Hello. My name is Stephanie, and I’ll go by Steph or Star. I will soon be 41, and I’m planning to return to school next year for some premed courses. If all goes according to plan, I will graduate med school at 50 and begin a FP residency. It’s never too late! I figure, the time will pass no matter what, so why not go after my heart’s desire?
I had clues, but I didn’t fully realize my desire until 2002. I’ve had various setbacks, but I’m ready now. (For one, I’ve had late-state Lyme Disease.)
I live in PA now, but I may move back to NJ within a year. Therefore, I don’t know where I will take prereqs. I would get a better education in Jersey. I have access to a university here, but the education is of poorer quality. The adviser even told me to go elsewhere! Sigh…I may have no choice but to go there, though. I would do my best no matter where I go. I will take some courses beyond prereqs, also.
I have a math deficit. I’m trying to learn Algebra 1, and eventually 2, on my own. This way, I can go right into College Algebra and then precalc. None of the med schools I’m considering require calc, so I won’t have to go further than that. Strange; I took two stats classes and got A’s in them. People always say you can’t do well without algebra. I took the classes in NJ.
My husband supports me, though while he says it’s not tentatively, it seems that way. I shall see. We have no kids.
I look forward to spending a lot of time here, meeting you all and soaking up support and knowledge. I plan to offer it as well.
Any other “really” old folk here?
Steph
Hi
I’m REALLY old too! 44!! I just recently made the decision to go for my hearts desire and go to med school. I was a respiratory therapist in an acute care hospital for 10 years and I’ve been a stay-at-home mom to 3 kids for 13 years. I have to start all over again regarding school. I’ll be 47 when I graduate college (Dec '11), 52 after med school and 55 after an emergency medicine residency. wholly crap! Well, I’ve waited this long…
Hi! Thanks for responding.
I’m glad we’re not alone! I said “really” old because a nontrad is anyone who didn’t go right from high school to college to med school. Therefore, a person can be very young and be a nontrad.
We’ll both finish around the same time. If you want to contact me directly, feel free to email me. imadiva@ptd.net. It would be nice to “talk” to someone going through the same thing at roughly the same time!
Star
I think this site is so wonderful! Thank you to all of you founders and continuers! I just signed up today also. I am a mother and an RN (BSN Dec '88) so it’s been a while since I’ve been in school. I was hoping to sneak in under the wire for application in November but too many classes to take between now and Dec '08 so it will have to be next year. I am looking forward to it though~ all of it. I made a weak attempt 16 years ago to go to med school but chose to stay in marriage instead (it was either/or)and unfortunately (for the kids) but fortunately for me, we divorced and the kids are almost done with school. So here I am, back with a much stronger, more determined intent to complete medical school no matter how long it takes or how hard it gets. This is what I was meant to do. Which is similar, I assume, to how all of us ‘Really Old’ people feel here. 
oooo~ reading ‘The Four Agreements’ I don’t assume; I have the courage to ask questions. So, do you all feel the same way?
Wishing everyone Health, Wealth, and Happiness~
Colette
Welcome, Colette! (I love your avatar.)
I, too, am determined to do this now, even though I am still fighting Lyme and complications. I believe, at least 97%, that I can indeed do this.
I made two weak attempts myself. In 2003, I entered a program in NJ. I wasn’t advised properly, and I ended up in a class well beyond my scope at the time. I just thought I wasn’t cut out for medicine. Then, we moved.
In 2004, I made another attempt at a small state university. They don’t have a strong program, and I was actually advised to go elsewhere! If we stay in PA, I’ll be stuck at this school with poor advisement and a poor program. The advisor was very discouraging and had inaccurate information.
Assuming we move back to Jersey, I will have a choice of excellent programs.
I didn’t mean to go on so much. I just wanted to get across that I want to do this so much that I think I can climb any mountain!
Star
Thanks! Are you far from the bigger cities in PA? If you don’t move to NJ, could that be an option? It sounds like NJ would give you more choices. Dealing with the Lyme disease must be tough. I’ll hold your healing in my thoughts. What is the prognosis for it? We don’t see it a lot here in Phx. Speaking of Phx - i love your username. Very clever. I get totally stuck whenever I have to pick one so I go with the boring real name and try to get creative elsewhere.
Thanks so much, Colette. 
I don’t live near anything. I’m in such a rural area. My county doesn’t have a college, a hospital…not much infrastructure whatsoever. It’s mostly woods. Other than that small state university about 45 miles away, there are a couple of very expensive private universities about 60 miles away. (That’s local here!) I couldn’t possibly take that on. They’re religious schools, too, and I prefer a secular school. I’d worry even about the small state school. 45 miles each way is a lot now with gas being so expensive. Sigh…If we move back to Jersey (and it wouldn’t be by choice, exactly. We want to move back, but this would be a forced move), I would have access to better education, and it would be much closer. I want the better education, yet I don’t want to lose my house due to the petroleum crunch (gas and oil). There’s no great solution. I’ll just see what happens and where I can go from there.
I’ve had the Lyme for 24 years now. I was diagnosed very late.
I use my screen name on various boards. It’s my soul name, if you will. I suffered severe, sadistic abuse as a child, and I see myself as the phoenix rising from the ashes. Stars are beautiful, and my perps messed up star imagery for me, too. I reclaimed it. Hence, Starphoenix.
Star
Hi Star,
I love your soul name! That’s great. I’m sorry you had to go thru that. I’m sure you know this, but what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. I understand about the forced move as well. We are going thru a similar thing here. We don’t have the oil issue but gasoline prices are very high as well as the general economy in a decline but we do have it better than most places in the country. If you are forced to move you could always consider Phoenix since it resonates with you already Good luck with things and I’m sure we’ll be talking frequently over the next several years!
Hey, Colette!
Thank you so much. You are a sweetheart.
I wouldn’t mind a move to Phoenix. John would, though. We have both been committed to returning to NJ, though I have relatives in Las Vegas, and I might enjoy the southwest.
We should email each other so we don’t have to take up the thread with other matters. I’d love to stay in touch over the years! imadiva@ptd.net. I see you don’t have your addy posted here. If you email me first, it can be kept private.
Star
Another way to communicate with someone privately without divulging e-mail addresses. is to use the “private topic” function on here. You can click on the person’s username and then click on “start private topic” or you can go to “my fusion” and click “start private topic” and then just type in the person’s username.
Thanks for the tip! I haven’t been on many forums. Good to know.
Yeah, thanks! I’m not familiar with the board yet.
Star