Alright. I’ve created this blog to keep a record of things in my life and to be able to look back at some point in the future and smile at the progress I’ve made. Right now I’m in Baton Rouge living with my parents. I finished my undergraduate degree at Tulane University in May 2012. The original plan was to go to medical school. I know I had my deficiencies as an applicant, but I thought my rejuvenated enthusiasm (losing 100 lbs, boosted grades, and more medical exposure) would translate to admission at a state school. That … didn’t pan out as I thought. I was wait-listed, which gave me the highest false hope.
Obviously, I had a backup plan; I wasn’t completely myopic. It was to attend a Caribbean medical school. With my new focus and motivation, traversing hell and coming back wasn’t an issue. What kept me from going, though, was the stigma associated with it. The more I spoke with graduates of these programs, the more I was informed of the difficulties they faced being accepted to decent residencies. I didn’t want to be forever associated with notorious institutions unless I absolutely had to.
So what was I to do? I had my wits, my skills, and my contacts about me. I needed to fill my summer and year ahead of me with something strong enough to show medical schools I was serious about my future. Over the summer, I shadowed a nephrologist extensively. I was driven. I had come so far in the last year and a half physically and mentally, and to be stopped and denied really just pushed my desire to prove myself to maniacal levels. As I have discovered, I have no problem pushing myself to exhaustion and then some.
I was fortunate to start working in a lab at Pennington Biomedical Research Center under the wing of my former mentor Dr. Ken Eilertsen. The project is to differentiate human astrocyte-derived iPS cells into neurons. I registered for an upper level genetics course (BIOL4132 – Eukaryotic Molecular Genetics) at Louisiana State University as well. I also found what I really thought would show off my aspirations of medical career: working as a medical scribe in the Emergency Department at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center.
In essence, I am directly working with physicians with the odd hours of a resident (midnight shifts, etc.) to write up HPIs, medical histories, and other information about patients. I am learning the”HOW” part of being a practicing MD more than I ever was familiar with. Obviously, I do other things -medical projects, publications, etc, but scribing, coursework, and lab are my “Big 3” right now.
So, currently, I am waiting to hear back from 27 medical schools. That’s the status of my professional life.
If that doesn’t pan out, I’ve arranged to go out of the country to get a medical degree in the summer. I am still optimistic, but very realistic about what I might be subjecting myself to, but I one thing is certain: I am not sitting idle after all the work I am doing now.
A toilsome peace 