Best and worst parts of being a non trad?

[HipChick]

We were in class introducing ourselves. I normally hate introductions within undergrad premed courses. At almost 34, I easily look 20 which confuses people.

So during introductions some of the premeds were talking about the apps, MCAT, and finally ec. I was just listening, chatting occasionally, when this one cocky gunner piped in at how hes done research and shadowed and blah blah blah. Lastly he started boasting about how he had like 1000 ec hours. He mine as well be puffing his chest out like the big ape on campus (or trying to win the penis swing contest, as my ex husband calls it), turns to another premed and ask how many she has and she shyly replys 200 and finally and turns and looks at me and ask, "how many ec hours do you have?" in that "snot nose kid" kind of way.

Now mind you I am not normally the person who feels the need to over shadow and cut people down, she this little boy must have caught me on my pms day. Cause I looked him dead in the eye and said, "I dont know, somewhere around 12... thousand. but thats of course not including working in an allied health field." and then there was silence...

So I can easily say my maturity (and some times lack of) and life experience is the best part about being a non trad.

Worst parts for me is my previous GPA haunts me as well as I miss being apart of a "group" like I was in undergrad. Premeds are so much "me me me" around here.

what says ye?

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[HipChick]

I'm not there yet..

The worst part is feeling like being older than everyone means I'm dumber. It's actually that feeling that prompted me to make the bad choices that took me away from med school in the first place. When I was in school, my province had a 5 year high school program. It was a big waste of money so they got rid of it in my year, so the grade 12s and 13s graduated together. I tried to make up for it by taking 2nd year orgo, anatomy, and microbiology in freshman year of college, which did not go well!

The best part is that I am married which provides stability and support. I also feel confident in my choice because I know what I'm giving up, and I'm doing it anyway.

YES! I have this issue too... I hate asking fellow classmates for help because I feel like I am a bother to them. I dont get the best grades, mainly because of being a divorced mom and a 50-60+ hour week job, thats not an excuse its just the facts. I let an butt premed advisor discourage me in undergrad. i was immature and listened to him, which i regret.

But now we keep chugging away right???

 

[Jewels86]

Hmmmm....

Best part: knowing this is what I want to do. I'm much more serious than I was way back when. The younger students are so sweet...Same stories from years prior, different faces. Not settling for less than an A, except for cruddy physics ~ which WILL be a redo.

Worst part: getting closer to that cheap meal discount at IHOP , online homework, being older than the teacher, and this one, the textbooks suck ~ I've never had a book NOT explain something to me and cost THAT much!! Who thought up that scheme

 

[TriagePreMed]

Worst part: I'm older.

Best part: I'm older.

Seriously.

 

[takeonme]

best part: life experience. past experiences. the fact that as a nontrad, i have no doubt that this is the route i want to pursue and my current occupation just isnt cutting it for me.

worst part: unfortunately you cant put life on hold. were still getting older by the day. there is a lot of sacrifice whether it be marriage, family, kids or losing the security of your present life.

 

[beBrave]

Best part, life experience and maturity. I wouldn't have been able to survive this process mentally years ago.

Worst part, financially I've never lived this much on the edge.

 

[NCOldie]

Best Part: I have realized what has been holding me back for the past years.

Worst Part: I would say "feeling out of place", but that is not a new feeling for me. There is a misconception that older people are dumb (at least in my school).

There was a guy in my class last semester that complained that older people were so stupid and how he couldn't explain concepts to any older person.
I am actually one year YOUNGER than this guy and I wanted to smack him. I was listening to him in disbelief as the instructor of the course let him say over and over again how older people take forever in understanding anything. It made me so sad. There is so much disrespect (at least in my area) for people who are 40+. :-/
Oh, and to make matters worse, the instructor was 50 and the majority of people in that class fell into the 40+ range.
I am surprised that guy made it out of the class alive...lol.

 

[whatbout2morrow]

Best part: More focused, mature, not completely broke like I was last time, being able to feel that being a bit older is not that bad after all when meeting fellow non-trads.

Worst part: Watching school, full-time job, extra-curriculars, etc consume your life completely for years. Watching your friends progressing in life while you are investing so much in a dream that statistically has a 35% chance of actually happening. Being the giver in a pre-med population composed primarily of takers (I guess this isn't just a non-trad problem though).

 

[SN12357]

Best is my work experience and overall maturity. Essays that would have stopped me in my tracks as an undergrad, while still challenging feel...manageable. I have experiences worth talking about. I have more confidence in myself.

Worst is the schedule and the exhaustion. I know it's worth it and I tell myself it's good experience for later on...but 7am-10pm days of work+classes never stops being a grind.

Also not being able to build up savings because of classes, classes, classes and then when the classes are over, it's time to fork out thousands for applications.

