Comments for Lisa M. Blacker http://www.lisablacker.com Health, Wealth and Self Exploration Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:17:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Comment on Medical Student Success Strategy: Precluding Distracters 1 by erika80 http://www.lisablacker.com/distracters1/comment-page-1/#comment-10 erika80 Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:17:49 +0000 http://www.lisablacker.com/?p=828#comment-10 I am in limbo right now between my 3rd and 4th year of my veterinary education. When I began veterinary school 4 years ago, I qualified for low interest loans with subsidized interest while I was in school. At the end of my 2nd year, my school dropped all the low interest loans and left us with only one loan available and that was the Sallie Mae smart option loan at 14-16% interest and we were responsible for paying the interest while we were in school and required a co-signor which I DO NOT have. Hello...how can one work while they are in medical school and busy 16 hours a day with class, rotations and then studying all hours of the night??? So I sold everything I owned and borrowed money from anyone that I could and that was enough to cover my third year classes only. I had to live on my credit cards to pay for food and cash advances for rent which left me in huge credit card debt but that's another story. I am out of money now and have taken a break before my 4th year is to begin. l have no idea of how I am going to come up with $40,000 for my final year of school. I am working, but am no where making what I need for tuition money. Also, since I took a break from school because I am out of money, all of my previous loans will come due in 6 months since I ceases to be enrolled full time. And with private loans, I can only get a total of 6 + 9 months of forbearance for the ENTIRE LIFE of my $100,000 + in loans. I wish every day that I had never gone to veterinary school. The $200,000 + who the hell knows what in interest price tag is not worth all of this anxiety. I have a year left of my school leave of absence and if I don't finish my fourth year I will be kicked out of the program. I am in limbo right now between my 3rd and 4th year of my veterinary education. When I began veterinary school 4 years ago, I qualified for low interest loans with subsidized interest while I was in school. At the end of my 2nd year, my school dropped all the low interest loans and left us with only one loan available and that was the Sallie Mae smart option loan at 14-16% interest and we were responsible for paying the interest while we were in school and required a co-signor which I DO NOT have. Hello…how can one work while they are in medical school and busy 16 hours a day with class, rotations and then studying all hours of the night??? So I sold everything I owned and borrowed money from anyone that I could and that was enough to cover my third year classes only. I had to live on my credit cards to pay for food and cash advances for rent which left me in huge credit card debt but that’s another story. I am out of money now and have taken a break before my 4th year is to begin. l have no idea of how I am going to come up with $40,000 for my final year of school. I am working, but am no where making what I need for tuition money. Also, since I took a break from school because I am out of money, all of my previous loans will come due in 6 months since I ceases to be enrolled full time. And with private loans, I can only get a total of 6 + 9 months of forbearance for the ENTIRE LIFE of my $100,000 + in loans. I wish every day that I had never gone to veterinary school. The $200,000 + who the hell knows what in interest price tag is not worth all of this anxiety. I have a year left of my school leave of absence and if I don’t finish my fourth year I will be kicked out of the program.

]]> Comment on Medical Student Success Strategy: Precluding Distracters 1 by ValenciaRayMD http://www.lisablacker.com/distracters1/comment-page-1/#comment-9 ValenciaRayMD Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:53:32 +0000 http://www.lisablacker.com/?p=828#comment-9 Lisa, you make many excellent points, and I must admit it is a challenging situation. When I was in medical school, the tuition at U of I was about $2,000/ year and I had an academic scholarship at that. Yet, I understand financial issues as I had no visible means of self-support when I first applied for acceptance. The challenge that you did not mention also is the fact that society still has a distortion of how much income a physician receives, and doctors do not make as much now even, as they did when I graduated in 1985. Add cost of living and it borders on absurdity when you factor in the years and financial sacrifice involved. I would certainly suggest that if one is going to go to medical school that they be clear as clear can be that it is their authentic heart's desire and life purpose as if one is doing it for any other reason, he or she is likely to be sorely disappointed. Be mindful to avoid getting in debt as much as possible, as heavy debt leaves very little flexibility for lifestyle. Once committed though, it takes focus and discipline. Understanding the new neuroscience of the brain and mind can help in many ways to navigate the fears of failure and stress. Without this understanding and all of the above challenges, I must admit, it looks intimidating to say the least. PS - Going to a program that addresses holistic health is vital, as I am convinced that this arena will only grow and if a program only focuses on the disease, allopathic model, you will be at a disadvantage in the future. Frankly, it has already started. Lisa, you make many excellent points, and I must admit it is a challenging situation. When I was in medical school, the tuition at U of I was about $2,000/ year and I had an academic scholarship at that. Yet, I understand financial issues as I had no visible means of self-support when I first applied for acceptance.

The challenge that you did not mention also is the fact that society still has a distortion of how much income a physician receives, and doctors do not make as much now even, as they did when I graduated in 1985. Add cost of living and it borders on absurdity when you factor in the years and financial sacrifice involved. I would certainly suggest that if one is going to go to medical school that they be clear as clear can be that it is their authentic heart’s desire and life purpose as if one is doing it for any other reason, he or she is likely to be sorely disappointed. Be mindful to avoid getting in debt as much as possible, as heavy debt leaves very little flexibility for lifestyle.

Once committed though, it takes focus and discipline. Understanding the new neuroscience of the brain and mind can help in many ways to navigate the fears of failure and stress. Without this understanding and all of the above challenges, I must admit, it looks intimidating to say the least.

PS – Going to a program that addresses holistic health is vital, as I am convinced that this arena will only grow and if a program only focuses on the disease, allopathic model, you will be at a disadvantage in the future. Frankly, it has already started.

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