<p>I'm 16. I'll try to be as straightforward as possible.
Well, I've never accomplished anything in life really. Never had a hobby, never played a sport or even an instrument at that. I've had problems with drugs in the past. Went to rehabilitation. Been arrested multiple times. Never really cared about my school or myself. I guess you could say everyones always looked down on me and doubted me as a person, which I don't blame them for honestly. After I got out of rehab my whole life changed. I havent gotten in trouble with the law, I'm trying in school now, even though I'm not very smart. :/ Overall everything's changed for the better I'd like to think. I never really had any dreams before.. But I figured, and it probably doesnt make any sense, but I figured I want to surprise everyone for once in my life and not do as they expect, which is be a bum and do stupid things. My dream is to become a neurosurgeon. The whole nervous system has always really interested me. The way the brain works and how it connects with our body and everything that has to do with it. But I have such a dirty past that I'm scared I'll never be able to accomplish my dream. I try to stay positive and tell myself if I work hard and be the best I can be then hopefully one day I'll make it. Everyone laughs at me when I tell them I want to be a neurosurgeon.. I dont care. But every once in a while, I research it and get depressed because I realize I know absolutely nothing and I would love to say I'm intelligent but I know I'm not. I'm not stupid or ignorant, but I definitely dont have a's and b's. I struggle as it is with school already, and not being self motivated makes it worse. I have horrible attendance. I also have really bad epilepsy and take 3 different medications for it, which help I guess. I hope its only childhood epilepsy, but I guess you can never know. I'm not a very lucky person either haha. Basically what I'm getting at is.. should I even bother? I would love to become a neurosurgeon, but if I can hardly pass highschool I dont know how I'll ever even manage to pass med school alone, and then the residency and all that stuff.. I dont know.. I feel stupid. Should I just.. move on and choose a different career? Please be honest.. I dont want to waste my life trying on something I hardly have hope for myself for just to realize its just a silly dream, sort of like becoming a movie star or singer. I just want to know.. Please help me..</p>
<p>Medical school is tough. It requires students to be smart (though not necessarily brilliant), hard-working and dedicated. </p>
<p>If you are having difficulties with high school science and math, perhaps medical school is not a realistic goal for you. </p>
<p>It’s OK to have dreams and goals, but you need to decide if your goal is one you can achieve.</p>
<p>What I would suggest is you should do 2 things:</p>
<p>1) get tutoring or other help to do better in your high school classwork</p>
<p>2) read about what it takes to become a physician–what kinds of classes you’ll need, what kind of community service you should get involved with, what technical standards (minimum physical, intellectual, social and communicative skills) are expected in applicants.</p>
<p>Once you’ve done your research, then you can come back and ask more questions about the process of becoming a physician. </p>
<p>(BTW, neurosurgery is a very difficulty specialty to match into. Fewer than 5% of all physicians are able to train in this specialty. And the training period after medical school is a minimum of 10 years. Think long and hard if you want to spend 18 years of your life studying to do this.)</p>
<p>Your’re a born writer. You life story is terrific prose. Much better than the Ivy league posts. Let your stories out. Entertain the world. GL</p>
<p>since you’re 16, I would focus for now on getting into college.</p>