I'd like some input from other nontraditional students

[Dolce11]

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I'm not exactly sure if this is the forum to post this but I need to vent a bit. I'm 25 years old with a background in Communications (I have both a BA and an MA in Comm Arts). I don't have any prerequisites besides Bio which I don't remember since I took it my first year in community college. My goal in life was to be a publicist and to teach college but it's just not happening. I also have thousands of dollars in debt because I have a spending problem (I know, I'm an idiot) and the entry level jobs in the field pay so little. To be honest, I don't even think PR is something I REALLY want to do.

For as long as I remember I've wanted to be a psychiatrist and teach on the side but I just didn't have the confidence in myself to pursue it and I was just lazy. Everyone in my life is telling me to continue down the path that I was on. Just try and find a job in PR or Communications (neither of which I can find and I've been looking for over a year) and forget about the whole medical field.

Does anyone have any input or advice that they can share? I feel like I'm starting over again at 25 and no one is behind me. I won't be able to pay off my debt while I'm in med school, I'll only add onto it. This is if I even get in! I'm smart and I know I can do well on the MCATS and prereqs if I put my mind to it. My GPA in grad school was a 3.93 and undergrad was a 3.85. Am I just in way over my head here?



Edited to add: The funny thing is there was one friend who I thought would laugh in my face and she was the one person who said she was confident it's something I should do and I could do it if I wanted to.

 

[exmissionary]

Great GPA man. I think you should shoot for it. My TA in my chem 105 class is 30 years old. He is just now applying for med school. You are 25, you can finish all the basic sciences in a year or two. Just do REALLY GOOD IN THEM. You will be a great applicant. Do what you want to do while you are young so you can enjoy it your whole life. I'm 21, and I've still got another 3.5 years untill med school. Just keep a hold on your finances. That could turn into a bigger problem.

 

[Dolce11]

Thanks! I think I really just need reassurance. I'm going to dedicate everything I have to these courses so I'm hoping to kick ass in them as well as do volunteer work to boost my chances of getting into med school. I'm so scared that I'm going to make this jump and then not get into any schools.

I've already cut up all but one credit card so I'm on my way! The payments are just out of control. 🙄

 

[glamqueen]

I saw your post, and I immediately had to post. I am a former PR account exec applying to med school in June of 08. Private message me if you want - I'd be happy to exchange actual email addresses with you. I have a journalism degree, and I'm 27. Don't be scared -you can do this! I am pulling all A's or A-'s this semester, and I'm in Ochem and Physiology plus others etc. Look forward to hearing from you off the boards, and I'm sure you are thrilled to hear other former PR people have actually made this switch...

🙂

 

[gman33]

You can do pretty much anything you want if you put your mind to it.
The main question is do you really want to be a doctor?
You stated that your goal was to be a publicist and teach, but that is not happening. Why are you giving up on that goal? It certainly won't be any easier to get into med school. With no prereqs done, you are looking at about 10 years of school and residency. Make sure this is really what you want before you start down this road.

That being said, if you do really want it, do a search and you will find plenty of posts about post-bacc coursework, MCAT, admissions, etc.

Don't rush into it. You are young. You will need 1-2 years to do your prereqs and then another year of waiting while you apply to school. Whether you start med school at 28 or 30 won't make any difference. Find a volunteer position, start exploring medicine, and if you are still into it, start taking your prereqs next fall.

Good luck on your journey.

 

[2008orbust]

YOu are luckY!!!!!!! Most people who want to change careers also have a horrid GPA to hurdle. VOLUNTEER and SHADOW like crazy, rock the MCAT and write the personal statement of the century--you'll have your pick of schools. Good luck (and you are not old, so no hurry. I am matriculating next August at age 34)

You can do it!

 

[2008orbust]

P.S. if you or glam want to know how a non-trad can write a really powerful Personal Statement that is totally logical, please PM me.

 

[Dolce11]

I'm going to PM you now, Glam. 🙂

I was aiming to be a publicist because I ruled out med school. It was more like a second choice since I put my first on the back burner. Then I came to the realization that I'm going to be working in a field that I don't really love because I'm selling myself short in thinking that I can't get into a program and I'm not smart enough for it when I didn't even try. Teaching is still a goal of mine and I would love to teach college courses after I get established with my career.

I know that I won't be starting my career until I'm at least 35. No disrespect to anyone who is doing that because I completely respect and admire it but 35 seems like a lifetime away, especially since I haven't accomplished anything so far. I'm sure once I get accepted I'll feel differently.

 

[HunterPB]

Another former PR person here...if you really want it, go for it! You're not old at all.

Just be prepared for a very different level of academic work - you obviously have great study habits, which is terrific. Science is just a totally different animal than communications (and other liberal arts). I found that in my post-bacc program, a lot of students who were excellent students from good schools, but had no science backgrounds were really not prepared for the first exams. (By the way, they're all doing much better on second exams after getting into the science swing of things).

Good luck!

 

[Dolce11]

Thanks for the warning. I'm trying to prepare myself because I know it's going to be a completely different ballgame. Communications is so focused on papers and writing while I'm sure sciences are based on test, tests and more tests. I also have a business degree (double major in undergrad) so hopefully I can use some of the study techniques I learned from all of those economic courses!

I was also contemplating going for a Ph.D. in Psychology because I think I'd actually enjoy writing a thesis, as strange as that sounds. lol It's all the years of writing that made me a little crazy.

 

[TarHeel55]

For as long as I remember I've wanted to be a psychiatrist and teach on the side but I just didn't have the confidence in myself to pursue it and I was just lazy. Everyone in my life is telling me to continue down the path that I was on. Just try and find a job in PR or Communications (neither of which I can find and I've been looking for over a year) and forget about the whole medical field.

