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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!

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!

Spring/Summer Update

As I discussed in my previous post I have a few things up my sleeve for the summer months. Outside of my prep course (class time, studying and all that jazz) I will be working on getting my Non-Profit off the ground. The major work will not take place until Aug after I take the MCAT and it is set to launch in the fall, after 2-3 years of working on it off and on.

I think that researching my target groups, drafting proposals etc for my Non-Profit is doable even while participating in a summer enrichment course. I don't know about any one else but after going to class (in person and/or online) for 4-8 hours a day then studying for hours on end until I fall asleep, is not how my brain operates. I have to study in chunks and give my brain a break for the  MCAT and even from school material. During those breaks, instead of surfing the web looking at useless items, on gossip sites, facebook/IG/Twitter and so on, I plan to use a small fraction of the time during my study break to give my brain a cool down and feed my soul. Outside of medicine, I am very passionate about my non-profits' mission of and helping other individuals from similar backgrounds and circumstances as myself achieve their goals.

I will periodically blog about various stages of starting a non-profit organization, learn more about my mission, goals and about me of course, take a peek!
My Non-Profit blog page!

Flying February

Wow, I feel like time is just flying by. So here's is a mini update:

Last month (1/31/15) I attended/volunteered at the Atlanta Medical Association Heritage Fund Ball. I was slightly under the weather but I definitely enjoyed the event. There were over 500 people there, 95% of them were medical professionals in various stages of training. I felt very nostalgic in my Great Gatsby themed attire, I did a bit of networking (not as much as I would have liked) and I felt very motivated by the atmosphere of people.

I shadowed a few times last month but due to my work schedule I have not been able to be as active in volunteerism and shadowing as I would have hoped. So, in order to remain "medically fresh" I try to do educational tasks here and there while I'm at work. For instance, every time I hear a medical term that I am not familiar with I read over literature on the disease, condition, Rx, etc and give myself a brief pop quiz at the end of the week.

And of course my son keeps me very busy. Last month his school hosted an award ceremony to acknowledge the students for their fall semester achievements. I was very excited because my son was asked to give the "Welcome" for the 1st grade students honors program and I was even more excited for him because he received Principal's List, a Super Star Reader Award, and Perfect Attendance. Spring semester has been going great, we just have to adjust a few things because my work schedule keeps me out later than normal. He also has been keeping me busy because he plays basketball at our local YMCA and they have games every Saturday. You can imagine that watching 6 & 7 yr olds' play can be very entertaining and nerve racking at the same time lol.

Lastly, I plan to attend a pre-med conference at the end of this month (2/28). Its always exhilarating to be around other medical professional hopefuls! As far as this application process goes, there really hasn't been much movement for me. All of my secondaries have been submitted and of course I have received my share of pre-interview rejections (And of course I am an emotional creature so I was a bit devastated but life goes on) but no interview invites as of yet, I am keeping in mind that my interview invites last year were pretty late in the season as well. Even still I don't know how to feel or what to think about it. I am going to remain patient and stay motivated that everything will work out.

The Rising Doctor

Initially when I decided that I wanted to create a blog, I planned to maintain my anonymity.  I try to be very forthcoming and vocal in my posts and I felt more comfortable and able to speak my mind as a virtual blogger. My thoughts were that I would most likely say “Ta-Daa” here I am, this is me, after I entered into medical school.  And I wanted to remain an “Avatar” for no other reason than, I didn’t want to be vulnerable and completely exposed.  

As I evolve, become exposed to new settings, people and ideas; I am learning that vulnerability is not as scary as it sounds. Whether it’s trying new foods or going to an event or outing alone (and not with the crew) and spontaneously meeting new people,  at some point I decided that  it’s OK to be me, love the skin I’m in and try things out that would normally make me feel a bit nervous.  I definitely don’t suggest diving into the deep end of the pool if you can’t swim because stepping outside of your comfort zone can be a very scary thing, trust me I know but maybe test the water in the shallow end, and as you grow more comfortable and learn to float, progress to deeper water.

