Looking down that long road...

[Summa637]

Hey all-

This is my first post but I find reading these forums very interesting. I would like to get everyone's opinion on my situation and maybe some words of wisdom or encouragement.
I'm 30 years old, married, three kids, own a house, my wife is a ER nurse, I am a police officer and have been for the last eight years. I have a BS in law enforcemet, magna cum laude, with a minor is poltical science. School work has never came to me as very difficult and the thought of someday returning to school is exciting, especially the thought of maybe someday becoming a physician.
The problem is that I look into what I need to do and it just seems like such a daunting task. My BS is in a social science and of course all the prereqs for medical school admission are all hard sciences- not to mention the MCAT being mostly biology and chemistry.
For me to begin to take courses again seems scary. How can I work full-time, be a good husband, maintain a house, raise three great kids and then start plugging away at a community college for some basic courses and ultimately a university for some upper level coursework? And that is just to fulfill the prereqs I would need and to lay a good grounding to do well on the MCAT.
I know my situation is not uncommon and I know it can be done. I don't see myself as old, but I'm certainly not the ''non-traditional'' student of 24.
Again, just looking for your thoughts and any advice. It's all appreciated.

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[OneTyme]

Hey all-

This is my first post but I find reading these forums very interesting. I would like to get everyone's opinion on my situation and maybe some words of wisdom or encouragement.
I'm 30 years old, married, three kids, own a house, my wife is a ER nurse, I am a police officer and have been for the last eight years. I have a BS in law enforcemet, magna cum laude, with a minor is poltical science. School work has never came to me as very difficult and the thought of someday returning to school is exciting, especially the thought of maybe someday becoming a physician.
The problem is that I look into what I need to do and it just seems like such a daunting task. My BS is in a social science and of course all the prereqs for medical school admission are all hard sciences- not to mention the MCAT being mostly biology and chemistry.
For me to begin to take courses again seems scary. How can I work full-time, be a good husband, maintain a house, raise three great kids and then start plugging away at a community college for some basic courses and ultimately a university for some upper level coursework? And that is just to fulfill the prereqs I would need and to lay a good grounding to do well on the MCAT.
I know my situation is not uncommon and I know it can be done. I don't see myself as old, but I'm certainly not the ''non-traditional'' student of 24.
Again, just looking for your thoughts and any advice. It's all appreciated.

I was a cop for 5 years until I started working towards getting into medical school. I had eight years on when I left to start as an MS1.

It was a difficult three years finishing my degree, getting the prereq's done, studying for the MCAT, applying, and traveling for interviews. A VERY difficult three years. Little did I know that this year, my MS1, would be far more difficult that the previous three combined.

That being said, I have been having a blast. My only regret about medical school is that I didn't go for it sooner, then again maybe I wouldn't have the same perspective that I have after so many years working the streets.

You're definitely not too old. The only question you need to ask yourself is, "Do I really want to go to medical school for four years, and residency for another 4 years, and then fellowship.....?"

 

[silleme]

I'm 34 and beginning my journey while deployed overseas. You're still ahead of the game age-wise, and the non-trads on this board are all across the spectrum age-wise and with life experience.

You'll definitely bring something new to the table if that's what you want....but just make sure that medicine and being a doctor is the career for you. Take some time out to shadow a physician if you haven't already, and make sure your family is fully on-board with the time commitments that medical school and residency will be for you. This, and the possibility of having to move for school are two of the biggest drawbacks for your family, and are do-able, but gut-checks for you when choosing this path.

 

[NontradICUdoc]

What you are doing is starting a marathon and not a sprint. You need to take things slowly and let them happen properly. Do not rush or else mistakes will happen. When I started this journey I was in my late 20s and already a father and working full time. Studying for the MCAT and trying to make up for a wild past that affected my grades.

Is it doable? Yes
Will it be hard? Yes
should you do things quickly? No.

 

[Summa637]

Thanks for the replies. It's encouraging to hear it all. Does anyone know of any medical students that really truly got into their school of medicine that they really wanted to get into?
I guess what I am getting at is that did most med students just apply to many many medical school it hopes of doing the ''shot gun'' effect where the more they apply to the better chance of getting accepted? Are there people out there that applied to like one or two schools and got accepted?

 

[theseeker4]

Thanks for the replies. It's encouraging to hear it all. Does anyone know of any medical students that really truly got into their school of medicine that they really wanted to get into?
I guess what I am getting at is that did most med students just apply to many many medical school it hopes of doing the ''shot gun'' effect where the more they apply to the better chance of getting accepted? Are there people out there that applied to like one or two schools and got accepted?

