Life Debates
Spotted: Miss B....
People coming back from study abroad experiences almost always say their life was changed in one way or another. For Miss B this couldn't have been more true. Singapore was suppose to only be a temporary break from the high stress academic life back home. The last semester at her home university was filled with high course load, a new job clinical job in the operating room of a cardiothoracic department, and most importantly—the romance story of the century (in a batshit crazy way). The original life plan was Miss B would study abroad for one semester, and then come back to New York City to reset and spend some quality family time while studying for the MCAT. The following steps would be to get a clinical job or a research position to get more clinical hours while applying the following cycle to get into medical school.
The plan sounded perfect—if only the plan was followed through—but as Miss B studied for the MCAT, she began to feel stressed. Much reflection was done throughout the time Miss B spent studying for the MCAT and preparing to apply to medical school. Miss B slowly realized she felt nervous and stressed out in clinical settings. The fact that she needed to be empathetic but still composed enough to be able to do the right thing when patients or family members are in a low point of their life is something Miss B realized she struggles with. With recommendation letters secured, Miss B was set on applying this upcoming cycle as long as her MCAT score was a good score. However, a meeting with an advisor changed her stance even further when the advice given was to postpone by one more year by doing either a postbac or a masters.
After 2 weeks of constant headaches and heartache, Miss B called numerous people to get advice. Miss B started applying to other industries such as investment banking, consulting, any jobs that basically was high stress and high pay. However, after some more reflection, Miss B thinks 10 years from now, what does she want to have accomplished. Making money may be one way to measure success, but does that truly mean happiness if Miss B doesn't find significance in her work.
Reflecting on her happiest moments in Singapore, the time spent in the laboratory doing research and learning about one of the most fascinating topics to her was what made her study abroad experience so great. If the research internship never occured, Miss B might have just gone traveling all the time with other study abroad students. However, through this internship, Miss B realized how much fun research could be at a large research lab. All the horror drama filled stories Miss B heard about from her previous friends at their laboratory jobs that resembled corporate jobs never occured. In fact, the large lab was like a very happy family where coworkers invited others to their house and hung out outside of work.
Being able to take classes, do research while learning so much in lab, plus travel so extensively was a dream come true. Miss B realized how much she could thrive in an environment like Singapore or Hong Kong if she went for graduate school in either country. Nothing is holding Miss B back in her home country. If Miss B continue staying where she is now, she wouldn't grow much as a person. Miss B has already experienced living abroad for a short period of time, craving out a new set of support in a new community (whether that be in a new country or new university) is not difficult, and might come in handy for future connections to be made.
Even now, just thinking of the masters or PhD program, Miss B can envision how much she would grow and add to her life experiences. Going to medical school is almost a gurantee that this would be impossible until Miss B's late 20s or 30s after residency. The great dilemma for Miss B now is if she knows what she is getting into, and if she should do a masters program first as many programs abroad require a masters before a PhD.
You know you love me
xoxo