New York or Miami?

So my interview went very well and I left recommitted to earning my MD/PhD. Not that I ever really gave up on the idea as crazy as it is for a middle age woman, but when you know your professional "calling" you just KNOW it no matter how crazy it sounds.

The thing is I can't really see myself living in either NYC or Miami even if my best opportunity right now is either one of those places. Of course, I let my interviewer/new mentor know that I had familial obligations that I didn't want to disrupt right now, though I would certainly consider it in 4 years when my kid finishes high school.

Other good news in all this is that I have an interview set up next week at my most recent Alma mater, for a position which is going to pay ~30K less than I recently made, but will give me that much needed bioinformatics experience!

I also had a chance today to meet with a young woman who was a resident MD/PhD when I was a predoc fellow at the NCI who flat out told me that if she could do it all over again, she wouldn't get the PhD. And I can't say that I blame her since she had more issues than I've ever heard of anyone having trying to complete her PhD. She also told me that the more education you have the harder it is for a Black person, a sentiment I'd learned quite well over the past few years working in Pathology. The problem is that the Black folks who "make it" seem hesitant to help you for fear of being retaliated against by those in charge. Then there are those Black folks who fall into one of 2 categories, triflin' or uncle tomish, both of which can be far more hurtful both personally and professionally than ANY leader of the KKK posing as Department chairmen.

So I came away from the interview and meeting with my friend recommitted to what I need to do, but also very aware that mentorship from this point forward is key. And I promised myself (again) that when I finally achieved what I'd plan to do professionally, that I won't turn my back on the faces of those who look like me and are trying to do what I have done!