Bad HS student, Currently in the Coast Guard, Dying to be a doctor....

[HjadeK]

Here's my story. Hopefully anyone can give me any advice?

I did poorly my last two years of high school, mostly because of emotional trauma, lack of parents, typical daughter of teenage parents story situation. I didn't think I could get into a University, and had nobody to stay with to take community college classes to get into a 4 year, so I enlisted. Three years later, I'm in the Coast Guard, and know in my heart of hearts I'm supposed to be a doctor. The issue is I'm a California resident, living in Texas. I don't want to switch my residency, because I'm trying to get into UCSB (don't want to pay out of state tuition), however I can't take all the necessary pre req labs to transfer as an upper division student once I get out of the military, because they won't smoothly transfer from a TX JC to a UCSB. So...... I'm in massage therapy school currently, pretty much just killing time until I get out, and then I guess I'll be at square one. CA JC to UCSB to Medical School.

I guess it just discourages me, and I feel SO ashamed to be 22 without even an undergrad. I won't even be a doctor until my late thirties if all goes well. Will people take me seriously? Will I be frowned upon for my age or for going to state schools, and using the GI bill?

Any words of advice on anything?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[etp123]

There's literally a thread near the top of this forum right now by one of your fellow pre-meds who is 41 and going for it. Why do you think you would be frowned upon? There is no maximum age to become a doctor. And if people who went to state schools weren't taken seriously when applying to med schools... well then that would be ridiculous now wouldn't it ?

Truthfully though there are some specialties that have been said to prefer younger candidates, but that's not something to worry about right now. The biggest thing is even getting into medical school. Don't worry about what you couldn't control in your past. Focus on your path forward and take it step by step. CA JC to UCSB to med school like you said. Also I think the sticky post at the top of this forum has some resources (possibly outdated, don't really know) regarding the GI bill, other typical nontrad questions, etc.

 

[HjadeK]

There's literally a thread near the top of this forum right now by one of your fellow pre-meds who is 41 and going for it. Why do you think you would be frowned upon? There is no maximum age to become a doctor. And if people who went to state schools weren't taken seriously when applying to med schools... well then that would be ridiculous now wouldn't it ?

Truthfully though there are some specialties that have been said to prefer younger candidates, but that's not something to worry about right now. The biggest thing is even getting into medical school. Don't worry about what you couldn't control in your past. Focus on your path forward and take it step by step. CA JC to UCSB to med school like you said. Also I think the sticky post at the top of this forum has some resources (possibly outdated, don't really know) regarding the GI bill, other typical nontrad questions, etc.

Thanks for the vote of confidence. Just feeling a little anxious these days.

 

[CajunMedic]

I'm currently a 2nd year in an Osteopathic school. Way back when dinosaurs ruled the earth, I graduated High School with a 1.09 GPA. I was 99th out of a class of 108. After about 18 years of bouncing around chemical plants, Mississippi River towboats, 10 years in the Army Guard (with part of it on Active Duty), and an EMS career. I started medical school at 37 with a wife and a mortgage. I'll be close to 45 by the time i'm done with residency. Especially with military service, 22 is no big deal. I did 2 years at a Community College before transferring to a 4 year college. My post 9/11 GI bill paid for undergrad. As @etp123 said above focus on the path forward and concentrate primarily on getting the best grades you can.

What's your rate in the CG? If you're not an HS, can you cross-rate, or hang out with them to get a taste of what it's like? Are you at a station/sector with one of the Public Health Service docs you can shadow?

 

[Goro]

First off, many thanks to you for your service to our country.

Many of my all time best students have been in their 30s and 40s. I graduated a stellar one last year at 50. This process is a marathon, not a sprint. Med schools aren't going anywhere.

I guess it just discourages me, and I feel SO ashamed to be 22 without even an undergrad. I won't even be a doctor until my late thirties if all goes well.


Yes, but you have to start taking yourself seriously, and knock off the "woe is me " attitude. Get some counseling if needed.

Will people take me seriously? Will I be frowned upon for my age or for going to state schools, and using the GI bill?

 

[GreenDuck12]

Welcome yo the forums. Your plan looks fine but I am a little confused why you woiukd want to switch from TX to CA. UC schools are some of the most expensivds in the country in terms of tuition and cost of living. Additionally when it comes too medical school admissions, CA schools are a total nightmare. Personally, I would take the TX residency and start at a JC and then transfer to UT. You will have an easier time getting into undergrad and medical school in Texas.

 

[sandstone]

Hey no worries! I was a pretty crappy HS student, doing the bare minimum to graduate. I don't even have a good excuse like you, I just slacked off and partied too much. I then went to community college for two years, didn't get a degree. Then worked a great job for a number of years until I started school again at 24. Most credits did not transfer from my CC, so I started over and did four years to earn a bachelors at my state university. At that point I did really well, got into DO school, and have just matched into ortho at 34. I couldn't be happier and am almost in disbelief of how awesome it all is. So, don't worry about it, you have plenty of time to achieve your dream career as a doctor! Good luck!

 

[trev5150]

As a veteran using GI Bill benefits, you are charged the in-state rate everywhere.
http://benefits.va.gov/gibill/post911_residentraterequirements.asp

 

[Seattle Mariners Fan]

I think his business about not achieving enough is pretty common among men. I mean, Newton invented physics and calculus by 22.

I had a ~2.2 in HS. 4.0 at a liberal admit state school for 2, then a 3.6 at a competitive program. 3.8 in graduate school.

High school is about doing endless amounts of low-abstraction work and a lot of brown nosing. College is mostly about "having it" and the discipline to stick to it until you do.

The conventional professional world has little to do with either, and GPA is only a moderate signal about competitiveness for academia and medicine.

One 4.0 semester at a JC (not hard) wipes out 4 years of alcohol, chasing skirts, getting into fights, and sleeping through class...a high school GPA is one of the most useless things in the planet

 

[P0ke]

I'd suggest switching residencies to TX if you want a better shot at getting into an MD school. You can't put all your eggs in one basket, especially not a California school. Texas is one of the relatively easier states to get into med school, whereas California is probably the hardest.

 

[HjadeK]

I'd suggest switching residencies to TX if you want a better shot at getting into an MD school. You can't put all your eggs in one basket, especially not a California school. Texas is one of the relatively easier states to get into med school, whereas California is probably the hardest.

I've really been thinking about it. There's a great Allopathic & Osteopathic schools here. Do you know how hard it is to move state to state as a doctor? I know there are certain boards required, correct?