Well I hardly know you yet, and you hardly know me, so I guess I'll just have to meet you somewhere in between! My name is Andres Gomez, and I'm only remotely French, but I still like the language and the culture fondly. I am a Film and Media Studies major, Biology minor, pre-medical student attending OU for my last year whooo! I'm currently involved in a neuroscience lab and the OU Student Government Association. I'm currently aiming to go to medical school and specialize in neuropsychiatry.
I plan on taking the MCAT soon, and I'm talking about the 2015 MCAT. So, I'm also taking a prep course to make sure I'm not surprised by what the test can throw at me. I have heard some of my pre-med fellows are planning on "winging" the new MCAT. Well, that'll be fantastic for me if it's true: scores that stand out get noticed. The MCAT questions aren't actually all that difficult, but the new MCAT requires so much integration across different subjects to do well, and thankfully the prep course is helping me get used to that.
I've actually enjoyed my last semesters at OU, granted them being my most difficult: some of my the upper div sciences (especially Neurobiology and Psychopharmacology) have given me a real run for my money, yet I've done exceptionally well in all those classes. Unlike the basic science classes (gen chem, orgo, physics, etc.) required by all premed students, I've felt so much more like a future doctor in my neurobiology and psychopharmacology courses. And as a result, I found it so much easier to do very well in those courses despite them being upper division.
Even though I do like doing films, I've had to shy away from them in my last few semesters and focus on my biology minor/pre-med coursework. I have had films submitted to film festivals local and abroad, and I've been able to remain active in my states' respective film communities (got my first paid position when I was in high school). I plan on taking a year off between graduation and medical school, and devote that time to making films locally and in LA.
I also regularly do hand-drawn sketches so I might post some of those here as well. However, until then, enjoy this (this is NOT my work in any way, all credit to the original creator)-
Picture: "Down for the Count" (2014)
by poopbear
from their deviant art page
Well that was much better than my introduction (good luck!). That's cool that you are pre-med because I myself am pre-pharm. I actually spent the break studying for the PCAT and just took it on the 7th. I did plenty well on it and I'm sure with the time your devoting to studying, you will do great. Of course, as I'm sure you know, the PCAT is supposed to be way easier than the MCAT, and having taken the PCAT I totally believe it. As for your major, I think that is awesome. I took a Film and Media Class freshman year and had a great time with it.
ReplyDeleteOh wow, neuropsychiatry! That sounds fascinating, Andres! I was just commenting on your Untextbook post about the psychology of fiction and why it is that people like scary stories, sad stories, etc. That also has a great neurological dimension: just what IS going on in our brains when we read fiction, when we watch movies, etc....? Is it like when we dream or daydream? When we create stories or artwork? Something different? I've read some cool stuff about "your brain on fiction" ... and that whole question of what is reality (or not) is one that is both philosophical and scientific! And with your background in film, being an artist, etc., I bet you will have all kinds of great insight into that mysterious intersection of the human brain and the imagined world. Very cool!
ReplyDeleteP.S. Fun image: I LOVE THE COUNT. :-)
Wow! Your intro was way better than mine! It's great that you know what you want to do with your life. Haha I'm still a little iffy on what I want to do. That's great that you're taking the prep course because I probably would have been one of the ones who were just winging the MCAT. It's really cool that you're majoring in Film Studies. I feel like that would be such a cool major!!
ReplyDeleteGeez! You seem like quite the busy bee! I think it’s awesome that your major and minor are so diverse. Film and media studies seem like a pretty cool major. I have a friend who makes movies back home in Austin. A couple of years ago he got invited to attend the Cannes Film Festival and he absolutely loved it! Taking a year off to make movies sounds like a great plan! Maybe I will see you in LA one day (I plan on moving there in a year or 2). I hope you do post some of your sketches! Maybe you can even show us one of your films! All and all, you seem like a super cool person! Good luck with the new MCAT!
