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Is it Worth the Risk?
Started by Strauss6868
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30 is the new 20. Seriously, though, I'll be 30 when I start, and I don't feel like it's that big a deal. If this is what you want to do for the rest of your life, then go for it.
Thanks for all the the encouragement. I must say that this is a great site. Its great to hear others are going through a similar situation. If I don't do this now, what will I say when I really am too old?
I am going to look through some courses to take in the spring semester, since I haven't taken science courses in a long time. I will begin my application to enroll in the program in the fall a.s.a.p.
I am taking the first steps in my journey this week!
I had a "man to man" talk with my father today in regard to my thoughts about changing my career path to become a doctor. It went surprisingly well, and he agreed that pursuing this career will be in my best interest. Aside from his moral support, he agreed to give some help financially towards school, so that I can get the ball rolling.
I intend on enrolling in the SBU post-bacc program, but I will not be able to enroll until the fall of 2011. Prior to beginning the program, I am going to take a few courses that will help me when I start. I am going to sign up for calc I and a stat course at a local college.
I am on such a rush right now! Can't wait! Wish me luck!
I had a "man to man" talk with my father today in regard to my thoughts about changing my career path to become a doctor. It went surprisingly well, and he agreed that pursuing this career will be in my best interest. Aside from his moral support, he agreed to give some help financially towards school, so that I can get the ball rolling.
I intend on enrolling in the SBU post-bacc program, but I will not be able to enroll until the fall of 2011. Prior to beginning the program, I am going to take a few courses that will help me when I start. I am going to sign up for calc I and a stat course at a local college.
I am on such a rush right now! Can't wait! Wish me luck!
good luck!
I enrolled as a non-matric at a local university, so I can take some courses before I start the post-bacc program in the fall of 2011. I am taking stat, calc, and a neuroscience course.
Obviously, I will need textbooks for my courses, and boy oh boy they are expensive. I have been looking at some sites that carry digital version of some of my textbooks, but I want to get some feedback from the community in regard to which site for is best digital textbooks.
Obviously, I will need textbooks for my courses, and boy oh boy they are expensive. I have been looking at some sites that carry digital version of some of my textbooks, but I want to get some feedback from the community in regard to which site for is best digital textbooks.
Congrats on jumping in man. I'm as old as you (27) and really in the same position as far as timeline. I have the occasional thought that it will be a REALLY long time before I'm practicing, but then calm myself with thinking about enjoying the journey and not trying to rush through it.
Hopefully I'll be ready for the next application cycle, but not holding my breath that I'll be fully prepared by then, as the school I'm targeting increased their pre-reqs by 13 units, which may leave me working a bit longer... Anyway, good luck with everything, and remember to enjoy the journey.
Hopefully I'll be ready for the next application cycle, but not holding my breath that I'll be fully prepared by then, as the school I'm targeting increased their pre-reqs by 13 units, which may leave me working a bit longer... Anyway, good luck with everything, and remember to enjoy the journey.
Quick question.
I need to know which class I should take among two math classes. As a result of my schedule and available classes, I can either take Calculus I or Statistics. Which class will be most beneficial to me in terms of science, mcat, and medical school preparation? Is there a major major benefit in taking one class over the other.
Thanks.
I need to know which class I should take among two math classes. As a result of my schedule and available classes, I can either take Calculus I or Statistics. Which class will be most beneficial to me in terms of science, mcat, and medical school preparation? Is there a major major benefit in taking one class over the other.
Thanks.
I think that before you undertake this process of classes and MCAT you should consider if you are actually going to get accepted because of your illness.
I get the distinct impression it is a psychiatric illness... I don't really know what gives me that impression... but if that is the case, you were obviously impaired and it would impact your fitness as a med school/doctor candidate as it may affect your ability to ge a license.
If this is a medical condition, it could still very negatively impact your ability to get an acceptance. You had to drop out of college. I can tell you for certain that med school is a different set of circumstances and an illness that impairs you that much would raise doubts in the eyes of med school Adcoms. I would highly suggest you call a local med school anonymously and ask.
I get the distinct impression it is a psychiatric illness... I don't really know what gives me that impression... but if that is the case, you were obviously impaired and it would impact your fitness as a med school/doctor candidate as it may affect your ability to ge a license.
If this is a medical condition, it could still very negatively impact your ability to get an acceptance. You had to drop out of college. I can tell you for certain that med school is a different set of circumstances and an illness that impairs you that much would raise doubts in the eyes of med school Adcoms. I would highly suggest you call a local med school anonymously and ask.
For starters, I want to say that the illness was not psychiatric in nature. I left out the details because it's my personal business, and I do not feel the need to share it with strangers. Also, I did not need to go into detail since I never asked for advice in terms of how to either explain and/or get into med school in regard to my issues from a while ago. I only wanted to know which courses I should take, and it turns out that I learned a lot from this thread as well as this site.
