Are you ready to Apply!!

Happy Spring Everyone!!

This time of year is marked by "Springing Forward" our clocks, crazy pollen (southern states at least), flowers blossoming, graduations and so many more wonderful things. Well it is also a reminder the AMCAS and AACOMAS application will open in a few weeks.

                                                  AMCAS                                        AACOMAS
Application Opens                    May 1, 2016                                 May 5, 2016
Submissions Begins                  June 1, 2016                                 June 15, 2016


Speaking from someone who has applied more than once and both early and late in the cycle, interviewed during more than one cycle and will official begin school this summer: when your advisors, fellow premeds and medical students tell you to apply early, listen and APPLY EARLY!!!

Ideally Early application = Early Secondaries = Early Interviews =  Early Acceptances

Hopefully everyone that plans to apply this year has already taken there MCAT or will take it now in April or Early May test dates. (By no means should you rush to test if you are not ready, test when you a comfortable with where you stand on content, practice test scores, and confidence)

Below is a timeline I have modified by including additional dates and important factors to consider. The original pre-med AMCAS application timeline.

Jan-June--- You are here right now ;-)

• Save as much as you can for primary applications, secondary applications, interview cost, seat deposit fees and so on. 
• If you are eligible Apply for FAP through AMCAS and Fee assistance through AACOMAS.
• Reflect on your interest, core values and desires in a medical programs (locations, specialty interest, extracurricular activities, research opportunities, additional funding available at the school, school/city demographics etc).
• Check out MSAR to learn more about schools and/or also go to the schools direct website. 
• Narrow your list of schools you would like to apply to based on your preferences and based on if you have or will all of the required pre-med prereq before school starts (for instance one school may required 2 semester of math but your school only required you take 1 semester of math). 
• ***Important***Once you have selected your schools pre-write your writing prompts so that you can submit your secondary as soon as you receive them. Check out this website for a list  or visit SDN, or contact people know that attend or have recently applied to the school. Set a goal to have the writing prompts completed no later than mid June, leaving a few weeks to make last minute changes before July 1 when secondary applications open.
• Also it is never to early to look for scholarships, check out the financial aid website of you prospective schools, google, scholarship websites and create a spreadsheet with listing deadlines and other important information.

April-June 

• Prepare for and take the MCAT if you have not already taken the test or need to retake. Take the MCAT in the spring if possible, but no later than early summer in order to have scores submitted to the schools early in the cycle.
• Request copies of your transcripts and check to ensure that there are no errors on them.
• Begin working on primary applications. AACOMAS opens in  early May. AMCAS application is available online in May for applicants to begin filling out, but cannot be submitted until early June.
• TMDSAS opens in early May.

July-September 

• Take/retake the MCAT if needed.
• Continue submitting secondaries that you did not get a chance to complete in earlier.
• Some will come within days of submitting the primary application, others will take a bit longer. Return these to the schools within one to two weeks of receiving.
• Interview at medical schools.
• Some schools notify applicants of acceptances October 15. Notifications continue until the class is full. 
• By April 30, applicants to AMCAS schools should only be holding a spot at one school. They may remain on waitlists for other schools. (Not sure if these rule also applies to D.O schools)

Spring-summer 

• Update schools you are waitlisted at about new activities and accomplishments.

Summer- Fall 

• Take a short lived breather once you're accepted before Medical School starts :-)

Check back for periodic updates as additional tips come to mind!

Upcoming Medical School Information Session!!

Interested in attending a pre-med/medical student conference this fall or spring check out this post

GA-PCOM (Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, GA Campus)

Open House April 15, 2016 5:30pm- 8pm   Suwanee, Georgia

Why you should attend?

• If you have an interest in Osteopathic Medicine or would like to learn more about Osteopathic principles, OMM or anything else, this would be a great opportunity for you to learn more about the school what is offers, the unique of Osteopathic medicine the similarities/difference between D.O and MD training.
• If you would like to attend GA-PCOM: This is a great opportunity to learn more about their campus, lecture structure.. etc
• If you would like to attend GA-PCOM: This is a great opportunity to get to know the admissions staff, state your interest in their program, follow up with emails stating your interest, what you enjoyed about the open house, when you are applying etc.

