Making Big Decisions in a Season of Uncertainty

Spring has sprung. And, I’m pretty sure it happened overnight. This isn’t the spring I expected, nor what anyone could have expected. The world is living in unprecedented times right now with the coronavirus pandemic. I feel that this spring has been replaced with a season of uncertainty.

This weekend my other friend who has been applying to medical school with me this year, Madi, told me her mom always tells her “life is what happens when we are busy making other plans.” It turns out that it is actually a John Lennon quote, but I like to think that Madi’s mom is just really poetic. In some ways, this pandemic has been a refreshing reminder that we cannot control or plan for everything. Life is going to happen, so let it.

Instead of traveling across the USA to attend “Second Looks” at the medical schools I’ve been accepted to, this past weekend I attended numerous Zoom calls, virtual information sessions, and group meetings with administration, faculty, and current students at my prospective medical schools to get a second glimpse of what each program has to offer.

In addition to that, I’ve been reaching out to current medical students, friends, and family looking for guidance in my decision. During this process, I have felt nothing but support from others, especially from those within the medicine community. It is so helpful when current students share their perspectives, insights, and thoughts with me about choosing a medical school. I know next year I’ll be on the other side of this helping out prospective medical school students.

I’ve been given really sound advice. In summary, I’ve been told to rank what is most important to me, whether that be prestige, culture of the school, community, financial aid, location, curriculum, diversity, research, etc. Once I have an idea where the schools fall along the lines of what is important to me, I can make a sound decision. This article written by the current Harvard Medical School President, LaShyra Nolen, was also a useful resource. I recommend that anyone making this decision have a look at it.

If there is one thing that people have assured me of, is that I am in a win-win situation. No matter which way the wind blows, I’ve been accepted in to multiple medical schools and I will become a doctor. That in itself is something to celebrate.

I have a little over a week to make a decision, and I’ll be spending the next couple of days trying to figure out what is best for me. I can’t wait to announce my final decision. The journey is just getting started.