So here it goes, not a full biography but a few details for my readers J (feel free to email me if you have any questions)

I am the Rising Doctor and my name is Shan. I am a native of Georgia and I am in my late 20s. I am the mother of a wonderfully smart and active 7 yr old son. I attended both undergrad (HBCU) and graduate school in Georgia. As stated in previous posts, I am a current (and past) medical school applicant, outside of my full-time job as a medical school applicant LOL, I work in Healthcare Administration in a private practice office setting, I enjoy creative writing, medical shadowing, volunteering, youth sports with my son, and networking and I am currently working towards establishing a Non-profit Foundation. 

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!

Fear PART II

I briefly touched on the topic of Fear in a previous post so I will limit the current post to my academic and professional pursuits.

I literally had such a hard time writing this post. I went back and forth trying to figure out how to convey my thoughts and while this doesn't sum up everything it is a good start.

A few missteps in life and I became more and more detoured from my intended game plan, mind you a plan that I crafted as a 10yr old with dreams of being a doctor not know anything about life, living, growing and now my confidence was shaken and diminished.  I allowed fear to impact my performance in college, work, and professional settings. In high school I felt so powerful, so smart, so "gifted", so brilliant. Now I was a small fish in a big pond and I was drowning. When people would inquire about my college experience. The first thing I would say was "My high school didn't adequately prepare me for the larger, more diverse and robust educational arena." While this was true to an extent, what was more true was at that time I lacked the confidence, the attitude, and the will to say, "Hey this confidence that I walked in the door with is not misguided or false, I just need to dig a little deeper and pull that "Extra Something" that I know is within me and try harder, study longer and regain my power, my smarts, my gifts and the brilliance that is rightfully mine.  

I would overcome one fear and be confronted by the next fear. I didn't think I would graduate from college with the class I entered with. I had a child, worked too much and studied too little but guess what I did graduate. NEXT, Ok so I graduated so what but I bet I won't be able to finish my pre-med prereqs, they said ORGO and Physics are no joke, they said don't take Orgo in the summer, they said don't take Professor X. Just my luck :-/ I had no choice but take Orgo 1 during the summer with of course Professor X but guess what I passed both courses, with "A/A+" at that. NEXT... see the list goes on and on. Nothing I did was good enough, there was always the anticipation of something more challenging, an obstacle that I couldn't possibly overcome. But once I stop anticipating everything that could go wrong and tried to focus on everything that could go right, I definitely noticed a change in my attitude and my outlook on my potential for success improved as well. 

Failure, defeat, collapse, losing, whatever you want to call it, I have experienced it all, been there done that, tweeted it, wrote a poem about, the whole nine. But that doesn't mean that I am immune to feeling disappointed or sad. But what it does mean is that when I fall, I have learned to cushion my backside in advance. I have trained my reflexes to react faster. I have learned to take notes so the next time I fall, trust me it wont be in the same spot, on the same day or time.  Despite what many may think, falling is inevitable, its just a matter of how you fall, when you fall, and/or how far you fall. Because some falls are so minor you barely notice them while others are so significant they may leave a bruise. So I choose to place my energy else where, now the only thing I think about is challenging myself, accomplishing my goals, proving myself right (not wrong), and being a role model for my child. I cant give up and I have definitely wasted too much time giving in to fear, to waste another second. Time is valuable, so lets make the best of it because before we know it, times up. 

P.S This is such an amazing clip D.Ward has on her page, It literally gave me so much life! If you have not already viewed this video I highly recommend checking it out!

What is your deepest fear?

Part I

Marianne Williamson, said a mouthful right! I will discuss fears and confidence in greater detail in a later post!  

But here's a taste of how I feel, fear plays whatever role we allow them to in our lives. There are things that we can control, work towards, improve on and change and then there are things we have absolutely no control over. And we have to consciously decide if we will work towards happiness, success and accomplishment or Loose sleep, hair, weight and God knows what else, in a world where we are just a small fraction of a larger puzzle, in which many of its pieces we may never see, touch, hear or feel. This is a battle that I face daily and this morning I choose prayer, I have so many things and people to be thankful for and I want to focus on positive energy and real moments. 

