You haven't messed up anything. You're at the very beginning and you are going to be just fine, grade-wise and school-wise, as long as you get the help you need and move forward little by little each day. Now that your high-school/GED history has been written, forget about it. When you get to college, you will realize that most people take a zig-zagged path in life. Nothing ever works out in a straight line. (As an aside, it's a bit odd that your doctor was so harsh with you. He should have chosen his words more carefully.)
Here's my advice:
1) Throughout every subsequent step, always seek help for your mental-health needs through counselors and your doctors. You can't do anything else unless you take care of yourself. In fact, when you make it to college—and a 4-year university, especially, you will have more mental health resources than you ever had (or probably ever will have again) in your life. Take advantage!
2). Do well at your current job. Put as much money away as you can. Check to see if your employer provides any scholarships for employees like you (at your local community college, etc. Starbucks pays for online college at Arizona State University, for example). Many employers do this nowadays, though maybe not the Sizzler.
3) If you can, get a second job. Obviously don't work yourself to death, but since you're not taking classes this semester, try to make some extra money.
4) Go visit your local community college NOW. Set up an appointment with a counselor—demand to speak with one in person, and make an appointment to do so. When you meet, ask for printouts that outline every academic and administrative deadline (when enrollment for classes begins, when tuition is due, drop dates etc.). You are planning for next semester (spring 2016). Unbelievably, it's only a few months away and this time is going to fly by quickly.
5) During your counseling appointment, figure out exactly what classes the college offers for an associates degree in biology or something similar. Figure out exactly what it takes to enroll in those classes, and don't leave until you do.
6) Go to your state college (the 4-year university) or call and ask to arrange an appointment with an enrollment counselor. This is the person who can tell you how you're going to organize your college career. Ask how your coursework will transfer from the community college to the state college. Show the counselor the classes provided to you from your community college. Check with this person that the credits will transfer, or at least provide you some sort of advanced standing such that you can enroll in the appropriate classes at the state college (when you eventually transfer). This is very important—PLAN AHEAD. In fact, these next few months you spend working will help give you some time to plan. One of your biggest hurdles will be transferring your work at community college to the 4-year college, but if you ask in advance, this arrangement will greatly work in your favor. You will save money and you'll be prepared for more difficult coursework.
Make sure you tell the advisor at the 4-year college that you want to go to medical school. Tell him/her what you want to major in, and get a "major sheet" (provided in print or online at every university) that explains what classes you must take in order to graduate in the major. Ask how your community college coursework fits into this major sheet. Your end goal should be to get a 4-year degree in biology or chemistry from a 4-year college. Preferably, the large public university in your state. You do NOT have to go to Yale in order to go to medical school. But if you want, still apply to Yale. But make sure you apply to other schools, as well. I truly believe that the best course to get to medical school is to get a degree from your state university. If you can, go to the major public university in your state. These schools have extraordinary reputations and resources.
You now know what your goals—your classes—are at community college.
7) The day registration opens for classes at the community college, register (it will be sooner than you think! Probably mid-fall).
8) If you can manage it, it sounds like you need to remove yourself from your living situation. While you're working and in community college, maybe you can muster enough money to move out into your own apartment. If not, work your butt off, stay in the library, and don't return home until midnight after studying. Then leave early the next morning.
9) Are you from an underrepresented minority or ethnic group? Apply for scholarships for community college from sponsoring organizations. If you're Native American, for example, see what types of resources your tribe offers. I promise, there is a lot of money out there, but have to find it. You can likely get a significant portion of CC paid for.
10) Next semester (spring 2016), take the recommended courses that will advance you in the direction of your two-year associate's degree. You'll likely do well in them, given that you seem motivated. Don't forget that this is just a primer for your courses at the 4-year college, which will be much more difficult. Keep working hard at your job—see if you can get a better job, or get promoted. Don't forget that working at Sizzler counts. Moving from busboy to waiter to manager demonstrates persistence and leadership. Just FYI—every medical school application asks for employment during college. So what you're doing is not a waste of your time. Obviously it's not good if work takes away from your studies, but you're in a tight place right now.
