Late To The Race

[biyato]

Hey guys. I'm new here.

 

I'm in my first year of CEGEP in Quebec, and I only recently decided that I wanted to go back to trying to reach for medical school. From 7 years old I've wanted to be a doctor, or, more specifically, a surgeon, but a few years back in my 3rd year of high school my step father, a pediatric epileptic neurologist, sort of crushed my attraction to the job by bluntly telling me that I should stay away from the field, stating that it would deprive me of my social life, my family life, and overall make me depressed. After telling me all of this multiple times, I sort of slumped. I stopped trying in school, and, despite my mathematical talent, almost failed math in my fourth year. I became addicted to video games to the point that I'd sleep at 4-6 am everyday, knowing that I had to wake up at 8. I slept through my classes, and had very mediocre marks in everything (besides science, in which putting in no effort landed me a 94).

 

To make a long story short(ish), in my last year of high school I met a new group of friends, including my current girlfriend of one year, who heard out my story and gave me the push I needed to get back on track. By the end of the year I'd turned nearly-failing grades into a high 80 average. Now I'm in my first semester of CEGEP, I have high 90s in all my of courses (except freaking French), and I'm aiming for Med-P at McGill. Academically, things are shaping up. My problem is, knowing that I'll be applying to Med-P less than 2 years from now, I've recently began looking at what other people have as ECs, as well as some articles on what medical schools look for, and I realized a few issues.

 

1. I'm not sure if I'm a little behind in comparison to my competition, i.e. in terms of volunteer hours, experience, all that good stuff. I've done nothing besides a few hours of volunteering at an old folks home.

2. I have 0 hobbies (besides playing competitive games and watching anime). I spend my spare time doing physics and calculus for fun, playing a bit of LoL, studying, doing homework, hanging out with my girlfriend, and watching science videos / reading science articles. I'm passionate about science and medicine, but nothing else. This seems to be frowned upon.

3. I have no real reason I want to be a doctor. It's simply been my dream ever since I was 7 (my entire family are high school dropout gamers). For my 8th birthday, my mum's friend got me a First Aid Kit, and it was the best present I've ever received. I mean, I love helping people, I adore science, and all that generic stuff, but nothing really unique, no interesting stories (my life, as someone who stayed in their house any time when they weren't at school, has been pretty plain.)

4. Very very low income family. Is this an issue?

5. Due to a poor situation at home, I was planning to move out with a few buddies when I turned 18. Is this no longer an option?

 

Thanks in advance. Note that I have researched, its just that I've gotten a variety of opinions and wanted to see what people think of my specific case.

[Bambi]

I too come from poverty. I always wanted to be a doctor and now I am a surgical resident. I was highly motivated, but not particularly in Cegep where my grades were not great. I could not apply after Cegep. I needed more growing up to do. I changed upon starting university. I selected my program of study with great care and received mentoring in the selection from a med student. I cloned him and went right to med school from undergrad.

 

I walked to university to save the cost of public transport. I brown bagged my lunches as could not afford to buy lunch or even a drink. I treated my studies professionally. I learned how to study smart. I lived with no regrets, so I pushed myself. I was exhausted at the end of each term. My s.o. was supportive, not needy and understood my studies were a priority and always came first. I am still with the same s.o. He was a definite asset and not a liability. After my first semester in university, I became a straight A student, which required a relentless work ethic, focus, discipline and I chose to live with no regrets. I also devoted considerable time to volunteering and ECs, none of which are required for the francophone medical schools.

 

I matured during undergrad and this was a necessary step in my evolution to prepare me for med. Life does not stop if you do not get accepted at cegep level. The process is a marathon, not a sprint. You are on your way. Good luck! Welcome to the forum.

[biyato]

That was very inspiring and beautifully written. I guess I need to stop thinking about this as a "race" in the first place. There's no rush, so I'll try and take this all on from a different perspective. Thank you very much.

[Bambi]

You are only competing against one person - yourself!

 

You want to be the best you can be. Only this is in your control. All else is beyond your control. What others do or do not do is totally irrelevant to you. I never looked at others who wanted med or tried to beat them. I only tried hard to improve myself. That is how I became a straight A student; from an ugly duckling to a swan. And if it takes longer, as it did with me, who cares? I don't. Everything happens for a reason. I was not ready in cegep. I needed to mature. So, I will practice medicine a few years less than if I had entered med school from cegep. So what. We are all individuals with our own failings and strengths and we each progress at our own rate. I found undergrad demanding and hard, not b/c the material was complex but due to the volume, Med school was tougher. Residency is beyond what you could imagine. Life becomes increasingly challenging with more responsibilities as we progress. It never ends. So, have a Plan, execute it well, be sure to have some fun, in measured amounts along the way. Motivation, hard work, studying smart, time & stress management, persistence and luck are the ingredients to success! And if you are fortunate enough to have a soul mate in your corner along the way, you should have no complaints.