That being said, my major concern is in regard to you stating what illness you think I have. Instead of restricting this sort of conversation to private chat, you decided to try and "open up a can of worms" in this thread.
Nothing you said sounds to me like it came from the mouth of a modern open-minded doctor/medical student. Are you insinuating that people with illness or disability can not make it in medical school, or do you mean only certain disabilities and illnesses? In my situation, it will not even be necessary to bring up my past problems because I did not drop out of school. Instead, I was lucky enough to have finished my associate of arts prior to my issues.
This post isn't going to change anything, but I hope in the future you will try to send someone a private message with your "concerns" before you play a guessing game in a thread.
Stats. Experimental data drive our increasing body of knowledge, and statistics allows us to make sense of that data. It should give you the tools to start looking at research with a critical eye.
I would also search around SDN for that list on what med schools require what math classes or look in the MSAR. You aren't going to need much aside from arithmetic and trig functions on the MCAT.
And if you don't want strangers commenting on private matters, then don't mention it on the internet. at. all. 😛
And if you don't want strangers commenting on private matters, then don't mention it on the internet. at. all. 😛
I am not sure why you are getting angry. What illness you had is germane to the discussion about whether or not it is worth the risk of taking the classes and the MCAT. Don't get defensive.
If your illness was psychiatric or chronic in nature and could recur, it will raise red flags in the eyes of the admission committee. I am a pragmatist, as are Adcoms. I also went through medical school already, was a non-trad, and know what med schools are looking for. Not everyone is fit for medical school if an illness will keep them from finishing med school. Adcoms want to admit people who can, and will finish medical school once started- in a timely fashion. That is why medical schools only have about a 2% attrition rate.
Modern, open-minded... what does that even mean? I can tell you what it doesn't mean... it doesn't mean naive or unrealistic. If your illness is chronic and it made you have a break in your education, it will make the adcom wonder. Each med school gets thousands of applicants for ~150 slots (GW got 11,000 a few years ago) so they have plenty of people to choose from. A red flag will ruin your chances. Take my advice and call your local medical school.
You don't have the right to an acceptance unless you can fullfil the duties. You are getting this defensive on an anonymous forum. Make sure to work on that before your interview because you will no doubt be asked specifically about your illness... they want to know if you will finish med school.
The topic of the thread is "Is it worth the risk." Don't ask for advice if you don't want to hear solid advice that no one else had brought up. 🙂
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QofQuimica
Seriously, dude, I think you're overreacting....
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Lifetime Donor
15+ Year Member
🙄
Um, get some perspective?
All kidding aside, Strauss, 27 is young. Very young. Plenty of people go to medical school in their 30s (including me), and some in their 40s. At my school, you're not even classified as nontrad in terms of age until you're 30. Now if you were 47, sure, time would be of the essence, because it's not very common to go to medical school in your 50s. Although occasionally, people still do.
The other thing I want to say is that even under the best of circumstances, you should expect to be challenged all along this road concerning why medical school. All applicants get asked probing questions about their motives, regardless of age, regardless of previous experiences. You're completely right that it's not necessary to discuss your personal experiences on the internet. That being said, instatewaiter did bring up a valid point, albeit maybe not as tactfully as s/he could have, that you should consider. Even though you didn't drop out of school, you do still have a "hole" in your timeline when you weren't attending school and weren't working. It's entirely possible (and probable) that you will be asked about this, and you should be prepared to answer questions about it.
Congrats on getting started, and best of luck. 🙂
🙄
Um, get some perspective?
All kidding aside, Strauss, 27 is young. Very young. Plenty of people go to medical school in their 30s (including me), and some in their 40s. At my school, you're not even classified as nontrad in terms of age until you're 30. Now if you were 47, sure, time would be of the essence, because it's not very common to go to medical school in your 50s. Although occasionally, people still do.
The other thing I want to say is that even under the best of circumstances, you should expect to be challenged all along this road concerning why medical school. All applicants get asked probing questions about their motives, regardless of age, regardless of previous experiences. You're completely right that it's not necessary to discuss your personal experiences on the internet. That being said, instatewaiter did bring up a valid point, albeit maybe not as tactfully as s/he could have, that you should consider. Even though you didn't drop out of school, you do still have a "hole" in your timeline when you weren't attending school and weren't working. It's entirely possible (and probable) that you will be asked about this, and you should be prepared to answer questions about it.
Congrats on getting started, and best of luck. 🙂
Thank you. That is what I'm trying to say. I understand that I will need to explain some holes in my resume, but I also feel that I will not limit myself based on past issues. I have a long time until I even begin to prepare for an interview; however, just as I have in the past, I will fight this problem accordingly.
