3rd year pre-med seeking for advices

[dlee2010]

How's everyone doing? I haven't been on here forever, haha. I've been lazy and haven't done any researches about med schools. Anyways...

So I just recently finished my 2nd year at 4 year college (CSU). I was just wondering about few things.

I've received an invitation letters from Sigma Alpha Lambda recently, they are leadership/honor society. And, also, from Golden Key they are national wide honor society or something. Do you think I should've joined Golden Key? or should I join this frat? Seems like the frat does lots of volunteer works and do the leadership kind of works a lot. What are your opinions?

Another thing is currently I am party of filipino club and international student association (ISA) club. Do you think being part of these clubs are a good idea? I'm thinking about running for an officer at ISA, I don't know what tho.

About the LOR, those letters I have to get it from my professors? I think 2 from science teachers and 1 from non-science. Can I get a letter from someone I assisted or shadowed for? Because in high school I assisted/shadowed ATC (certified athletic trainer). Do you think that was a good idea? But I haven't shadowed a doctor yet. I'm going to this summer tho.

Lastly, one biggest problem I have is... asking myself "why I want to be a doctor." I've been keep asking and feels like my academic performance is holding my desire back because my 2nd year in college wasn't so great. Also, I want to do so many different things, such as learn to play many different instruments, learn to cook, do some art works (write poem, draw, paint etc), social (make lifelong friends, have fun etc). I think these list of things I want to do doesn't relate to science whatsoever that's why I've lost motivation to become a doctor? Also, I've been asking myself "being a doctor is something I really want to do? Do I really fit into this group of people? am I striving it to just make bank later?" I feel like I just lost my motivation and reason why I wanted to be a doctor. What did you do when you hit this kind of brick wall? This feelings are keep attacking me because I've met many pre-med students and they are always doing something, very serious about what they do, and I compare myself to that, I feel like I'm doing NOTHING.

For the most part, I guess I need some advice on how to getting back on track. Finding the motivation and reasons back. Thank you.

p.s. I've just starting to take pre-reqs, so far I took general chem1a and clac1. I'm going to take bio1a chem1b and clac2 in fall 2012.

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[ShoTyme]

How's everyone doing? I haven't been on here forever, haha. I've been lazy and haven't done any researches about med schools. Anyways...

So I just recently finished my 2nd year at 4 year college (CSU). I was just wondering about few things.

I've received an invitation letters from Sigma Alpha Lambda recently, they are leadership/honor society. And, also, from Golden Key they are national wide honor society or something. Do you think I should've joined Golden Key? or should I join this frat? Seems like the frat does lots of volunteer works and do the leadership kind of works a lot. What are your opinions?

Another thing is currently I am party of filipino club and international student association (ISA) club. Do you think being part of these clubs are a good idea? I'm thinking about running for an officer at ISA, I don't know what tho.

About the LOR, those letters I have to get it from my professors? I think 2 from science teachers and 1 from non-science. Can I get a letter from someone I assisted or shadowed for? Because in high school I assisted/shadowed ATC (certified athletic trainer). Do you think that was a good idea? But I haven't shadowed a doctor yet. I'm going to this summer tho.

Lastly, one biggest problem I have is... asking myself "why I want to be a doctor." I've been keep asking and feels like my academic performance is holding my desire back because my 2nd year in college wasn't so great. Also, I want to do so many different things, such as learn to play many different instruments, learn to cook, do some art works (write poem, draw, paint etc), social (make lifelong friends, have fun etc). I think these list of things I want to do doesn't relate to science whatsoever that's why I've lost motivation to become a doctor? Also, I've been asking myself "being a doctor is something I really want to do? Do I really fit into this group of people? am I striving it to just make bank later?" I feel like I just lost my motivation and reason why I wanted to be a doctor. What did you do when you hit this kind of brick wall? This feelings are keep attacking me because I've met many pre-med students and they are always doing something, very serious about what they do, and I compare myself to that, I feel like I'm doing NOTHING.

For the most part, I guess I need some advice on how to getting back on track. Finding the motivation and reasons back. Thank you.

p.s. I've just starting to take pre-reqs, so far I took general chem1a and clac1. I'm going to take bio1a chem1b and clac2 in fall 2012.

IMHO, everything here is superfluous except the bolded part. Do you REALLY want to be a doctor or are you more interested in making money? Nobody on this site can help you with that. This is something you need to figure out for yourself. Have you shadowed doctors? Have you picked their brains on why they did what they did? I would take some time if I were you and try to answer that question. Is there something else, regardless of money, that would make your life meaningful and worthwhile? These are tough questions for someone who, it seems, is very young. Good luck.

