Love for the non-trads!

[DreamingTheLive]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Hey folks,

I'd like to help with any advice/comments that I can. I certainly don't know everything, heck maybe not even much at all, but I do remember once being in your shoes....and the road ahead seemed daunting to say the least.

A bit about me:

Left a great consulting/marketing job a few years after graduating college. I remember calling my parents the night before I submitted my 2 week notice and telling them that I was going to quit my job, move out of state, take out some substantial student loans, and go back to school all in the HOPE...no promises...no guarantee....hope of being accepted to medical school down the line. Once they were able to speak (probably longest 15 seconds of silence of my life), I quickly went from prodigal son to dumbest member of family. No debate.

Nice car. Nice apartment. Great social life...poof. Gone. Put it all on the line...and I mean all....there was no going back to my former employer or field in general...once you're in and you choose to leave, you'll never again get back in...Never.

Enrolled in an incredibly expensive post-bacc program with no linkages or anything like that...heck, you just got a stupid certificate when you were done. Took all of the basic/core sciences in about one calendar year. It was tough. Nerve-wracking to say the least.....and there was LOTS of second guessing. But I had a vision and a plan, and I put my heart and soul into this singular goal, stayed the course....and approximately 1.5 - 2 years later...acceptance to allopathic medical schools.

Did pretty well in medical school, was lucky enough to receive interview offers from truly amazing residency programs, and now I'm less than 30 days from matching with one of these wonderful places in a truly incredibly specialty, Emergency Medicine. Looking back, every single struggle, sacrifice, tribulation, etc. was worth it. Ten times over....and then some. I'm about to fully realize a dream I hatched nearly 7 years ago...and you can too!!!!

If you have a dream, and you're willing to sacrifice for it, I'm confident that you...YOU...too will get there! I remember anonymously perusing these same threads.....worried about what my options were...if any...and if perhaps my dream was one in which I could never realize.

So, if you need any motivation or have any questions...let me know! I'll do my best to give you an honest perspective about the path ahead!

 

[wlt217]

Well I can't say that I'm able to identify with the risk and sacrifice you've experienced, but congratulations for having what it takes to commit and succeed against the odds. The generosity you show is precisely what makes SDN such a great community and resource. I've got a few questions, if you don't mind.

May I ask what caused you to uproot your former life? ("Why medicine?") Sounds like this is an integral part of your story.

What led you to Emergency Medicine? Was this one of your interests prior to entering medical school?

Thanks again, and best of luck in the match!

 

[Legato147]

Awesome! Thanks for that.

I remember my conversation with the family over this past Christmas. My step-dad was vehemently against the idea and was just short of calling me stupid for considering it. He's a blue collar type of guy, grew up working hard with his hands (auto mechanic--owned his own garage), so I can understand why the concept of hundreds-of-thousands of debt and time in school is foreign to him. It was still jarring, nonetheless. :-/

 

[DreamingTheLive]

Well I can't say that I'm able to identify with the risk and sacrifice you've experienced, but congratulations for having what it takes to commit and succeed against the odds. The generosity you show is precisely what makes SDN such a great community and resource. I've got a few questions, if you don't mind.

May I ask what caused you to uproot your former life? ("Why medicine?") Sounds like this is an integral part of your story.

What led you to Emergency Medicine? Was this one of your interests prior to entering medical school?

Thanks again, and best of luck in the match!

No problem at all. I guess I want to become a part of this specific part of the forum because I've been very successful in medical school and there are a few others in my class who would also classify as "non-traditional" and they too have really rocked med school. I definitely felt like there was a stigma, perhaps small, against people who took a non-traditional route to medical school...at least 5 years ago. But I think that non-trads bring so much in the way of life experiences that they're generally better able to handle the rigors of medical school. Honestly, I know that with talking about this with many school administrators they've mentioned that they've noticed a similar trend as well and I really think that the non-traditional pathway is becoming more and more accepted by the day...But in my humble opinion, it should be THE way to go.

My decision to "uproot" my life if I may use your phrase, was because I had this gnawing feeling everyday that I went to work that there was, and it sounds cliche, a lot more to life than making money....and that's all I was really doing. Everyday, my singular goal was to ensure that my giant company and its elder fat cats made gobs of money, and I would then secondarily make a good living. Thats it. Everyday was spreadsheets, money, money, spreadsheets, market analysis, money, drinks, money, money, analysis...blah blah blah....I did some volunteer work in the community at the time, light stuff, but it just felt amazing....even doing the simplest things such as hanging out with someone for a few hours with severe CP or Downs....whatever...you just felt great when you went home...you felt "it" in your stomach....most of you know what I'm talking about I'm sure, its tough to describe but unmistakable. I guess I'm kind of a "go big or go home" kind of guy, because as I thought about what I could do that satisfied the "it" feeling...being a physician, a GOOD, caring, involved physician was all I could imagine. Life is too short to have regrets, so I went for it. And yes, it was scary as hell!!!!!! and there was moments I thought what in the f*ck am I doing? You will feel these too...and you NEED to, it IS scary, but it helps you keep your nose to the grindstone because parts of it will be a grind. Trust me.