I am confident that you can become a become a physician, if that is what you want to do! You have a *great* GPA, a precious assent in this process! Do well in your prereq classes, study for the MCAT (don't take it until you are scoring in a range you are satisfied with), and participate in clinical volunteer and shadowing experiences that are meaningful to you. Volunteering in a clinic can be invaluable for helping you discern whether you need the skill set of a physician to do what you want to do, or whether a different area of health care (psychology?) or a different career altogether suits you better.

As someone making a preparing to enter medicine from a very writing-intensive field, I want to encourage you to not lack confidence in yourself because of the transition. Yes, doing well in science prereq classes takes a lot of work, no question about it. But the mental stamina and persistence that you need to sit for hours at a stretch to write and perfect a written document is not really that different from the stamina and persistence that you need to master intro-level chemistry and biology. Same work ethic, just a different set of problems.

Edited to add: The funny thing is there was one friend who I thought would laugh in my face and she was the one person who said she was confident it's something I should do and I could do it if I wanted to.

Regrettably, I have to say that you WILL meet people along the way who will imply that your medical school thoughts/ambitions are crazy. I suspect almost everyone on this forum has had such experiences. You just have to learn whose views to listen to and whose to disregard. Keep in mind that the opinions people express about your career choices typically say as much about them (their goals, priorities, and satisfaction with their own life choices) as they do about you.

 

[TarHeel55]

I was also contemplating going for a Ph.D. in Psychology because I think I'd actually enjoy writing a thesis, as strange as that sounds. lol It's all the years of writing that made me a little crazy.

Doesn't sound strange to me at all. 🙂 I just wanted to add that a number of medical schools I have interviewed at have a thesis requirement, or offer the opportunity to take a fifth year to do research at no additional tuition charge, or both. Research is construed very broadly by the schools that require it -- projects in health management, health policy, mental health, and medical ethics all can count. I'm not saying this to suggest that you should go to medical school rather than a psychology Ph.D. program, but just to say that the M.D. field extremely diverse. I didn't fully appreciate how many things you can do with an M.D. research- and career-wise until I started visiting schools.

Of course, the kind of thesis you can produce in a four-year M.D. program is nowhere near the level of scope, originality, and depth that you would produce in a Ph.D. program. Perhaps volunteering in different types of medical and mental health clinics and shadowing both physicians and psychologists can help you discern which of these paths is a better fit for you.

 

[Renkat2sj]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dolce11
Edited to add: The funny thing is there was one friend who I thought would laugh in my face and she was the one person who said she was confident it's something I should do and I could do it if I wanted to.
Regrettably, I have to say that you WILL meet people along the way who will imply that your medical school thoughts/ambitions are crazy. I suspect almost everyone on this forum has had such experiences. You just have to learn whose views to listen to and whose to disregard. Keep in mind that the opinions people express about your career choices typically say as much about them (their goals, priorities, and satisfaction with their own life choices) as they do about you.

yep- same thing happened to me. at first when i thought of this i thought i was crazy. but i couldn't get it off my mind, so i eventually told one of my friends i'd been thinking about it and she thought it was a GREAT idea. which definitely surprised me. but i talked to a couple more people about it, and eventually asked my family what they thought, and everyone was supportive. the only person who was negative was this idiot i worked with at the bank (yes, i worked at a bank. ha.) when i quit to go back to school and pursue medicine, he told me that was the stupidest thing he'd ever heard. i'm glad now, because the thought of coming back in a couple years and rubbing an acceptance in his smug face keeps me going when i am feeling discouraged 🙂

the only people's opinions that matter are the people who know you best. if they think you have the qualities to succeed, you probably do. and anyone who is negative . . . just keep a mental checklist so you can tell them all when you get accepted!

 

[Dolce11]

TarHeel, I was definitely interested in schools that also have good research programs. I feel like if I go to med school and choose to do research somewhere down the line, I can do that. However, if I go for a Ph.D. and then choose to practice medicine...not going to happen.

I'm going to do my prerequisites without telling too many people and apply quietly. That way when I get in I'll really shock people. 😛

 

[playoutdoors]

While it will be fun to surprise everyone with an acceptance to med school, it is important to have at least a couple of people you can talk with about it. The process can take it's toll on you and I've found it helpful to have a couple of understand ears I can bend whenever I've had the need. 🙂

 

[TarHeel55]

I feel like if I go to med school and choose to do research somewhere down the line, I can do that. However, if I go for a Ph.D. and then choose to practice medicine...not going to happen.

Very true. I suppose that is one reason why people with M.D.'s can do such an incredibly diverse array of things.

I'm going to do my prerequisites without telling too many people and apply quietly. That way when I get in I'll really shock people. 😛

Hahaha! I am laughing because a friend my age (31) did exactly that a few years ago. I think of her as the "stealth applicant." She had moved from job to job, gotten an M.A. in religious studies, and generally spent her 20s figuring out what she wanted to do with her life. She casually mentioned medicine once or twice... a couple of years passed... and then, BAM! She called one day to tell me that she was going to medical school! Nobody had any idea -- not her parents, her friends, no one. She's an M3 now and just had a baby. Her self-confidence grew a lot in medical school. She handles everything with such equanimity and poise, and she's a real role model for me.

Though I like flying under the radar myself, I think Playoutdoors is very right to suggest the importance of having a few friends and confidants. Coursework and exams and the application process can all be wearying at times. When you are feeling down or stressed out, there is nothing like a good long talk/gripe session with friends who support you.