I have attended several seminars at GA-PCOM and attended their open house as well and I would definitely suggest this event to anyone who will be applying to anyone of their programs, even if you have attended their open house before I would say go again, it shows your interest and it may not be a bad thing when an admissions officer recognizes your name because you frequent their events.

As I come across other open house events at medical schools throughout the US I will post them.

Best of luck to prospective students!

Deadlines, Decisions, & FAITH

Just when you think you have a moment to relax then you're met with additional "surprises". This has been a very fruitful application season for me. I have had the opportunity to interview with several schools and I have even been accepted into a program. 

With most acceptances there are deadlines for committing to a particular school. I received my first acceptance mid-january and this week I have to decide if I will attend the school. While, I am overjoyed and excited  to be  one step closer to my dreams. I have a lot of things to consider before deciding if I want to relocate to a different state with my son and embark on this tremendous yet demanding voyage of medical school. 

In addition to having a deadline there's also a non-refundable seat deposit required that is around $2,000. This has been one of the biggest strains because I cannot easily come up with that kind of money even within a 30 day deadline. On top of my current acceptance and I was waitlisted at one school and I am still waiting to hear back from another school. All of the schools that I interviewed with have qualities and characteristics that meet my needs and expectations. Yet, I have been in the state of panic and unease for some time now because I would hate to make a rash decisions based on my eagerness to enroll in medical school and live out my dreams. My son on the other hand is very saddened at the possibility of having to leave all his family and start a new life in a new state.

As a single mother there are a lot of things I must consider. Negating the fact that I may not be in a financial position to submit the deposit. My son's happiness, emotional state and education are very important to me. Today marks a day of transition for our lives as I must make an important decision regarding our future. Whatever decision I come it must be one that I can live with tomorrow and beyond.

There will be times in life when you will reach a deadline, a fork in the road of sorts, you will have to make a decision on which path to take. Whether or not both paths are equally/less desirable, or if one path appears more attractive. At that time have faith, pray with a open heart and mind and trust in him!

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

** Disclaimer: Originally written Feb 24, 2016 however I forget to post it :-(

Interview Season : Travel & Lodging

Applying to medical school is a joyous and sometimes stressful occasion. But once you receive your first interview invitation euphoria sets in!

If you are like the thousands of student that apply every year, you may find yourself traveling outside of you home state or city. I, personally tried to stay within my comfort zone and applied to schools in my home state of Georgia and the surrounding states but being a bit bold, I also applied to schools in Ohio, D.C, Maryland, and North Carolina. Which presented me with a few things to think about in the event that I needed to travel out state for an interview: drive, fly, take a bus or train and then deciding where to stay. Here are a few tips ....

Transportation:

• If money is a determining factor, deciding to drive to your prospective interview may be the best option if they interview is within 3+ hour drive from your current residence. I have taken multiple roads trips so I am accustomed to driving 6-7 hours at a times. When you drive your main cost factor is gas and depending on the car, a full tank of gas can range from 275-325 miles (roughly a 3-4 hour trip). I would not recommend driving to cross country interviews, unless that is the only option you have and even then I would suggest being accompanied by someone to share the driving duties. Whether you rent a car or use your own, make sure the car has received recent maintenance work (oil change, tire rotation, passed a multi-check inspection)
• Another option is the MEGA BUS, Greyhound or train if you prefer not drive, the only precaution would be insuring proper storage of your interview wardrobe. Depending on how far you have to travel this may be cheaper or more expensive than a full tank of gas, and will leave you with limited mobility if you stay in your respective destination before/after you interview has concluded.
• Flying will by far be one of the most expensive options, unless you catch a good deal or use a buddy pass. The convenience of flying is that it can reduce your travel time tremendously especially if you have a direct flight, it may offer more comfort than driving, and it requires little work on your part. It offers the same disadvantages of taking the bus or train, such as limited mobility (without opting to pay for a cab etc) and properly storing your interview wardrobe.