 

[dlee2010]

thanks for help

 

[Abider]

I generally don't find the company of physicians-in-training that pleasant. Pre-meds up to big dogs. I don't subscribe to the popular notion of servility to egos further up the chain. And competitive academics is tedious at best.

There's one thing that tells me I'm not crazy for doing this. Patients.

All the competitive culture and weaselly butt-kissing shrinks away when there is a person with a problem and a team effort to solve it or assuage it.

There is always a high ground. I'm a purist. And this experience of striving internally and then externally for the pure high ground and it's dutiful synthesis of integrity, thought, and effort is why I continue despite my repulsion by the culture surrounding it and in obtaining it.

I have thought many times that the culture probably dissuades a lot of the ideal people from coming this way. If you like laughing and harmony and team work. There's just to much underhanded snively little backstabbing **** to stomach sometimes. Grandiose lies abound. Stunted human overloards praising the worst in us at every turn.

But if you want career that involves thought and effort and the opportunity to inspire collegial effort where you can lead your team. And be compensated well for it. Then this is it.

Why so many of us go forward without understanding why explains much of what I speak.

Learn how to take care of other people. See what that does for you. If you keep piddling around in school with makeshift result you'll regret it. I nearly didn't overcome it. And I still regret it.

 

[ShoTyme]

I generally don't find the company of physicians-in-training that pleasant. Pre-meds up to big dogs. I don't subscribe to the popular notion of servility to egos further up the chain. And competitive academics is tedious at best.

There's one thing that tells me I'm not crazy for doing this. Patients.

All the competitive culture and weaselly butt-kissing shrinks away when there is a person with a problem and a team effort to solve it or assuage it.

There is always a high ground. I'm a purist. And this experience of striving internally and then externally for the pure high ground and it's dutiful synthesis of integrity, thought, and effort is why I continue despite my repulsion by the culture surrounding it and in obtaining it.

I have thought many times that the culture probably dissuades a lot of the ideal people from coming this way. If you like laughing and harmony and team work. There's just to much underhanded snively little backstabbing **** to stomach sometimes. Grandiose lies abound. Stunted human overloards praising the worst in us at every turn.

But if you want career that involves thought and effort and the opportunity to inspire collegial effort where you can lead your team. And be compensated well for it. Then this is it.

Why so many of us go forward without understanding why explains much of what I speak.

Learn how to take of other people. See what that does for you. If you keep piddling around in school with makeshift result you'll regret it. I nearly didn't overcome it. And I still regret it.

Hahaha... Nas?????

 

[prolixity29]

How's everyone doing? I haven't been on here forever, haha. I've been lazy and haven't done any researches about med schools. Anyways...

So I just recently finished my 2nd year at 4 year college (CSU). I was just wondering about few things.

I've received an invitation letters from Sigma Alpha Lambda recently, they are leadership/honor society. And, also, from Golden Key they are national wide honor society or something. Do you think I should've joined Golden Key? or should I join this frat? Seems like the frat does lots of volunteer works and do the leadership kind of works a lot. What are your opinions?

Another thing is currently I am party of filipino club and international student association (ISA) club. Do you think being part of these clubs are a good idea? I'm thinking about running for an officer at ISA, I don't know what tho.

About the LOR, those letters I have to get it from my professors? I think 2 from science teachers and 1 from non-science. Can I get a letter from someone I assisted or shadowed for? Because in high school I assisted/shadowed ATC (certified athletic trainer). Do you think that was a good idea? But I haven't shadowed a doctor yet. I'm going to this summer tho.

Lastly, one biggest problem I have is... asking myself "why I want to be a doctor." I've been keep asking and feels like my academic performance is holding my desire back because my 2nd year in college wasn't so great. Also, I want to do so many different things, such as learn to play many different instruments, learn to cook, do some art works (write poem, draw, paint etc), social (make lifelong friends, have fun etc). I think these list of things I want to do doesn't relate to science whatsoever that's why I've lost motivation to become a doctor? Also, I've been asking myself "being a doctor is something I really want to do? Do I really fit into this group of people? am I striving it to just make bank later?" I feel like I just lost my motivation and reason why I wanted to be a doctor. What did you do when you hit this kind of brick wall? This feelings are keep attacking me because I've met many pre-med students and they are always doing something, very serious about what they do, and I compare myself to that, I feel like I'm doing NOTHING.

For the most part, I guess I need some advice on how to getting back on track. Finding the motivation and reasons back. Thank you.

p.s. I've just starting to take pre-reqs, so far I took general chem1a and clac1. I'm going to take bio1a chem1b and clac2 in fall 2012.