ReplyDeleteAre you superhuman? Because I don't know how you are still alive with all of those classes, haha. Kudos to you for enjoying all that jazz! I am a psychology major and am in a neuroscience class right now and really enjoy it so far. I even thought about doing the neuroscience lab but I have been in research labs too long so I wanted to take a break this semester. Those people are crazy, you need to really prepare for the MCAT. I know people who pulled all nighters in the summers for that! Film is really cool and I have a really close friend of mine that is a film major up in Pittsburgh. I have acted all my life but college halted my acted sadly but I hope to try out for plays soon to get back into the groove!
ReplyDeleteHello, Andres! I think it's fantastic that you are going pre-med with such an inventive major--and kudos to you for having submitted films to various festivals. That takes both skill and confidence, neither of which I would have, haha. Additionally, good luck on the MCAT! I know both people who have taken it and people who will be taking it, and they all have "rave" reviews of it, lol. Again, good luck!
ReplyDeleteAndres- Wow! What a diverse choice of majors and minors. It’s great that you enjoy sciences and the arts. That doesn’t seem to be an overly common combination. I have heard from friends that the MCAT can be a bit tricky. I’m sure you’ll do excellent though. I just took my GRE for graduate college and it was not as painful as I anticipated. Good luck! :)
ReplyDeleteHey! It's cool that there is another pre-med student around here! I'm getting a masters before I apply to med school, but I know the MCAT struggle all too well, I took it last spring before I decided to get a masters. To answer the question you left me, I became interested in public health when I realized that getting an MD wasn’t enough for me. We live in a global society, and I want to be able to make a global impact. I didn’t think that I would be able to pursue the types of careers I want (director of the CDC, working for the WHO, etc.) without having a good understanding of how health and health care look on a global scale.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your first paragraph, I am blown away. Having a major, minor, and pre medical, that is really impressive! It seems that you have your life planned out and you know what you are wanting to do, which is wonderful. I did not have to take the MCAT, I had to take the GRE. So I had no idea that they are changing it! That is very interesting. It is nice to meet you. I hope this class is a break from all of those upper division science classes.
ReplyDeleteHello Andres! Congrats on this being your last semester before graduation! I'm also in the same boat, so I can understand the excitement. Good luck when you take the MCAT--I've heard a lot from friends about the new format, but I'm sure with your class that you will do great! Congrats on the film work as well; that is pretty awesome, and I'm sure the film community is great. I think taking a year off to focus on film would be such a great experience for you. Good luck in this last semester and in your future endeavors!
ReplyDeleteNice to meet you, Andres! I am definitely blown away at your determination and the fact that you are taking such hard classes in your last semester at OU. You have such varied interests with film and pre-med and I find that inspiring. Good luck to you on taking the MCAT this year! I'm sure you will do great since you are going the extra mile and taking a prep class for it. By the way, I love the pic you posted. Very cool.
ReplyDeleteHey nice to meet you and good luck on the MCAT, I took the LSAT and after taking it I found that the bark was worse than the bite, so trust yourself and the prep you have already done, and most importantly get a good nights sleep before hand. Congrats on your last year at OU, it is a long road between your first day of school and your final day, so good job on traveling that road and coming to the end. Good luck with the rest of the semester.
ReplyDeleteOh man. That's a really intense major/minor combination. I think it's awesome that you have majored in film and media studies while being pre-med. That's actually really impressive, and I've never heard of someone doing that before. Congratulations on doing so well in those upper division science courses!
ReplyDeleteGood luck on the MCAT! I'm sure you'll do very well, considering you're such a hard worker.
Wow Andres! What an introduction! You have so much going on! How are you managing all of this? It seems like it would be really hard to juggle all of your majors, minors, and interests. It's so cool that you're into so many different things. I wanted to be involved in the medical field, as a cardiothoracic surgeon, for the longest time but have realized my true calling as a medical social worker.
ReplyDeleteI am really impressed and wish you all sorts of luck on your MCAT!
Hey, Andres! I’m so impressed by what you’re studying and am happy to see that you’re branching away from the typical pre-med majors. Those are never a bad thing, but I know you’ll stand out more to medical schools for studying something different and your extracurricular activities (especially being involved in a neuroscience lab) will help, too. Good luck on the MCAT and it’s great to meet you!
