u/Confident-Sale-451

For context, i’m 19 and I’m also Hindu so that will make sense later..

The dream was set in some place where I and my family were there for some wedding/celebration? Not sure what it was but it was a gathering and there were lots of relatives and family friends and what not.

A guy at that venue was supposedly interested in me and asked to sneak out so we could go hang out. However I kindly rejected him saying if we both left then my parents would know I snuck out.

Now supposedly my ex was also in town in the same area.. and for some reason we were planning on meeting? So I was busy talking to the people around me when I heard someone yelling out for me from outside. No one else could hear it but me but I knew it was my ex’s voice. He kept calling out really loudly to me.
So I went outside and found him sitting in a chair close by with his laptop open. I asked him to come inside to the event and get some food as I was concerned if he had eaten.

Now he says no and refuses sternly no matter how much I try to convince him to come inside and then he goes ‘Meet me at Paatal Lok at 2 pm’
(Note: Paatal Lok means underworld in Hindu symbolism) I found that weird and explained to him how I said no to another guy who asked me to go out so I wouldn’t be able to go out to meet him either.

Now he gets irritated at the mention of another guy and shuts down the laptop and goes ‘well yeah you’re married now so why would u come to see me’

Now that was weird because I don’t think I was married in the dream but I didn’t correct him and just pleaded him to come inside to eat and that no one would care or notice him but he just disappears?

Now I call out to him frantically but no use. So I text his friend asking him to convince him to come inside..

I go back to everyone else but I realize my dad had heard someone calling out to me and wonders where I had gone. He questions me why it took so long to get back and I just lie saying that I had gone to meet a friend and give them something..

It was such a weird and random dream? Why Paatal Lok specifically? Any interpretation to help understand?

I mean in terms of lifestyle, training, compensation, and job satisfaction... which specialty feels most rewarding?

I do appreciate every specialty out there but I've been trying to see which is worth it, especially now with AI usage increasing.. some specialties might change in the next 10-20 years now possibly?

Any intl students who got in on an F1?

I have not met a lot of intl pre-meds and it feels hopeless but the ones that did get in, please tell me how your journey was like going into it as it's a lot worse for students like us compared to the general applicant

So I have been in the US since 5th grade, but I age out at the end of next year and would have to switch to F1 as my family's priority date is 2019, and that doesn't look like it's going to be current any time soon..

However, I would have a bachelor's from a US college, and my GPA is 3.9 at the moment, and I'm trying to apply in June 2027 for the upcoming cycle. I have not taken the MCAT yet, but I am aware it's much more competitive for me compared to my peers...

I have been trying to find resources, but I haven't met or found many intl pre meds...

Genuinely though, how is it looking for international pre-meds rn to get into med schools in the US?

I know the formaldehyde makes it really hard to breathe and the smell lingers long after..

but is it truly how some people assume? Students puking, fainting?

just curious to know how yalls experiences was like cuz I’m sure everyone felt differently

Okay so maybe I'm missing something, but this has always confused me.

We're constantly told there's a physician shortage in the U.S., yet getting into med school seems way more competitive now than it was 10–15 years ago. Even applicants with high GPAs, strong MCAT scores, research, volunteering, and clinical experience still get rejected.

Plus, on top of that, many medical schools barely accept international students, even when they're clearly qualified.

If we need more doctors, why does it feel like we're making it harder and harder for qualified people to become one? Is the shortage actually due to a lack of doctors, or is it more about limited med school seats, residency spots, and funding?

I haven't found many physicians who are willing to take in pre-meds for shadowing opportunities and I understand why but for those students who are genuinely willing to learn..

Are you fine with pre-meds shadowing you?

So I've had the opportunity to shadow two physicians, and honestly I learned so much from both experiences. It helped me understand the field a lot better and gave me a better idea of how physicians work with and care for patients.

But one thing I've noticed is that a lot of places don't really allow pre-meds to shadow, or some people seem to be against non-med school students shadowing physicians.

I genuinely don't understand why tho.

There's usually a long process before you can even shadow in the first place, including patient consent, which is obviously the most important part. And if someone is actively looking for shadowing opportunities, I'd assume they're serious about medicine and want to learn more about the field.

So what's wrong with wanting to learn?

What confuses me is that medical schools want applicants to have shadowing experience, but at the same time those opportunities can be really limited and really scrutinized for pre-med students.

Just trying to understand different POVs because maybe I'm missing something. I personally don't see the harm in someone being passionate about a field and wanting to learn more about it early on.

I just shadowed a cardiologist at Wellstar North Fulton and an internal medicine physician at a private practice and I've really been trying to shadow an OBGYN or General surgeon or any other specialties...

Does any one know of any doctors that are willing to mentor pre-meds?

https://preview.redd.it/3qyeuj1vrr5h1.png?width=2752&format=png&auto=webp&s=0f773bc216ffedc0447d5a0ec7b3be4254d30412

So i took half length blueprint diagnostic while still in the early stages of content review (i have not been consistent tbh) and this is very disappointing to me as I'm aiming for a 520 on the real thing but I'm not taking the MCAT until next year.

Any ideas on how to properly study? Only thing im doing is anki every day but i'm getting through the chapters slowly and physics is genuinely smth ive been putting off esp the equations.

Do I need to enroll into an MCAT course or smth?? idk but this is really sad and I feel really dumb rn because my gpa is pretty high and I am doing well in my pre-reqs (still need to take physics 2, orgo 2 and biochem which will all be done by the end of fall 2026)