- Joined
- Mar 18, 2015
- Messages
- 21
- Reaction score
- 5
I am 2 years from applying. I'm sort of non-traditional I guess, psych major that started college at 23, and am doing 5.5 year undergrad. I decided to pursue medicine close to the end of my undergrad so I'm just doing the pre-reqs now, starting organic and genetics in the Fall.
My concern is about my background, personally and academically. I began studying psychology after life showed me I needed to go back to school, and a friend's suicide back in 2008 steered me towards my field of study. It was after my spring semester junior year that I decided psychotherapy is not enough for every patient, and started looking into premed requirements so I could better serve people in need. It was after this semester, over the summer, that I lost my baby sister to suicide. I am the one that found her. The following semester I had started up chem and physics within a full time course load, hoping to distract myself from grief and PTSD by staying busy, but I couldn't handle it and dropped everything except one psych course to keep my health insurance through the school. The following two semesters were alright grade-wise, but all B's or B+'s, and it wasn't until this semester I pulled most of my grades back up to A/A- range save physics lecture and lab, which I got a B+ in both. The difficult time immediately after my sister's passing obviously affected my GPA, dropping from a 3.89 to a 3.59, with this semester bringing my GPA back up to a 3.6. Because I am a super senior, good grades keep my GPA pretty much where it is at, but any low grades tank me.
This is difficult for me to talk about, I apologize for rambling. I am concerned about how adcoms will see all of this. I have been thinking about personal essays and statements for my applications. I was on this track before losing my sister, but I am firm in knowing that medicine is where I want to be now. I can't share what happened the day I found her, but I didn't freeze. I acted, I stayed collected enough to call 911, do CPR, everything within my knowledge. I feel very strongly that I need to address that I acted immediately in the absolute worst moment of my life. But I fear that adcoms and interviewers will look at my applying as too whiny, as too pity seeking, that they will see me as damaged, or something else. Add to that my concern of being too narrowly focused that they fear I will not be interested in non-psych related health because of my background and I feel hesitant.
I also just got my EMT certs and have applied to volunteer, hope that will take off soon. In the past year and a half since my sister's passing, school is about all I've been able to focus on, so I have done almost no volunteering, I have barely any clinical shadowing, but I hope to address those from here on out. I appreciate any input or advice, and please understand I rarely share this, and don't convey anywhere near the immensity of her suicide in this post, though I don't know if I ever would be able to. I'm uncomfortable sharing, but wanted to get these concerns off my chest. Thanks again
My concern is about my background, personally and academically. I began studying psychology after life showed me I needed to go back to school, and a friend's suicide back in 2008 steered me towards my field of study. It was after my spring semester junior year that I decided psychotherapy is not enough for every patient, and started looking into premed requirements so I could better serve people in need. It was after this semester, over the summer, that I lost my baby sister to suicide. I am the one that found her. The following semester I had started up chem and physics within a full time course load, hoping to distract myself from grief and PTSD by staying busy, but I couldn't handle it and dropped everything except one psych course to keep my health insurance through the school. The following two semesters were alright grade-wise, but all B's or B+'s, and it wasn't until this semester I pulled most of my grades back up to A/A- range save physics lecture and lab, which I got a B+ in both. The difficult time immediately after my sister's passing obviously affected my GPA, dropping from a 3.89 to a 3.59, with this semester bringing my GPA back up to a 3.6. Because I am a super senior, good grades keep my GPA pretty much where it is at, but any low grades tank me.
This is difficult for me to talk about, I apologize for rambling. I am concerned about how adcoms will see all of this. I have been thinking about personal essays and statements for my applications. I was on this track before losing my sister, but I am firm in knowing that medicine is where I want to be now. I can't share what happened the day I found her, but I didn't freeze. I acted, I stayed collected enough to call 911, do CPR, everything within my knowledge. I feel very strongly that I need to address that I acted immediately in the absolute worst moment of my life. But I fear that adcoms and interviewers will look at my applying as too whiny, as too pity seeking, that they will see me as damaged, or something else. Add to that my concern of being too narrowly focused that they fear I will not be interested in non-psych related health because of my background and I feel hesitant.
I also just got my EMT certs and have applied to volunteer, hope that will take off soon. In the past year and a half since my sister's passing, school is about all I've been able to focus on, so I have done almost no volunteering, I have barely any clinical shadowing, but I hope to address those from here on out. I appreciate any input or advice, and please understand I rarely share this, and don't convey anywhere near the immensity of her suicide in this post, though I don't know if I ever would be able to. I'm uncomfortable sharing, but wanted to get these concerns off my chest. Thanks again