 

[TravelingRunner]

Best: Maturity. Knowing myself - strengths, weaknesses, and how to address both. Being serious about this goal. Being old enough to sift through the BS (and ignore it), and young enough to have the energy to pursue this goal. Knowing how to study this time through school. Having confidence in myself, hard-won from years of slugging it out in the trenches. Having my husband and my children behind me, supporting me 100 percent.

Worst: Feeling old compared to the 22-year-old gunners. Knowing I'll be in my 40s before practicing as an attending. Guilt over time lost with my family.

 

[NyWood]

If I could take all the above responses they would do a good job of summarizing my best/worst...

Best:
Knowing that I can do it
Confidence/Conviction in my decision
Ability to brush of the small things and get through life
My commitment
My confidence
All I have learned from my previous mistakes
The feeling of going after a passion, despite the difficulty

Worst:
Knowing that I could have done it 13+ years earlier if only I knew what I knew now.
Not having the financial means to take advantage of all the Zulilly.com and Myhabit.com sales... , (jk, kind of)
The sacrifices my lil one has to make due to my decision.
Not having things in common with those around me in both my former professional world or the new full-time student low level med job world.

------------------------------------------------------
My Journey: http://andsoitbeginsnywood.blogspot.com/

BS Information Systems 2004
1st MCAT 2007
1st Med App attempt

BS BIO 2014 (I think)
2nd MCAT 2013 (I hope)
2nd Med App attempt 2014 (I think)

 

[brownbaglunch]

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[sockit]

/

 

[mauberley]

Worst part: I'm older.

Best part: I'm older.

Seriously.

Yup, that about sums it up... sigh.

 

[sengineer]

YES! I have this issue too... I hate asking fellow classmates for help because I feel like I am a bother to them. I dont get the best grades, mainly because of being a divorced mom and a 50-60+ hour week job, thats not an excuse its just the facts. I let an butt premed advisor discourage me in undergrad. i was immature and listened to him, which i regret.

But now we keep chugging away right???

I remember when I was 20 years old; naïve and making bad decisions...but at the same time I was already working for 7 years straight so a lot of these snot nosed brats can just suck on a lemon...you should not let them dissuade you in any way....a single mom, wow, and taking on med school is more that most young undergrads will face. Just hang in there...life's experience makes you a more well rounded individual.

 

[HipChick]

I remember when I was 20 years old; naïve and making bad decisions...but at the same time I was already working for 7 years straight so a lot of these snot nosed brats can just suck on a lemon...you should not let them dissuade you in any way....a single mom, wow, and taking on med school is more that most young undergrads will face. Just hang in there...life's experience makes you a more well rounded individual.

Yeah, I too started working (consistent babysitting) around 12 and then a "real" job at 15. So I knew the BS. It's amazing to me do many people have no jobs until they graduate...
Single mom yup, but my little diva is great, and my ex is fantastically supportive (now) he even set aside party of his/"our" retirement to help me in med school.

 

[Juan Solo]

worst part: I'm older.

Best part: I'm older.

Seriously.

+1

 

[Gfliptastic]

Best part: Apparently at this point in med school in these clinical years I've been dubbed a master of "game" and a sex guru. LOL The unsolicited conversations forced on me by the guys younger than me are downright HILARIOUS, yet quite honest and bizarre too. "How do you..." is cringeworthy at points. And most of the time my friends are SOBER lol

Worst part: Like the OP/HipChick there are occasions when I tell people "I'm in school", and they ask "What is your major?" So I look young too. Yet I am older than almost all the attendings!! Easily older than the residents. And it does suck that these younger attendings know SO MUCH!!

When you're older you almost NEVER want to get PIMP'd by a classmate, however one attending made it his mission to PIMP everyone during rounds.

My OB attending was 40. He was talking one tiring day, "Oh man, I'm 40 this year. I feel like I've been doing this for too long!" I was just thinking, "Yeah, I'll probably be 40 by the time I get to do anything you do!!"

sockit, to answer your questions I bet the attendings will be all about dating the female med student who ISN'T in her 20's! Or you can "corrupt" one of the young pups, cuz apparently they don't know a whole lot lol

 

[sockit]

From what I understand, unemployment for physicians is exceedingly low. It might be harder to get your dream job but I can't imagine it's going to be hard to get a job.

Ageism is a huge issue in industry so you'd encounter it even without the big change...

.

I'm not shooting for med school, just something in allied health. However.

You have just relieved me of about 45% of my dread. Thank you.

 

[sockit]

Best part: Apparently at this point in med school in these clinical years I've been dubbed a master of "game" and a sex guru. LOL The unsolicited conversations forced on me by the guys younger than me are downright HILARIOUS, yet quite honest and bizarre too. "How do you..." is cringeworthy at points. And most of the time my friends are SOBER lol

This is kind of excellent, lol! Nice!

