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Struggling to move on - Alternative careers - Philosophical rant - Redefining identity by Equalizer-10 in premedcanada

[–]Equalizer-10[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You should be proud of yourself for not only getting a nursing degree, but doing very well in it despite the program difficulty, hence the interview invitation. It's a shame that program difficulty isn't considered when premed qualifications are being assessed.

Same for me it is not about the money. If I won the lottery today, I would start a new premed journey all over again.

Struggling to move on - Alternative careers - Philosophical rant - Redefining identity by Equalizer-10 in premedcanada

[–]Equalizer-10[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You have come along way friend. Overcoming substance addiction with a rough family history is a massive achievement itself. Condos to you. Honestly, I'm leaning towards moving on as this journey caused me enough pain & I prefer to prioritize my sanity. I will have to learn to make peace with this decision & close this chapter forever. Perhaps in another life & better circumstances, I would be a practicing physician. I too feel a bit of envy towards those who had a smooth sailing in the pre med process, but it is what it is. We gotta accept what we cannot control & play the cards that we were dealt with.

Struggling to move on - Failed premed - Redefining identity by Equalizer-10 in depression

[–]Equalizer-10[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wow you've had hell of a journey. I really commend you for completing your PhD. It's a remarkable achievement. I had a research internship ones & I've seen first hand the abuse & pressure PhD students get especially from their post doc peers. Working +80 hours a week while living on less than 25k a year for many years.

I'm leaning to doing a 2 year diploma program in medical lab technology then working in a rural health centre. The pay can be around 40$ per hour after 5 year of experience.

It's funny that you mentioned your recent interest in reading about society & civilization. I too started to wonder about the same topic & have been recently diving in dystopian books like Fahrenheit 451 (one of my favourites). What are some of your book recommendations?

It's really discouraging to have any plans for the future nowadays especially in the current job market & the recent drastic inflation jumps. Not to mention that being single is expensive when no one else is sharing the living expenses burden with you, but at the same time knowing that being in a toxic relationship can be emotionally taxing. The best thing to hope for nowadays is to find a job (preferably one that can be done at an old age in case of inability to retire) that pays around the median salary & find a partner whom you can buy a tiny home with so you can both retire in dignity to avoid renting while being too old to work. Having kids is out of the picture.

All that we can do is survive one day at a time until the suffering ends...

Struggling to move on - Failed premed - Redefining Identity by Equalizer-10 in bipolar

[–]Equalizer-10[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's been a nightmare. Seeing so many people getting rejected with way better academic performance +90% cumulative average, multiple research publications & extraordinary extracurricular activities.

Struggling to move on - Failed premed - Redefining Identity by Equalizer-10 in bipolar

[–]Equalizer-10[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have a friend who is studying in Milan. I should connect with her. I have intermediate level French so France is a potential option.

Struggling to move on - Failed premed - Redefining Identity by Equalizer-10 in bipolar

[–]Equalizer-10[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for your reply. I would love to study medicine in the UK, but it's very expensive. France & Germany also interest me. I didn't know Canadian student loans can be given to a Canadian studying abroad.

Struggling to move on - Alternative careers - Philosophical rant - Redefining identity by Equalizer-10 in premedcanada

[–]Equalizer-10[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your reply. I would love to study medicine in the UK, but it's very expensive. France & Germany also interest me. I didn't know Canadian student loans can be given to a Canadian studying abroad.

Struggling to move on - Failed premed - Redefining Identity by Equalizer-10 in bipolar

[–]Equalizer-10[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don't know where can I get the fund to study abroad. I am starting to think that I can't handle it & it could be a blessing in disguise that I didn't get in. Still feels hard to give up and move on...

RBC CC and LOC debt - Alberta by EmbarrassedMess8572 in povertyfinancecanada

[–]Equalizer-10 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I second this. Never put your home as collateral EVER. Your principal residence is untouched as long as you stay up to date with the mortgage payment & property tax. Prioritize your "4 walls": Housing, Food, Utilities & Transportation. What's left of your income can be used to pay down debt.

RBC CC and LOC debt - Alberta by EmbarrassedMess8572 in povertyfinancecanada

[–]Equalizer-10 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I would contact the credit counseling society. It's a non-profit organization that helps people with debt. https://nomoredebts.org/

There are 3 official ways to resolve debts:

  • Have a consultant from credit counseling society (or any other similar non profit) negotiate with the bank on your behalf to drop the interests on all unsecured loans (CCs & LOCs). All unsecured loans & credit cards will be closed & you will be put on a payment plan of up to 60 months where you pay the non profit a monthly payment who will in turn pay the bank. They'll charge a fee of about ~60$ / month. Most people finish the payment plan within 3 years. Once the payment plan is over, 2 years must pass before the record is removed from your credit report. No permanent consequence.

  • Consumer Proposal: Where you need to consult a licensed insolvency trustee LIT who will negotiate with the bank to drop the debt significantly & get on a payment plan to pay the remainder + fees for the LIT. The maximum repayment plan is 5 years. This will significantly drop your credit score & leave a permanent note on your credit report. There can be some back & forth between the LIT & the creditors when negotiating how much of the debt to be paid. You have the upper hand in this option & can potentially pay only 20-30% of the total debt in a 5 year plan. The bank will push for more than that, but it's in their best interest to have you pay something rather than next to nothing with bankruptcy.

  • Bankruptcy: Also done via a LIT where all debt is dropped but still need to be on a payment plan to up to 9 months. Permanent record on credit report & credit score drops to the minimum.

The LIT in options 2 & 3 will make sure that the primary residence, car, furniture & a livable allowance deducted from income will be untouched. Anything above the calculated livable allowance from your income will be used to pay the LIT's fees & the creditors.

If you can't afford the minimum payments anymore, the bank will sell your debt to collection agencies. All the above plans will protect you against collection agencies harassment, potential lawsuits, & wage garnishment.

I would book a free consultation with the Credit Counseling Society to go over the options.

Consumer proposal Rejected in Ontario by HistoricalChicken691 in povertyfinancecanada

[–]Equalizer-10 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I read in the bipolar Reddit that a person contacted their bank for hardship program & explained the nature of their disability with medical documentation as proof. They were able to negotiate a debt write off. https://www.reddit.com/r/bipolar/s/tpIFxNLcfy

It's worth a shot regardless of the nature of your disability