Would you guys help me out?

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kashford2

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First post after lurking and I have a couple questions and the post might get long but here it goes.

I love anesthesia (sounds funny without doing any shadowing) but I want to pursue this at any means.
I just need help in getting there.

I could try for MD school or even a DO school but I had a very rocky start to college getting Cs, Bs and I've even had to withdrawal from some classes. I went for something that didn't suit me. Took time off went to community for a semester then moved to University where I found something I liked learning(or so I thought). Medical Lab Science. I just graduated and I am currently employed as a Medical Laboratory Scientist( fancy term for a Med tech). I raised my grades drastically once getting into something "medical" Started getting As, Bs.

Now I don't think the work is anything like schooling. In school, we were constantly being tested on trouble shooting, looking at lab results and corresponding disease states to it. Hematology, Clinical Microbiology, Immunology, Immunology, Clinical Chemistry were all core classes that I have gained an incredible knowledge but I don't get to use it. I work in the Micro department but all the work is mundane, it was the only department I could stand during rotations, but during heme rotation I went on a bone marrow biopsy do GI/ENDO where I got to see a anesthesiologist doing work, next I went to interventional radiology on another bone marrow biopsy. I loved these places, more people to interact with and it made me feel great with nurses and doctors.

Where I am at now?
Well I am currently looking at all options. I can try for MD/DO schools (hell even PA school) but I honestly feel like I'm not competitive enough. I don't do extracurricular, no research experience, just jobs involving hospital laboratories. I am a busy father, so adding anything extra takes time away from my kids :(. Once my training is done. I will be moving to evening shift which is when I will start getting prereqs like physics, physiology and anatomy done with and do a lot of job shadowing. So this is very much a stretch of time away. I am 26 now and by the time I apply I would likely be 28. If accepted to med school and I pass and do a residency my oldest would be 16 when I finish. That kinda of scares me

I could try for an Anesthesiologist assistant or do an accelerated RN program, get a year of experience and then try for CRNA.

Currently live KS, but MO is a block away.
UMKC has an AA program

I do like doing something new quite frequently, my lackluster school performance was likely affected by my horrible anxiety at the time. But I've got a grasp on it now .

What are you guys/gals thoughts?
Doesn't hurt to try to reach the top, right?
Also would I be better reimbursed for CRNA or AA and whats the outlook for each? Will the RN lobbies continue to drive AA's into the ground or will they soon be able to do what a CRNA can?

I need input from someone experienced working with both as it will greatly influenced which route I take.

Sorry for such a long, fragmented post. Just stuck in a rut and want to do more with my life then sit in a chair and read cultures out everyday.
Things I am intrested it
MD
DO
PA ( would likely go for a surgical or somethign)
AA
CRNA (after acclerated RN program)
I'm just need more working with others, patient contact would also be nice. sorry for adding more. lol I need to stop

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First post after lurking and I have a couple questions and the post might get long but here it goes.

I love anesthesia (sounds funny without doing any shadowing) but I want to pursue this at any means.
I just need help in getting there.

I could try for MD school or even a DO school but I had a very rocky start to college getting Cs, Bs and I've even had to withdrawal from some classes. I went for something that didn't suit me. Took time off went to community for a semester then moved to University where I found something I liked learning(or so I thought). Medical Lab Science. I just graduated and I am currently employed as a Medical Laboratory Scientist( fancy term for a Med tech). I raised my grades drastically once getting into something "medical" Started getting As, Bs.

Now I don't think the work is anything like schooling. In school, we were constantly being tested on trouble shooting, looking at lab results and corresponding disease states to it. Hematology, Clinical Microbiology, Immunology, Immunology, Clinical Chemistry were all core classes that I have gained an incredible knowledge but I don't get to use it. I work in the Micro department but all the work is mundane, it was the only department I could stand during rotations, but during heme rotation I went on a bone marrow biopsy do GI/ENDO where I got to see a anesthesiologist doing work, next I went to interventional radiology on another bone marrow biopsy. I loved these places, more people to interact with and it made me feel great with nurses and doctors.

