I don't really have any regrets in my life. I've made a lot of mistakes, but none of them haunt me anymore. I've moved on, or I'm still moving on.

But at this moment, my one regret is this: I was invited to interview at military medical school on November 19th, 2009, and I pushed it back to January 7th, 2010. Medical school uses rolling admissions; this means the earlier you interview, the earlier you're accepted, and the slots continue to fill.

I pushed it back because the military was not my first choice, and I already had another interview in November and didn't want to request more days off work in the same month.

Then I went to the interview and how my mind has changed. I want to be accepted into military medical school so bad. I don't remember the last time I wanted anything this bad.

So military medical school is free tuition plus $55,000 salary per year. Instead of borrowing $200,000 for 4 years, I'll be MAKING that much. I'm already in a lot of debt and I hate it. So I hate even more the idea of being in debt for the next 10+ years.

I have come to terms with most of the cons (I say most, because I'm sure I don't know the whole story), and some of them have even become pros. After residency, I would have a 7-year commitment as an active duty officer. I could be deployed overseas, which could last from 4-15 months. Then after I come back from deployment, I'd be at the bottom of the list to be deployed again. They could station me wherever they need me, meaning my family would have to move around. On my flight to DC (where the medical school is), I met a nurse whose husband was in the Air Force. And she told me how her kids turned out great and well-adjusted. The 7-year commitment and my 3 years of residency go towards my retirement, and I can retire after 20 years! I'd be 46.

I've always wanted to be a physician who served the community. But with six-figure student loans, it's unlikely I'd be able to do that. With the military, I'd be serving troops and their families, and wouldn't have to worry about loans. And if I can retire at 46, then I can serve in community clinics.

If I were single and not really interested in having kids before 30, then the military wouldn't sound so appealing. But David and I are headed in the direction of marriage, and we both want kids before 30. The military is so family friendly, and married people are the majority at military medical school. I'd miss my family and Southern California, but I get 30 days of leave per year (not including holidays) so I'd visit all the time.

Wish me luck!

2009 Year In Review

2009 was the year of falling madly in love with David and medical school applications.

January

Met David at approximately 1:30am

March

Bought our dog Tao for $299. She's named after the place David and I met.

April

David bought his car: 1993 240 SX we named Genevieve

May

I took my MCAT and scored a 28. I had told myself that I would become a teacher if I scored anything less than 28...maybe it's a sign.

David and I take our first trip together to San Francisco.

June

My nephew Collin Noah Gee was born.

August

David and I move in together.


September

I get invited to my first medical school interview with UC Davis! Then I yell at David for the first time for not coming home to me as soon as I told him the news. His excuse was that he had to pick up his dad because his car broke down. Excuses, excuses!

I meet the VIP that will help me get into medical school. APSA has finally paid off!


October

I go to Sacramento for the first time for my first medical school interview at UC Davis.


My maternal grandmother turns 71! We go to Winnipeg (Canada) to celebrate, my first time back in over 10 years.

November

I interview in Las Vegas for the University of Nevada School of Medicine.

I turn 22. David and I go hiking at Griffith Park, and my bestest friends join me for dinner at Buca di Beppo.

So I'm a mentor to a 7-year old girl whose father was in prison. I asked her if she wanted to go to college, and she said no! She had previously told me she wanted to be a nurse, so I told her today that you have to go to college to be a nurse. And she said, "I don't want to be a nurse then." Aiyah! She's smart in the sense that she said that she's only in second grade and will learn more when she gets older. But good schooling starts now!