Does anyone have strict Asian parents who have forced them to pursue medicine? And it's not like a one day thing. It's been input in my brain ever since the day I was born. Be a doctor! They say really negative and hurtful things to me like "you're worthless", "how can you be so stupid, when kids in China are smarter than you", "Why don't you want to be a doctor, when kids in China want to be a doctor but they have no money."
Yes...me....
Don't get wrong, I would have liked a shot at medicine if offered. However, I got to a point during college where I didn't want my career to be my life. I also wanted less drama and more consistency in day-to-day life. I've always felt that a health profession career was for me. But I have to admit that the acculturation from my demanding Asian parents directed me to that.
It didn't help that my parents made the assumption that I would get into school. Being the gossipy characters they were, they gloated about my achievements no matter how old or significant while constantly telling everyone how I'd make it as a doctor. Much to their chagrin, I kept my plans and course schedules a secret. It helped that they lacked knowledge about the process.
When I took another year to finish college because I had personal issues (I could've graduated if I wanted), my parents panicked as if I was going to be a failure. When med school acceptance became unlikely, my parents acted like I had failed the family. They had a harsh slap of reality knowing that their "prize" child they've touted for years didn't meet their excessively high expectations. I still remember that day when I got my acceptance to Creighton. I was overjoyed that I had a future after college and a job waiting for me. Pops....not so much.
I told him of the news and he gave me a deathly stare of indifference. Based on his demeanor when I talked about pharmacy school, I could easily tell that he felt that pharmacy school was second-tier to med school. The thought in my mind was, "Fine! F*ck off!". Fortunately, I became separated from my parents by an hour drive. That made them feel at ease that I was close by while giving me some freedom to explore my life. I finally experienced independent life during my P1 year that most people experience during their first year in college and/or when they first live on their own.
Now, it's a common retort by parents and/or scholars that there's a distinction between the more individualized American culture and the collective Asian cultures. That distinction neglects the fact that the individual always has control over his or her life. Your decisions affect your own life; your parents influence and guide you. It's like taking bad advice from someone, it may have not been your idea but you still made the decision to accept the advice. The distinction between collective and individualized cultures real deals with how one member's actions is perceived by the rest of the culture.
I'm not trying to say that my parents were total d*uches. They're became generally more lenient as I grew up and they really never interfered with my life after high school. Your parents sound bad and demanding. The point is that they don't live your life, you do. Live life to the fullest, pursue a direction that makes you happy, and things should fall into place.
Hi everyone,
I'm a new registered member. I went to UC Davis and currently have a degree in Biological Science. I was planning on going to Optometry school but I'm deciding to change to Pharmacy for personal and family reasons.
1)more schools near where I live
2)some don't require PCAT
3)parents want me to be a doctor, so I'm kinda like forced into it..
I have interned at an optometrist office and I'm wondering if this would affect my chances of getting into pharmacy school because everything I have worked for so far is becoming an optometrist. I have no pharmacy internship and I don't even know any pharmacist ><. For the interview if they ask me? What should I tell them? I don't dislike Optometry nor pharmacy. I just feel with pharmacy I have a better chance of getting in because of more schools. Also should I just not tell them that I applied for both Optometry and Pharmacy?
But I'm planning to volunteer at a hospital to gain more hands-on in the pharmacy department.
It's not like pharmacy schools only take people who have been pre-pharm all their lives. There are plenty of people who change and get accepted like me. The obvious thing to do is to educate yourself about the profession, try to get some pharmacy experience, and not act like you haven't changed to pharmacy. That gives people the impression that pharmacy is your backup and you don't really care. So, I wouldn't belabor your optometry experiences unless it's work experience that you have to report.
As for your question about telling pharmacy schools that you applied for optometry schools too, I would offer caution. Don't lie about it and don't try to cover it up. Yet, don't openly volunteer the information and make it sound like pharmacy is the analogue of a rebound date used to make you feel better without any real commitment. For me, it was easier because most of my activities were medicine specific and because I always considered pharmacy an option during college. You have to evaluate yourself to see if your motivations are genuine.
