New non-trad here

[Citan]

Hello everyone.

 

I hope everyone had success with their recent finals.

 

Since I'm not gettting any younger (I'm now 24 ), I guess I might as well post here since most pre-med of my age are already medical students, or have passed on a potential career in medicine.

 

It's been a while since I have been here.

 

During the past couple of years, I have been haunted by wounds from the past (including my rough childhood with my mother, who has HD (no, not high-definition...but Huntington's Disease), who ended up abusing me physically and psychologically, and other encounters with not-so-nice people over the years).

 

By the end of High School, I was described as a "Gifted, Shy, and somewhat lazy student". (lazy, but I always get out of trouble by not studying much) When I arrived in CÉGEP (which is the bridge between high school and college here in Québec), something happened: I became totally amorphic. I lost interest in virtually everything, and began losing faith in me...It wasn't a total failure (I remember scoring a few 90s here and there), but it wasn't a total success either (failing a few classes...).

 

Then I arrived in College. I started an undergrad degree in medical biology. Then something marvelous happened...I actually scored 88, 87 and 93 in my first series of exam (including physiology, biochemistry and college-level chemistry!). When I realized that I actually had a brain, I became cocky and arrogant, and then started studying less. As a result, my finals didn't go too well, and instead of As everywhere, I got A- and lots of Bs...

 

The same thing happened during the second semester. One day, I had two exams: Spanish and Physiology II. I thought it was going to be a total flop, but I got A+ for both exams, reminding me that I still had talent.

 

Then came the third semester. Since my overall results weren't overly good for medical school, I figured that I needed to work twice as hard. Things went well for the first exam, Microbiology II, in which I scored 90. Then the very next morning, I had an Genetics exam...which I ended up failing. Add the fact that the microbiology lab technician was so megalomaniac over my manipulations that she wouldn't let me breathe for the life of me without her giving her approval first, my father wanting to make my life a living hell by NOT signing up for my bursury application, and my roomate ended up stealing over a thousand bucks from me...By that point, I knew I couldn't go any further and that my dream of medical school was pretty much done (in Quebec med schools, they do not accept failures...). I ended up giving up halfway through the semester and came back home...

 

 

These particuliar wounds were worsened when it was announced last year that I had HD myself...

 

Because of what I've been through, I became anti-social, depressed and somewhat lazy. If I have ever offended any of you, I would like to apologize right now. I admire you all, perhaps to the point where I can become somewhat of an ass...

 

But the fact is that I was just not prepared but college studies yet. Yes, I had potential somehow you could say, but I misused it. I realize that I never put my heart and soul behind it, and that I never really understood what it meant to be a doctor, until now...And as far as the exam I failed goes, simply didn't study well enough.

 

Here I am today, two years after leaving college more serene and motivated than ever. I may not be the smartest person on the planet, but I will be a motivated one for sure. My new year's resolution is to open up to people and be ready to help them. And I believe it is through a medical career I'll be able to express this will the best.

 

My case is certainly not a desperate one. I have had a year of As and Bs, not an entire failure. I may have to move to Ottawa though (I'm a Quebec resident), as I was told that Quebec medical schools are not to kean of failures that occured during the CÉGEP days. And thankfully, no other Canadian faculty really care about CÉGEP classes, just the fact that we did them (Although I'm definitely planning to redo them before applying to medical school). I figured I'd have a better shot in Ontario, considering the way Universities of Ontario and Ottawa calculate the GPAs of their applicants, giving me a solid shot at both school. I'm sure applying to other Canadian faculties, and to American faculties as well, is not out of the question either.

 

My extra-currics are decent, but nothing extraordinary. I have been a volunteer for a science fair in a chemistry kiosk back in high school, I have helped designing a web site for our high school's science classes, I have volunteered in a veterinary hospital for three months as a kennel assistant (and got to observe the veterinary team for a couple of days) (I did it since I was somewhat thinking that veterinary medicine would be better for me, but it is now, as I prefer treating people), have volunteered in a hospital (though sporadically, I'm afraid, since I had two jobs (ended up working between 48 to 80 hours a week) and I was volunteering at the vet hospital at the same time!) . I also have an intermediate first aid certificate (if it counts...) . I already started doing a few phone calls and sending emails for eventual volunteering possibilities (including le Club des Petits Déjeuners du Québec, where volunteers deliver breakfasts to elementary school students. Great cause.)

 

So that's about it. I guess it's time to fulfill my dream of becoming a surgeon before it is too late. Perhaps in a few years, treatments will be available for my disease.

 

 

 

I'm planning to make my return to college in September 2009, or Winter 2010. I still haven't decided which major to choose; I still have a couple of months to choose anyway.

 

Now, my biggest worry is the age factor...Sure, I ain't too old (24), I'm just afraid medical schools will find my life...uneventful...:geek:

 

I was wondering if any of you had any suggestions conerning my simple yet complex-at-the-same-time case?