11) As stated before, you do NOT need to go to an elite school. In fact, I view a large, public university as the best option for getting to medical school. Your goal should be to do great in your classes there (you do not need a 4.0, though a GPA as high as possible doesn't hurt). It's better to be an exceptional student coming from State U than it is to be last in your class at an "elite" university. By the way, state universities are elite. They have phenomenal resources, often have larger labs, etc. You will have many opportunities. Your goal should be to be an active member of the university community. If you do well in your biology class, for example, you may be asked to be a TA for the class. One step will lead to another. One position will lead to another. Consider, too, that you could go to Yale Medical School. Or Yale for residency. Or Yale's hospital, when you're a full-fledged physician.
12) Make sure to take all your core science classes at the 4-year university—biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, physics and the required labs. Also make sure you take a year's worth of English classes.
13) You might be overwhelmed by the large class sized at your 4-year college. It's okay—hang in there. If you don't get As, it's okay. In fact, these can be the most difficult classes because they may attempt to "weed out people." Be persistent—many will change majors and drop out.
14) Get an on-campus job. You may get paid better because of the arrangement with the university (since they employ the students). You also will have more flexibility since you're a student. Lastly, your job will be on campus so it will be more convenient.
15) Don't be stupid. This goes for anyone. Stay away from the people doing drugs or who get drunk often. They wake up on Sundays at 2:30 in the afternoon and then can't study. You also risk getting arrested for being in the wrong place at the wrong time for public intoxication, noise complaints, urinating in public, and the list goes on. I can't tell you how many people I know who have been arrested like this. It could hurt your future applications. You want to be able to check the box that states, "I have never been arrested nor do I have pending charges against me." Have fun but be measured—never live on the extremes. Don't ever sit in your apartment alone for days at a time, and conversely, don't go on a 3-day party binge. Live life moderately.
16) Don't ever cheat. This includes copying homework or problem sets. There will be times when everyone else around you is taking shortcuts. Don't do it. I thoroughly believe that everything works out in the end, even if you fail a test (I have, and so will many other people at one time or another), for example. Again, you want to be able to check the box on your medical school application that states, "I have never been charged with academic misconduct." Also beware of what constitutes cheating—having a friend calling you as "present" in a lecture—when you are not there— is cheating. Don't get caught when others say, "it's no big deal." You'll be the professor's example. Don't ever put yourself in that position.
17) Once you've situated yourself at the 4-year college, make an appointment to speak with the pre-medical advisor at the university. Similar to your previous academic counseling meeting, you want to make sure you know what the expectations are for getting into medical school. If they tell you it's too early in your academic career, don't accept that answer. Meet with them. This office will have numerous brochures and handouts. Likely, there will be sheets for each medical school (geographically nearby, at least) that explain what the exact requirements are for admission. In fact, if you're interested in your state medical school (You should be!! You have a great chance of getting in if you do well as an undergrad), you should ask the pre-med advisor when a medical school representative visits campus (they do so!). Meet with those people. Ask what their requirements are. On one extreme, they may have exacting requirements. The University of Utah Medical School, for example, requires 7 categories of experiences. They outline what is "average" and what the minimum standards are. It may seem daunting, but this is actually great because you know what your targets are.
18) Start volunteering now...it can just be an hour. The key is to make a consistent contribution over a long period time. Volunteer regularly. Say, every Saturday morning make it a habit to serve food at the soup kitchen. Although community service fulfills your medical school requirements, it's also healthy for you to get out, see people, and feel good about the contributions you make to your community.
19) Start trying to obtain clinical medical experience. This may be difficult to do at this time, but see what is available at your local hospital, nursing home, etc. You may actually even be paid for some of this work, which does double duty (fulfilling clinical requirements and helping you financially).
20) Don't forget about your other interests. Did you play the trombone in high school? Join the CC band. Then join the university band. Did you enjoy writing? Write for your school paper. Don't forget that there is no cookie cutter profile for being successful and getting into medical school. You have to lead a balanced life.
21) Always get to know your professors. This helps with everything—getting hired to work/volunteer in their labs or doing well in their courses.
22) Cold-contact a lot of people. Want to shadow the thoracic surgeon at the hospital? Send him/her an email. Need to shadow the local internist? Call and ask. They may say no, but you will find that many will instead say yes. Especially if you are a university student and your university is affiliated with the hospital.
This is all just a start, but remember you are not stuck. This is a great place to be stuck at—the very beginning. Waiting several months to take classes may seem like a lifetime at this point, but it's not. I know many, many previous classmates whose academic histories are a patchwork of transcripts from different universities, classwork taken over many years, etc. The key is that they did the absolute best they could with the resources available to them at the time, whether that was working at a fast food restaurant or studying at community college. You got this. Good luck!
