I was a premed student 12 years ago with a bachlor’s degree in biochemistry. then i got a job at an investment bank on wall street and haven’t done anything related to health science ever since then. I just lost my job recently during the financial crisis and don’t think i can find a job anytime soon and also i never liked my job. I think my passion is in health science, not finance, so now i’m considering to pursuit my old dream – medical school. i have two major concerns before i jump into the water to start prepare for it:
The premed courses i took are about 12 yrs old, is it still possible to use my very limited memory of those old textbooks info to prepare for MCAT?
I’m a 34-year-old woman and i want to have children soon, even if i get into medical school is it possible to take care of children and medical school courses at the same time?
Does anyone here have similar experiences or have any advices and suggestions for my concerns?
I was a premed student 12 years ago with a bachlor's degree in biochemistry. then i got a job at an investment bank on wall street and haven't done anything related to health science ever since then. I just lost my job recently during the financial crisis and don't think i can find a job anytime soon and also i never liked my job. I think my passion is in health science, not finance, so now i'm considering to pursuit my old dream -- medical school. i have two major concerns before i jump into the water to start prepare for it:
Just make sure your reasons for going into medicine are very solid and not based on secondary factors such as being unable to find a job. Medicine is a huge and very expensive project and you don't want to go spending a lot of money and time before you're absolutely sure it's the best thing for you.
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1. The premed courses i took are about 12 yrs old, is it still possible to use my very limited memory of those old textbooks info to prepare for MCAT?
Anything's possible, but it's best to go in as prepared as possible. You might be better off retaking the courses and also an MCAT prep course, so that you'll be in the exam groove and have the very best study habits and test taking skills possible. Also, med schools usually require more recent coursework, usually 5-7 years old at most. The biological sciences in particular change drastically from year to year and even 5 years is somewhat out of date these days.
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2. I'm a 34-year-old woman and i want to have children soon, even if i get into medical school is it possible to take care of children and medical school courses at the same time?
Lots of people are doing it, but it's extremely difficult especially if you are alone. An understanding spouse makes a big difference. But you definitely don't want to wait on the kids. A friend of mine started med school pregnant, had her baby during the Thanksgiving break, and is in the 5 year program because she didn't want to be in the dissection lab with all the chemicals while pregnant. (Like the rest of us did!)
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Does anyone here have similar experiences or have any advices and suggestions for my concerns?
You've come to the right place. Just keep in mind that this is a huge undertaking and it will require total commitment. Best of luck,