IMO, if you're asking whether you really want to be a doctor AND having all of these other things floating around in your head you're not ready to be a doctor. Of course, that's a decision you have to make on your own, but I can tell you that when I was your age I sounded a bit like you. My intended career track at the time was law, and I always found myself attempting to do things or be part of organizations because I thought law schools might like seeing it on my application. At the same time, I had other interests like outdoors activities, music, etc. After several years, having graduated and worked a bit, I realized I never really wanted to be a lawyer. Once I had that realization, I was free to commit myself to medicine.

I'm not saying you're not going to be a doctor, just that it sounds like you're not really ready. You are in the prime of your youth, and if your mind is thinking about these other things like cooking and art then indulge it. People live long lives today, and a few years away from medicine is not going to harm your ability to have a fulfilling, multi-decade medical career later on if that's in the cards for you.

 

[realmeaning]

I generally don't find the company of physicians-in-training that pleasant. Pre-meds up to big dogs. I don't subscribe to the popular notion of servility to egos further up the chain. And competitive academics is tedious at best.

There's one thing that tells me I'm not crazy for doing this. Patients.

All the competitive culture and weaselly butt-kissing shrinks away when there is a person with a problem and a team effort to solve it or assuage it.

There is always a high ground. I'm a purist. And this experience of striving internally and then externally for the pure high ground and it's dutiful synthesis of integrity, thought, and effort is why I continue despite my repulsion by the culture surrounding it and in obtaining it.

I have thought many times that the culture probably dissuades a lot of the ideal people from coming this way. If you like laughing and harmony and team work. There's just to much underhanded snively little backstabbing **** to stomach sometimes. Grandiose lies abound. Stunted human overloards praising the worst in us at every turn.

But if you want career that involves thought and effort and the opportunity to inspire collegial effort where you can lead your team. And be compensated well for it. Then this is it.

Why so many of us go forward without understanding why explains much of what I speak.

Learn how to take care of other people. See what that does for you. If you keep piddling around in school with makeshift result you'll regret it. I nearly didn't overcome it. And I still regret it.

+1

I felt totally out of place in the anal/type-A environment of my pre-med courses (the few I took). What I've come to realize, however, is that those annoying types are there at the top strata of all fields, so if you want to be successful, you'll be working with these people. Lots of them.

That said, during college and afterwards I explored a few different careers, some through internships, some through informational interviews, but what I realized is, medicine actually resonated with me the most. I feel more at home on the SDN board than I did on WS Oasis or TopLawSchools.com or design blogs. Sometimes it's not love at first sight, but it's love.

It takes time, and I hope that it won't take you as long as it took me to figure it out (not that it took me forever, but I'm a few years out of college). I echo previous posters in urging you to volunteer at hospitals or low-income clinics, and see what the actual clinical side is. For my part I actually find hospitals cold and sterile, but it's the people part that's interesting and motivating.

I recently discovered "Indian Hospital" by Al Jezeera on YT, and it's so inspiring and reminds me why I want to do this. Remember that there is no right or wrong answer and everyone feels doubts at one time or another. I don't think that just because you have doubts it means that you're not ready to be a doctor. When I made the decision the second time around, I STILL had doubts. But the doubts came from fear of my ability more than a lack of desire.

You're in the right place, asking the right questions. Good luck to you.

 

[startingover84]

I feel like I just lost my motivation and reason why I wanted to be a doctor. What did you do when you hit this kind of brick wall?

I have never lost my reason for being a doctor. It is literally a calling for me. If I were a religious person, I might even say that God wants me to be a doctor.

As for motivation, that's a tough one. I realize now that I was very negative when I was in college and I had a couple of years where I grew up very quickly (21-22). I completely changed for the better. Then I was so scared to open the door in my heart that led to medicine. I was terrified of failing again. At a certain point, the fear of not doing outweighs the fear of failure. And that's when I found my motivation again.

 

[SnowyRox]

Solution: Kick butt in every single class you take in college and include all of the pre-requisite courses for medicine that you can fit in. This will keep future doors open for you. Don't apply now. Don't apply your senior year of undergrad. There's a lot of pressure among seniors to apply for grad schools b/c it's a "safer" option than waiting and hoping to find a job. You aren't committed enough to stick your life to that yet.

After college you take a gap year. Be an au pair in France. WWOOF in Australia. Teach scuba in Belize. Whatever works for you. Then when you're tired of traveling and ready to settle down, see if medicine is what you want to do. You will have a great gpa from undergrad and can just take a few classes & MCAT to refresh your application.