So after meeting the other day with another adcom member at a local school, I realized that my movement toward becoming an MD could be best described by the image of me sitting on a toilet seat with a line of 1000 people waiting their turn. With me locked to it by a chain. I realized that when it boils down to it, I have been in my own way a realization I don't think I could have made earlier due to the extreme stress of my personal life combined with lingering health issue. But at this phase of my life, a significant portion of the stress in my personal life is gone, my health is better than it has been in years, and I think I'm now able to take a clear, objective look at what's really been holding me back. Because as I've known for years, and had confirmed yet again, there's nothing in my med school app keeping me from being accepted somewhere here in the states................
However when I began this journey I wasn't over 40 and I don't care what anyone says, being over 40 with a less than perfect academic record from 25 years ago is a HUGE problem, and this was pretty much confirmed by the long standing adcom I met with this past week. I'm also aware that I'm not saying the right thing to "sell" myself as far as admissions is concerned and quite frankly being strongly interested in Pathology isn't really helping much. In other words, I'm gonna have to learn to "dance" and I mean Fred Astaire dance, if I'm to overcome the issues my age is going to present for most admission committees.
Of course, my biggest issue is my unwillingness to move until my kid finishes high school, a position I fully accept could cost me in the short run. My argument is that there are 8 med schools with in what I call commutable distances to where I live, so surely one of them can give me a shot. Of course, on problem is that one of them already did, 3 others recruited me back in the day, so I'm a little concerned about the not being focused issue coming up again. But that isn't going to stop me from trying anyway.......
Other news, I got another promotion this time to Director of Histopathology Services (but no more money, LOL) so that's exciting. So while I'm quite thankful and enjoy my work, it isn't enough, doesn't require enough of my brain cells, I don't really know why this couldn't be satisfying in the long run, just that it wouldn't be. The adcom asked me what my plan "B" was and I told this person that I'm living that now, six figure salary, high ranking position, that allows me to teach, do research, and use my scope on a regular basis. Then this person suggested that I could have a plan "C" and I thought to myself, I already tried that too, roll eyes, LOL!!. At the end of the conversation, this person couldn't understand why I hadn't reapplied to med school in recent years and suggested that that is what kept me out of the 5 year postbacc/MD program, a statement that made me go hmmmm because this person has a vote on the committee for the 5 year postbacc/MD program (althought this person didn't vote on my application). Most important for me in this conversation was learning that taking the MCAT again for the upteenth time wouldn't be a large concern and it was suggested to me that if I didn't crack 30 and felt I could with one more go at it, to just do it. Now that may sound crazy as hell until I tell you about a young lady that recently graduate Hopkins med school having taken the MCAT 6 times previously!
Speaking of MCAT, I ordered 2 of the AMCAS exams and my TBR books so they should be here soon and when they get here, I'll start my all out prep for the exam. I've also decided to take the MCAT in March and register for it as soon as I can. Overall, I'm quite comfortable with this plan for the exam because it doesn't feel rushed and allows me to do what I need to do to keep my grades at "A" level.
So with all that said, I'm off to spend yet another Saturday afternoon doing some MCAT verbal passages and other school work.
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