one can compare apples and oranges, for example one could compare them on weight, value, color etc. So if one had to compare maths with Medicine would you say that getting an undegrad in maths is easier than getting an MD?
I'd say - absolutely.
Getting a phd in maths vs in medicine?
- I'd say the ph.d in maths is harder.
And here I'm talking about the average student, not Sheldon Cooper vs Dr. House

It most certainly is not.