Am I crazy?

[sunnyjohn]

Hello everyone,

I discovered this site along with allnurses. com a few days ago. Since then I have been glued to my little Mac.

Ever since I blew chunks on the ER floor in 5th grade and they admitted me to the ped's ward, I knew healthcare was for me.

Here is my dilemma...

1. I am 32. No I don't think that is old, but I really would like to have kids someday. I would like to be very involved in the life of my future husband and children.

2. I have tons of varying interests. Translation- I have never found a subject that I did not like. Hiking, bowling, Math, English, UFO's, Basket weaving, Poetry, Spanish, Investing, you name it...

3. I didn't do well in my early days as an undergrad. Basically, I was smart, but a lazy son-of-a-gun. Consequently my grades sucked. I understood the material, could repeat the stuff backward and forward, could even explain it to all my classmates but when it came to test time, I bombed. I have more W's, D's, C's and F's on my transcripts than is healthy. (I have gone back to college in later years and out of 65-cr hr I have gotten A's with only one B).


4. I have attended 4 colleges, great schools but none of them Ivy league (U of Nebraska, Georgia Southwestern, El Centro Community and North Lake Community). I am about to start my 5th college and I will probably attend at least two more before I am done. I move a lot.

5. I still have to take every single med school preq. I didn't "test" well early in my college years, I even have to take "prealgebra". Even the science classes I took in college years ago. This after 4 years of High school Chemistry, Physics and Calculus ( I went to an outstanding foreign high school were they would recognize kids with a penchant for science and start you in them as early as 9th grade)

6. I work as a Surgical Technologist, CST. I love it but I want more. Besides, seen more than few surgical residents I could take in a fight...hehehe....(Mainly because they work too many hours and never sleep)

7. I'm broke. I only have my IRA, 401(k) money, and a few stocks and bonds. If I don't work, I would starve and have no rent money. I lived in my car while going to scrub tech school, I don't know if I could do that again.


8. Working in the OR I have developed a great respect for Nurses and CRNA's. What about that choice?


Am I crazy for thinking I can be a doctor? Where do I start?


*

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[lawguil]

Hello everyone,

I discovered this site along with allnurses. com a few days ago. Since then I have been glued to my little Mac.

Ever since I blew chunks on the ER floor in 5th grade and they admitted me to the ped's ward, I knew healthcare was for me.

Here is my dilemma...

1. I am 32. No I don't think that is old, but I really would like to have kids someday. I would like to be very involved in the life of my future husband and children.

2. I have tons of varying interests. Translation- I have never found a subject that I did not like. Hiking, bowling, Math, English, UFO's, Basket weaving, Poetry, Spanish, Investing, you name it...

3. I didn't do well in my early days as an undergrad. Basically, I was smart, but a lazy son-of-a-gun. Consequently my grades sucked. I understood the material, could repeat the stuff backward and forward, could even explain it to all my classmates but when it came to test time, I bombed. I have more W's, D's, C's and F's on my transcripts than is healthy. (I have gone back to college in later years and out of 65-cr hr I have gotten A's with only one B).


4. I have attended 4 colleges, great schools but none of them Ivy league (U of Nebraska, Georgia Southwestern, El Centro Community and North Lake Community). I am about to start my 5th college and I will probably attend at least two more before I am done. I move a lot.

5. I still have to take every single med school preq. I didn't "test" well early in my college years, I even have to take "prealgebra". Even the science classes I took in college years ago. This after 4 years of High school Chemistry, Physics and Calculus ( I went to an outstanding foreign high school were they would recognize kids with a penchant for science and start you in them as early as 9th grade)

6. I work as a Surgical Technologist, CST. I love it but I want more. Besides, seen more than few surgical residents I could take in a fight...hehehe....(Mainly because they work too many hours and never sleep)

7. I'm broke. I only have my IRA, 401(k) money, and a few stocks and bonds. If I don't work, I would starve and have no rent money. I lived in my car while going to scrub tech school, I don't know if I could do that again.


8. Working in the OR I have developed a great respect for Nurses and CRNA's. What about that choice?


Am I crazy for thinking I can be a doctor? Where do I start?


*

It's never easy, but if you were willing to live in your car while going to surgtech school, your one up on me. To start, I wouldn't worry too much about your "old" academic career. You have an opportunity for a semi-fresh start. Begin by taking the pre-reqs. for medical school. This will take some time (approx 2 years) and do well in them (A's). Study for the MCAT and if you do well on the exam, you will probably be a strong candidate at some schools. Osteopathic programs may be more interested in you than some allopathic program. If none of this pans out, you have a second option after completing all the pre-reqs.. PA school. PA school will give you great training and a lot of Autonomy. PA school by my standards is the next best thing to medical school. What you have to do is fairly simple on paper, but will require a large investment in time and effort to get yourself to the application process. There are post-bacc pre med programs available and if you are "unattached" at this point in your life, it may be a great option for you. Good Luck, L.

 

[DocWagner]

Just met a student in her 4th year of medschool last week that is 36 and a mom of 2...so it ain't impossible.
Loans are never really a problem for medical students, they will loan you what you need.
Your grades may be an issue...but that is where the MCAT comes in...take a prep course and go for it! Don't skip medical school because of insecurities, and don't choose another profession because it would be "easier"...that is how people become dis-satisfied.

 

[50960]

Good advice all. You sound a little ADD to me, and that means you will make a great doc. I am not being sarcastic. The best docs I have ever met would be worse on ritalin. Go FOR it..