Will I be able to apply while becomming a parent?

[wavefunc]

I'm glad I found this forum,

I got a BS in Physics in 2003, but wasn't sure what to do with it. Since then, I've been teaching and tutoring for a test-prep company and working in a university physics department as a technician. Even though I've had a lot of success at teaching, I've always known that to be happy I would need to go back to school at some point... I just didn't know for what.

Last fall, after four years of teaching (among other things) physics to pre-meds and thinking I'd never want to take a med school path, I attended my brother-in-law's white coat ceremony and I realized that a career as a doctor was more in line with my goals that any tangible option I'd thought of before. It's science, it's helping people directly, it's a long and difficult journey... all those are things I really wanted.

I'm currently taking orgo (I managed to get out of having to take general chemistry by pleading to take and then acing the g-chem final exam from last year) and biology. Things are going well.

But yesterday I found out that my wife is pregnant. I can't imagine how I'll get through the applications process next fall with her 9mos pregnant and then with an infant. Not to mention the next four years. It's terrifying and I'm feeling pretty sad (at a time when most people would be joyous!).

It seems like other people here have made it with even more to overcome. Does anyone else have a similar situation, or any advice?

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[MJB]

The worst part of the application process, for me, was last summer trying to get the primary apps filled out and get stuff lined up...

Honestly, after about August or so, it wasn't that bad other than having to deal with the frustration of trying to get LOR's sent out.

Secondaries can be a pain, but most can be done in about 20-30 minutes, in my experience.

 

[Kateb4]

It's definately do-able. I'm going to be having a my third baby in Aug 07 and I'm hoping to start med school in Fall 08. Does your wife work? It will probably be financially challenging for you guys, but if she can do something to help support the family financially you should be ok, since it dosn't seem like your concern is financial anyways. Honestly, for the app process, if you submit everything as early as possible, hopefully you can get your secondaries done over the summer before she has the baby. Yes, you will have to be gone for interviews, possibly travel for them depending on where you apply. But I think that your timing is pretty good actually. By the time that you start school, the baby will be nearly a year old, and less demanding. Plus, if you wife were intending to go back to work, you guys should be established pretty well in your routine for child care and her working. Really, I know a first child is scary, but you'll do fine.

Side note for you, if you didn't take gen chem I and II, you may want to check with the med schools you are planning to apply to. Most require 8 hours of inorganic with lab and 8 hours of organic w/ lab.