Worst part: Like the OP/HipChick there are occasions when I tell people "I'm in school", and they ask "What is your major?" So I look young too. Yet I am older than almost all the attendings!! Easily older than the residents.

No wrong in that

When you're older you almost NEVER want to get PIMP'd by a classmate, however one attending made it his mission to PIMP everyone during rounds.

Gross.

sockit, to answer your questions I bet the attendings will be all about dating the female med student who ISN'T in her 20's! Or you can "corrupt" one of the young pups, cuz apparently they don't know a whole lot lol

Heh. I can confirm that's true Kind of done with that, though. All about the grown-ups (if ever I'm in a situation to meet one again).

 

[Gfliptastic]

Maybe 1 too many anagrams. PIMP means Put In My Place. It's like when you get pwn3d at rounds.

Also, SCUT means S***ty Completely Useless Task.

I actually didn't know what these meant til I started clinicals.

 

[HipChick]

Best part: Apparently at this point in med school in these clinical years I've been dubbed a master of "game" and a sex guru. LOL The unsolicited conversations forced on me by the guys younger than me are downright HILARIOUS, yet quite honest and bizarre too. "How do you..." is cringeworthy at points. And most of the time my friends are SOBER lol

Worst part: Like the OP/HipChick there are occasions when I tell people "I'm in school", and they ask "What is your major?" So I look young too. Yet I am older than almost all the attendings!! Easily older than the residents. And it does suck that these younger attendings know SO MUCH!!

When you're older you almost NEVER want to get PIMP'd by a classmate, however one attending made it his mission to PIMP everyone during rounds.

My OB attending was 40. He was talking one tiring day, "Oh man, I'm 40 this year. I feel like I've been doing this for too long!" I was just thinking, "Yeah, I'll probably be 40 by the time I get to do anything you do!!"

sockit, to answer your questions I bet the attendings will be all about dating the female med student who ISN'T in her 20's! Or you can "corrupt" one of the young pups, cuz apparently they don't know a whole lot lol

This post make my stressful day bearable! Hilariously honest.
I've been divorced about two years and I've not had time to date and the last time I dated was... 15 years ago and we got married. So I'm praying that what you say and the stigma of med school/residency is WRONG. I can't handle more drama!

 

[HipChick]

Maybe 1 too many anagrams. PIMP means Put In My Place. It's like when you get pwn3d at rounds.

Also, SCUT means S***ty Completely Useless Task.

I actually didn't know what these meant til I started clinicals.

Thanks for the clarification. Because in my head I'm thinking "I left the inner city so I didn't get pimped out"

 

[534455]

"I dont know, somewhere around 12... thousand. but thats of course not including working in an allied health field." and then there was silence...

So I can easily say my maturity (and some times lack of) and life experience is the best part about being a non trad.

Worst parts for me is my previous GPA haunts me as well as I miss being apart of a "group" like I was in undergrad. Premeds are so much "me me me" around here.

what says ye?

You are a gift from the Heavens. I just now read this thread. My fan base here will attest to my missing in action for a few months. I love your comment to that punk. What a *****. My response would have been to ignore him but that is not to say I dislike your tactic. He deserved it.

Best Part: My age, life experience, perspective on life and medicine in general.
Professors (both MD and PhD types) impress, sway, lead, pontificate and make mistakes. It is a whole different matter when you are older and know better, and don't sweat the small stuff. I find I handle MD school much differently than the kids. They are very anxious. I feel badly for them. I've seen younger classmates go apoplectic over the slightest things, and I just slip out the back, Jack, and slither away knowing they will figure it out (or maybe not) eventually.

Worst Part: the huge let down of USA Education. It's all about $$$ . I find it disgusting.

Speaking of ill-will, I was incredulous when I read today the following:

Bank of America reports 63% profit increase

Banks, 1
People, 0

School$, 1
Students, -1

 

[sockit]

Maybe 1 too many anagrams. PIMP means Put In My Place. It's like when you get pwn3d at rounds.

Also, SCUT means S***ty Completely Useless Task.

I actually didn't know what these meant til I started clinicals.

Ah, ok, I'd understood something else. That's less bad, for sure. Thanks for clearing it up

 

[eablackwell]

Best part: When my friends are freaking out about never finding a husband or having kids I just smile and think about my husband of 9 years and our little boy.

Worst part: When your best med school pals are celebrating their 23rd birthdays and you realize you can't even remember 23 it was so long ago.

 

[HipChick]

You are a gift from the Heavens. I just now read this thread. My fan base here will attest to my missing in action for a few months. I love your comment to that punk. What a *****. My response would have been to ignore him but that is not to say I dislike your tactic. He deserved it.

Truthfully, this action was very much in characteristic of me. But he was picking on this poor girl and hell, I was just pmsy.