Wednesday, February 23, 2011

It's Enough to Drive Ya Crazy!


Those of you who've been reading this old blog for any amount of time know that my youngest son is trying to get into medical school. So far, he's had several interviews but hasn't landed anywhere. Needless to say he's on pins and needles waiting to find out if he will be accepted, wait-listed, or (yep, it happens) rejected in this cycle. The whole thing is incredibly stressful.

Tomorrow, he will have his second-to-last interview. It's one of his top choices, right here in California, and he's feeling the pressure. I don't think I have to tell you that he is hoping to knock the ball right out of the park on this one, and his family is hoping right along with him.

Becoming a doctor is a uniquely hard dream to fulfill. Usually, when a young adult works for a goal the way a hopeful med student must (putting every spare minute into studying and volunteering in labs and hospitals to become the kind of candidate a school will accept), a parent can sit comfortably in the background knowing that his or her child's dream will come true. Not so with medical school. In this waiting game, having a 3.96 science GPA and a 3.85 overall is just a drop in the bucket of what needs to happen to get where you're hoping to go. Multiple essays and letters of reference, MCATs, invitations, plane flights, campus tours, interviews, letters of interest and intent, thank-you notes (all while taking the hardest classes imaginable to graduate) are only part of the mountain you climb. Even worse, reaching the top is as much a matter of luck as anything else. I've never seen such stiff competition among so many over-qualified people in my life.

It is a major strain. And going through the whole thing all over again because you didn't get in anywhere is not an outcome you want to envision. What's even crazier is this: In the event you aren't accepted by the end of March, you need to begin the process once more so you can be an early applicant for the second go-round, with everything ready to go (application-wise) by June 1st. Of course, you could still be accepted during the spring or summer, before school starts, by coming off a wait-list. I guess, when that happens, you're so thrilled to be "in" that you don't mind having gone through all the work it takes to complete and submit that nightmarish application a second time, for no reason.

But I'm rambling. And venting.
thanks for "listening"

We still have lots of hope that Todd will get accepted somewhere, and we're praying that he really clicks with his interviewers tomorrow and stands out in their minds as the rare young man that he is. I hope you won't mind my requesting (not for the first time) your prayers and/or good wishes as he meets up with these people who hold his immediate future in their hands. Not surprisingly, he is nervous, so he can use all the good energy he can get!

Thanks to all of you. I can't tell you how much the support of friends means to all of us who love him.

=)

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Still hoping and praying here sweet Sue. Hope to hear soon that Todd has been accepted and right where he wanted to be. Hugs

Jenny said...

Sending a hug and a prayer to you all. It must be incredibly hard waiting for this momentous change for the future. I wish him every luck.

anitamombanita said...

Todd is awesome. I will definitely keep him (and you) in my prayers!

Amy said...

Oh, I really hope he makes it! Interviews are so stressful for everyone. You have my prayers and well wishes as well.

jen said...

Prayers. Definitely. And I'll ask the favor back in six years when it's Tucker, K?

Lisa Loo said...

Makes me look at my Dr in a whole new light!

Will be praying for him----everybody hang in there!

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

Hon, I prayin' hard that your dear son gets accepted in the perfect school for him. I know it's hard to wait. Shoot~take~it...I don't do it well at all!!1

God bless ya and have a fantastic day my friend!!!

Myrna Foster said...

I hope he gets this one.

karen said...

You know I'll be praying for him. And would you please offer up a few for Zach in the hopes he 1. gets a residency 2. it's a place that will be good for his family
Many thanks for the return favor. Is this the UCI interview?

Jess said...

Anxiously hoping and praying that he'll rock that interview like Gene Simmons does the platform shoe.

Jocelyn Christensen said...

Oh, yes, it's major! I wish him the very best of luck...and divine intervention! :)

yaya said...

As someone who works with Docs everyday I'm here to say we need good ones and I'm sure Todd will be the best..prayers for sure for him and for you too!

Unknown said...

I wish they would add compassion to their list of demands. Because if they would add that as a prerequisite, then he would get in easily. I sure would choose him as my doctor, that's for sure.
Oh, I hope he gets this one!!

Darlene said...

He just HAS to get into a good medical school. He will be such a great doctor. I pray he won't have to wait until next year and go through this whole process all over again. He is so ready to go and we are all so ready to have him go. You know how we are praying for him.

Brian Miller said...

best wishes for tomorrow and for getting in wherever he does...will be praying...

VK said...

My SIL did this med school application process for 2 years and only got one interview. He had great grades and a very good MCAT score, but never made the cut. His little bro got into Wash U med school last year with lower scores all around. It seem like there's not alway a rhyme or reason to this. I hope Todd's "rhymes" match the schools "reasons."
My cousins son goes to UCI.
My prayers are with you!

Em said...

I hope he gets it! If not, saving himself $200 grand in student loans? Guess the debt doesn't matter when you're chasing your dreams. Didn't matter to us! Hate that $1070 monthly payment though. Ugh.

Kat said...

Good luck to Todd. Will definitely keep him in my thoughts and prayers. Cait has several friends who have gone through (or are starting) this process, and it's unbelievably stressful. Hope his interview goes well! Kat

nothing profound said...

I wish him all the best. You'd think that with the drastic need for doctors in this world they'd be delighted to come across someone with your son's obvious intelligence, drive, enthusiasm and goodwill. It's a pity we make life so difficult and stressful for the youth of this world.

Joy For Your Journey said...

I was wondering how things were going but didn't want to ask, so I appreciate the update. How stressful!! I am sorry about that. I will certainly say a prayer for him today!

Caroline said...

Sending prayers for your son Todd today, Sue. He is blessed to have such a great mom.

Tonya said...

WOW! I really didn't realize how hard all this was. Thanks for taking the time to explain. I'll be praying for your son today (and for his waiting family, as well!)

Grandma Honey said...

Please keep us posted on this. It's as hard on a Mom as it is on him.