Most do apply to quite a few schools, I believe 11-12 is average. My n=1 experience was applying this cycle to my first-choice school, which is the closest school to my house and at the school where I did my undergrad and post-bac work. I applied there EDP and was accepted. However, I did this fully expecting to have to apply again the next year (I have very weak EC's), calculating the likelihood I would have to re-apply and deciding the chance of getting in this year was worth the money and risk. It paid off for me, but you shouldn't go into an application cycle betting that you will, in fact, get in at a single school. It is best to apply broadly and early when your application is fully prepared. Depending on how difficult it would be to relocate, you could decide that it is worth applying a cycle or two to only schools you wouldn't have to move to attend, then broadening your range of schools if you are unsuccessful. This would, of course, involve a delay in entering medical school and the cost of multiple application cycles, which can be quite expensive.

Obviously, the strength of your application has a lot to do with how risky it would be to apply to only one or two schools, but no matter how strong your application, there is no guarantee that you will be admitted to a particular school. Everyone will insist you are a fool for applying to only a school or two, but as long as you know the chances you would have and accept the possibility of re-applying, it is a decision you would have to make yourself.

 

[dotdash]

Okay, I'll say it. Think really really hard. You have a nice life, a wife, kids, a home, a job. Unless you are radically unhappy, don't commit yourself. Take some classes, see how it strikes you.

The most important question is - what do you want out of life? Becoming a doctor comes at a cost: to family, to marriage, to enjoyment, to health. Are you sure that's how you want to spend your life's energy and time (and money)? You could learn to play a musical instrument. Or climb mountains. Or take in foster children. A lot of other things in life give satisfaction.

Another important question is - will you enjoy the journey? If you will love going to classes, working all the time, juggling crazy amount of responsibility, then go ahead. But if you are going to have to steel yourself to jump through hurdles and suffer to pay your dues as you study -- back slowly away. Life is short, kids are young once, marriages are not indestructible.

Sorry to be downer, but it's been a long haul for my family and we are about out of gas.

And good luck, whatever you decide.

 

[crazycooljoel]

You're in a similar situation as me accept for I don't own a house nor have I any children. As a post-bacc student you will only need to take the sciences as you already know. I also majored in a non-science degree and am beginning my science classes. I was in the USAF and separated a week ago to do this. I start my sciences in May. As a police officer your also serving the country so that helps. I would recommend taking one class at a time to start while you're off duty just to get back into the education rhythm since it's been eight years. Research scholarships for non-trads, police officers, and of the likes, also you'll likely qualify for some sort of financial aid. If you take a leave of absence for about 3-4 months you can take classes full time and keep your job when you finish those classes. Just think of all your options and review. Make a plan, then execute. Be sure your wife is supportive of whatever you do, it'll help a lot.

 

[Summa637]

Okay, I'll say it. Think really really hard. You have a nice life, a wife, kids, a home, a job. Unless you are radically unhappy, don't commit yourself. Take some classes, see how it strikes you.

The most important question is - what do you want out of life? Becoming a doctor comes at a cost: to family, to marriage, to enjoyment, to health. Are you sure that's how you want to spend your life's energy and time (and money)? You could learn to play a musical instrument. Or climb mountains. Or take in foster children. A lot of other things in life give satisfaction.

Another important question is - will you enjoy the journey? If you will love going to classes, working all the time, juggling crazy amount of responsibility, then go ahead. But if you are going to have to steel yourself to jump through hurdles and suffer to pay your dues as you study -- back slowly away. Life is short, kids are young once, marriages are not indestructible.

Sorry to be downer, but it's been a long haul for my family and we are about out of gas.

And good luck, whatever you decide.

Lol. Spoken like a true pessimist. Being the pessimist I am, this is always the first step in my thought process. There's no denying it,I have it good right now in my opinion. However, the problem to me is two-fold as it see it currently.

1- Ever since day one when I become a police officer; other officers, sergeants,captains,chiefs, friends, family all ask me what I want to do with my career, or they ask where I see myself in 5 -10 years. Truth is that I never had an answer because I believed that in just another year on the job and it will be self-evident. Well eight years later and that 'goal' hasn't came to me yet. How much longer do I need to work to figure out if this is really what I want to do? Maybe tomorrow, maybe never... I do not like going to work everyday with no goal or ambitions in mind.

2- I feel like I have ''brain atrophy''.Yes, I feel like I am actually getting dumber every year. This job is not difficult and when I started I tended to be too cerebral. I had to teach myself that I don't need to think too much because if I did, you second guess yourself and if you do that people take advantage of you or you can hurt yourself or others. I've found myself for years spending free time learning in a sense. Mainly by reading. Almost like excersise for the brain. I'm not knocking my current job, this is just how I've felt.

Being an officer was my goal in high school. Maybe even my dream, but I'm here, I've done a lot of things, seen a lot of things. There is much more to see and do but in my mind I feel I've reached and perhaps surpassed that goal...
You are right though, I have a lot to think about and I thank you all for your input, it's all valuable.