Where I am at now?
Well I am currently looking at all options. I can try for MD/DO schools (hell even PA school) but I honestly feel like I'm not competitive enough. I don't do extracurricular, no research experience, just jobs involving hospital laboratories. I am a busy father, so adding anything extra takes time away from my kids :(. Once my training is done. I will be moving to evening shift which is when I will start getting prereqs like physics, physiology and anatomy done with and do a lot of job shadowing. So this is very much a stretch of time away. I am 26 now and by the time I apply I would likely be 28. If accepted to med school and I pass and do a residency my oldest would be 16 when I finish. That kinda of scares me

I could try for an Anesthesiologist assistant or do an accelerated RN program, get a year of experience and then try for CRNA.

Currently live KS, but MO is a block away.
UMKC has an AA program

I do like doing something new quite frequently, my lackluster school performance was likely affected by my horrible anxiety at the time. But I've got a grasp on it now .

What are you guys/gals thoughts?
Doesn't hurt to try to reach the top, right?
Also would I be better reimbursed for CRNA or AA and whats the outlook for each? Will the RN lobbies continue to drive AA's into the ground or will they soon be able to do what a CRNA can?

I need input from someone experienced working with both as it will greatly influenced which route I take.

Sorry for such a long, fragmented post. Just stuck in a rut and want to do more with my life then sit in a chair and read cultures out everyday.
Things I am intrested it
MD
DO
PA ( would likely go for a surgical or somethign)
AA
CRNA (after acclerated RN program)
I'm just need more working with others, patient contact would also be nice. sorry for adding more. lol I need to stop
This is going to get moved to pre-allo, and you'll need to share exactly where you stand. For starters, I'd say that you can't go into any MD/DO program banking on anesthesia. And if you're set on that, any route is going to take several years; from where you stand, there isn't a huge difference between any of the options you mentioned. FWIW, I'm much older than you and currently enrolled in an allopathic med school. It took me a while to realize that it didn't matter how old I would be or how old my kids would be when I finish. Time is going to pass just as quickly regardless of what you do. Start taking your pre-reqs and see where you stand. If you can't achieve mostly As in basic sciences, PA (or AA) school is no more of an option for you than MD/DO. Once you see how you're doing, think about all the different things you could do with the different degrees, and figure out what sounds like it will satisfy you the most if you don't land where you expect. For example, don't go to medical school if you wouldn't either be happy as a family care physician, or you're confident that you can achieve whatever you need to ensure that you'll go into a more competitive residency. Also consider how much your family is willing to move.

You're still young; I can tell you that it's worth exploring all options before deciding on any particular path. And I'm one of several people in my class that's well over 30 and who has a family. Start at the beginning and see how it goes.
 
This is going to get moved to pre-allo, and you'll need to share exactly where you stand. For starters, I'd say that you can't go into any MD/DO program banking on anesthesia. And if you're set on that, any route is going to take several years; from where you stand, there isn't a huge difference between any of the options you mentioned. FWIW, I'm much older than you and currently enrolled in an allopathic med school. It took me a while to realize that it didn't matter how old I would be or how old my kids would be when I finish. Time is going to pass just as quickly regardless of what you do. Start taking your pre-reqs and see where you stand. If you can't achieve mostly As in basic sciences, PA (or AA) school is no more of an option for you than MD/DO. Once you see how you're doing, think about all the different things you could do with the different degrees, and figure out what sounds like it will satisfy you the most if you don't land where you expect. For example, don't go to medical school if you wouldn't either be happy as a family care physician, or you're confident that you can achieve whatever you need to ensure that you'll go into a more competitive residency. Also consider how much your family is willing to move.

You're still young; I can tell you that it's worth exploring all options before deciding on any particular path. And I'm one of several people in my class that's well over 30 and who has a family. Start at the beginning and see how it goes.
That's the think my basic sciences is what I'm lacking, my later harder classes is where I got my As.
 
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For starters, I'd say that you can't go into any MD/DO program banking on anesthesia.

What? Why not? I'm not applying to anesthesia, but my impression was that anesthesia is not that competitive.
 
What's your Step score? Bottom line deciding factor.
 
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