So, how does one introduce themselves anonymously, anyway? I'm a relatively newly minted nurse that worked for a while, right out of school (once licensed of course) in a pretty large hospital in a city somewhere in the US. As much as I learned, and loved what I did, I cannot properly express the mental anguish I felt as a new nurse, because there was no way I could physically do everything that was asked of me, in the time I was given to do it, but somehow it had to get done anyway. That whole thing about asking for help? There's not always someone there to help you. But I loved taking care of my patients. I really did. I left my job as an RN to pursue my premedical studies, because it has always and forever, been my end goal. Why did you bother becoming a nurse then?, one nurse said to me in the med room during my last 2 weeks on the job. I bothered becoming a nurse because it was the closest I could get meanwhile, that's why. It is my truth, resent me or not. Being a nurse was thankless and exhausting, but I do not regret a second of it. It changed who I am. I'm mostly planning on using this blog for its original purpose: to document my pre-med process and the tumultous journey to med school, in hopes that this will be useful to somebody else out there now or in the future. As yet, I have no idea just how tumultous it will be. Right now, I'm still in the process of taking the pre-med classes. I have my BSN.
Currently the annoyance of my life is figuring out when the right time is to take my MCAT. Do I take it at the end of the semester in which, I have one class left the following semester? I would have to study MCAT and finals at the same time. Or do I wait till I'm fully done with pre-med before taking MCAT? Because that would delay my application by a whole year. Can't decide. I have to admit now that I'll be in my late 20's before I even finish pre-meds. I also have a honey that I plan to marry and have children with sometime in the near future, and not working during such a long process just doesn't bode well for getting married and supporting yourself, does it now? So, I constantly have to stop myself from taking the paved road. Going back to work part time, and starting the NP program I was accepted into, later this year. Sure, I'm in. I could probably convince myself that it was the same thing. But it's not. And I will never be satisfied. So I will continue to take the less certain path - the path that leads to rejection for most people. I will do what it takes to get there, and I have a supportive life partner who is down for the journey as well. What more could I ask for?
I went to a pre-health advisor last semester. My cum. GPA for my BSN is 3.53. She told me, "you must get all A's in these pre-med classes if you want to have a chance of getting in" - ouch. Well, so far, I'm 1 for 1. We'll see how I do at the end of this brand spankin new semester. 8-9 hard science classes and I'm not allowed a single B? Not sure how this is going to work, but I'm going to try.
NurseyNurse
Welcome to blogging, and best of luck with the upcoming heavy course load. Somehow people make it through and into medical school, although it can seem like a long haul at the time. As for taking the MCAT, I'm a big believer in writing it as early as you can. If you do very well, then you can apply right away, whereas if you don't do as well, it'll be a good experience for the time that you write it "for real". Writing it early, even if you don't feel prepared to do so, may feel like a huge waste of money, but in the grand scheme of things it's a small price to pay to potentially save yourself an entire year of waiting to get into medical school. (Just my two cents on the matter.)
ReplyDeleteIm happy to have that feedback. I would hate to waste a year but I dont want to fail miserably either. I think I'm going to have to study for both concurrently. It'll probably help me do better in those last few classes too.
DeleteIf it's any consolation, many of the people with whom I went to medical school failed miserably at the MCAT the first time they wrote it. It has a lot more to do with one's ability to take tests than it does with their intelligence or ability to be a doctor.
ReplyDeleteRegardless, I hope that whatever you decide will work well for you.
I'm sure one B in your premed classes won't disqualify you even for a nontraditional student. Of course you want to shoot for all A's, but it's not a prerequisite for getting into medical school.
ReplyDeleteYea, I cant say that getting a B anywhere down this arduous road is going to stop me from carrying on. I'll be damned if I dont put up one hell of a fight. Ps ) I'm enjoying reading all the feedback from your ochem students. I'm laughing now... I'll probably be crying in ochem. haha.
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