Listen, if you're hardworking and willing to sacrifice, any of you can EASILY do what I did and probably better. You don't need to be a genius. You just need to be able to sacrifice, have a plan (a GOOD plan) and stay the course.

Per the Emergency Medicine question. I never even knew this was an individual specialty of medicine until probably really late in my second year. Thats literally how little exposure I had to the field of medicine prior to med school. I didn't decide to pursue EM until late in my 3rd year, during the first day of my EM rotation. Its an AMAZING field and, unlike any other, really allows me to immediately impact my community. I get that "it" feeling in my stomach every shift. I love it.

1) Find a good mentor or someone who can provide you with good knowledge about the process.
2) Decide how you're going to satisfy the course requirements. Can be a Post-bacc, no post-bacc, on your own, extension, etc....just do what works best for your life so that you can put the best YOU forward during these courses. You definitely don't have to do post-baccs at all, honestly, I think a lot of them are a bunch of marketing hype and extremely overpriced....that being said, they generally will provide you with direction and some type of a plan...but, with a little help, you can definitely do this on your own. One important thing, is I would shy AWAY from community college courses...they MAY work for some, but I know that they may not be looked at as favorably as say a reputable state university or private college...if its your only option, then do it, but I'd call some admissions departments at schools you'd like to attend and ask to speak with someone about this...you may have to do a little legwork to find a few people, but the information gleamed from them is invaluable
3) Do well in your basic sciences. You dont' NEED a 4.0 necessarily, but definitely aim to do as well as possible.
4) MCAT study plan and sufficient time is invaluable. I took mine on a whim, apparently got really lucky, but this is THE area of which you don't want be underprepared/shaky. If you need more time/help...GET IT...don't take the test until you feel you are at your absolute best!!!!!

Anything else let me know.....I gotta go round on some folks...take care all!!!!

 

[DreamingTheLive]

Awesome! Thanks for that.

I remember my conversation with the family over this past Christmas. My step-dad was vehemently against the idea and was just short of calling me stupid for considering it. He's a blue collar type of guy, grew up working hard with his hands (auto mechanic--owned his own garage), so I can understand why the concept of hundreds-of-thousands of debt and time in school is foreign to him. It was still jarring, nonetheless. :-/

People WILL question your decision....my whole family treated me like a psych patient after the decision...But if its what YOU truly want...truly think is who and what you are....then I say GO FOR IT! Every time. Ultimately, its your life, no matter what I or anyone else says. You have to look at you in the mirror everyday.

 

[yossarian444]

Hey folks,

I'd like to help with any advice/comments that I can. I certainly don't know everything, heck maybe not even much at all, but I do remember once being in your shoes....and the road ahead seemed daunting to say the least.

A bit about me:

Left a great consulting/marketing job a few years after graduating college. I remember calling my parents the night before I submitted my 2 week notice and telling them that I was going to quit my job, move out of state, take out some substantial student loans, and go back to school all in the HOPE...no promises...no guarantee....hope of being accepted to medical school down the line. Once they were able to speak (probably longest 15 seconds of silence of my life), I quickly went from prodigal son to dumbest member of family. No debate.

Nice car. Nice apartment. Great social life...poof. Gone. Put it all on the line...and I mean all....there was no going back to my former employer or field in general...once you're in and you choose to leave, you'll never again get back in...Never.

Enrolled in an incredibly expensive post-bacc program with no linkages or anything like that...heck, you just got a stupid certificate when you were done. Took all of the basic/core sciences in about one calendar year. It was tough. Nerve-wracking to say the least.....and there was LOTS of second guessing. But I had a vision and a plan, and I put my heart and soul into this singular goal, stayed the course....and approximately 1.5 - 2 years later...acceptance to allopathic medical schools.

Did pretty well in medical school, was lucky enough to receive interview offers from truly amazing residency programs, and now I'm less than 30 days from matching with one of these wonderful places in a truly incredibly specialty, Emergency Medicine. Looking back, every single struggle, sacrifice, tribulation, etc. was worth it. Ten times over....and then some. I'm about to fully realize a dream I hatched nearly 7 years ago...and you can too!!!!

If you have a dream, and you're willing to sacrifice for it, I'm confident that you...YOU...too will get there! I remember anonymously perusing these same threads.....worried about what my options were...if any...and if perhaps my dream was one in which I could never realize.

So, if you need any motivation or have any questions...let me know! I'll do my best to give you an honest perspective about the path ahead!

Ahh, the cheerful M4...if only that stage lasted forever. Haha, just kidding. Congrats on being almost "done"!

I had/have a similar route: big Fortune 100 financial industry career ==> success in med school ==> EM PGY-1 now.

Ok, back to studying for the ITE again before my shift starts.... stupid ITE....and studying.

 

[DreamingTheLive]

Ahh, the cheerful M4...if only that stage lasted forever. Haha, just kidding. Congrats on being almost "done"!

I had/have a similar route: big Fortune 100 financial industry career ==> success in med school ==> EM PGY-1 now.

Ok, back to studying for the ITE again before my shift starts.... stupid ITE....and studying.

EM woo hoo! Ahh, the circle of life haha