[Dave7093]

This might be a long post because English is not my first language.I don't want to be misunderstood so I tried to explain my situation as much as I can.I would appreciate it if you read it all.

I'm a 18-year-old college student.I live in Thailand.Now, I'm studying food science (in the top college in Thailand)but I think I don't want to do it anymore.I started to skip classes and prepared myself for the upcoming admission for med school(It occurs annually).My life turned out to be messier and messier since I had to study for the college exam and the admission exam.My first semester in college has just ended and I get 2.50 for my GPA.

Before I got into the college,I wanted to get in a med school really bad but the school didn't accept my application because my exam score could not compete with that of other applicants(It is very competitive here in Thailand) .My high school GPA is 3.54.I guess I'm not bad but ,however, not good enough.

This year while I was studying science,I applied for the med school again ,and it was not accomplished.I feel like I'm total failure right now.I feel lost.I know that I didn't prepare myself enough for the admission exam since the last year,I was in a total confusion.

Now,I'm thinking of getting out the college and taking a gap year.If I do so,I will be a freshman when I'm 19.I hope to learn more about myself.But I know that my parents wouldn't accept this idea because people taking a gap year are very rare in Thailand and it maybe such a waste of time.

I know they care about me very much.My dad is doctor.My mom is a nurse.My brother is studying engineering.My friends study happily in college but I'm stuck here.I'm so depressed that I disappointed them all.I feel like I'm wasting their money.

I don't know what to do.Keep studying science for graduation or get out to pursue my dream?

Thank you for reading! I feel a lot better telling my problem here. I must tell you again that I appreciate your time here very much.

[CANDC]

Welcome to Psych Central Dave!

Here in US to apply to med school you need to complete undergraduate degree with many prerequisites like chemistry, biology, and many others. Find out what the med school requires. You may need to reexamine your motives and methods for getting into med school.
If you do take a year off, a year in a hospital even as an orderly or nursing assistant could show you what a medical environment is like and if that is really where your skills and talents are.

[kim_johnson]

Hey. Your grading system doesn't mean anything to me, so I can't tell how far off gaining a place you might be...

Could you do study abroad? Go overseas for a year... Would your parents go for that?

[Rose76]

As well as you did in high school, it sounds like you do belong in college. Unless you have an opportunity to find a real meaningful job for a year, I'ld say that taking off a year is just spinning your wheels to get nowhere. Maybe the goal of med school isn't your best bet. Maybe try planning a broad, well-rounded liberal arts program and keep your options open for fields other than medicine.

[kim_johnson]

Ah, I'm getting a better sense of things now after some stuff that Rose said here and in other threads...

Are you doing food science because you are pretty good at chemistry / biochemistry?

I don't know how medical schools work in Thailand. Whether you need to finish a degree now to apply again or whether you can apply every year etc. I don't know how many people get in under the different pathways (to know whether your chances will improve if you stick with it). I don't know how close you were to gaining a place.

It doesn't sound good that you found yourself skipping your college classes in order to prepare your medical school application...

Have you thought about alternatives like pharmacy or pharmacology. Dentistry. Optometry? I don't know if a broader more liberal arts education would suit you rather than a science specific one... That was sort of my thought with study abroad, though. To give you the opportunity to have a bit of a break, basically. You have probably been working really hard on trying to get into med school... Demoralising when things don't work out the way you hope.

What do your parents think that you should do? Did you get any feedback from the medical school as to what you can do to improve your chances? I know that here... Sometimes they think that applicants are very young and they basically do want people to take some time to... Experience life a little. In that case something like study abroad could be perfect.

[foxwillow]

I personally would try to buckle down and attend your classes. I to am in College and am behind because of m lack of concentration, but my classes have to have a C if I am to get my degree. It is so hard when I am rapid cycling (I'm bipolar)

My point is that taking that year off will just make it harder to go back and buckle down for even harder classes if you wish to become a doctor.

I wish you luck in your choice!

Foxy