Going back to school-strut
djdaze
3,099 Posts
anyone else here going the "non traditional student" route?
decided last week I'm going back to school because my current degree is a really expensive paperweight and I need to make my value more betterer. So it looks like i have a lot of math (all the way up to Calculus) and a shit ton of science to get done before I can apply to Pharmacy School.
I did, however, come across this site just in time...anyone else up on this?
http://www.khanacademy.org
decided last week I'm going back to school because my current degree is a really expensive paperweight and I need to make my value more betterer. So it looks like i have a lot of math (all the way up to Calculus) and a shit ton of science to get done before I can apply to Pharmacy School.
I did, however, come across this site just in time...anyone else up on this?
http://www.khanacademy.org
Comments
I spent the first year or so doing math and genetics classes, then jumped over to doing computational genome analysis. I'm finishing up a master's research project in viral genetics & evolution, although I'm not completing the MS degree because I don't want to defer for a year to finish up coursework.
I hope to have a solid income sometime in my 40s. Haha.
"JoeMojo called, said we need more lasers" is still one of the best things I've read on here in 8 years. Good luck in med school!
Daze, I'm decking your books. (regional slang?? hope not.)
sheeesh joe...youre already like a computer programmer for intergalactic travel. why you gotta make us everyday slobs feel even more underachieving?
Sayin'. I felt like I should offer him some fries after reading that.
Khanacademy has been getting a lot of press lately and the tutorials look pretty good. Just wish it had been around when I took calculus in HS. Actually, pre-calc/trig was the hard stuff for me.
The non-traditional school route doesn't get enough credit. I've met some non-trad folks who bring way more experience and background to the table than than the kids who are going through school just because they have the means to do so. Math-wise, it doesn't get that much harder than integral calculus, in my opinion. Pharm school is a big bullet to bite, and I wish you all the best, DJ Daze.
Ok, lets see...what do I need to do...i gotta make some mp3's
Haha, yeah I'm on the far end of the age curve for MD. I should be done with residency at 40 and any fellowship is a couple years beyond that. Internship sucks, I have a few friends doing it right now. What program are you in?
Thankfully I'm not taking any loans, I'm paying for the whole thing cash on the table. Best part about being a nontraditional student. I had one successful career already and thus spent my 20s making money, travelling the world, and partying like a fool.
Aaah dude I just ate a cupcake if that makes you feel better. Hope all is well in Philly, T*ny, holler if you ever want to get out to the islands.
Yeah good luck man! Trust me, college is way easier the second time.
i'm finally finishing up only my bachleor's this fall. definitely not going back to school for a while/if at all/maybe if work pays for it. in an effort to find a new job i'm brushing up my resume for the first time in 7 god damn years and it's like whoa
My local state school, JABSOM at the University of Hawaii. I had kind of a freakout as to whether I should move back to the mainland to go to a big-name school since my numbers were good enough to get in anywhere.
But I want to stay and practice here, I've got good relationships established in the research community, and my fiance has a great job that she wants to keep. Plus two of my regular surf breaks are walking distance from the school.
This is probably a good general topic for anyone going back to school. As a non-traditional student you're at a different place in life, and going back involves balancing relationships, family obligations, maybe kids. On the one hand it can constrain your choices, on the other hand it can provide an incredible level of support.
My dad (top of his class at a top med school) sort of clinched the deal for me by pointing out that, in 40 years, he has never had a patient who gave a shit where he went to school.
Although, I will say this, it is getting a lot tougher to get into residencies in desirable locations. Where you go to medical school actually has bearings on this. Residency spots are limited and they are not increasing in proportion to the number of spots in medical schools. Also, you will have DO's and foreign trained docs (Carribean factories) competing with you for these limited spots. Actually had a decent number of people in my class not match, and I went to an average allopathic school in Philly.
Enjoy your time before you start, because it is gonna be a long ride. I'm still somewhere in the tunnel and have yet to see the light after all these years....sign and so much less time for digging...
We have a shortage of doctors in Australia and abundant surf Joe.
Good luck to all of you dudes going back to school, I did it a few years back and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Started as an undergraduate when I was 29. It has taken longer than expected because in the beginning I was still spending a lot of time/energy on making music and DJing. I've pretty much abandoned that the last 3-4 years, but instead I've been working a lot as a software developer part/full-time, so that's been slowing me down too. It's cool though. CS students are notoriously slow because the courses are hard and everybody works a lot on the side. The IT industry prefers graduates with a lot of experience so that's how it goes.
I just started back up this Spring at the ripe age of 33. I am going back to get my ME degree. I'm doing a lot better than I did the first time around. You'll find that you are more experienced with life, discipline, focus etc. than most of the students around you. Also you take it more seriously. I'm really enjoying it and selling records is paying for most of it so far.
Khan Academy tutorials got me through my math placement and gave me a great jump start. I highly recommend them!
Good luck, bro!
Thanks man! UH seems to do okay with residency matches... It's not a top-tier program but there are plenty of success stories. And there's a severe doctor shortage in the state, particularly on the outer islands. My girl trains horses at a ranch on the Big Island during the summer so we have often talked about moving over there one day.
Brian, good luck with the hunt, it seems like the job market here is way better than it was last year. A friend of mine just got an engineering gig at the new windfarm up in Kahuku.
I"m a pharmacist (I studied and work in Canada, though), so if you have any questions, feel free to ask.
Thanks much apprecaited
Right now I'm in the fine woodworking program at Palomar College. Loving it. I just signed up for a summer class at the College of the redwoods in Fort Bragg. I'll be making two western hand saws from scratch. Going to drive up and bring back a bunch of redwood to make outdoor structures with.
My bad, I don't have to mess with mp3's...rather, go straight from record.