I'm in.
I've had a week and a half to process it, but it still feels unreal. I'm a non-trad (or a non-traditional student, for those of you who aren't in the mire of med school applications), and when I went back to school to complete my pre-reqs, I was sure I would fail out. That was the point: rule out med school, move on with my life. I didn't even allow myself to dream that this would work.
I'll start school in August. Until then, I'm traveling, working on some fun projects, and curating a really thorough Amazon list of school supplies.
I'm so excited and grateful for the chance. I'm grateful for the people who supported me. I started out with all of 2 or 3 people in my corner. People have added themselves to their ranks: people I know in my day-to-day life, people from school, even people from the internet. I've needed the cheerleaders, and I was unspeakably proud to be able to give them the good news.
I'm grateful that this has happened with my grandfather still around to enjoy it. My grandfather's a retired doctor. He grew up poor in the rural South, and when he decided to pursue an education he had to do it for himself. College, WWII, more college. Med school, rural practice, residency. Both of his sons grew up to become doctors, but I'm the first in my generation - the first 'grand-doctor', as my grandma put it. My grandparents played as much of a role in my early life as my parents did, so I am close to them and close to his stories. When I decided to go back to school, he made a rare exception to his general refusal to talk on the phone to tell me that if I decided to become a doctor, I'd be satisfied with it, he guaranteed.
Thinking about it helps me set aside the frenzy and the continuing waitlist suspense. I'm going to be a doctor, just like my grandpa. I am so freaking proud. A little bit terrified, but proud.
