The moving very far from home for med school thread

[brs23]

Well...I'm very excited, but also very nervous...moving from Boston to San Fran. I thought it'd be good to get some thoughts from the crowd on this. Here are a few of my own:

Pro:

Time for a change of scene, cali style (I've lived on the east coast pretty much my whole life)!

Con:

My parents are getting older and I'll be very far from them

Unclear:

The only people I know in san francisco are ex-girlfriends

Anyone else in this position, or considering it?

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[akpete]

While I'm not in this position yet, if I happen to be accepted to Tulane one day, I will be. I like the school, but honestly, for me its very scary to be so far away from home. I've only lived 2 hours from home at most. Plus, in med school, you don't exactly have the time to go home for events (to an extent, I mean). I think it's especially difficult for me because ALL of my family (i.e. grandparents, 1st cousins) lives in a 30 mile radius. Actually, most of my extended family (2nd cousins) are in this area too. It's hard to know you're missing so much going on at home. But it's also good to experience a different part of the country too.

Maybe I'm just a baby!!

 

[stinkycheese]

Yeah, I'm going away pretty far. I see it as an opportunity to live in an area of the country I will probably never live in again. I'm excited. I mean, if I had gone to the med school in my hometown, I would have liked having time to see my family and all, but then again, how much time do we really have during med school anyway?

 

[Kazema]

Where are you headed stinkycheese?

The farthest school I've interviewed/will interview at is St. Louis. If I end up there, I will be moving to a city where the closest thing I have to a friends is the sister (who I've never met) of a friend. And a friend in Little Rock, Arkansas. Heh.

It would definitely be a little scary for me I think to move so far away; 4 hours by car is the farthest I've ever been from home for more than 2 months at a time.

 

[el dudarino]

Well, not to make any of you sound like cry babies, but I'm from Guam - i was born there, grew up there, and no my family is not in the military - we're local. I left home for college at 19 - moved to Los Angeles to do my undergrad at UCLA. I only went home for Christmas breaks. So being far from home isn't going to be a factor for me - everywhere is far for me! If I can move away from home at 19 (and most of my friends moved to the States to go to college after high school), to a location 12 hours away by plane, then you can certainly deal with being far away from home during medical school. I realize that not having your family around as a support system will be hard at first, but you're going to have to learn to depend on yourself sooner or later. Trust me, if i can do it - you can too! But, that being said, if you know that having your family nearby will make you happier - then go to a school that's close to home. All that really matters is that you'll be happy wherever you decide to go. Good luck everyone!

 

[stinkycheese]

Where are you headed stinkycheese?

Tulaaaaaaane!!! Green wave Still on cloud nine, for sure.

 

[Kazema]

Tulaaaaaaane!!! Green wave Still on cloud nine, for sure.

Hey hey, that's awesome! Congrats!

Sorry for the mini-hijack everyone .

 

[rockstar2525]

Tulaaaaaaane!!! Green wave Still on cloud nine, for sure.

GO Tulane! I'm waiting to hear from Northwestern because I would like to stay in Chicago a little while longer (I just moved here a year ago) but if I don't I'm headed down to the big easy for sure. I moved to Chicago to do a post-bac and it was tough, I won't lie. I'm a little nervous about moving again, starting over again. . . but if at least it will be warm if/when I do.

 

[vikaskoth]

i'm gonna have to drive to class instead of walking, does that count?

 

[charmed96]

I'm in the same predicament. I'll be making a move from the west coast to the east coast. I have no family there, and know nothing about driving in snow. . I went away for undergrad after having spent my entire life in one place (and I still find myself homesick). It took some getting used to, but I felt that leaving home was a wonderful experience. Plus, it gives the family someplace to visit! If you decide to make the move, just keep an open mind and soak up as much of the experience as possible, and know that if you don't like it, you don't have to spend the rest of your life there.

 

[Sarikate]

You'll end up making a home wherever you go. I moved across the continent to Alaska four years ago, a 12-hour, $500+ flight to my hometown, but I don't regret it for a single day. Now I live in a beautiful place where I see moose chomping on the trees in my backyard and can take day trips into the most extreme wilderness in North America.

And you get to go to San Francisco! The most beautiful city in the U.S., in my opinion, besides the fact that it's one of the best cities in which to study medicine. People would do anything for that opportunity! So take a deep breath and remind yourself that four years is like a blink of an eye, and you can go anywhere you'd like for your residency years. It's a great adventure you're embarking on. Be brave and take it all in and learn as much as you can!

