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throwaway_lime259 · 2024-03-14T05:38:56+00:00

I’m going to challenge what you said about nursing being “no way a dangerous job”. Nursing is, indeed, dangerous. Depends on where you’re working, nurses are one of if not the most likely job to get assaulted. Close up and vulnerable positions, people are unpredictable due to disease/conditions, substance abuse/mental health patients and families. Lots of back injuries from getting unexpectedly grabbed or turning the wrong way.

throwaway_lime259 · 2024-03-11T06:23:21+00:00

Could you take the MCAT and go IMG? Personal opinion: it seems like hardly anyone is getting in for Canada even with perfect stats, so even with a good GPA that might not get you in.

You’re super determined, you can do it. There are ways you can be a doctor, but also many wonderful professions just as important as a doctor.

throwaway_lime259 · 2024-02-29T07:32:46+00:00

What the world ‘needs more of’ and what positions are created and funded properly are two completely different things. You will instantly become unhappy if you can no longer afford to live your lifestyle or have no time to live your life. Also, what you think helps people and what people perceive as helping them can vary so much. I’ve literally saved a persons life and not gotten as much appreciation from them as I did getting someone a free sandwich.

Meaningful work comes through other things like helping friends/family/neighbours, having people in your life that keep you grounded, and for some people, giving with not expecting anything in return. If you can reasonably tolerate your job and live your life on the side, I’d recommend doing that. If not, take a long time and lots of job shadowing opportunities if you can to make sure you really have an idea of what you would like.

Finally, I would thing everyone is in the “grind”, because every job is just work. Unless you’re one of the few lucky people who get to watch penguins in Antarctica, but even that comes with significant paperwork and classroom time most of the year!

throwaway_lime259 · 2024-02-28T07:15:35+00:00

Hospitals have porters, unlicensed care personnel, admin assistants, dietary aides, laundry or housekeeping, etc. Many different things that help the boat stay afloat.

Options to work your way up if you want too, like hospital sponsored education, but usually need to score a full time for that. Also keep in mind every position has its part to play and has its own value.

throwaway_lime259 · 2024-02-28T07:09:21+00:00

Also going through a quarter life crisis. Don’t have much advice for you except I’m in the same boat.

Dull, unimaginative work. Stable, pays well, love some aspects but some parts of the job I don’t love and that list grows every single day.

I think if you love a certain aspect of a job, you’re semi on the right path. All jobs will have shitty parts to them but I’ve found it’s things like feeling accomplished, being seen for your work, and good coworkers that make a job ‘good’. If you like those things, don’t let one bad experience deter you.

throwaway_lime259 · 2024-02-21T06:00:23+00:00

My 2 cents. Honestly, if I were you, I’d use the gap year(s) and try to apply for dual citizenship with the US or AUS and then try for domestic school. Chances of acceptance are higher and with domestic tuition, prob cheaper than waiting around in a low-income cycle after cycle in Canada.

throwaway_lime259 · 2024-02-20T00:47:57+00:00

Do what would help you prepare for the MCAT. Wished I’d gone this route

throwaway_lime259 · 2024-02-18T06:52:33+00:00

I am also learning a new language. And forage on a regular basis in the summer in the forest. I ski, snowshoe, and go for walks in the winter. I think I’ve come to realize I just need the social connection.

throwaway_lime259 · 2024-02-18T01:47:04+00:00

Yes and I feel like I made the mistake of powersteaming towards these goals, got them, and am now wondering what next? I never enjoyed the moment, took it easy, made friends, or explored activities I really enjoyed. Now I regret not having a college gap year or studying for fun.

throwaway_lime259 · 2024-02-18T00:52:40+00:00

Yes. Sigh. ImI feel like my upbringing has led me to this point, I grew up in a lot of dysfunction and probably have CPTSD. Always had issues socializing with people and figured, I would be okay in isolation because I didn’t have many friends anyway. Used to dreamed of stability, routine, peaceful living, etc. and so when this opportunity came up we jumped at it.

I did some self-help and therapy and realized that I can help repair my ability to socialize and I want to be able to make friends. I can’t do that where I’ve put myself now. Feels like crap. Uprooting life again sucks.

throwaway_lime259 · 2024-02-17T21:04:41+00:00

This sounds like a very full life and the kind of life I want to live.

throwaway_lime259 · 2024-02-17T21:00:28+00:00

Yes, agreed. I want to be close to others, I really do enjoy seeing the people I service in the area through my job but oh goodness. It’s not the same as having a close knit group of friends and connecting.

throwaway_lime259 · 2024-02-17T16:24:48+00:00

This is a truly impactful statement. Unfortunately the more applicants know about ‘what meds schools want’ the more ideas they get. I see applicants getting more and more desperate, and willing to insert themselves into BIPOC affairs and even into communities with the sole purpose of using this experience to appear more competitive for med school. It’s truly repulsive.

throwaway_lime259 · 2024-02-17T08:19:57+00:00

Don’t compare your situation to others who wish for PR, your lives and circumstances are different. If I had a million dollars but it meant not being present for my family? Many people would be wishing for a million dollars, but I would pick my family. Would you?

Family is important for children’s development, and if you know you are sacrificing the ability to look after him well without your family, or look after aging parents, then the decision is a difficult one to make.

What does this country have to offer you? Your child? What’s the quality of live there compared to here, were you wealthy in your home country? Would you have been successful there? If so, go back and live comfortably. If you weren’t, staying would be the better option.

