On August 13, 2010, I donned a white coat, took the Hippocratic Oath, and officially became a medical student at the University of Pennsylvania. To say I’m terrified is putting it lightly, but I’m also ecstatic–this new beginning has been four years in the making, since I, in the middle of my English Masters, thought Shit!! And now I’m going to medical school, I actually get to go to medical school!
I believe the next four years will be an adventure. I’m four years out a college, and I have a Masters in English (yeah, I completed it–not a field I wish to pursue, but definitely a year of gluttonous academic indulgence), a post-bacc premed certificate of completion, a little bit of work experience, a lot of spent income on bus, train, boat, and air fare, and a husband I adore to show for it. For the first time in my life, I am living entirely by myself (the husband has one year in Boston…still pretty choked up about that one), in the middle of a city I don’t know. I’m looking forward to discovering what being an MS1 is all about and who I become in medical school, and I’d like to try to track my progress here…hopefully regularly, more likely sporadically.
Let the classes begin!
Hey — if you ever need anything, let me know. I live about 15 minutes from the Penn campus, and work even closer. Good luck!
Hi Todd, thank you! That would be great
I know you must be swamped, but if you ever want to grab coffee (maybe a work break if you’re in the city?) or something, please let me know! I hope you’re well!
Hi Anna,
I’m a reporter with the National Post newspaper in Canada — hoped you could help with a story I’m working on for Mother’s Day about women starting their families in their 20s for some of the reasons you wrote about in your NYT piece. I couldn’t find an email for you, so just posting here. If you’re willing to help, I’d love to hear from you! My deadline is Thursday around 2 p.m. ET
Thanks,
Sarah Boesveld
http://www.nationalpost.com
Hi Ms. Boesveld,
Thank you for your comment! I just sent you an email, but please let me know if I have an incorrect address. I look forward to hearing more about you piece!
I hope you’re well! anna
I came here via Schorrmore and I must say very cool site. Now if only you had an option to subscribe via email, that would be cool. Am I missing it somewhere?
Hello there! Thanks so much for the comment, and I’m very sorry for the long-overdue reply! I’m so touched that you like my site…even though I am clearly a technophobe :/ I know you can subscribe via email, but I have no idea how…let me ask some smarter people.
Truly, thank you for stopping by, I hope I haven’t turned you off for life! What’s your story??
I am a technophile, and a newly minted resident of Preventive Medicine in Delhi, India. I seemed to have lost track of your blog for awhile now, and just came across it in my link files. Following you now…
I’m so glad! I hope you’re enjoying residency thus far! Thanks for your comment!
Can’t wait to hear more…it’s fascinating!
Hi Jenny! Oh, you’re such a sweetheart! Thank you. I hope you’re well!
I’m so glad I stumbled across your blog; it’s wonderful! I’m in a very similar situation — 4 years out from school, started med school in 2010.
Hello! Thank you so much for your kind comment! It’s so good to find others in a similar boat! Looking forward to checking out your space, and I wish you the best of luck!
Hey Anna!
I’m also an Anna-in-Med-School however in Tel Aviv Israel! I reached your blog via the opinion section in the New York Times. I am touched by your vivaciousness and adore your initiative to share your ideas as well as your beautiful writing.
Anna
Hi Anna! So exciting to “meet” another Anna-in-Med-School, and in Tel Aviv no less! What a wonderful city–we have some close friends who live there. I am so flattered to be thought of as vivacious. Thank you so much for your kind words! Best of luck with your studies!
I am a mom of a almost three year old and I’m currently getting ready to take the MCAT and hopefully have one university admitting me but…. I have got a lot of comments such as “are you out f your mind?”, “think about how much your daughter will suffer”. And all that of course for me thinking…did ever get this type of comments?, what was your response? Just curious and happy to see there is more than one person put there taking challenges in life! And I admire you so much for that!!
Hello! Thank you so much for your kind comments, and best of luck on the MCAT! As someone who took the exam three times (I am not great at standardized tests), I think going in confident and prepared to destroy it makes a difference. Eat it up!
Oooh, I’m so sorry you’re getting comments like “your daughter will suffer.” A lot of my classmates have physician mothers. One once told me, of her surgeon mother: “She’s my best friend. She made it work, but most importantly, I got to see her happy.” I think what you’re doing is a hard thing. You probably won’t see your daughter as much as you would like (for myself, I’m worried for residency), but you’ll make it work…you just will.
I feel lucky that, for the most part, I’ve received a lot of encouragement. I’ve actually been surprised by how generous my institution has been regarding letting me take time off to be at home.
Best of luck on the MCAT and the application process! I’m glad people like you are going into this profession
Hi Anna. I just discovered your blog via The Times article. Looking forward to following your adventures…dina
Hi Anna,
I just stumbled upon your blog today, and I love it! I start medical school this fall after going through a similar story to yours. I will also be on my own for the first semester of med school, and hubby and I are hoping to start a family during school too. I look forward to reading more of your blog!
Hello! Thank you so much for your comment! Congratulations on your acceptance to medical school! I wish you the very best of luck with your career and your family plans–I’m so sorry to hear that you and your husband will be geographically separated, I hope only briefly. Thank you again!
Thanks for chronicling your experiences. I’ll be starting med school at age 28, and so I’m thinking a lot about how I’m going to balance medical training and starting a family. It’s encouraging to see how happy and healthy your daughter is; it’s obvious that you two share a wonderful bond in spite of your long hours studying/training.
Hi Allison,
Thank you so much for checking in, and this comment is very kind of you to share. I’m not sure I always strike the “perfect” balance, but I do hope my daughter continues to thrive, and I’m glad that you think she looks happy and healthy (recent fever aside :/). I wish you the very best of luck with your family and in med school! And thank you again, you made my day!
anna
Hey Anna, just want to say I’m really loving this blog. Which I’ve seen on and off for three years on FB, but now that I’m doing the WordPress thing myself, I can follow it semi-regularly.
You’re brave and clever and your writing is refreshingly clear and honest. Big fan. 
Wondering if you find time to sing at all these days…
Hi Bill! How are you doing? So kind of you to comment–thank you! I just happily started following your blog
Looking forward!
I’m so flattered that you like my blog! Will gladly take any and all suggestions, if you have any.
I’m singing a ton these days…but just to my daughter for now. Still loving it. What about you?
Aw, very kind of you. I had a lot of fun with my post today, which you might like as a fellow Freedom to Marry fan.
Ha, I’ll be sure to let you know, but you’re doing just fine…
Ah, sweet. Yeah, mostly just singing to my kids too, for now. Hoping that in the next year or so we’ll be in a place where my wife and I can both find a more formal musical outlet of some kind.
YES! I am excited to read it on the train tomorrow–for now, I need to hit the hay
Please keep me posted on singing endeavors. I worry that a formal setting might be a ways off for me, yet. But I’m very happy with how much music is a part of our lives!