Movin' on up

A few new things happening for me...

I somewhere found the strength of character (and the $1000) to torture myself again with applying to medical school. I gave long and serious thought to whether I was willing to be disappointed again, whether I should retake the MCAT, what plan B was going to be if I don't get in this year, and where in the country I should apply since staying local didn't really pan out last year. I looked at a LOT of schools and ended up applying in the east and/or beginnings of the midwest (depending on who you ask). I really tried to apply to some schools out west but everything there is either strongly centered on in-state applicants (>90% of students) or located in California or both. I was advised to submit the application on the first day I could, so I am applying almost two months earlier this year. I'm still a little behind because I didn't realize AMCAS was going to have to re-certify my transcripts until I was all the way finished with the application, but I think that will still be earlier than last year.

Only two weeks left at the office job. The last project leader is having fits of anxiety about the transition because he doesn't like anything he's not in control of. Thankfully that has mostly manifested itself by demanding I drive up to the office all the time. I think the new people are all doing fine and the sun will continue to rise and set without me, so I just have to convince him of that.

Ambulance co. stuff is going well, the rate of changes has slowed down a bit, allowing everyone to be a little more settled. I'm actually learning who some of the new people are so that not everyone has to go by "FNG" anymore. And I managed to score a new full-time shift. No more Saturday and Sunday 12 hour transfers!! My new shift is 3 911s and 1 daytime transfer shift, but doesn't start until the middle of July.

Most shifts are 2 transfers and 2 911s, so there were a lot of internal applicants for the position. The medic on the shift was actually asked who he wanted to work with (highly unusual) and he picked me. The supervisors were actually asked who they thought the shift should go to (slightly unusual) and apparently they even voted and picked me. If I had known there was going to be a popularity contest, I would've been nicer to people (hahaha!), but at least this way I think it might be mostly based on my skills and work instead.

The last hurdle was to talk with EMS1 about the rumors that I was leaving in September because he didn't want to give a prime shift to someone who was only sticking around for a couple more months. I was honest with him about the unlikely outside chance I would be accepted off the wait-list for medical school this year, but that I didn't really expect that to happen and was planning on being around for another year. He decided that would work and gave me the shift. (happy dance!!)