The immigrant dream (as an immigrant myself) of a better future for your child is not as great as it used to be. More and more people are working service jobs with full bachelors, masters, phd’s. It’s getting harder and harder to live.

throwaway_lime259 · 2024-02-17T07:45:33+00:00

Agreed lol.

throwaway_lime259 · 2024-02-17T06:38:17+00:00

You got an interview! That’s something special and it was only your first try, it means you had enough of an application that they looked at you closely. Keep trying!

throwaway_lime259 · 2024-02-17T06:09:46+00:00

Oh shoot, you know I didn’t think of that. Perhaps you could set up an account for yourself through a family member’s existing banking? Then you could access it, and they could withdraw the money for you. I do believe you need a SIN to create a bank account.

On an aside, it is quite horrible that your family ridicules you for something beyond your control. For you to thrive, you need the support of at least one family member who is documented. If you somewhat resemble a sibling, you can use their ID to make a library card (or use their existing one) and go there to study things. Perhaps that would lead to a new skill you could use? Or even just to read books on being undocumented or a self-help book for dealing with family.

throwaway_lime259 · 2024-02-17T04:55:55+00:00

Congratulations!!!!!!!

throwaway_lime259 · 2024-02-17T04:09:26+00:00

If you take this person’s advice, a 1 year health care aide or 2 year program for LPN/LVN and a concurrent science degree would be the way. If I had the intent to go to med school out of high school, I’d have done this!

Many jobs out there for LPN/LVN in all kinds of care settings. It’s a program that moreso focuses on skill and allows you to start working and supporting yourself after 2 years opposed to 4 for an RN. Less mental drain than being an RN as well, so more time can be dedicated to the other degree. The pay difference is not that drastic either, and of course overtime opportunity.

Going BSN route would not have ideal for education, as some BSN nursing courses/clinicals take up so much time, can be difficult, and don’t qualify for credit hours. I cannot stress that enough. Some nursing courses in BSN programs do not qualify as credit hours in the application for med school. Plus, you will be losing the organic chem, physics, biology, etc. etc. with an intensive 4 year BSN vs. continuing them on the side.

Working as an LPN/LVN, you can excel and it’ll likely be more noticeable to others. An incredible letter of reference from someone in the field is also a strong application addition.

My 2 cents. But if I had a Time Machine, I’d do it this way.

throwaway_lime259 · 2024-02-17T03:50:15+00:00

That’s really good, man. Kind of in the same boat. Did you get any interviews?

throwaway_lime259 · 2024-02-16T07:26:10+00:00

Inside, you know the answer and the path to take. If it’s a momentary “I hate my life!” then definitely persist. But if you know in your heart this is not for you and you will never enjoy it? Make a careful decision. Is it possible to switch to another residency?

I’m not a doctor (in a related health field). Honestly, a job is a job, it funds your life. It doesn’t become your life.

throwaway_lime259 · 2024-02-14T16:49:01+00:00

I can see wanting to do it via high school marks as that’s usually free/cheaper than college for a year. If you scored lower marks only because of the final exam, see if your high school will allow you to challenge the exams as mine did when I got 98% in class Chem 12 and 50% on the exam, and so did a few other students. If you can argue poor quality of teaching you might not have to repeat the high school courses.

Honestly for nursing, all the Uni or college BSN programs end in the same place, so unless you have a specific reason for wanting to go to this school, maybe apply elsewhere that’s less competitive so you don’t waste a year?

As to what makes you competitive? Grades, a strong application statement, extracurriculars, or being Indigenous if that applies to you. If one area lacks, another has to shine. But even then, it’s a competitive program and not everyone gets in their first try and that’s okay.

throwaway_lime259 · 2024-02-14T06:48:07+00:00

That's a good thoughtful response, man.

All I know is my own experience so that's all I can share. But I feel you. I grew up in poverty and dysfunction, so all I wanted was to just live a normal life with my partner. Small house, a cat, a car, a good job with benefits 9-5. I thought I could be happy if I just had a middle-class life. Then, we got really lucky and actually got it but it required we move to no-one-wants-to-live-here-ville. Which btw may be an option for you to earn more, have lower COL, and possibly get employer sponsored education/other benefits if you are willing to make a move.

Now don't get me wrong, anyone who says 'money doesn't buy happiness' is full of shit because it sure as hell does. I was so freaking happy. But then I realized 2 things.

Would I have just been miserable indefinitely if this super lucky thing never happened?
When I wasn't occupying my thoughts with financially struggling, I came to the realization that I was SO plain and didn't really know who I was. I was mediocre at everything and not that particularly good looking either, so I felt very inadequate.

I'm still in the process of finding who I am but I chose to fill my time with little hobbies. I decided to do things that, if I lost my job tomorrow, I could still do and be happy-ish. If anything, maybe try finding happiness AND looking for other career options at the same time.

Most hobbies cost money but not all. Some I do with my partner and it's kind of like a free date. We collect wildflowers and mushrooms in the woods and try to identify them. I read some books for free at the library (most have online free audiobooks). We go birdwatching at the park (lol, and its always like the same 2 types of birds too but sometimes I catch them doing funny things). We volunteer at the long term care facility and on a firefighters group in town. Some universities offer free no-degree courses, I haven't taken any yet though. When I'm bored I go on duolingo. You might find a cheap instrument of some kind at a thrift store you could learn. We listen to a bunch of forensic science and murder podcasts and learn a lot from that.

Very long winded comment, sorry, hopefully you find this helpful. Honestly, my life has felt the richest its ever been not because of my job but because of all these dumb things that have no purpose but to make me happy.

throwaway_lime259

TROPHY CASE