Greetings all!
I’m 34 this year (in July) and I just completed my first semester of pre-reqs (Bio 1 & Chem 1 with labs). It was rough! I will hopefully pull off an A in Bio and hopefully an A- or B+ in Chem. And I certainly hope it will improve from there…
Anyways. I have been a nontraditional student since the fall of 2005. I started taking classes part time, and was all set to graduate this coming April. Then I got fired the friday before labor day in 2010 and after the requisite month of moping was over… I realized… hey… I can do whatever I want now…
Which is when I remembered that “back in the day,” I wanted to become a doctor, and now that my days were all freed up, I could take all those science pre-reqs (I attend University of Pittsburgh which only offers the hard sciences during the day).
So that’s where I’m at. I don’t know what kind of doctor I want to be, although I do know there are a few types I don’t want to be… heh!
Here’s my plan:
Summer 11 - Chem 2 with Lab, Bio 2 with Lab, Calculus
Fall 11 - OChem 1 with lab, human physiology, Physics 1
Spring 12 - OChem 2 with Lab, Physics 2, Physics Lab
Summer 12 - MCAT, Biochemistry, maybe Microbiology
I started volunteering at the hospital this past March, and I’m looking for research positions in a lab somewhere. I’m extremely lucky to have a husband who supports my crazy dream, and a son who’s old enough to understand, or at least pretend to.
I’m toying with the idea of Navy/Air Force Medical scholarship, as I’m just young enough to qualify.
Anyways. That’s me in a nutshell. Hoping to get to know a bunch of you, and maybe even get out to vegas in june. 
-meriae
Welcome mariae!
Hope you make it to Vegas - if so, will see you there! I found the conference really valuable in my application and interview process.
Sounds like a good plan. Yeah, army/navy (or air force, don’t forget) can definately take the sting out of the cost of medical school. Be sure you are clear whether you complete your residency before or prior to your service obligation, as this differs between the services.
Congrats on your grades so far!
Kate
My thought on going military to pay for med school is this: I’ll make far more money working as a civilian doctor than I would make working as a military doctor. Granted, I’ve already done my time in the military, and believe it is an amazing experience. I guess what I’m saying is: student loans can help you bridge that finance gap to complete med school and there really shouldn’t be any difficulty in paying them off once you begin to practice, so don’t join the military for the cash, do it because you have the need to serve your country.
I agree with NightGod. As a military physician, I am paid at least 40% less than my civilian counterparts. I do why I do because I enjoy serving, not for the money.