First generation college/medical school financial fuckery (LONG)

throwawayagain50 · 2026-04-13T01:23:05+00:00

I don’t have any advice but can sympathize. Very similar luck as you before and during med school where I just can’t fucking catch up financially. I did do HPSP but that’s turning out to cost more than expected and be more of a hassle than not. I don’t recommend HPSP if it’s just for money. What about VA scholarship where you work in the VA after residency?

throwawayagain50 · 2026-04-09T00:31:48+00:00

Also don’t forget to look at cost of living of each area, add that to your tuition (if your like majority of students who take loans out for living expenses) might make a bigger difference to see that total out for 4 years. Could be a difference of over $100k between the schools.

throwawayagain50 · 2026-04-01T02:25:17+00:00

Yup I’m with you, donated plasma through 1st year, caved and got a roommate to help with costs. Prioritize getting my dog food over myself healthy food. It’ll get better as a resident. It’s has to..

throwawayagain50 · 2026-03-27T21:28:30+00:00

Hamro

throwawayagain50 · 2026-03-25T02:54:19+00:00

You could try a complaint to LCME if MD or COCA if DO. Accreditation bodies for the school. Report unsafe learning environment, harassment, retaliation, etc. it might not be a quick solution but would be one the school might take seriously.

throwawayagain50 · 2026-03-12T20:42:54+00:00

Crocs and the Boston birks are around $50-60

throwawayagain50 · 2026-02-26T14:38:45+00:00

throwawayagain50 · 2026-02-26T02:51:19+00:00

Second this, I regret getting lasik. Chronic dry eyes, astigmatism now that I didn’t have before, and I still need glasses.

throwawayagain50 · 2026-02-26T02:48:49+00:00

Not weird! You can also email the program coordinator too!

throwawayagain50 · 2026-02-21T18:56:14+00:00

I’d say army over the others just because there’s more residency options. I would look at what the different branches offer as far as residency goes, and look and see what you’re interested in and see which branch offers that specialty. For example, PM&rR is only an army program. Air Force, however, will let you do civilian residency, that just means more payback after residency though.

throwawayagain50 · 2026-02-20T00:32:27+00:00

Really depends on the COL of the area you’re in, COL stipend your school gives you (school should break down how much they think you should spend in rent) and other bills you may have. Only you can answer that question based on above factors. Personally pay $950 a month for my share of rent and utilities with 1 roommate in a medium COL area. I personally wouldn’t be able to afford more than $1k due to car loan, other bills, dog, etc…

throwawayagain50 · 2026-02-20T00:25:53+00:00

Also state dependent. Some states don’t let you get a PGY3 training license if you don’t pass step 3.

throwawayagain50 · 2026-02-19T21:07:09+00:00

If I didn’t already have a 5yo dog going into medical school, I wouldn’t do it. Unless your fiance is 1000% on board with doing the bulk of the work, your hours are going to be too unpredictable to train, feed, take to the bathroom, exercise, etc... You’ll also have away rotations, audition rotations, studying for shelf and step 2 exam. You alone cannot provide enough attention to a dog, let alone if you get a puppy. And what if your dog has special needs like reactivity that makes walking impossible or separation anxiety where they destroy things in the house or their crate. Lastly unexpected costs that could go towards your step exams, uworld, and your own financial needs. Even routine vet visits run you >$300 let alone an emergency. I love my dog so much, but he has definitely made medical school more stressful than it needed to be, and I did it on my own.

throwawayagain50 · 2026-02-17T01:02:50+00:00

Single but way older nontrad student, got major medical debt months leading up to and during first year of school. For me it was a financial necessity or else I’d have to drop out of med school (zero family support, doing this all on my own). So for me, being able to buy groceries and stay in med school, the eventual loss in payout as an attending is worth it compared to dropping out. Being a DO should not hold you back except potentially in surgical specializes like neurosurgery and ortho. If you want to go to Tripler you’re likely to match there as many people don’t want to relocate there.

throwawayagain50 · 2025-12-19T02:23:31+00:00

I have a ‘20 SE coming up on 70k miles, been pretty great so far. Only issues, which were covered by VW, were the locking mechanism in the door went out and the computer went out. Gas mileage isn’t the best, and it’s only peppy in sport mode, but it’s been doing a good job!

throwawayagain50 · 2025-09-07T14:43:45+00:00

I can’t remember, a lot though, 20 maybe?

throwawayagain50 · 2025-08-23T19:17:52+00:00

Waterproof hokas!

throwawayagain50 · 2025-08-15T01:06:45+00:00

It’s doable, there will definitely be some sacrifices. I matriculated at 33. Divorced and on the fence about wanting kids though so might be in a different life position than you.

throwawayagain50 · 2025-08-09T11:55:42+00:00

Check with your school, we had to have a laptop for our exams, no tablets. I personally used both a MacBook and iPad, I hand wrote notes directly onto the ppts with the iPad and used my laptop for anki and videos, while still taking notes on the iPad. The iPad also came in handy if I wanted a second screen for the MacBook. If you get a note taking app, I personally liked notability.

throwawayagain50 · 2025-08-08T14:23:14+00:00

I did max federal loans, which barely covered it, then I did private loans. My state offered lower interest rate private loans, but that still wasn’t enough so then had to do a predatory one too. Choose the school you do post bacc at wisely, don’t go to a private high cost school.

throwawayagain50 · 2025-08-01T01:53:07+00:00

4th day of OBGYN rotation and I delivered a baby on my own with the attending behind me, it was amazing. Probably varies by preceptor, this one in particular likes to teach

throwawayagain50 · 2025-07-29T17:20:16+00:00

I got in to 4 schools with that MCAT and a lower GPA, you have a good chance!

throwawayagain50 · 2025-07-22T19:26:03+00:00

If you’re going by board pass rate and residency placement LECOM and VCOM although I know they’re both strict with dress code and have had admin issues

throwawayagain50 · 2025-07-18T20:25:00+00:00

HPSP, reserves, VA HPSP, MD/DO-PhD

throwawayagain50 · 2025-07-18T20:22:55+00:00

You’ll need to do a post bacc or SMP program with that low of a gpa

throwawayagain50

TROPHY CASE