ReplyDeleteGood luck on the MCAT Andres! I've heard it's quite a challenge, but just based on your involvement on campus and your choice of minor that you've laid out in this introduction, you'll do fine! I'd love to see some of your sketches also! I do some pencil drawings as well, but usually just recreations of other people's drawings! So lots of respect to you for being able to translate something from your mind to paper!
ReplyDeleteHey Andre!
ReplyDeleteI think it is really cool that you make films. What are some of your favorite movies? What directors do you look up to?
Some of my favorite movies are Fight Club, Inglorius Basterds, Drive, and Fantastic Mr. Fox. Some of my favorite directors are Wes Anderson, Quentin Tarantino, and David Fincher. I love movies! My favorite movies are movies about war because I find them very interesting.
Hello Andre. Very good to get to know you better. You seem like you have some very big goals in your near future, and I wish you all the luck in getting there. I hear medical school is pretty hard, but I know you can do it. I know that I would never in a million years be able to. Also making films? What an awesome thing to do. Best of luck to you in all of your endeavors.
ReplyDeleteAndres,
ReplyDeleteGood luck on the MCAT. I have a couple of friends who have been studying it and it is certainly hard work. That is also awesome you work on films. I bet that will be fun to go back and forth from LA to work on filming different projects. I can’t believe we graduate in just a few weeks!
Film and Media studies, biology and pre-med … WOW! That’s impressive! I know what the MCAT’s are, but I have no clue what the tests would even be about. I was curious and so I looked up some sample questions, those are so crazy I don’t even know what it even remotely means other than the physics question that was listed :) It takes a special kind of person to be a doctor! Good luck to you :)
ReplyDeleteWell nice to meet you! I've actually got a number of friends who rushed to take the MCAT before it changed, so more power to you for taking the changed one. Have you started looking into specific medical schools, or waiting until you've taken it? I've got several friends that are planning on staying at OU to do medical school here, not very many that are interested in going away from here. That'll be really nice to take a year off! I went to Spain this summer and actually met some guys who were doing the same thing but taking the time to study abroad. Whatever it is, I'm sure you've got to do something to really relax before all that work.
ReplyDeleteHi Andres! Wow you seem like you have everything planned out. I think it is really cool that you want to be a doctor. Neuropsychiatry is pretty interesting. Anyone who is able to conquer upper division science courses like your are deserves to be doctor. I do not think I could do it. I think you will do well on the MCAT. I have also heard that people plan to just wing it for the new MCAT, but I think it is good you are or were taking the prep course. I hope you do/did well, and I wish you luck with your future endeavors and completing medical school.
ReplyDeleteHey Andres. It seems like you have quite a busy school work load. Those classes sound pretty intimidating but it seems like you are taking it really well. That is always good. I find that the classes that are more focused on what I want to do always seem to be the easiest for me to stay interested in. I think that its great that you seem to have everything planned out. Good luck with all your stuff.
ReplyDeleteI’m surprised this course is almost over and I haven’t visited your blog before or your introduction! I think it’s really cool that you are a film and media studies major plus a biology minor and premed student. It seems like you have a lot on your plate but in a good way. Anyways, nice to meet you and good luck with the rest of your schooling!
ReplyDeleteHey Andres. That is cool that you are a Film & Media Studies major. I am also in Film & Media Studies. Also, good luck on the MCAT. It is really interesting that you are balancing both Film and Biology/Pre-med. This sounds difficult to combine these two passions. Anyways, good luck with your last few semesters at OU!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a busy year getting ready for the MCAT and what not! My roommate took her MCAT this past week and I know she was super stressed about it all the time. The relief of being done with it is probably awesome though! I hope you’re having a good semester and that everything has gone really well! Good luck after grad!
ReplyDeleteI have felt the same way that the farther I got in my major I actually started to feel like I was becoming a petroleum engineer. All the beginning classes like that always seemed to have vast amounts of material and little attention to detail or specifics. Sounds like the MCAT more than likely has lots of that kind of subject matter though! Good luck with everything!
ReplyDelete