 

Thanks everyone, and sorry for boring the hell out of you all.

[Guest soaring_eagle]

Its sounds like in the past it has been easy for outside distractions to cave you in. You have to make SURE you aboslutely overcome this before becoming a physican. Unfortuantely, there are physicans out there who do cave in and simply do not care, adn no one does anything about it.

[Citan]

I wouldn't say the wounds are completely closed. But for the year of 2009, I have decided that I would help myself before going back on the road to medical school by doing all sorts of activities to help me restoring my self-esteem (meeting with a psychologist, which, quite honestly, I should have done a long time ago, but being the hard-headed "caved in" that I was, I just refused to face reality; start training, and maybe do martial arts; take a theatre class; etc...)

 

It will not be an easy road, but theres no way in hell I'm staying home and doing nothing...And there's no way I can ever afford to become a cold doctor as well.

[Biochemist1]

Hi,

 

When you complete a baccalauréat in Quebec (or more than 50 credits), your CÉGEP grades or failures do not matter anymore, point final. It would really help to know your GPA and your university to give better advices, but I'll give it a shot anyway.

 

If I were you, I would begin by applying to Sherbrooke and Montreal Med Schools before January 15th 2009 to know your Cote R Universitaire (CRU). There are no other ways to know your CRU from these universities. You'll get to know where you are standing and if you have a realistic chance in these schools for the future. For Laval, you can search for the CRU sheet on the forum or on their website.

 

I would think of a plan B and reconsider why I dream about being a surgeon so much. Est-ce vraiment réfléchi ?

 

In Quebec (aside from McGill), ECs really don't matter so much. Focus on grades before anything else during the semester and keep ECs to relax. That's my opinion.

 

If your CRUs are low, in my opinion, a realistic option would be to start a new undergrad that could serve as a backup career and focus on McGill Med School (keep a full-course load). I'm pretty sure that they will only look this undergrad (you have to verify that) and as an IP, you have a chance with a decent MCAT and GPA.

 

Well that's all I have to say for the moment...

Keep your head up and good luck.

[Citan]

Hi,

 

When you complete a baccalauréat in Quebec (or more than 50 credits), your CÉGEP grades or failures do not matter anymore, point final.

 

This is what the website of the Sherbrooke medical school has to say.

 

"Tout cours préalable échoué aura été repris avec succès. Cependant, la Faculté se réserve le droit d'exclure les candidatures présentant plus d'un échec pour l'ensemble des cours préalables et ce même si ces cours ont été repris avec succès."

 

I didn,t just fail a class or two. I failed six. And I'm sure there is an unwritten rules in Montréal and Laval as well. I know people who were rejected from Montréal because they too didn't do too well during CÉGEP, despite doing marvelously well during their undergrad. Add the fact that I actually quit the undergrad almost halfway through. No Québec medical school would accept me after that.

 

 

It would really help to know your GPA and your university to give better advices, but I'll give it a shot anyway.

 

My final marks were: B-,B, B+, A-, B+, A+, A-, B+, B. I was studying at the UQTR (Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières) in medical biology.

 

If I were you, I would begin by applying to Sherbrooke and Montreal Med Schools before January 15th 2009 to know your Cote R Universitaire (CRU). There are no other ways to know your CRU from these universities. You'll get to know where you are standing and if you have a realistic chance in these schools for the future. For Laval, you can search for the CRU sheet on the forum or on their website.

 

The CRU system is seriously annoying. They just don't evaluate YOU as a student. They also evaluate your program force, students group force, class average, etc...

 

I would think of a plan B and reconsider why I dream about being a surgeon so much. Est-ce vraiment réfléchi ?

 

C'est réfléchi. It has been my dream for so long. But I never felt strong and motivated enough to do it, until now...I will think of a plan B for sure, but at least this time I will be actually trying hard to get in.

 

 

 

If your CRUs are low, in my opinion, a realistic option would be to start a new undergrad that could serve as a backup career and focus on McGill Med School (keep a full-course load). I'm pretty sure that they will only look this undergrad (you have to verify that) and as an IP, you have a chance with a decent MCAT and GPA.

 

I never seem to get a definite answer on the 2nd degree rule. It would be great if it was true. Moreover, since science classes (CÉGEP) completed more than 8 years ago must be redone, it would be most fortunate for me. However, even if I do all that, they still have acess to my old CÉGEP grades and when they will check them, there's no garantee that they won't pull a fast one on me and reject me on the spot.

 

 

I really appreciate your advice, but I'm out of options...What is done is done, and I must make up for my mistakes. Which is why I'm seriously considering studying in Ottawa, or in the States (The States are quite understanding when it comes to Life problems of their candidates, especially if I have strong grades from now on...)...Someone even suggested Manitoba...Hey, why not?