How did you nontraditionals know?

[1727]

I have posted a little before about my situation; 28, B.A. in history, 2 kids, 2.8 overall gpa with upward trend (3.3+) in last 60-70 credits. I have always thought about being a doctor; I'm not in love with science, but I have an interest in medical science and want to work directly with people in this way, also, the other typical reasons associated with wanting to be a doctor. Anyway, I've recently started a new job in project management/sales with a solid company with great benefits and a pretty good salary, flextime, 8-minute commute, tons of free time for the family and hobbies, and I hate sitting at a desk. I think about medicine still, yet giving up my 7:30-4 job with 15 minutes of daily commuting for pre-med classes, out of pocket expenses, and an eventual 70-hour work week seems counterproductive to being a good father/husband.

I have the familial support, but I would feel irresponsible in a small way for pursuing this and spending the time and money. One half of me feels I would be a sellout, so to say, for dropping a lifelong dream to sit at a desk and have some instant gratification. But my family is also a dream, and they're here, now, and I would feel bad for sacrificing them to an extent for medicine. It's like a storm of emotion and confusion I'm sure most of you have faced. And it's exasperated that much more by my lower gpa, lack of science and math classes, and existing debt from undergrad.

I'm sure many of you have faced similar situations and, if you feel like giving any advice out, I'm looking.

Thanks, all.

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[MedPhys2MD]

When you say you don't like science, could you see yourself taking a majority science classes for the next 5+ years (postbac + med school)? Maybe you should start out taking 1 science class at a local school and see how you feel after that

What's your biggest drive for wanting to do medicine now? To help others and work with patients? Are you happy with your current job? If so, maybe you can stay in that position and do some volunteer work with people you can help

If you decide to pursue medicine, you must realize you shouldn't approach it whimsically. You have GPA repair to do before applying then med school + residency. It will be a long journey so to make it through your heart MUST be in it

Good luck!!

 

[1727]

When you say you don't like science, could you see yourself taking a majority science classes for the next 5+ years (postbac + med school)? Maybe you should start out taking 1 science class at a local school and see how you feel after that

What's your biggest drive for wanting to do medicine now? To help others and work with patients? Are you happy with your current job? If so, maybe you can stay in that position and do some volunteer work with people you can help

If you decide to pursue medicine, you must realize you shouldn't approach it whimsically. You have GPA repair to do before applying then med school + residency. It will be a long journey so to make it through your heart MUST be in it

Good luck!!

Thank you for the reply. I have invested an enormous amount of energy and research into this process, and have been unable to make a decision, partly because I see how heavy of a decision it is. I am not great at or love math and chemistry. Biology is fine; I took anatomy and human biology in the past and enjoyed both a lot. Also, I have shadowed a couple doctors, and after seeing what they did I still wanted to go into medicine. I don't think I have an idealized visage of medicine and still have interest. Right now, the biggest appeal to me is doing something tangibly good for people on an individual basis and in a direct fashion. I love learning and read constantly, and enjoy taking my knowledge and applying it to people's problems to devise solutions. I want to work with people one-on-one, I enjoy medical science (from my limited exposure), and I want to really help people.

As far as my job now, I enjoy the people I work with, the constant learning, and being a trusted source for my clients, but I don't feel like it is direct enough (e-mail, phone) and I feel what I'm doing doesn't really matter and that I am entirely dispensable-like anyone could learn and do my job, most jobs, really-but medicine has a very recondite and huge and growing knowledge base with, seemingly, a ton of versatility and options. So, while, it is a long haul, I'd be roughly 40 when it was said and done and I could practice for 30 years.

Also, I am intense and obsessive to a point, and have to be immersed with what I do in life; I don't feel like going to work for 40-hours a week and making good money is enough. It's like a "calling", to some point, which, from what I have read, will be beaten out of me by the time I'm half way through medical school, so...I fear medicine, too, would be "just a job". I am over-analytical and vacillate a lot internally between my ideals and what I think is right, and reality.

 

[1727]

Thank you for the reply. I have invested an enormous amount of energy and research into this process, and have been unable to make a decision, partly because I see how heavy of a decision it is. I am not great at or love math and chemistry. Biology is fine; I took anatomy and human biology in the past and enjoyed both a lot. Also, I have shadowed a couple doctors, and after seeing what they did I still wanted to go into medicine. I don't think I have an idealized visage of medicine and still have interest. Right now, the biggest appeal to me is doing something tangibly good for people on an individual basis and in a direct fashion. I love learning and read constantly, and enjoy taking my knowledge and applying it to people's problems to devise solutions. I want to work with people one-on-one, I enjoy medical science (from my limited exposure), and I want to really help people.

As far as my job now, I enjoy the people I work with, the constant learning, and being a trusted source for my clients, but I don't feel like it is direct enough (e-mail, phone) and I feel what I'm doing doesn't really matter and that I am entirely dispensable-like anyone could learn and do my job, most jobs, really-but medicine has a very recondite and huge and growing knowledge base with, seemingly, a ton of versatility and options. So, while, it is a long haul, I'd be roughly 40 when it was said and done and I could practice for 30 years.

Also, I am intense and obsessive to a point, and have to be immersed with what I do in life; I don't feel like going to work for 40-hours a week and making good money is enough. It's like a "calling", to some point, which, from what I have read, will be beaten out of me by the time I'm half way through medical school, so...I fear medicine, too, would be "just a job". I am over-analytical and vacillate a lot internally between my ideals and what I think is right, and reality.

By process I meant considering medicine as a life and what it takes to become a physician.

 

[DrMidlife]

The first step here, in my opinion, would be to go get an A in a rigorous math or science class after work. Start with one, and if you can get an A, then take the next step.

Bottom line, regardless of your ambitions and constraints, is that you'd have to get mostly A's in a lot of math and science for a long time before you can apply to med school. Those A's are really difficult to get. So go get one, if you want to have a taste of what you're in for.

Best of luck to you.

 

[1727]

The first step here, in my opinion, would be to go get an A in a rigorous math or science class after work. Start with one, and if you can get an A, then take the next step.

Bottom line, regardless of your ambitions and constraints, is that you'd have to get mostly A's in a lot of math and science for a long time before you can apply to med school. Those A's are really difficult to get. So go get one, if you want to have a taste of what you're in for.

Best of luck to you.

Thank you for the input. That was my plan, and I signed up for college algebra this semester at the local CC. I got a C or B in it years ago and feel having my math base down first would make sense before jumping into chem, but I doubt getting an A in college algebra will be a good gauge, so should I maybe take a bio or chem class first?

 

[DrMidlife]

Thank you for the input. That was my plan, and I signed up for college algebra this semester at the local CC. I got a C or B in it years ago and feel having my math base down first would make sense before jumping into chem, but I doubt getting an A in college algebra will be a good gauge, so should I maybe take a bio or chem class first?

Just use the class to gauge the stress and logistics and family emotions if you do a LOT of classes. To be very brutally honest, if you can't get an A in a repeat of algebra, that's a sign that your good job is a GREAT job.

 

[1727]

Just use the class to gauge the stress and logistics and family emotions if you do a LOT of classes. To be very brutally honest, if you can't get an A in a repeat of algebra, that's a sign that your good job is a GREAT job.

I'll stick with the algebra class, then. Thanks, Dr. Midlife.