- Joined
- Nov 29, 2004
- Messages
- 3,373
- Reaction score
- 6
I used to be active on SDN. Years ago. 3 years ago I deferred my seat in med school for a year because I'd just had a baby (his 3rd birthday is Tuesday). Then I decided to relinquish my seat, and I've actually been a full-time mother for the past 3 years. I have 15-month-old twins now too. And I'm separated and will be divorced come November. So yeah, I'm a single mother with 3 kids.
I want and need to start on a career path NOW. And what I still love more than anything is medicine. My family members who are practicing physicians are encouraging me to look into becoming a PA. My good friend who is in med school with a 2-year-old and another on the way is discouraging me from pursuing medicine. And most of the time I think I'd be insane to try to go to med school now.
But. I don't know. I went to an info session for the local PA program today, and I just felt...not good about it. I've talked to plenty of PAs who love their jobs. And I do like a lot about the profession, and I'd love to be involved in medicine without the degree of stress, responsibility, time commitment, etc...but it's not being a doctor. Obviously. It's just not the same thing.
I'm not sure what I'm looking for here. For the most part I think there's no way I should even contemplate med school at this point. I need to start making money to support my family. 4 more years of school, and then residency...that's a long road. And I know what's involved, as I went through it with my (ex-)husband. Mostly I just can't imagine the stress it would put on my relationship with my children.
On the other hand, maybe I'll never really be happy unless I do what it's been sort of obvious I'm cut out to do since I was really pretty young.
thoughts?
[I wanted to add: I think that if I were to apply now, using my existing MCAT score, I could explain to the local school that I've taken off the past 3 years to be with my children and now I'm ready to return, and I might have a good chance of being re-accepted. I'm not sure I'd have as good a chance at getting into the PA program, actually.]
I want and need to start on a career path NOW. And what I still love more than anything is medicine. My family members who are practicing physicians are encouraging me to look into becoming a PA. My good friend who is in med school with a 2-year-old and another on the way is discouraging me from pursuing medicine. And most of the time I think I'd be insane to try to go to med school now.
But. I don't know. I went to an info session for the local PA program today, and I just felt...not good about it. I've talked to plenty of PAs who love their jobs. And I do like a lot about the profession, and I'd love to be involved in medicine without the degree of stress, responsibility, time commitment, etc...but it's not being a doctor. Obviously. It's just not the same thing.
I'm not sure what I'm looking for here. For the most part I think there's no way I should even contemplate med school at this point. I need to start making money to support my family. 4 more years of school, and then residency...that's a long road. And I know what's involved, as I went through it with my (ex-)husband. Mostly I just can't imagine the stress it would put on my relationship with my children.
On the other hand, maybe I'll never really be happy unless I do what it's been sort of obvious I'm cut out to do since I was really pretty young.
thoughts?
[I wanted to add: I think that if I were to apply now, using my existing MCAT score, I could explain to the local school that I've taken off the past 3 years to be with my children and now I'm ready to return, and I might have a good chance of being re-accepted. I'm not sure I'd have as good a chance at getting into the PA program, actually.]
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