Michael Yang (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} yipyang54) wrote,@ 2004-03-03 13:42:00 |
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Letter to Mrs. Abilock...
Quote of the day:
Kat: "You didn't laugh at my joke!"
MR: "Well, if it was funnier...!"
All: LOL!!
Hey there Mrs. Abilock!
Okay, first things first: I HOPE this is the excellent and beautiful teacher, Mrs. Maria Abilock, that I had back in high school five years ago. If this isn't, I'm sooo sorry. But I'll continue writing on the assumption that the person who receives this e-mail is whom I think it is!
Anyway, hello there Mrs. Abilock! Wow, it's been awhile since I've tried contacting you and share all the great (and not so great) experiences I've had through out my college career. My life is filled with ups and downs right now and let me just start off with the positives. Well, I graduated in June of 2003 with a degree in Genetics just like you! Amazing how students usually change their major an average of three times before finally settling on one while I've only had to change it once (undeclared ---> genetics)! But who’s counting? :-)
Near the beginning of my senior year, I was not sure about my future after graduation. Choices include immediate work, medical school, pharmacy school, graduate school for a masters degree, and last but not least graduate school for a Ph.D degree. I wish I seriously thought about this during my third year but I was even more confused back then. I learned that for medical school I would have to take the MCATs and for graduate school I would need the GREs. Although Pharmacy school also had their own exam called the PMAT, California pharmacy schools did not require them at all. Looking at the three choices I’ve just mentioned, the only option I had which allowed me to continue with my education during the fall of 2003 was pharmacy school. I tried to convince myself that pharmacy school was right for me but failed miserably. The only “good” reasons I had were: 1. I could continue with school right after I graduated in June 2003. 2. The pay after pharmacy school was excellent. 3. I didn’t have to take an exam to apply. Needless to say, the reasons I’ve listed were not “good” reasons at all so the deadline for pharmacy schools came and went and I got worried.
The only options I had left were medical school in fall 2004, graduate school in fall 2004, and immediate work. After pondering and wavering between med school and grad school, I decided to pursue a life in med school. Again, my reasons were very anemic and pathetic: 1. My roommate was doing it so I was just along for the ride. 2. My bad experience with lab lead me to generalize that ALL labs are similar so I imagined that graduate school was not for me.
One day I was walking down the hall and I saw a flyer that said: “PhD, MD, or PhD/MD? Which one is for you?” I immediately went to the little seminar and had my questioned answered. Although I had a bad experience with lab, I knew I still wanted to do research at the molecular level. I told myself what I didn’t like about lab and how I could change it if I have the power to do so. Another reason why I didn’t like lab that much was because I was not interested in why my post-doc was studying. The subject was just not my cup of tea and I know I would have a much better time if the lab shared my interests. Looking at my classes, labs, and internships, I’ve pretty much set myself up for life in graduate school.
So where am I right now? I took the GREs just this past November and applied to Iowa, University of Florida (The Gators), Purdue University, and USC. I have yet to hear anything from Iowa and Florida but Purdue rejected me. Thankfully, back in late January USC said I merited an interview and they will be flying me down to LA! The interview is March 5, 2004 which is this Friday!
Unfortunately I’ve been unemployed since June 2003 and I’m continuously looking for something to do in the mean time. Hmm. Maybe I should go back to Andrew Hill and be a tutor for math and science? Now THAT would be fun! Wish me luck on the interview and on my job hunting!
Love,
Mike Yang
Mood: Excited and worried
Quote of the day:
Kat: "You didn't laugh at my joke!"
MR: "Well, if it was funnier...!"
All: LOL!!
Hey there Mrs. Abilock!
Okay, first things first: I HOPE this is the excellent and beautiful teacher, Mrs. Maria Abilock, that I had back in high school five years ago. If this isn't, I'm sooo sorry. But I'll continue writing on the assumption that the person who receives this e-mail is whom I think it is!
Anyway, hello there Mrs. Abilock! Wow, it's been awhile since I've tried contacting you and share all the great (and not so great) experiences I've had through out my college career. My life is filled with ups and downs right now and let me just start off with the positives. Well, I graduated in June of 2003 with a degree in Genetics just like you! Amazing how students usually change their major an average of three times before finally settling on one while I've only had to change it once (undeclared ---> genetics)! But who’s counting? :-)
Near the beginning of my senior year, I was not sure about my future after graduation. Choices include immediate work, medical school, pharmacy school, graduate school for a masters degree, and last but not least graduate school for a Ph.D degree. I wish I seriously thought about this during my third year but I was even more confused back then. I learned that for medical school I would have to take the MCATs and for graduate school I would need the GREs. Although Pharmacy school also had their own exam called the PMAT, California pharmacy schools did not require them at all. Looking at the three choices I’ve just mentioned, the only option I had which allowed me to continue with my education during the fall of 2003 was pharmacy school. I tried to convince myself that pharmacy school was right for me but failed miserably. The only “good” reasons I had were: 1. I could continue with school right after I graduated in June 2003. 2. The pay after pharmacy school was excellent. 3. I didn’t have to take an exam to apply. Needless to say, the reasons I’ve listed were not “good” reasons at all so the deadline for pharmacy schools came and went and I got worried.
The only options I had left were medical school in fall 2004, graduate school in fall 2004, and immediate work. After pondering and wavering between med school and grad school, I decided to pursue a life in med school. Again, my reasons were very anemic and pathetic: 1. My roommate was doing it so I was just along for the ride. 2. My bad experience with lab lead me to generalize that ALL labs are similar so I imagined that graduate school was not for me.
One day I was walking down the hall and I saw a flyer that said: “PhD, MD, or PhD/MD? Which one is for you?” I immediately went to the little seminar and had my questioned answered. Although I had a bad experience with lab, I knew I still wanted to do research at the molecular level. I told myself what I didn’t like about lab and how I could change it if I have the power to do so. Another reason why I didn’t like lab that much was because I was not interested in why my post-doc was studying. The subject was just not my cup of tea and I know I would have a much better time if the lab shared my interests. Looking at my classes, labs, and internships, I’ve pretty much set myself up for life in graduate school.
So where am I right now? I took the GREs just this past November and applied to Iowa, University of Florida (The Gators), Purdue University, and USC. I have yet to hear anything from Iowa and Florida but Purdue rejected me. Thankfully, back in late January USC said I merited an interview and they will be flying me down to LA! The interview is March 5, 2004 which is this Friday!
Unfortunately I’ve been unemployed since June 2003 and I’m continuously looking for something to do in the mean time. Hmm. Maybe I should go back to Andrew Hill and be a tutor for math and science? Now THAT would be fun! Wish me luck on the interview and on my job hunting!
Love,
Mike Yang
Mood: Excited and worried
