First of all, hello to all OPM community! I was browsing around the net in order to find some comfort food as well as support for my reinvigorated passion to becoming a professional in the field of Medicine.
I am a 26yr old male, lost in translation for the past half a decade, floundering about and losing my priority; thus unable to finish my studies in a university, dropping out, and becoming a bane to my mother who is an accomplished ER doctor. My mother is celebrated amongst our family for raising a single boy in his teens whilst studying in Philippines, Harvard Medical, and finishing her residency at Ford General. Quite the task for a single mother and the very definition of independence.
My grandparents raised me for the better early half of my life, instilling good principal, frugality as well as living for the benefit of others as they were also held to high regards in both the Church and Hospital community.
Perhaps it was the lack of proper guidance from both a Mother as a young kid, foregoing basic understanding of the world and my place in it. My mother expected the same independence she had as a child instilled in me to figure out everything as soon as I was 12 years old. Maybe this can explain the realization of Peter Pan Complex at a not-so-young-anymore age of 26 without a Bachelors.
Then one day, I got sick of it all. The retail jobs, the serviceable jobs, all kinds of jobs known to man for a rather ill-equipped Asian kid. Running a convenience store, parking cars, waitering and working like a cow. Every customers I’ve encountered wondered why the hell this “smart” kid was pushing buttons on a POS. There were periods where I’ve lived in my vehicle for months even though my family was making high six figures as I wanted to fix everything by myself.
I blame no one else. My priorities and perception of the world was severely skewered, the creeping realization that I am not getting any younger.
It may be not the grandiose start that I wanted, but a local community college was my best bet for my first footing till a transfer and eventual B.S. degree and onto a medical field. I have no care for making substantial amount of money or lavish lifestyle, just enough to be comfortable and following my gramp’s footsteps to retire respectably while continuing to be of service and yearning for life long learning.
My first day will be the coming Monday and OPM will be my weekly visit of solace and advice.
I am so glad I have found such a website. Thanks to all!
Welcome Fyren!
I’m new here too and just started a post-bacc program two weeks ago. I went to Washington University for my undergrad and coasted through a few pre-med classes before quitting the pursuit and graduated with a degree in Religious Studies. Talk about unemployable! If you know anything about Wash U and its phenomenal pre and medical education, I definitely squandered a golden opportunity! But there’s hope for people who missed initial chances in life, like you and me.
Sounds like you’re doing a smart thing starting at a CC and then transferring to a 4-year. It will save you some money. One suggestion I have, and I’m sure others will mostly agree, is that you should take as many of your general eds as possible at the CC level (English Comp, math, electives, etc.) and worry less about completing all the pre-med requirements. Med Schools generally do not view pre-med courses at a CC highly, so whatever you do take at a CC in the way of science classes needs to be backed up with some higher-level science classes when you get to a 4-year college/university. For example, I took General Biology at the CC level (an “Honors” version of the course no less), but I can’t rest on that being sufficient for med school. Now that I’m doing a post-bac at a 4-year research university, I’m loading up on higher-level Bio courses to prove that I have what it takes (Cell Biology, Genetics, Molecular, etc.).
Best of luck to you.