Failing and transferring
Hello. I'm in a bit of a dilemma right now.
I failed my first year of medical school, and the school I'm currently attending has always been my dream school. I've always wanted to study there because it's well-known for producing excellent doctors and has a strong reputation as one of the top medical schools in the country.
Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned, and I failed.
My parents are giving me another chance to continue medical school, but they've also given me the option to either re-enroll in my current school or transfer to another one.
The other school is much newer compared to my current one. It's not as well-established yet and, from what I've heard, doesn't have the best reputation. However, one of its biggest advantages is that it offers a much more flexible schedule. It relies more on independent learning, whereas my current school has daily classes and a lot of extracurricular and school-related activities.
The downside, though, is that several people I know who study there have told me that the mortality rate is very high across all year levels. That honestly scares me because this is my last chance to prove to my parents—and to myself—that I can become a doctor.
On the other hand, I genuinely like the system in my current school. The curriculum and environment are good, but the schedule is incredibly demanding. Every year becomes even busier, and I'm afraid that I might not be able to keep up, especially after already failing once.
I'm honestly so torn and don't know what decision to make. Should I transfer to the newer school for its flexibility, even if it has a high failure rate and a less established reputation? Or should I stay in my dream school, despite knowing how demanding and exhausting the workload can be?
I'd really appreciate any advice or insights from anyone who has been in a similar situation.