Fellow Non-Traditional Future Physicians,
I just got accepted to Michigan State University (even with a sub-30 mcat score!) and wanted to share with you guys my story for some that maybe having doubts. (In no way am I trying to gloat and sorry for the long story!)
Like many non-traditional applicants, I didn't grow up thinking I would be a physician. I thought the word physician meant "someone who specialized in physics," until about two years ago.
I went to a high school in a pretty underserved area. About 40% of students were graduating during my year in ‘04. Some of my friends were teenage parents, dropouts, or graduated but worked dead end jobs. Although all of this was a norm in my community, for some reason, I knew that there was more.
Went to college at UCI, had no idea what I wanted to do. Took classes from several discipline and found a love in Asian American Studies. (Btw, super unprepared for college. Performed poorly on all of my placement exams and placed into remedial math and English at UCI). Still had no idea what I wanted to do but continued taking classes. Realized that education was elixir to mobility so I pursued education as a high school teacher to return back and serve within my community.
Got into a graduate education program at UCLA and began teaching in South Central Los Angeles. I felt like I was an athlete, getting paid to do what I love, which was helping and serving my community. As I taught algebra, I couldn't help my students in Bio or Chem. While it troubled me, it sparked an interest in the sciences. Considered taking some sciences classes. My entire family didn't support me. With my parents make minimum wage, I was helping them out financially on my teacher salary, so I understood their perspective but hated the fact that I didn't have their support. I encountered a lot of people that said that because I'm Asian, odds are against me. Though it may have been true, coming from an uneducated family with a household income that flirted with the poverty level motivated me even more.
After a pre-Chem course in the summer, I decided to put teaching on hold for a bit and wanted to take more science classes. Enrolled in a Bio and Chem course. That Fall semester, I had a really bad allergic reaction to Bactrim. My reaction was called Erythema Multiforme, a minor case of Steven Johnson. Worst part was not having health insurance, which supported my family's argument of not going back to school. Told my attending doctor to discharge me cause I couldn't afford it. He said he couldn't help me with my hospital bill but wouldn't charge me for his services. That moment was my wake up call to pursue a profession as a healthcare provider (despite a $10,000 hospital bill).
So I explored several professions. Realized that Pharmacy was like teaching, with communication as key. I pursued it. Applied to some pharmacy schools and got into UCSF. Despite this, I felt that my community needed a physician more. Withdrew my admissions from SF (hardest decision in my life) and decided to pursue med. Continued taking more classes. My first MCAT score was a 22Q. Decided to retake it after finishing Ochem and tutoring Chemistry and my second was a 27R (9 on each section). Applied to roughly 40 schools. So far got rejected to 4. Waitlisted on two (preinterview). Got an interview at LECOM in January and an acceptance at Michigan State University!!!!! I just wanted to say that I took all my prereqs at a community college, which included Bio, Chem, Ochem, Physics, Micro, Anatomy, Physio. I know that there are many applicants out there that encounter way much more adversity but I just wanted to say that if I can do it, I know that everyone can. I was never the best student. My SAT's, I got 910 out of 1600, below average and for GRE's I got 870 out of 1600!!
Last year I went to a pre-Med conference at UC Davis, while I didn't get too much out of it, the guest speaker, Dr. Richard Carmona, US General Surgeon, made my trip worth it. His speech was sooo motivational that I've probably watched it 10+ times. If you guys haven't seen it yet:
http://www.amsaarcucd.org/videos/#Con2011
First video on top left. Again sorry for the long story but I just wanted to say Good Luck to everyone!!
Calvin
I just got accepted to Michigan State University (even with a sub-30 mcat score!) and wanted to share with you guys my story for some that maybe having doubts. (In no way am I trying to gloat and sorry for the long story!)
Like many non-traditional applicants, I didn't grow up thinking I would be a physician. I thought the word physician meant "someone who specialized in physics," until about two years ago.
I went to a high school in a pretty underserved area. About 40% of students were graduating during my year in ‘04. Some of my friends were teenage parents, dropouts, or graduated but worked dead end jobs. Although all of this was a norm in my community, for some reason, I knew that there was more.
Went to college at UCI, had no idea what I wanted to do. Took classes from several discipline and found a love in Asian American Studies. (Btw, super unprepared for college. Performed poorly on all of my placement exams and placed into remedial math and English at UCI). Still had no idea what I wanted to do but continued taking classes. Realized that education was elixir to mobility so I pursued education as a high school teacher to return back and serve within my community.
Got into a graduate education program at UCLA and began teaching in South Central Los Angeles. I felt like I was an athlete, getting paid to do what I love, which was helping and serving my community. As I taught algebra, I couldn't help my students in Bio or Chem. While it troubled me, it sparked an interest in the sciences. Considered taking some sciences classes. My entire family didn't support me. With my parents make minimum wage, I was helping them out financially on my teacher salary, so I understood their perspective but hated the fact that I didn't have their support. I encountered a lot of people that said that because I'm Asian, odds are against me. Though it may have been true, coming from an uneducated family with a household income that flirted with the poverty level motivated me even more.
After a pre-Chem course in the summer, I decided to put teaching on hold for a bit and wanted to take more science classes. Enrolled in a Bio and Chem course. That Fall semester, I had a really bad allergic reaction to Bactrim. My reaction was called Erythema Multiforme, a minor case of Steven Johnson. Worst part was not having health insurance, which supported my family's argument of not going back to school. Told my attending doctor to discharge me cause I couldn't afford it. He said he couldn't help me with my hospital bill but wouldn't charge me for his services. That moment was my wake up call to pursue a profession as a healthcare provider (despite a $10,000 hospital bill).
So I explored several professions. Realized that Pharmacy was like teaching, with communication as key. I pursued it. Applied to some pharmacy schools and got into UCSF. Despite this, I felt that my community needed a physician more. Withdrew my admissions from SF (hardest decision in my life) and decided to pursue med. Continued taking more classes. My first MCAT score was a 22Q. Decided to retake it after finishing Ochem and tutoring Chemistry and my second was a 27R (9 on each section). Applied to roughly 40 schools. So far got rejected to 4. Waitlisted on two (preinterview). Got an interview at LECOM in January and an acceptance at Michigan State University!!!!! I just wanted to say that I took all my prereqs at a community college, which included Bio, Chem, Ochem, Physics, Micro, Anatomy, Physio. I know that there are many applicants out there that encounter way much more adversity but I just wanted to say that if I can do it, I know that everyone can. I was never the best student. My SAT's, I got 910 out of 1600, below average and for GRE's I got 870 out of 1600!!
Last year I went to a pre-Med conference at UC Davis, while I didn't get too much out of it, the guest speaker, Dr. Richard Carmona, US General Surgeon, made my trip worth it. His speech was sooo motivational that I've probably watched it 10+ times. If you guys haven't seen it yet:
http://www.amsaarcucd.org/videos/#Con2011
First video on top left. Again sorry for the long story but I just wanted to say Good Luck to everyone!!
Calvin
