Transferring Schools & Moving Across The Country

Nervous, Excited, Lost, enthusiastic, determined, and confident; these are all emotions I have had as a transfer student. I started college at a young age so when I decided to transfer to a new four year university, I felt a little odd since the number of credits I transferred was extensive. I had already figured out the system or the formula if you will for the university I was at presently in order to do well; and now I was going to embark on a continuation of my journey at a new institution with a new system and a new way of doing things.

Individuals transfer into new universities for a host of reasons my personal reason for transferring is centered around my research, passions, and desire to inspire change . Although I learned a great deal and am extremely grateful for the education and opportunities I had at the university I started out at; I had gone as far as I could there, hitting a ceiling due to the universities lack of funding, resources, opportunities, and guidance to inspire change in the way I have been working hard to do, with the research I have dedicated years and countless hours to in order to change the dynamic in medicine for patients around the world and in my home town and country. A dynamic shift is desperately needed and necessary; the current stagnant attitude and understanding our healthcare currently sits in has caused fatalities that could have been avoided and pain that did not need to be experienced or inflicted.

I always knew at some point my work would grow to such a point that I would need to seek a new university to allow me to grow further in the direction I am headed and that point was reached sooner than I thought. At the time I was currently in Scotland studying at the university of Aberdeen and conducting my research with the assistance of a PhD back home and the medical school there in Aberdeen. I came home sooner than the planned 12 months I was going to stay in Scotland and within the first month of being home my family packed their things and we moved to Northern VA. I had toured schools in the D.C. area while I was still in high school and I fell in love with not only the area but also the medical schools, undergraduate programs and their focus on undergraduate research and the funding of the research as well as mentorships, and many other aspects of academia available there and so much more but at that point in my journey I knew there was still work I needed to do back home in New Mexico; If I had left at that point I'm not sure what my story would be but I am glad my story played out the way it has.

After moving I decided to take a gap year to further my understanding of medicine, people, their needs, and also to add to my research in a new way. In that year I grew and learned in more ways than you can imagine; I met people from all over the world and was honored with being able to impact the lives of a number of people that impacted my life in such a way that their faces and words still hold a place in my heart and mind and have continued to shape me as a future physician to this day.

Fast forward to this semester, this is my first semester back since my gap year and the transition has been a unique experience for me. At first it was exciting and I was a bit nervous and felt as if coming back was going to be a shock to my system after being gone for what felt like a life time but I never really stopped studying or learning over my gap year I kept up with events and developments in my field I learned new research and care techniques, I also continued to read as well as listen to podcasts to expand my knowledge base in the sciences through the use of peer reviewed journals, scientific articles, iTunes, YouTube, khan academy, as well as Coursera. Not to mention the continuous personal learning I did, I learned more about the way I reflect, act, and dissect experiences a well as how to better propel myself forward in every circumstance.

Now that I have settled in a little bit more I can tell you with confidence that transferring although it may feel like a little bit of a hiccup, is a great exercise in acclamation to a new environment and a determination to discover more about what is available. Kind of like a treasure hunt but it is my goal to make what feels like some sort of scavenger hunt more accessible and easier to navigate for my fellow students,while they also embark on this new phase of their journey as transfer students. There were moments where I felt overwhelmed and overly nervous but after stepping back and taking a breath I knew I could do it and so can you. Have confidence in your ability to do great things and in your journey and knowledge. You have worked hard to get where you are and each of your experiences makes you not only a more competitive academically but they also make you who you are and not only are you unique but with each of your experiences come new neural connections that come together in such a way that makes you a valuable contributor to your field and to humanity. When everything starts to feel a little overwhelming take a step back, remember why you are doing this, and look at the bigger picture.

If transferring is something you are considering in the future, I want you to know that you are going to be just fine. This is your dream, your purpose, your passion and if you need to transfer schools in order to further your goals and facilitate the growth and success of those goals and dreams then there shouldn't be anything to stop you.

I will make sure to post all of the resources I have found and used as a new transfer student, please feel free to get in touch and ask any questions you may have or if you just need some encouragement, I'm here to help you.

Best of luck on your journey as always!

Esprit