Now on the exciting part, Hotel Accommodations: This will vary based on the city, with some destinations having a plethora of options, while others may have very limited options.

• Check with the school to see if they offer any discounts at local hotel, motels, B&Bs, etc. This may be a great money saver.
• Check with the school to see if they offer shuttle service to and from the interview, this may also help you decide if you even need your own transportation for the interview.
• Check with family and friends, etc. to see if they have any memberships or can offer a discount on any of the brand hotels near the school.
• Check with each hotel to see this they offer discounts to students coming in town to interview, this definitely would be a good idea in a small town, where the medical school is a major component of their infrastructure. 
• Reach out to family, friends, alumni from undergrad or current students at the medical school to see if they can offer you any free/discounted lodging.
• See if the school offers travel reimbursement for students experiencing financial obstacles.
• If you go with hotel lodging it may be a good idea to pick a place that offers breakfast, It may not be a fancy spread but your goal is not to be stuffed before your interview but to have something on your stomach to hold you over till lunch and keep your stomach quite during the interview.
• Stay within a reasonable commute from campus, whether you got lost, stuck in traffic or some other excuse, being late to an interview is never a good sign.

Deciding which means of transportation to use and your lodging are important and costly decisions. You must factor the amount of time off you will have away from school, work or whatever your daily responsibilities are, what is financially feasible, and strain/stress involved in your commute/stay. Utilize your resources such as your family, friends, undergraduate community, and the prospective school, you never know what help they may be able to provide to reduce the cost of your travel expenses.

Safe Travels

Interview Season : Mental Prep!!

Outside of finding the perfect outfit, dressing to impress and reviewing interview questions, you have to prepare your mind and spirit for the interview process. Being confident and free of anxiety is very important because if you're anything like me, you may find interviews to be a bit overwhelming and a definite source of stress.

Here are some bible verses that I have used in the past and will use this year to ease my mind and address thoughts of inadequacy and fear. Whether you are religious/spiritual or not; hopefully the words will resonate with you and are able to help you as much as they have helped me!

Interview Season: Dress to Impress!

Interview season is well underway. And, here are some of the ways I am preparing: participating in mock interviews (formal and informal), self practice with questions I have found online, and shopping for interview attire.

I have a few suits at home, but they have been worn quite often, not so much the blazers but I use the pants for work, church and any other outing, and the blazers do have signs of wear also. With that being said I opted to purchase a new suit.

A good business suit is definitely an investment and of course you want look very professional during your interview(s). I tend to sway more towards black in general, so I chose to purchase a black suit as well. In general most people recommend that women wear a black suit, but I have seen interviewees in Navy and Gray suits as well. However, your interview day is not the time to be overly fashionable or to stand out (for the wrong reasons), so safe is better than edgy or "Vogue".

In 2014 I was frantic, very very low on funds and the thrift stores in my area did not have any nice gently used suits (yes I said thrift store, some of them are very nice and have items that people have not even worn, if you don't have the funds for one reason or another and no one can provide you with financial assistance, this is an option.) So I purchased my suit from JCPenny it was Worthington brand. I believe I paid $75-85. Over all it was a nice suit, however I felt the material collected more lent than I would have liked. I would say though, the pants I purchased from them were great I went back and purchased 2 more, they were very clean looking and durable. I also wore the suit in the spring, it was a black pant suit with a lavender button down with a collar.

This year after doing a few online searches for something I could pick up locally at a retail store and then visiting a few stores, I decided on Macy's. I purchased a black (one button) Calvin Klein pant suit (Pants $60, Blazer $90 :-/) I originally purchased a two button version of the suit however after taking it home I was not comfortable with the length of the blazer (it was too short) so I exchanged it for a longer one button blazer in black as well (pictured immediately below). I purchased a pair of 2 inch heels because I knew I would be doing a lot of walking. A very comfortable brand was Corso Cosmo (1st choice but they were higher than I wanted to pay, luckily they didn't have my size lol) and INC (the shoes I purchased) I still have blouse shopping to do and this year I plan to go with a cream or white blouse, no color and I may get a different pair of shoes, if I can find a better deal.

