Next semester

I'm registered for 9 credits next semester, which is a huge step down from the 19 I took in the fall. But even with only three classes, I just realized I'm going to be super busy with work, MCAT studying, and AMCAS application writing.

So I'm thinking of dropping one of my classes because it won't really change my GPA significantly any more but taking it might prevent me from keeping my sanity. In such a case, I would like to audit Biochem II because I heard the professor is a really hard grader, but given the fact that I got a B last semester in Biochem I, I don't think it would look good on my application. So that leaves me with dropping Biology of the Cancer Cell, which I've heard really good things about and kind of want to take. Hmm. Decisions, decisions.

In bullet-point form, one thing has got to give this semester out of the following:

• Work
• Three classes
• MCAT studying
• AMCAS application writing
• Rugby

And I really don't want it to be rugby. I tried that this semester and I was miserable. I need some sort of social interaction, but it would be the easiest to cut (again). The other option is to go back to racquetball instead, which is still physical exercise on a team with a much shorter commute but also a little less fun.

I think for now I've decided on sticking with my three classes for the first two weeks of the semester to feel them out and see how the course load will be for me, and make the decision then. If I do have to drop a class, then it'll have to be the Cancer Cell because it's the one I don't necessarily NEED, but would like to have to increase my GPA.

Oh, and even though I swear I'm over that B from biochem, I'm still kind of worried about not having straight As, considering my undergrad grades. But LizzyM somewhat allayed my fears with this comment:

Quote:

Originally Posted by p Hey LizzyM, thanks for doing this! If I'm shooting for a top-tier med school, how concerning would a B in biochem 1 look to an adcom when my overall GPA is a 3.80 and sGPA is a 3.75+ and I've earned A's in both genetics and cell biology? Will an A in biochem 2 make up for this?

It makes you look human. No worries.

Granted, I'm not even close to his GPA and I should be perfect from now on, but one B won't kill me. That, and there's nothing I can do about it now, so I need to STOP FRETTING!!!

A well-deserved vacation, and next semester's schedule

Last night I got back from Catalina Island after a week of volunteering at a Boy Scout camp I used to work at during the summers. It was awesome and completely exhausting. I slept 11 hours last night and still had trouble rolling out of bed this morning. During my whole time there, I was kind of lamenting the fact that the week was moving along so slowly. But when I thought about it some more, I became really glad that the one week out there felt more like three, which would extend my measly two week vacation into feeling like I had at least four weeks off between school sessions. I really need as much time off as possible after that summer of organic chemistry with lab. It totally wiped me out!

As for next semester, I have some decisions to make and soon. I've been debating taking an EMT class in the fall so I can work as an ED tech prior to applying to med school, and while waiting to get in and matriculate. Also, since I want to go abroad at some point before I go to med school and do something meaningful during that time, I figured having some sort of medical certification and experience would be a good thing. And I terribly miss doing medicine.

BUT, all this would mean I'd essentially have to choose between EMT class and rugby in the fall. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense to take the season off: my wrist is still not fully healed (argh!), I'm nowhere near rugby shape, and I don't want to drive to the next town over for EMT class when I can skip rugby and take it on the university campus a mile from my house. And if I decide to study for the January MCAT (that's still questionable), I'll actually have time to do that and have a life that would save my sanity.

So, the decision is made, and I just blew another grand on a class I've already taken and essentially shouldn't need to take again. If I had only realized I actually wanted to do medicine last May, I could've taken the EMT class over the summer and had something to do instead of mess around and wait for the fall to come around so I could start the pre-med thing. I could also go back to late 2009 and wish that I hadn't let my EMT cert expire thinking I was done with medicine forever. But all this anger with myself for wasting my money and time by making up for my past can really be traced back to undergrad. If I had done everything correctly back then, I would have started my residency a month ago instead of just now preparing for my MCAT.

But I love the path I've taken, and even though I often think that I should have done it differently, I know myself well enough to say that given the opportunity, I wouldn't have changed anything I've done in the past 8 years.