I thought that I should finally introduce myself. I’ve been lurking around on here for weeks now. I really like this discussion board!!
So, about me. I have a B.S. and M.S. in engineering from the University of Missouri - Rolla. I’m 26 and have been working at a government laboratory in New Mexico for almost 3 years. While I like engineering, it is SO not for me. I sit in an office all day staring at a computer screen.
As an undergrad, I considered going to med school, but, I chickened out Junior year. I still didn’t know what I wanted to do, so I hung around for grad school, then I got the job in Albuquerque.
I’m just starting this process, and I’ll gladly take any advice I can get! My husband and I have decided we don’t like living in the southwest, and we’ll be moving back to Missouri early next year. I’ve already applied to a post-bacc program in Kansas City.
While I’m nervous to give up such a great job with great benefits, I’m really excited to make this happen. I think I just needed a few more years of maturity before I did something so big.
Are there any other engineers out there? Anyone from Missouri?
A little more about me – I’m a HUGE animal lover (2 horses, 1 mule, 1 dog, 2 cats) and my horse and I ride 3 day events at the Beginner Novice level. 
Tracia
Welcome!
I’m not sure if we have any (former) engineers on here or not - I know there are a few IT people running around.
Welcome, Tracia. Maturity is definitely one of those unlisted pre-reqs… it’s taken me about the same time to come to about the same conclusion. Best of luck with your journey 
- Tracia Said:
So, about me. I have a B.S. and M.S. in engineering from the University of Missouri - Rolla. I'm 26 and have been working at a government laboratory in New Mexico for almost 3 years. While I like engineering, it is SO not for me. I sit in an office all day staring at a computer screen.
As an undergrad, I considered going to med school, but, I chickened out Junior year. I still didn't know what I wanted to do, so I hung around for grad school, then I got the job in Albuquerque.
I'm just starting this process, and I'll gladly take any advice I can get! My husband and I have decided we don't like living in the southwest, and we'll be moving back to Missouri early next year. I've already applied to a post-bacc program in Kansas City.
While I'm nervous to give up such a great job with great benefits, I'm really excited to make this happen. I think I just needed a few more years of maturity before I did something so big.
Are there any other engineers out there? Anyone from Missouri?
A little more about me -- I'm a HUGE animal lover (2 horses, 1 mule, 1 dog, 2 cats) and my horse and I ride 3 day events at the Beginner Novice level.
Tracia
Tracia, I share your sentiment about not wanting to sit behind a computer screen for a career. I started this pre-med thing a year ago for exactly the same reason. Best of luck to you and welcome!
Welcome Tracia!
When I was in HS I wanted to be an engineer so badly, it hurt. Unfortunately, my 450 math SAT score wouldn’t get me into any Engineering program that I was aware of back in 1984. I’ve been through half a dozen majors, and two & a half careers since then. After getting an EMT certification & some exposure to medicine via the emergent side of things, I could acknowledge that I didn’t possess the maturity required to become a medical professional, though I immediately felt an affinity for it. A decade later, I am married and far more focussed with my ambitions. With the encouragement of my wife, some instructors, and a premed advisor who, at least, hasn’t laughed at me yet, I am finally pursuing the dream.
You shouldn’t have any difficulty with the science at all! Just make sure that a medical “job” is one that appeals to you. I wanted to be engineer before I had much of an idea what most engineers actually do. After discovering that a great many engineers occupy corporate office cubicles, and spend many hours on seemingly (to me) intractable calculus problems, the engineering “job” lost much of it’s romance. I’m aware that there is at least as much variation among engineering jobs and disciplines as there is in medicine, so I’m overgenaralizing, perhaps. I feel certain that you will be able to make the career transition. Be sure you do some medically-related part-time, or volunteer, work. This will certainly help convince some admissions folk that you are aware of what you are doing. More importantly, you should acquire a “feel” for the job (warts and all) before you invest time and money that you might later regret. I feel pretty comfortable saying that everyone here wants you to be happy with the pursuit and attainment of your goal. I love to watch people succeed at endeavours that benefit us all!
Good luck!
Tim
Thanks so much for all of the replies!!! Now for a question: what is the best way to get involved with volunteering or shadowing? Like Tim said, I really need to get inside the medical profession. This time I want to be 100% sure and have no regrets. But, I don’t know any physicians. Where should I start?
Edited to add: Just saw the post several weeks ago about volunteering for a hospice. I’ll look into that one definitely.
I volunteer at one of the major hospitals in my area. The 1st summer (summers are the only time I can volunteer since I’m not taking any classes then - I work full-time, school part-time) I volunteered in ped ICU. Wonderful experience. Last summer I volunteered in the ED. Absolutely fantastic experience! I’ll be volunteering in the ED this coming summer, too. While it’s not a Level I trauma center, it IS the busiest ED in Oklahoma (busier than the Level I in OKC). Every major hospital has a volunteer coordinator - talk with them & let them know your goals, what you’d like to experience, etc.
As for shadowing - check with your premed advisor. They might have a list of doctors in the area willing to have people shadow. Also, check with the local AMA or AOA. They might have a list of doctors for shadowing, too.
- Tracia Said:
Edited to add: Just saw the post several weeks ago about volunteering for a hospice. I'll look into that one definitely.
Like Lisa said, every major hospital has a volunteer coordinator...talk to them and they'll be able to describe all the different volunteer positions open. I started the same way, talked to the coordinator and got set up for a volunteer spot within the week...I'd imagine most hospitals want to get you in there asap because they're all chronically understaffed!