Being Non-Traditional Is OK!

Now that I am a 25-year-college graduate, I don’t feel the pressure of “not being enough” quite as much as I did when I was in school. I was surrounded by motivated 18-21 year olds all perusing the same goal of getting into medical school. It was both a beautiful, but nerve-racking thing. First, because it took me six years of difficult ups and downs to find my path to college graduation. Second, because everyone seemed more and more prepared and it made me feel less and less competent. Many students now are coming out of high school with associate degrees, or in a program that guarantees acceptances to an in-state medical school. For example, in Texas we have the Joint Admission Medical Program (JAMP) among other programs. These opportunities are fantastic for people who have access, but when I was in high school I wasn’t made aware of such opportunities.  So as a college student taking a non-traditional route, I felt I had to compete while also making up that difference. I had to push myself harder to be in the same playing field.

I understand now that everyone’s journey is different and we all prove we could be excellent future physicians in different ways. I learned not to get discouraged that I am a non-trad, and that I can do it! It has been done! A big support system for me has been Dr. Ryan Gray’s Podcasts for aspiring medical students. I relied on these podcasts because my school’s science department was quite small when I started college with only one professor intermittently available to advise premeds. Finding any resources was up to us. It was similarly difficult to find opportunities for research, scholarships, internships, shadowing—you name it. So, when I found this podcast it was revolutionary to hear real life advice and have a support system on the Facebook Group. Listening to many stories of others who have made it over that hill that seems un-reachable has been a beautiful source of motivation. I’ve heard stories of people juggling a full-time job, a family, doing a post-bacc or a master’s, re-taking classes, personal problems or a combination of them all. And all the while they are still volunteering, shadowing, and studying for the MCAT exam.  After hearing these stories, I feel it will be all the more worthwhile to reach my goals knowing how hard I worked.

I’ve come to see that longer journeys tend to be more interesting and show dedication and perseverance.  Now that I have graduated, I’m excited to be able to invest time to study for the MCAT, continue to volunteer, shadow more often, and work to save money. I remind myself, as should you if you do take a gap year (or a few), that once I am in medical school it will not matter if I’m a few years later than I’d hoped. As non-trad medical school applicants, we have gained valuable life and work experiences, we have grown into our own while we have shown resilience as we continue to pursue a career in medicine. We have earned advantages from those experiences, although sometimes it may not feel that way. You found your reason to begin this journey and it’s worth finishing.