 

[brs23]

Good advice Sarikate...thanks. I've always wanted to see alaska--that's awesome!

You'll end up making a home wherever you go. I moved across the continent to Alaska four years ago, a 12-hour, $500+ flight to my hometown, but I don't regret it for a single day. Now I live in a beautiful place where I see moose chomping on the trees in my backyard and can take day trips into the most extreme wilderness in North America.

And you get to go to San Francisco! The most beautiful city in the U.S., in my opinion, besides the fact that it's one of the best cities in which to study medicine. People would do anything for that opportunity! So take a deep breath and remind yourself that four years is like a blink of an eye, and you can go anywhere you'd like for your residency years. It's a great adventure you're embarking on. Be brave and take it all in and learn as much as you can!

 

[MedicineBird]

You'll end up making a home wherever you go. I moved across the continent to Alaska four years ago, a 12-hour, $500+ flight to my hometown, but I don't regret it for a single day. Now I live in a beautiful place where I see moose chomping on the trees in my backyard and can take day trips into the most extreme wilderness in North America.

And you get to go to San Francisco! The most beautiful city in the U.S., in my opinion, besides the fact that it's one of the best cities in which to study medicine. People would do anything for that opportunity! So take a deep breath and remind yourself that four years is like a blink of an eye, and you can go anywhere you'd like for your residency years. It's a great adventure you're embarking on. Be brave and take it all in and learn as much as you can!

Sarikate has enough bravery to share with all of you.

 

[fun8stuff]

i am ansy about moving 7 hours away (waiting on one school to make deciion) because my mom has cancer... and recently divorced from my stepdad, so she pretty much has no one... i will be torn over the decision. What would you do if you were in my decision and had to pick between top 15 school and local state school close to home....??

 

[MedicineBird]

i am ansy about moving 7 hours away (waiting on one school to make deciion) because my mom has cancer... and recently divorced from my stepdad, so she pretty much has no one... i will be torn over the decision. What would you do if you were in my decision and had to pick between top 15 school and local state school close to home....??

this is something no one can answer for you and I'm certain no one envies your situation. A lot will depend on how your mom is doing when MAY 15 rolls around.

 

[stinkycheese]

Hey hey, that's awesome! Congrats!

Sorry for the mini-hijack everyone .

Thanks! I didn't get back to this thread until just now... hey Kaz, if you and I both get good news from Pitt, we may be classmates yet, though That's probably the only school I'll pass up Tulane for... fingers are crossed for both of us!!! Keep me updated.

 

[stinkycheese]

GO Tulane! I'm waiting to hear from Northwestern because I would like to stay in Chicago a little while longer (I just moved here a year ago) but if I don't I'm headed down to the big easy for sure. I moved to Chicago to do a post-bac and it was tough, I won't lie. I'm a little nervous about moving again, starting over again. . . but if at least it will be warm if/when I do.

Hey come join the Tulane 2009 thread!!!! We're all talking about housing, etc.

 

[Sarikate]

MedicineBird = major inspiration

 

[fun8stuff]

this is something no one can answer for you and I'm certain no one envies your situation. A lot will depend on how your mom is doing when MAY 15 rolls around.

thanks... yeah, the thing is... my step dad was told she supposedly had 4months to live 4 years ago. This whole cancer thing is very ambiguous... perhaps the worst part. May 15th may come around and she may be doing great, as she is doing now, but there is always that mystery and all the "what if" scenerios...

 

[MedicineBird]

thanks... yeah, the thing is... my step dad was told she supposedly had 4months to live 4 years ago. This whole cancer thing is very ambiguous... perhaps the worst part. May 15th may come around and she may be doing great, as she is doing now, but there is always that mystery and all the "what if" scenerios...

I don't want this to come out wrong so if it sounds odd please take it with a grain of salt. Cancer may wind up claiming your mother's life but that does not mean that you too should be it's victim. Surely your mother wants the best for her child and wants to be proud of your accomplishments. I know if I were your mother I would want you to go and LIVE -- follow your dreams. That would make me happiest. If I saw you put your own life on hold because of my life path it would devestate me. If the worst does happen while you are in school I am certain you would be able to make arrangements for emergency medical leave.