shrimp

Yay! Congratulations!

If your friend is set on being a PA, then I think you should be encouraging. I was a scribe for a while when I was still pursuing premed. I was making $10/hr in Northern California in 2012. It wasn't horrible, at least compared to my retail job, but I definitely couldn't live on my own. It's not a career choice though. As a scribe, I spent my time following physicians, writing patient histories, noting physical exam findings, tracking labs... there's so much to it. I was forced to learn a lot of things medicine considering that I was constantly interacting with physicians. It does give one a chance to be nosy and ask questions about certain things, why the physician(s) made the decision(s) they made, and best of all, it'd be a great way to get letters of recommendation. It does depend on the doctor though. Some just use you as an admin assistant and nothing more, while some will quiz you, explain diagnoses and why certain labs or meds are ordered, and give you more responsibilities and access, which was great.

It depends on where you live, the school(s) you plan on applying to/attending, and/or where you plan on working. I'm a California native who recently relocated to Florida. I majored in French. Unwise lol. I'm glad that I have a second language under my belt, but Spanish would've been far more helpful as I've encountered maybe two French speakers since graduating college. Some of the nursing programs in California give points to those who speak Spanish or one of the other in-demand languages (French not being one of them). If I could do it over, I'd take Spanish in college. Zibbie gave good advice. You may be able to transfer in most of your courses so that you only have a few for a French minor and can still dabble with Spanish. Best of luck!

There are plenty of low GPA/low stats med students on SDN seeking admittance. I always found it funny how even some of those students still managed to be arrogant not only towards the nursing profession (nursing isn't an option for some as they refuse to "downgrade"), but fellow med students or med professionals who advised them to opt for DO schools since prereqs could be retaken without penalty, or go for PA or podiatry. Some didn't want to opt for DO because they craved those MD initials. You had dreamers who would choose Caribbean schools in hopes of returning to the USA and matching into anesthesiology, orthopedic surgery, etc., aka tough residencies for American-based med students.

A nursing student.

You won't find nurses sticking up for themselves on a doctor forum and they shouldn't really. How many doctors are here on AN? I was on SDN when I was pre-med. A lot of them can be arrogant. If you want to see them at their "best", look up CRNA posts. It always irked me because I still loved the nursing profession and have nurses in my family. My biggest fear about becoming a doctor was behaving like them, not the loans. I think their robotic nature and lack of compassion, aka lack of nursing qualities, is what made them add the behavioral science component to the MCAT. So there.

Thanks so much for the tips! :)

I lost 40lbs between 2014/2015 and have managed to keep it off. Initially, I was working out daily, but, quite frankly, I hate going to the gym. You might find me there 1-2x a month lol. I'd rather do things that don't feel like I'm dying. I love scenery, so I often take walks, play volleyball, or go paddle boarding. I park far wherever I am. I don't buy cakes, cookies, or things like that. If I have a sweet tooth, I'll have a few ounces of 100% juice (a bottle or carton can last me up to 2 weeks) or make whatever it is I'm craving. Most times, I'm too lazy and know I'm not willing to eat it all myself as I live alone, so I don't bake it lol. I take a huge bottle of water with me everywhere I go and make sure I finish it by the end of my work day; it's really all that I drink. If there's any calorie counting I do, it's with drinks. It's easy to lose track. I make sure to go grocery shopping on a full stomach. It's easy to get sidetracked and buy Oreos, donut holes, etc., due to hunger. I still have my moments, but I don't eat the junk I buy. I take it to work and tell my coworkers I thought of them while shopping lol. I also avoid the inner aisles when at the grocery store. I stick to fruits, veggies, and lean chicken or seafood. Pork sometimes, red meat seldom. I also steer clear of fast food; no drive-thrus. Like aforementioned, portion control is a big must when dining out. I make sure to fill up on veggies, then protein, then starch if I still want a few bites. I am a snacker. I always have to be nibbling on something or else I'll feel famished and splurge on a burger or something, so I usually have carrots or Wheat Thins nearby. That's just me. It looks like a lot and probably somewhat complicated, but it's literally become a lifestyle for me. It was tough in the beginning (I miss French fries and pizza), but it gets easier with time. I can't think about those kinds of foods without feeling guilty now.

Depends on the professors. Most of mine did though.

Precisely to the bolded. I don't know why anyone who isn't in a program would lie and say they're X student though. The people who feel a need to say they're nursing students when they're in English Comp and Micro aren't far off from those who end up telling everyone they're nurses when they're CNAs/PCTs/MAs or walking around in lab coats as "med students" when they're on their way to gen chem lab lol.

They were accepted into a nursing program right? Hence, the nursing student designation. :)

I guess I don't see the gray because there's the designation of pre-nursing. Most schools have nursing majors/programs that require an application separate to the university, or at least that's how it is in California. A nursing student is someone who's been accepted into a nursing program that leads to a degree. So, for one to call oneself a nursing student when not accepted into a program is inaccurate in my opinion. Just like others said, we wouldn't call someone taking gen chem, English comp, and calculus a medical student.

I never told people I was a nursing major when I was taking prereqs because I wasn't accepted into a nursing program. Simple. All of us in the pre-nursing track (or pre-med/bio, pre-law, pre-health sciences, pre-psychology, pre-criminal justice [pretty much all the cool majors were impacted and required separate applications]) proudly wore our "pre" titles because that was exactly what we were lol. There was no shame in it. You're not a nursing student until you're accepted and start a nursing program. Pretty black and white to me.

@nursehopeful0626 exactly! Being proactive is key, and not just at this school, but any. I was apprehensive initially and first went to the campus a little defense. So far, they've given me absolutely no reason to worry. :) @111th thank you! I wasn't expecting my first quarter books to be expensive, but they are. I might just rent a few.

Is there a Facebook group or something where Galen students buy used books from each other?