If you had a choice between knowing now or knowing later which situation would you choose? For me, it’s both and I’ll explain why.
Each day is a day closer to the answer. An answer that could either prolong my journey or make me start from scratch. Deadlines are like levels on a video game but you only have one life and no restarts. Not to mention that I have limited currency to order countless copies of official transcripts to send to AMCAS and AACOMAS. Each day, I look at the status page hoping that ‘not submitted’ changes to ‘received’ and dealing with the COVID-19 situation, the expected delays is similar to playing on expert difficulty. My
Receiving Letters of Recommendation is similar to playing multi-player but with newbies or people that you just met. They get your name mixed up, they mention things that you didn’t do but they insist that you did. And just like playing video games with friends, they praise you on stuff that you did well on. What I like about this process is that you see different aspects of yourself that you never thought about until they mentioned it.
Entering your transcripts grades on the application is like looking at your player’s stats on the menu screen. There’s stuff you’re good at and stuff that you’re so bad at. It’s all there in plain view. Not to mention your fluctuating GPAs is like your overall record of high scores (you have that one ‘best’ and that’s it). Unlike video games, these scores determine your future rather than reaching the credits at the end of a game.
The list of the names of schools that you can select is like the different levels of designations in a game which can be unlocked if you have the right stats or in this case core course requisites, cGPA, sGPA, MCAT, CASPer, personal statements, LORS, and a long CV. Even if only one of these are out of place you cannot go to these schools. It’s like going into a boss battle without the proper level ups. You will die.
All of this just to feel validated to feel like a champion. With the stats that I have, there’s not a lot to be proud of but a small part of me just wants to know if I have the potential to be part of that 5% of students with a mediocre background that can make it. I want to know but at the same time I don’t. It’s a tough situation to be in and I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. People with stellar stats don’t have anything to worry about even if they have one thing out of place. I on the other hand worry about everything that my performance gets affected. It’s so tough but I am tougher and that’s why I want to continue moving forward. If plan A doesn’t go as plan, just like the in video games you can try again from the start. And by then you would not make the same mistakes as last time.
The Medic Journey 