Where do I go from here?

[UnrealIchthys]

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I'm one of those people who kinda slept through Highschool- I didn't find it hard to get a passing grade as long as I paid some attention in class, and was looking at enlisting, so didn't think much of a near straight-c GPA. Never did take the SAT. To make a long story short, things didn't work out. I enrolled in a community college for Comp Sci associate's degree- just because I needed to do something, and have never had much trouble with computers. Started my first real job, etc. I really didn't start life until I was 18. Now I'm a little more then halfway through this associates program, and have had some real-life-job experience.. I realized I'm never going to enjoy working in the IT industry. I've been thinking about what kind of field/job I would prefer to work in- I need a job where I can see the effect my work has, to motivate me. I need a job that doesn't involve a lot of repetition, I'd go crazy doing almost the same exact thing day in day out for two years. I want a job that ..better's myself- something where my skills for work can be used outside of work. I need something that I would find challenging, and i've found I have a tendency to.. live my job (which is really obsessive-seeming when you're a wage slave at a giant retail operation.) I'm also driven by an obsessive curiosity to understand everything. I can't think of much outside of the medical field that might be what I'd like. Maybe a career in the arts- but I lack any real creative ability. Most of my talents seem to be logic, problem-solving, some aptitude at math. At the same time, I don't know anything really. I don't know where to start looking into this. I also feel that since I've already invested a lot of time and money into the associates program, I should at least finish that- it'd be a way of making some money before going back to school (again). I also do have a pretty mediocre GPA and some academic skills that need improvement, but I tend to test rather high. Do I have a shot with a straight C HS GPA? Do I have the wrong idea of what being a doctor is like? (and/or, do you have any other recommendations then?) Is finishing my current program a better idea than transfering to a four year school?

 

[QofQuimica]

Right now you are drifting all over the place with no sense of purpose or direction. This is not a very effective way to approach anything in life, but especially not a career where the training sequence is as hard and long as medicine. The best way to come up with a solid plan to get somewhere is to first have a tangible idea of where you're trying to end up. Here's what I suggest that you do:

1) Go ahead and finish your degree. You're already halfway done, and you should be able to finish it in another semester or two, correct? At that point, you will have some skills that, while they may not be the most "fun" for you, are marketable and will allow you to support yourself and consider other alternatives. I would also add that from now on, you must step up your game. A transcript full of Cs will not get you into medical school. You may or may not ultimately decide to go to medical school, but regardless, you should start working up to your potential. This will allow you to go farther in life no matter what career you ultimately choose.

2) Find a doctor to shadow and/or get some health-related volunteering or employment experience. Hospitals, doctors' offices, medical schools, and other health-related facilities all employ people with IT skills. Talk to some of the health care professionals you meet and see if you can set up some shadowing experiences. This will be another way for you to see if you enjoy being in a hospital and around sick people.

3) If you do decide that you want to go to medical school, you will need to attend a four-year college for at least two more years after finishing your AA. You will probably be required to take the SAT or ACT to get admitted. While you are in college, you will take the four pre-req courses (one year each of physics, bio, chem, and organic chem with lab). You will also need to take the MCAT.

I would caution you that you should be careful about jumping into any field just because you think it will save you from boredom. Every job will require a certain amount of hassle, drudgery, paperwork, monotony, and repetition. A surgeon doesn't become skilled in his craft by performing the same operation only once in a while, and a clinician doesn't achieve his diagnostic acumen by seeing a patient with that disease every so often. In order to become great in *any* field, you will have to repeat the same tasks and skills over and over again. So while it is helpful to choose a career that you love, you must also be realistic and mature enough to understand that you will never love every single thing about any career. They all have their positives and negatives, and how the overall balance works out is in the eye of the beholder.

Best of luck to you. 🙂