Hey all.
Well I have been at this pre med stuff for a little more than 1.5 years. Im going slowly with pre reqs to assure good grades and the ability to work. I ahve managed to finish Inorganic chem I&II with A’s and Bio I with and A. Doing Bio II now. Still have an algebra class (to prep for physics) physics I & II and Ochem I & II to go plus the dreaded MCAT.
How many times did you have a serious moment of reconsideration. Thinking thinks like “I have a great life now” or “Is it really worth it?”. Here I am about halfway to the goal and only the last 2 months I have been thinking about it alot.
How often have you been in this position? I assume its common for the non-trad because we have so much to lose (Job security etc).
I’d have to say I had misgivings about once a week on average… 
You’re not alone.
If at some point you’re seriously considering quitting, or choosing something else or whatever… take a step back and rethink your decision to pursue a career in medicine. More often than not I think you’ll find that it’s all related to stress and struggles in your current classes.
You’ll find new motivation and keep going.
Andrea
LECOM-B class of 2009… er I mean 2010
Thanks 
I have been doing that alot lately and i keep comming back to how much I want to be a physician. The funniest thing is that the idea of medical school and residency isnt daunting, it’s getting through pre reqs, the MCAT and ultimately; getting in at all that is 
Well, although pre-med life might seem daunting when you are in it…it is nothing compared to medical school and beyond. I question this path sometimes and wonder what possesed me to do this…I do enjoy it BUT there is a lot you do not know about the process until you get in it…I imagine many folks would not pursue this path if they had known the full extent of it.
hey efex
For me it isnt so much the professional degree work (actual med school), it is the wondering if i will be succesful in the pre reqs and MCAT then admissions. I felt the same way when i was working toward getting into Nursing school. Once there, it seems much easier to dedicate and apply oneself because your doing what you wanted to. Until then, all the pre med school stuff could be for nothing if you dont get in. For the typical 20ish applicant this isnt an issue but for us non-trads we have (or have negotiated with wives/husbands) a period of time after which entrance to medical school might be fiscally irresponsible or unfair to others in your life.
I think its the whole “life being on hold” that can be difficult for me.
Yes, the “having my life on hold” does make this process harder for non-trads for sure. But if you keep at it and do everything you know you have to you can rest assured that you will more than likely get in unless you are a total tool. So you will get there and hence now patience is your worst enemy 
ALL THE TIME!!! during O-chem and then going through MCAT. But, now I miss the challenge and certainty in O-chem (compared to Biology) and the MCAT is firmly behind me. One thing that helped is that I realized that O-chem is the big flunk-out point and I kept remembering what a doctor pal said about MCAT, “It’s designed to mess with your mind,” Just try to be sure that any of your misgivings are coming from yourself and not from “mind control” by others. Whether it is worth it or not depends on how you are measuring. I am probably luckier than most since my family is mostly self-supporting and used to me dropping out of a normal life for all my various schemes. As for interrupting my life, well, this IS my life. Every new test or application or hurdle: “Bring it on Kelly!”
I have alot of respect for the people on this board who have “Done It” or are in the process of “Doing Medical School”. Really, it is truly impressive. The hurdles for many of you, children, lack of support, economics… are greater than what I am currently facing.
It is inspiring to have you all comment and look back here to help those of us on the same path.
Thanks!
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So you will get there and hence now patience is your worst enemy
Patience right now is NOT my strong suite. I did not do as well as I expected on the beast so I doubt that I will be getting into school this year. Other than that, my top choice told me that I was golden and that I should plan on retaking the monster this April.
After some resting of the mind after my last pre-req class for this school, I came up with a good study schedule for me and I have been catching up on my Kaplan syllabus and am almost caught up for this schedule to work. However, I cannot stop myself from asking if anything came in the mail or checking my e-mail every 10 minutes.
this is the last thing that I need to do in order to finally get into medical school and I do not want to wait anymore. But I have no other choice.
My wife keeps telling me that the inadvertance of putting off medical school for one year would actually be better in the long run since she is due in May. Her attitude is a new baby, a new house, and medical school in the same year is just too much, And while I know that she is right, I still want to start just so I know that I am there.
In the meantime, I am working on also leaving my position. I am tired of the commute into NYC from NJ and back (about 1.5 hours each way) and I am not too happy with my boss right now. I have begun the process to become a science teacher. NJ has the alternate route so I do not have to go back to school for the certificate. I need to take the Praxis test and I am off.
At least if I do not get in this year, and once I get my MCAT score from April, if they are what my top choice wants, I will ask them if I should do early decision. If so then I will know by September and not only will that be done but I will have an entire year off from any studying to rest my mind and we can look for a nice house and the baby will be 1 year old by then and hopefully giving us a good night’s sleep.
And while I may sound all set and patient, currently I am anything but. This plan seems all well and good but I just want to start medical school already!!!
well yer further ahead than i am. I still have physics and Ochem b4 the MCAT.
I am considering taking the MCAT b4 i take OCHEM 2 any suggestions?
As I recall, my version of the MCAT had ochem problems with carbonyls and amines, so Ochem2 really helped. But, I probably could have figured it out anyway, cause they seemed to provide lots of information, and I have always been good at predicting what rxns will do. Not so with biology. I wish I had taken the MCAT after cellbio instead.
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Once there, it seems much easier to dedicate and apply oneself because your doing what you wanted to.
This is sort of along the lines I’m thinking about now … and that I hesitate to believe that “once you’re in - you’re working towards your dream”. That is, what has lured me to medicine is the intent to work in the trauma, burn, ER type discipline. I understand that it’s not good to choose the end before even seeing what’t in the middle, but that type of medicine is my initial drawl. It’s what motivated me to start moving away from a fairly good life now …
But, the thought that I might actually make it to med school and then NOT end up (i.e. not match) in the discipline I want is really making me anxious right now. I mean, wouldn’t it be horrible to give up what you’ve got, only to trade it in for another “job”.
Tough One
I also am of the opinion that I know what I want to do, Emergency Medicine. Now, for me, thats a pretty informed decision since i have been working there for near 10 years. However, I know MANY Paramedics and RN’s (i am both) whom have said the same thing and eded up in family med or internal med… a world apart form the ER.
So who knows? I dont think it should concern you now since it is well outside your control.