                   

Here are a few images I came across online of Do's and Dont's 

Soft Gray tones, stay away from shiny/metallic grays

                   

Dont- No open toe shoes, loud colored accessories, or  mix match suit separates :-(

Dont- No open toe shoes,. Stick with black, navy or gray suits, and skirts should be a modest professional length  :-(

Dont- No open toe shoes, no stilettos, and no big showy accessories :-(

Free At Last :-)

"Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last"

I can say with pure joy that I have written my last secondary essay of the application cycle. I have probably written well over 10k words, 30k characters, paraphrased my already paraphrased experiences,  drowned readers with why I want to be a physician, and what makes me unique, in over 15 secondary applications.

As a re-applicant with previous interview experience I have learned a thing or too about the application cycle, most of which you may have already heard before but definitely worth reiterating.

1) APPLY EARLY

This is a no brainer. If the primary application opens in June, please submit within 2-3 weeks at the latest. Keep in mind during peak periods verification can take up to 6 or 8 weeks. This means if you need to take the MCAT, determine the best study methods for you, then prep, prep, prep (that could be hardcore studying, hardcore practice test, etc.) and test during the prior fall months, January or at the latest April. Because when the application opens you need to be ready to submit, meaning having the score you want and all of your supplemental material ready to forward.

2) STATS DO MATTER

Tons of schools say they have a "Holistic" approach. And, while this sounds all good and dandy, it's not 100% true because if this was the case then schools that make this claim would not also have GPA/MCAT minimums. Competence matters and one major way schools gauge the academic capability of an applicant that they only know from an electronic application (until interviews start of course), is through measurements of academic performance such as the cumulative GPA and MCAT scores.
This is why applying early is so important, especially if your stats are not as competitive as they should be.
In 2013-2014 I was verified by mid/late July but I didn't get my first two (and only two) interview invites until Feb (I interviewed in March and April). In 2014-2015 with pretty much similar stats, yet more healthcare exposure and volunteer experiences, after being verified in mid/late September I did not interview at all. This is just one example, I am sure there are tons more, just remember timing matters and what you have to bring to the table matters also.

3) THOROUGHLY RESEARCH SCHOOLS BEFORE APPLYING

One thing that feels worst than missing a schools deadline, is paying to apply to a school you don't qualify for. Primary applications are expensive, and while receiving FAP (Fee Assistance Program) is a blessing, you shouldn't squander away even one slot and the chance to apply to schools that fit your interest, needs and qualifications.  I have done this before and it was a pure error on my part because I did not do my due diligence and do a complete "Investigation of the schools". Some schools will say flat out we only accept in state applicants, whether they are state funded or it is just there preference, don't waste time and energy applying. If a school says you need a minimum MCAT and/or GPA to receive a secondary application, don't waste time applying if you do not meet those minimums. Now mind you if a school says "Our average accepted MCAT/GPA is...." then that is a completely different thing. Another example is lifestyle preference, I had a classmate mistakenly apply to a school that had very strict and pronounced policies on LGBT behavior on campus due to their strong religious foundation, and this applicant identified with the LGBT community.


4)  BE EXPEDITIOUS WITH YOUR SECONDARY APPS

No matter what the "Stated" secondary deadline is always submit your application within 2 weeks of the receipt date. (Of course if the deadline is less than 2 weeks, submit sooner)
A medical profession (MD), who is also an alumni from my college, as well as the director of the Health Careers Department at my alma mater said "Submitting your secondary application within 2 weeks, is the rule of thumb, it's a behind the scenes way of judging students on their efficiency, desire to attend the school, and professionalism."


That's it for now I will share more tips in future post. In addition, I will create a post dedicated to how I am preparing for interviews (wardrobe, accommodations, "How to formally accept the invite", mock interviews and so forth). 

