School Revisited

About a month and a half ago (March 30th to be exact), I met with an admissions admin at the University of Washington to go over my most recent application. I was nervous and unsure what to expect, and therefore a bit surprised the meeting was somewhat like a mini interview that also went over my initial application. We started with a catch up on my life, what's new with me, and I happily said I am pregnant now. Stella, the admin I met with, asked me how that has changed things for me. I said it hasn't really thanks to the support and encouragement from the docs I work with currently. She asked me then to explain further what kind of encouragement they gave me. I felt myself flush as I didn't expect to start analyzing my pregnancy and how it affects my application in the future, but was able to answer as I have discussed the balancing of family and medicine with quite a few docs (I did not say that they told me to have kids now, even it means during school, as I won't have time later). We moved past that topic to my initial application, from which I actually had an interview. First thing Stella tells me is that the interviewers loved me, but I was slightly unclear in person about my intent to go into medicine as compared to my written application. I admitted I had had the flu and was trying to recover from it, and then, to my utter embarrassment, began sobbing uncontrolably (can I blame preggo hormones please?). The meeting stopped for an agonizing few minutes while I regained control of my emotions, and finally we went over this. Needless to say, I was mortified I did this! But Stella was awesome, reassuring and understanding, and even had tissues on hand (this must happen often...). More than anything, I was so frustrated with myself for not rescheduling, and Stella even remarked that even from a public health stand point, UW would have easily rescheduled. So embarrassed at this point. Finally we moved on to my application. Like Stella had already said, they loved me, especially ability to connect my car hobby to medicine. That really stood out to them. (Basically, things don't always go as planned, and instead of getting frustrated and giving up, one must try a new approach, ie a different part. The same goes for medicine as one medication may be prescribed, but may not be what is needed and physician and patient must work together to find the solution and not give up.) A couple of questions I fumbled big time were: what are three things I look forward to in medicine, and three that make me nervous perhaps; and how would handle the allocation of funds to those in such programs as Medicare or Medicaid. The real thought provoking questions, that I totally could have thought through had I not been sick and on DayQuil...yah, über frustrating that I bombed those. I can easily think of answers to those now. Besides that, my second application is just too similar to my initial one, and they even suggested I take time off before applying again. All of this is very good feedback, and I'm actually still unsure how I feel about applying again someday. A part of me still feels a draw, but the other larger part is so happy and satisfied with where life is going now (see my last post). I am definitely glad I met with Stella and received all of this amazing feedback. It really feels good to know that the school does really like me as a candidate, boosts my confidence a bit honestly, I just need to get my act together should I apply again. And so should I? Ry has mentioned that where he's headed in life could take us to another country at some point in life, something we both want for us and our children. But that means quitting (or does it? Could I take a leave of absence?) and following. Which also means time to get back into my studies, take the MCAT again...and maybe reapply once more? Who knows! It's kind of exciting to think of those possibilities. I also found out recently that to be an official laboratory director, one must have a PhD, and that's why my boss' lab must have our off-site lab director as he has the PhD and she doesn't. Maybe I could get mine and be a laboratory director someday? That's a really exciting possibility as well! Life holds so much still, and I'm ready to rise to whatever challenge comes my way, because I got a lotta love to give!