Take a Deep Breath

I have been running non-stop for months. From studying 6-7 days a week for the MCAT, primary/secondary applications to working 40+ hours weekly, then play dates, the park, guppy swim lessons, and limited sleep. And I honestly did not know the toil it had taken on my body until today.

I literally completed my Fellowship on Tuesday and was on to another opportunity on Wednesday. Today after spending a day at an OB/GYN Clinic, seeing patients, participating in discussion and listening to presentations, I could barely keep my eyes open as I drove home. Then I was greeted by a very energetic kid and my exhaustion was an after thought and I remembered who I was and what my life consisted of, that yesterday, today and even tomorrow, will probably be considered calm days in the grand scheme of things, compared to what my future will hold. Then I took deep breath in and thought about the budding couple I met expecting their very own Thanksgiving surprise. And, after discussing school lunch, math, reading and my day downtown, my little one reminded me that I always have a "test patient" at home who doesn't mind a cold stethoscope. And then I took a deep breath out.

Have you every looked up and been amazed at how much time has gone by, whether you were consumed in excitement or with the daily going abouts of life?? That's sort of how I feel, it will be 2015 before we know it and I feel like just last week I was waiting for the snow storm to pass. So tonight I plan to indulge in whatever fantasy my mind can concoct and have long sweet dreams. And tomorrow I will get up and do it all again, reminding myself throughout the day to just take a deep breath and take it all in as comes.

To beautiful Beginnings

I am feeling very productive today. My Fellowship ended yesterday and today I am back on my grind, volunteering at my childs' school, shadowing, new job search, finalizing my secondary applications and rejoicing in all that is today, tomorrow and the future! LETS BE GREAT!

UnderGrad Chronicles:The Student Worker

{My typical undergrad school/employment semester schedule. Freshman through Senior YR. Its kind of hard to schedule certain parenting obligations and studying, (which unfortunately was fit in wherever I had a moment to breathe) so they are not listed in the schedule above.}  

Lecture/Study/Life balance is an essential component of maneuvering through college and being academically successful. When you add working part time and/or full time as well as being a parent, the balancing act can feel more like you’re walking a tightrope 20 stories high.  

I chose to work while in college because working was a necessity for me. Coming from a single parent home, my mom and family couldn’t afford to contribute substantially to my siblings needs and towards my education. And, even after multiple sources of funding, there still was an unmet need. Working helped supplement that void. When I became a parent, working was even more essential, it was my year around means of healthcare, adequate means of transportation, and so on. This lead to an imbalance in my work/school life schedule. And, not only did my academic performance suffer tremendously, but so did my personal outlook on my future.

Working as a full student is probably one of my biggest regrets but it’s also one of the most valuable lessons I have learned. I wish it was different but for majority of the time that I worked while in undergrad I had poor time management, stretched myself to thin and neglected my studies, which was ironically my primary reason for working. It goes a lot deeper than a 300 word post but in summary: I am not the first student to have to work while in college and I am sure I won’t be the last.  I learned that this is just another obstacle, I will face in life, a test of my true strength, and an opportunity to exhibit perseverance. I have held several jobs since undergrad and I will continue to work until I enter medical school, because that is my reality (unless I win the lottery ;-) but now I am wiser and I know that I can’t let short term factors take precedent over long term goals.

When I finally decided to quit my long term employment role (of 7+yrs), my former manager said to me, “Don’t be a career student.” Initially I kind of took that as a “Jab” at my professional aspirations with a twist of bitterness because of my departure. Today, I find wisdom in her words because now I see that there is nothing wrong with being a “Career” or better yet a lifelong student. I never want to reach a point in which I am complacent and think that I have all the answers. I want to continue to evolve and grow, this will require an endless array of “Schooling”, which will consist of collegiate training, filled with worldly experiences. 

PsycholOGY vs BiolOGY

In order to practice medicine you have to major in a "hard core" science, such as Biology (preferably), Chemistry, Biochem and ______ (Insert a typical Science course/major). I am not sure if this way of thinking still exist but this is what was drilled into my psyche during high school and as I entered into college.