A Different New Year!

Hey Guys!

It has been a while since my last post but I am happy to be back (for the moment). 

August is always an exciting part of the year for  most students or parents, August represents a 2nd New Year, somewhat a new beginning. At least in the sense, for me August is always the beginning of a New School Year, it represents the "Relative" end of "Summer" because it means back to the books, school and/or work.

So what's been going on with me during the last 2 months???

Well last month I became one year older. Yayy for me another birthday, another year of life, more opportunities to work towards my goals and enjoy my family.

I have been participating in a summer MCAT/Medical School enrichment program. My program is coming to a close and it will be officially over next week. I am registered to take the MCAT during the 1st week of September. I am in the midst of the AMCAS application process. I am considering applying to through AACOMAS as well but considering financial limitation that may not be possible (they ran out of Fee  Assistance Waivers in early July, which I think is ridiculous but that just my opinion). Other than that my summer program these last few months have been not very exciting, just long nights, studying hours on end, and class and home.  

After Labor Day I will definitely be more talkative LOL (after my test) and have tons more information to share with you all. For those of you starting school, going back to work or just simply ready to start a new chapter this month or next, I wish you all the best of luck in your endeavors. Work hard, study hard and be the best you can be because you may only get one chance to prove yourself!

Info on Eastcoast Pre-Med Conferences!!!

If you live on the East Coast, more specifically the Southeast Region there are two upcoming Pre-Med conferences you may be interested in attending, If I come across any other conferences or seminars I will post those as well. Visit the links for additional information by clicking on the name of each event.

UF Medical College Forum with AMSA
Location: University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL
Time: 9am-5pm
Fee: Pre-registration $20: AMSA members in good Standing $15: Late registration $30
When: Jan. 31st, 2015 (right around the corner)

Why you might want to attend?
There will be over 15 Medical Schools in attendance (both MD and DO programs and 1 Caribbean School).

Medical Student Panel: You'll be able to ask them question, gain prospective on their day to day life, the application process

Various information sessions

Networking

Pre-SOMA Conference
Location: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Carolina Campus, Spartanburg, SC
Time: 9am-5pm
Fee: FREE, FREE, FREE
When: Feb. 28th, 2015

Why you might want to attend?
Learn more about OMM and D.O medical programs.

Participants take part in clinical skills workshops.

Various information sessions

Networking

IT'S FREE

Prejudice Healthcare System

While editing this post I made several changes and started over numerous times before finally deciding on the message I wanted to convey. Initially while reading you may think this is a random rant about our healthcare system but please read the post to its entirety because the conclusion is by far a contrast from the introduction.

The Healthcare system we have now is not one of equality, it is not one of what's fair is fair, or a healthcare system of "What would God do". At times it is a healthcare system of how will I get paid, who will pay the highest and those that can't afford to pay will receive the scraps. I decided to right this post because there have been statements, encounters and actions that I have witnessed, heard and experienced directly and second hand during my clinical exposure and during causal conversation, that would make a "Normal" (Average, traditional) person wonder why in the heck would I ever want to become a doctor.

We have a healthcare system, where some doctors will determine the type of care you receive (as in: if they order an EKG, CT Scan, Allergy test, etc) before they even meet you, merely based upon what type of health insurance you have or lack thereof. There are doctors that will develop preconceived notions about your health, your lifestyle, and your ability to comply with recommendations based solely on your race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, etc.

We have health insurance companies that decide 4 years of medical school and 3+ years of residency means nothing to them and if they want to reimburse you pennies on the dollar for your time and service then that is perfectly fine and they will not loose an ounce of sleep over it. There are insurance companies, that despite all of the training and experience a physician has, feel the need to override the medical recommendation made by physicians on prescriptions, exams, and referrals, with there own suggestions.

We have a system that allows someone with a nice comfy seat in Congress or in the Senate and even your local government (Governor etc) with more than likely no medical background and no true interest in patient advocacy, to make laws that affect our healthcare delivery system and to decide who has covered, who receives benefits and whose exempt from providing coverage.

