Depressed, quit pre-med, now a U-turn?

[rainbowbird]

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[tl;dr skimpy resume] Hi everyone, this is my first post and I apologize if there are similar stories, but I would like some tailored advice.

I just finished my premed prereqs from a competitive school with a BA in Biology. I was dangerously depressed in the latter half of college and suddenly totally questioned life/the world/my career path. For some reason I'm very weak at labs/research, and after a bad experience with a summer program, I started to feel like the only science student who seemed to be this way and grew more shy about my major. I didn't make effort to get into a lab or get to know any of my professors. I studied abroad to relax, took a really easy senior year load pass/fail (GPA is approx 3.8), & my main EC was in organizing something that meant a lot to me but was not directly medicine-related (not pursuable as a career, before someone suggests). I volunteered for a semester at a hospital, though it was trivial work and they wouldn't let us have anything to do with the patients. So that's all.

I was going to return to school for a Master's to work in medical industry, but realized the tens of thousands of $, for a field where years of work experience are demanded even for entry-level jobs and internships (huh), was prob too much. I felt perhaps I might as well hunker down again and do the MCAT.

My concerns are (1) lack of research/internships, (2) no one to ask for a letter of rec, (3) one prereq, bio w/ lab, that I had taken pass/fail but thought I could get away with it as a bio major. I'm trying to take my gap years steady but smart, so I wonder just what I should do to be a sharp-enough applicant. Esp since I don't know how many months it will take to get a job with my degree and lack of work experience.

More about me - I'm a very compassionate person, fav subject is English, interested in microbio/infectious diseases, and love to sleep like a log. Thanks so much for your time, really a big help for me.

 

[Nommonnom]

Medical writing is a possibility for science magazines/newspapers?

 

[DrMikeP]

[tl;dr skimpy resume] Hi everyone, this is my first post and I apologize if there are similar stories, but I would like some tailored advice.

I just finished my premed prereqs from a competitive school with a BA in Biology. I was dangerously depressed in the latter half of college and suddenly totally questioned life/the world/my career path. For some reason I'm very weak at labs/research, and after a bad experience with a summer program, I started to feel like the only science student who seemed to be this way and grew more shy about my major. I didn't make effort to get into a lab or get to know any of my professors. I studied abroad to relax, took a really easy senior year load pass/fail (GPA is approx 3.8), & my main EC was in organizing something that meant a lot to me but was not directly medicine-related (not pursuable as a career, before someone suggests). I volunteered for a semester at a hospital, though it was trivial work and they wouldn't let us have anything to do with the patients. So that's all.

I was going to return to school for a Master's to work in medical industry, but realized the tens of thousands of $, for a field where years of work experience are demanded even for entry-level jobs and internships (huh), was prob too much. I felt perhaps I might as well hunker down again and do the MCAT.

My concerns are (1) lack of research/internships, (2) no one to ask for a letter of rec, (3) one prereq, bio w/ lab, that I had taken pass/fail but thought I could get away with it as a bio major. I'm trying to take my gap years steady but smart, so I wonder just what I should do to be a sharp-enough applicant. Esp since I don't know how many months it will take to get a job with my degree and lack of work experience.

More about me - I'm a very compassionate person, fav subject is English, interested in microbio/infectious diseases, and love to sleep like a log. Thanks so much for your time, really a big help for me.

Medical school is overwhelming so the first step is getting some support to deal with the root of the depression. Seek out a psychologist or counselor and that will help you figure out your future and help you build coping skills. Then you might be ready to return and get your premed reqs.

Good luck

 

[tnedoots]

I agree with DrMike P, deal with the depression. Your mental health should be first priority, especially before starting med school which can be, at the least, mentally destabilizing.

FWIW, labs and research aren't "required" in medicine (this is specialty dependent). You can have a career in medicine where you never conduct research nor set foot in a lab. I HATED labs in UG, rushed through them just to get them done. Absolutely miserable. And basic science research makes me want to punch myself in the face. Aside from anatomy "lab" I didn't have any "labs" in medical school that were anything like UG labs. If avoiding microscopes and labs is a priority for you, investigate the different curricula when you are applying.

Anyhow, just don't think that hating research and labs has any bearing on your apitide or ability in med school or medicine. However, having an interest in science is pretty necessary.

Good luck and get well

 

[rainbowbird]

I agree with DrMike P, deal with the depression. Your mental health should be first priority, especially before starting med school which can be, at the least, mentally destabilizing.

FWIW, labs and research aren't "required" in medicine (this is specialty dependent). You can have a career in medicine where you never conduct research nor set foot in a lab. I HATED labs in UG, rushed through them just to get them done. Absolutely miserable. And basic science research makes me want to punch myself in the face. Aside from anatomy "lab" I didn't have any "labs" in medical school that were anything like UG labs. If avoiding microscopes and labs is a priority for you, investigate the different curricula when you are applying.

Anyhow, just don't think that hating research and labs has any bearing on your apitide or ability in med school or medicine. However, having an interest in science is pretty necessary.

Good luck and get well

Thank you to you both.

Medical writing is a possibility for science magazines/newspapers?

Considered a career in writing, but I keep hearing that it's too difficult, competitive, and underappreciated for what you get out of it in today's day and age of Twitter and Buzzfeed. But perhaps.

 

[DrMikeP]

Thank you to you both.



Considered a career in writing, but I keep hearing that it's too difficult, competitive, and underappreciated for what you get out of it in today's day and age of Twitter and Buzzfeed. But perhaps.

Find something you are passionate about and go from there. You may or may not make good money but in most areas you can make a living. All the best!