I personally consider this to be a misguided concept. When I graduated from high school and thought about my future, there was no doubt in mind that I wanted go to college, medical school and become a physician. And, when I thought about spending four years in college, I wanted to maximum both my personal and professional growth. I wanted to spend those years learning something intriguing, something new, something that I could apply in my everyday conversations and observations and I wanted preparation for my intended career field. And to acquire all of my desires I didn’t want to sacrifice one interest or passion for the other.

During 1^st year orientation week , I was provide with words of wisdom from someone that I trusted wholeheartedly and admired dearly, “I think you should major in Biology.” Before starting college I had my mind set on being a Psychology major and not because I thought it was a cool word or I feared the rigor of the traditional “hard core” science. It was because of my personal experiences, my interest in understanding varying personalities, motivations, lifestyles and people and etc. Yet, I was easily convinced after being advised that a major in biology would provide me with the best preparation for medical school. I read around, looked at several stats and Biology was the most prevalent major for medical students, so Biology is what I declared! Looking back I can understand why my “Advisor” made this statement, but that was not the best major for ME, for my interest and my personal goals, so I eventually changed my major to psychology and today I still stand by that decision. Lesson 1) All advice it not necessarily the best advice for you, no matter how educated, experienced, or trust worthy the source is. Listen to the advice, digest it, and reflect on everything of value to you, pray on it and then make an educated decision. You may not always be right in your choices but that’s what life is about learning, growing and being able to share your experiences.

I am not sure how every single college in the world is structured, but at my liberal arts alma mater, most majors also had various “tracks” associated with them. For instance, as a Psychology major interested in medicine, I was provided with a list courses I should take that met both my psy graduation requirements and medical school pre-reqs. If I wanted to major in Psychology and pursue law, there was a track for that; Psychology and pursue research or grad school, there was a track for that. So I knew my options were not limited a traditional science just because that was the standard. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with majoring in Biology, Chemistry or ______ (Insert a typical Science course/major), as long as it is what YOU want to do, and not because of your parents, siblings, advisor, or what societal norms think. Lesson 2) Choose a major that fits who you are. Sometimes we don’t immediately know "who we are" or what we like, so do your research, talk to people, and think about your end goals. Upon reading about the recent changes to the MCAT, it appears others are starting to think outside the box as well, academic training is only a fraction of the journey, healthcare delivery is a puzzle and in order to really reach patients beyond the facade of the credentials that follow your last name, we have to have a body of individuals that understand a lot more than how to order labs, prescribe antibiotics and so on.

If there’s only one road to your destination but you are clearly miles away on uncharted land, then start digging your own path, one that’s right for you.  

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!

To Blog or Not To Blog!

To Blog it is.....

Thank you for visiting my blog. I am a newbie to blogging but I am very excited the share my journey thus far with readers.

Who I am:

I am a non-traditional “PreMed”, I am applying to medical school (re-applicant)

I am in my mid twenties, I was born and raised in the southeastern region of the US, I have a B.A in Psychology and M.S degree as well, I have grade school aged child. And, I am not currently enrolled in academic course.

Why did I choose to blog:

I began writing creatively after finding myself engulfed in a poetry assignment I received from my 5^th grade gifted teacher. And, at times I have found that poetry has provided me with the opportunity to express myself more effectively than through spoken language. I believe writing this blog will provide the same comfort. Additionally, I randomly stumbled across a few blog sites of medical students (Aspiring MinorityDoctor and Mrs. Mommy MD) this year that gave me so much life and provided me with such inspiration. Seeing them live out their dreams supplied me with additional motivation that I too one day will get to do the same!

Where am I today:

I am in the midst of the 2015 application cycle. I submitted my primary application this summer and recently reunited with my dear friend Mr. MCAT! And I am in the process of waiting for interviews, completing newly received secondaries, and waiting to receive my scores (which should be within the next week or two :-) so that I can receive additional secondaries. Outside of the ever exciting and exhilarating application process, I am working and pursing additional shadowing and other medically relevant activities.