In our healthcare system the Pharmaceutical industry is worth BILLIONS, they spends more money to wine and dine healthcare professionals and to market their drugs (millions, YES millions) than they do to actually produce the drugs. Yet, we have people in our county as well as abroad that can't afford their daily BP meds, insulin, antiviral drugs and so on.

We have a healthcare system that has contributed the structure of the medical admission process that exist today. Which puts more emphasis on...... I will rest me case here LOL because I could go on for day with this topic.

My professional and personal encounters have exposed me to good, bad and ugly aspects of our healthcare system. While, appalled at some of the things I have discovered, it has honestly only increased my passion, elevated my drive, and revamped my motivation to become a physician. Outside of the medical statistics that we can read about in journals and articles on policies, healthcare reform, Pharma and more, I have tons of personal stories of my own, that may be small in comparison to another person, or to the world at large but to me they are my motivation.

Every now and then, when I'm feeling a little discouraged about the MCAT, the application cycle or what have you, I think about my personal stories. Such as my granny, she is my buddy, we butt heads and joke around like pals. Despite not having and MD/DO behind my name, I am her Concierge Physician. I am constantly hounding her and my granddad about their health, I have to scold them at times, like their my children about their poor habits, their detrimental choices in meals, explain to them medical terms, dissect their lab results and that's not even half of it. I pray that they will be around to see me walk across the stage, finish residency and practice medicine. Not just to share these memories with me but because I want to be able to use my gift and expertise to help them. I see them struggle daily, they take literally dozens of pills, they suffer from everything imaginable, yet they still manage to help and encourage me. If one day, I could cure every illness they have, then this long journey would be more than worth it.

Despite its dysfunction, there is good in our healthcare system. And, despite our very competitive and at times unbalanced (and bunch of other crap) medical admissions process it produces tons of great medical providers. So as Applicants, Premeds, or Spectators, if you ever get discouraged, just hold on tight to the stories/experiences that led you down this rugged road, because when it gets dark they will definitely light the way for you! And remember no matter how hard life becomes your conclusion may be by far a contrast from your introduction.

*The statements in my post do not represent every physician, every insurance company, every politician, every pharmaceutical company, nor do they represent every medical school.*

Happy 2015!

Happy New Year!

Technical difficulties prevented me from posting one last 2014 blog entry, nonetheless I am thankful for a new day and every last 365 days of 2014. I met tons of great people, traveled more than I have ever traveled before, acquired new skills, I started this blog, I interviewed with Medical Schools, I smiled, I cried, I laughed,  I rejoiced and most of all I never lost sight of the things that are most important in my life!

I am not much of a New Year resolution type of person because I set goals for myself periodically throughout the year already. So as apart of my normal routine, I am working on a budget so that I can become more financially stable and save more. A few weeks ago I open a fortune cookie, it contained two fortunes, the quote of interest to me stated that I would move into a new home within the year. I am not a superstitious person because of my faith in God, but this quote mirrored a goal that I have had for quite sometime and due to my future schooling somewhat in limbo right now (not knowing if I remain in state or have to relocate) I had halted my interest in finding a nice home in a great school district for my family but I think now is a great time to prepare myself by clearing out some of my outstanding debt and to work towards building a secure savings nest.

I have taken on  more responsibilities at my new job, which has left little room for shadowing and volunteering. So I plan to look for family oriented volunteer projects to participate in, this will allow me to still volunteer and also introduce my child to a healthy activity as well!

As for medical school, the secondary application process and so forth. I have submitted all but one of my secondaries and I plan to mail it out today. If I am financially able I will submit a few more applications next month. No interview invites yet, I am remaining patience because last year around this time I was in the same position. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him,and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

Once you've submitted your application, the process is out of your control, you can't changed the grades they view, the scores they see, the personal statement they read, with that being said I just have to trust that everything will work out as it should. To keep my mind at peace and continue to be productive, I have tons of things to work on including getting my non-profit off the ground, this has been a very tedious and time consuming process but as with everything it requires patience.

