Emerging Expedition - Adulthood
Hello to my fellow pre-meds and Kaplan community,
My summer journeyed deeper into a realm of uncertainty, yet I was advantageous enough to seize the wheel and steer away from the impending crash. My road has been smooth for the past four years, I lingered on my college campus to obtain my degree and work part-time as a medical assistant. Yet, I have encountered the first bump known as graduation, an exciting moment of crossing the stage and deleting Canvas, but also juncture of realization that life goes on outside the campus. As my friends and I scattered around the states, it suddenly turned out to be just me, my degree, and hopes of pursuit of medicine.
The “what now?” loomed over me, clouding my judgement and exuding anxiety. This is common, actually, for pre-medical students who experience a limbo during a gap year while tackling MCAT and applications. Still, until you feel the weight of “free time”, it does not feel real.
I worked hard to make the transition as smooth as possible, having gotten an experience as a medical assistant and spent my last semester chasing NREMT. In my experience, tackling the future stress before it becomes tangible was the best solution to pursue my goals without sacrifice.
I thus have been working as a full-time EMT, and while I have only been working a short while, I already experienced the honor of meeting and caring for patients. I also have overcame unprecedented obstacles, such as driving an ambulance successfully or lifting. The experience has been cathartic (a word a patient taught me)!
Yet, nothing could prevent me from seeking further education and growing as a person. I made a promise to myself to remain a lifelong learner, thus I am pursuing medical school applications. I am fortunate to have downtime at work as it gives me an opportunity to tackle MCAT. My recommendation to all is if possible to venture out to jobs that permit studying (MA in a clinic or an EMT). In my preparation, I have been relying on Kaplan because it is a phenomenal resource that accommodates my busy schedule, and the books are essential for any students pursuing medicine because topics are broken down and explained in detail.
Moreover, I also plan to broaden up my understanding of neuroscience, as I plan to pursue neurology or psychiatry, by reading books/listening to podcasts. I also wish to pick up the pencil and resume drawing, a hobby of mine long abandoned once I stepped into college.
Life moves on and so shall I. I waved goodbye to my campus and packed my bags to face a blank canvas, still looking for the best medium to paint a picture not only for the summer but the life ahead of me.
To anyone else swimming in the ocean of uncertainty or doubt, I offer the best advice that I should have listened to long ago: slow down. We are so used to rushing in life that slowing down feels wrong, yet once you can take it one step at a time - things become less scary.
I hope everyone has a beautiful summer and feels prepared for what is yet to come.
Slow down and enjoy the weather, life is fascinating once you start noticing💛