M.D. Jordan, M.D.?

So there's no point keeping the cat in the bag any longer. My big plans?

Medical school. Specifically, to be a doctor of Emergency Medicine.

Today I met with an advisor at the school of medicine at Florida State, and his advice was to drop the current degree-seeking graduate program that I was on, and switch to a non-degree seeking post-baccalaureate track. What this essentially means is that I've dropped out of graduate school, and will start as a "special student" this coming summer, where I will begin to take my pre-requisite classes for medical school. Left to take: Biology 1 and 2, General Chemistry 2, Organic Chemistry 1 and 2, Biochemistry 1 and 2, and Genetics. On the current track that the advisor set out for me, I will take a couple classes a semester for Summer 05, Fall 05, Spring 06, and Summer 06. I will take the MCAT in April 2006, with hopeful entry into medical school in August 2007. Following a typical med-school path, that means 4 years of medical school (graduation 2011) and three years of residency (2014). So that ties up the next 9 years of my life - a substantial commitment, but one I'm very willing to take. I'm passionate about helping people and being a doctor is really the only career option I want to consider at this point. I'm smart enough and passionate enough, and dammit, I think I could be a really good doctor.

For the naysayers, yes, I agree that I'm absolutely crazy for ditching engineering and heading into medicine. Thank you for your opinion, now move along. I know it's a lot of time and money to invest, but what better investment can I make than with my own future? I'm taking charge, it's my life, and if you don't think I'm making the right decision, well I'll listen to your opinion but don't expect me to waver from my decision. Oh, and be sure to refer to me as "Doctor Jordan" in a decade or so.

So key dates: May 2005: Start pre-reqs. April 2006: MCAT. August 2007: Hopefully start med school. 2011-ish: begin residency. 2014: done.

[At least I never need to take another Materials class. I won't miss that one bit.]