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So I leaned a good bit on these forums when I was starting off, but stopped visiting so much as I got into the thick of it, time became a bit more limited, and in some ways this place was a bit of a "tease" for me.
Bit of background. I'm a 34 year old guy that was quickly moving up in a large'ish international company. Had actually left IT and was making my way up the business side of things. I was constantly bored, however, and didn't really enjoy my job. I kept changing things, but I never found it challenging. The only thing I liked, other than the money, was the travel and public speaking. When I found out 300 people were losing their job because of some major improvements I made, while I was getting a big fat bonus check, I knew I couldn't do this anymore.
Problems I faced coming back. My GPA was a bit low, thanks to having no motivation when I first started, it was about 3.3 I think? The positive, from the point I "found" my motivation, I had ALL A's, the last 20 or so classes. I had 1 year of grad school (In general psych) of all a's and a bit of research in neuropsych, but I had to leave due to a promotion that required traveling. I lacked Ochem and physics for prereqs, plus biochem for the few that wanted it (living in FL, thats stressed a bit more). I started taking a class while working still in summer 08, quantitative/analytical chem, a prereq for biochem (the ochem class was canceled, which was my original plan).
I was nervous, I was 13 years older than my classmates. In fact, my first day I had come straight from a meeting all dressed up, and before class I was asked a question by someone thinking I was the professor hehe. Also, how would I do? I hadn't taken chemistry in over 10 years. I had a high A, but more importantly, I made some GREAT friends, and had a BLAST.
At the end of that summer, I left my job and went full time. Fall was Ochem 1, Physics 1, and bioorganic chem (sort of an intro class). Spring was Ochem 2, Physics 2, genetics. summer 09 was Bio of Cancer and Biochem, plus my MCAT. I scored a 35R, but didn't take it until later than I intended...
My wife decided she didn't want to support me after having supported her through her school psych degree, plus she had to move to Atlanta for a job (5 hours away). She told me she wanted a divorce, then I had 4 family members die separately all in the course of a month. That was the hardest time in all of this obviously. Again, I had fantastic support tho, not just from my long time friends, but from my new found classmates who are currently some of my best friends.
So I didn't get my stuff submitted to AMCAS/AACOMAS until ~Oct 1'st. AMCAS processed it in 2 weeks. AACOMAS in 9 or so. I applied to 23 MD and 2 DO. I just got an interview at LECOM-B 2 days after submitting my secondary. So far no interviews with MD's, but only 2 rejections so far (Vandy presecondary, and GTown post secondary).
So even though I've questioned my decision sometimes (not often tho), it hasn't always been easy, and things didn't go exactly as planned, I'm still here, I'm still going on an interview, and I still think I have a great chance to get in. I hope it helps someone going through tough times or struggling 🙂
Bit of background. I'm a 34 year old guy that was quickly moving up in a large'ish international company. Had actually left IT and was making my way up the business side of things. I was constantly bored, however, and didn't really enjoy my job. I kept changing things, but I never found it challenging. The only thing I liked, other than the money, was the travel and public speaking. When I found out 300 people were losing their job because of some major improvements I made, while I was getting a big fat bonus check, I knew I couldn't do this anymore.
Problems I faced coming back. My GPA was a bit low, thanks to having no motivation when I first started, it was about 3.3 I think? The positive, from the point I "found" my motivation, I had ALL A's, the last 20 or so classes. I had 1 year of grad school (In general psych) of all a's and a bit of research in neuropsych, but I had to leave due to a promotion that required traveling. I lacked Ochem and physics for prereqs, plus biochem for the few that wanted it (living in FL, thats stressed a bit more). I started taking a class while working still in summer 08, quantitative/analytical chem, a prereq for biochem (the ochem class was canceled, which was my original plan).
I was nervous, I was 13 years older than my classmates. In fact, my first day I had come straight from a meeting all dressed up, and before class I was asked a question by someone thinking I was the professor hehe. Also, how would I do? I hadn't taken chemistry in over 10 years. I had a high A, but more importantly, I made some GREAT friends, and had a BLAST.
At the end of that summer, I left my job and went full time. Fall was Ochem 1, Physics 1, and bioorganic chem (sort of an intro class). Spring was Ochem 2, Physics 2, genetics. summer 09 was Bio of Cancer and Biochem, plus my MCAT. I scored a 35R, but didn't take it until later than I intended...
My wife decided she didn't want to support me after having supported her through her school psych degree, plus she had to move to Atlanta for a job (5 hours away). She told me she wanted a divorce, then I had 4 family members die separately all in the course of a month. That was the hardest time in all of this obviously. Again, I had fantastic support tho, not just from my long time friends, but from my new found classmates who are currently some of my best friends.
So I didn't get my stuff submitted to AMCAS/AACOMAS until ~Oct 1'st. AMCAS processed it in 2 weeks. AACOMAS in 9 or so. I applied to 23 MD and 2 DO. I just got an interview at LECOM-B 2 days after submitting my secondary. So far no interviews with MD's, but only 2 rejections so far (Vandy presecondary, and GTown post secondary).
So even though I've questioned my decision sometimes (not often tho), it hasn't always been easy, and things didn't go exactly as planned, I'm still here, I'm still going on an interview, and I still think I have a great chance to get in. I hope it helps someone going through tough times or struggling 🙂