Thank you for reading my blog, commenting, and so on, there's more to come in 2015!

Connect 4

Connect for a Purpose

If you have never heard someone utter the words, "Sometimes it's not about what you know but Who you know", trust me you will understand the meaning one day. I decided to write this post because lately I find that much of my time outside of home/work life is not only spent volunteering, shadowing and meeting new people but also trying to maintain the connections that I have made over the years. Whether it's an email, text, phone call or card in the mail, once you meet someone that you have made a significant connection with, hope to connect with more, admire or whatever the case may be, you have to work continually to keep that connection fresh. It is a work in progress because I have so many other things that I am doing in life and that I have going on.

I always try to connect for a purpose because I try to find meaning in every relationship that I form.  I don't consider every doctor I shadow or health professional I meet to be my "Mentor" and every person I meet will not necessarily become my friend. But when I meet physicians and they eagerly are interested in seeing me grow, accomplish my dreams, provide professional insight and grooming, then those are the individuals that I make sure that I keep in contact with and the same goes for friends, I like to surround myself with like minded people. Not in a sense that all my friends want to be doctors and share all of my same interest but people that are sincerely working towards accomplishing goals they have set for themselves and are interested sharing ideas and life experiences and helping others as they help themselves reach their dreams.

On the Connect 4 agenda for this upcoming month: I plan to attend my local chapter of the National Medical Association's Annual Christmas Party. I plan to connect with local medical students, medical professionals and admissions staff!

Dear Reapplicant :-)

I was no where near prepared to begin an AACOMAS/AMCAS application, let alone be a medical student, when I completed undergrad a few years ago. Due to declaring a new major at the beginning of my sophomore year in college (Biology to Psychology) to ensure that I completed all of my Psychology core requirements for graduation I had to forgo the traditional pre-med route. I had two options: A) complete all of my premed pre-reqs and finish undergrad in 5 years  or B) graduate in 4 years with a Psychology Degree and complete my Physics and Organic Chemistry pre-reqs later. I attended a Private Liberal Arts College and tuition was extremely high so I opted for option B.

If you have ever been to an amusement park than you are more than likely familiar with roller coasters and for me my undergrad experience was analogous to the hilly, looped filled, unpredictable roller coasters at your local amusement park, which would need an entire blog post on its own.

After graduating from college with it a GPA that was anything but stellar, I was still hopeful that medical school was somewhere within my horizon. Unfortunately, I was not able to enroll in school to complete my post bacc program immediately after graduating because of limited availability due to my work schedule and home obligations. But not to despair about 6months after graduating I was enrolled in a non-traditional post bacc program. I was enrolled for a total of 17 consecutive months because I took classes during the summer as well and for the most part my course load consisted of between 6-10 credits per semester. I completed both sets of Organic Chemistry including labs, both set of Physics w/integrated lab components, Biochemistry and a few other non medical school related courses. For me taking a limited amount of classes was the best option because it fit my budget and my times constraints (work and home life). And it proved  beneficial because I was able to perform very well in all of the classes.

Performing well in my "Post Bacc" classes was just the motivation I needed to spark added flame to my medical school dreams. Yet, I wanted to participate in a more rigorous academic program, so I enrolled in a masters program. Fast forward to present day, almost 2 years after completing my M.S program, hundreds of volunteer and shadowing hours, a couple of MCATs and medical applications later, Here I am! Even though my journey has been very rocky and slightly extended, I have learned a lot along the way such as: what study methods work for me, how to overcome test anxiety, I gained a vast amount of medical shadowing experience, learning how to balance school work/parenthood and perform well in class, what factors are important to me in an academic program and I even had the chance to interview with medical schools.

As you can tell by reading thus far, my journey was not swift or effortless. At times I felt like Dorothy, her trek towards Oz was not as carefree as she may have hoped and the yellow brick road had several pot holes and unwanted travelers along the way. But with perseverance and the help of a few supportive mates she made it. I can too and God willing I will!