Just curious...but how old do you think is too old to apply to/get accepted to med school?

I think it is up to the person......different people have different outlooks and different degrees of health. With the way retirement is being pushed back, we are all going to be working longer.

There is no clear cut answer to your question.

I have to agree with DSM, it is up to the person applying. I know some very "old" 30 year olds who can't move off the couch, let alone apply to med school and I know some very young "50" year olds who are smart as a whip and would do very well in med school.

I would say as long as they have energy and years in front of them to be able to practice medicine, then they are young enough to go to med school.

I've heard of many 50-ish and UT Southwestern admitted a 70+ a couple of years back.

I doubt you will have any issues :thumbup:

Actually my Mom and I thought about starting together I am 34 and she is 56 but she decided she wouldn't be able to practice for enough years to make the $200,000 price tag worthwile so I am going in alone and she is watching my kids and helping from the sidelines.

Got a 51yr old starting with me nest week. I'm 30

i would be very upset to se someone in their 60's get accepted to a school.
A person will practice for 10 years maybe. That is a waste of taxpayer money.

I have always wanted to go to medical school. However, I lived in Argentina for two years and when I returned, I was offered a job to be one of Senator Murkowski's aides on Capitol Hill. This was too good to pass up. I did this for several years, then I was accepted to medical school. When I entered med school, I was35 years old. Now I am beginning my residency in anesthesia at 39 years of age.

I have always wanted to go to medical school. However, I lived in Argentina for two years and when I returned, I was offered a job to be one of Senator Murkowski's aides on Capitol Hill. This was too good to pass up. I did this for several years, then I was accepted to medical school. When I entered med school, I was35 years old. Now I am beginning my residency in anesthesia at 39 years of age.
My brother started his anesthesia residnecy at 38 (one month from 39)

i would be very upset to se someone in their 60's get accepted to a school.
A person will practice for 10 years maybe. That is a waste of taxpayer money.


uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... what taxpayer money? AS far as I know....IT is my damn money I am using......So even though I am 41 ..it is none of ANYONE'S business when I get into med school and how long I practice.

uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... what taxpayer money? AS far as I know....IT is my damn money I am using......So even though I am 41 ..it is none of ANYONE'S business when I get into med school and how long I practice.


The only "taxpayer" money involved is in funding residencies. Of course, the government gets indentured servants for that period, where the residents work 80+ hours a week for well under minimum wage. The replacement cost of just the work done by residents would cost 10x as much as the residencies cost, and there would still have to be some sort of training method.

The only "taxpayer" money involved is in funding residencies. Of course, the government gets indentured servants for that period, where the residents work 80+ hours a week for well under minimum wage. The replacement cost of just the work done by residents would cost 10x as much as the residencies cost, and there would still have to be some sort of training method.


Exactly....they are getting their money's worth either way. I am funding my education....not Uncle Sam. Since I have paid a Godawful amount of taxes over the years....I guess I will just be paying myself...NO free rides for me.

Dead is too old. Anytime before that, why not?

Dead is too old. Anytime before that, why not?


Exactly.

uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... what taxpayer money? AS far as I know....IT is my damn money I am using......So even though I am 41 ..it is none of ANYONE'S business when I get into med school and how long I practice.

Actually, I've done some interesting work with my medical school's funding/finance department. The tuition medical students pay typically covers less than 50% of the cost of our education--and is sometimes as low as 20-30%. The remainder is paid for with monies from the state and federal government, patient revenue, fundraising efforts, etc. So in that regard, the citizens of any state have a vested interest in seeing that their students will "pay back" the community. I too dislike the idea of any aspect of a "free ride," but know of no way around it.

That said, if a given medical school elected to let you in, clearly they felt what you had to offer--regardless of your age--was most important!

Hey CommyMommy, you thinking about applying? :D

-Dagny :cool:

Just wondering what the draw is for med school for older folks. Say you're 35 when you start med school. That's a minimum of seven years before you can start to practice. 42 years old... minimum. 44 or 45 if you choose a surgical specialty. Then you are just starting out. And if you're 45 when you start, then you're 52 before you actually start practicing.

It can't be the money, because you probably already had a decent job with a house and all that stuff. You are probably going from making good money to making nothing and spending 25K-50K per year of medical school.

What is it that makes you change your whole life around? Is there any one specialty that you are interested in, or do you just "want to be a doctor"?

I think it's cool that older folks are going to medical school. I just wonder what in the heck could make them give up a nice, stable life, for 4 years of med school, and then a rigorous residency, and then starting so late in life to build a practice. I admire the ambition for sure... I just don't really get the rationale.

Anyone?

I gather you're fairly young and still on the K-12-Premed-Medschool-residency track. I can sympathesize with your not understanding the rationale of older premeds but perhaps I can offer you some tidbits:

1. Once you've been in the working world, paid some bills, bought a house, the novelty wears off and you realize that you could reinvent yourself at every stage of your existence, and going after a long held dream or discovering one in your 20s, 30s, or 40s is just one option.

2. You realize that life does not end at 25 or 30! As you get older, you find yourself more energetic, less bothered with the small things and more sure of yourself. You may not know everything you want or will inspire you but you become pretty certain of what you do NOT want.

3. Is there any one specialty that you are interested in, or do you just "want to be a doctor"? I'm pretty certain that 'just being a doctor' or having an MD follow your name is only a fraction behind the motivation to walk away from a job and financial security. It may be plenty tempting for the younger crowd, though. ;).

4. If your hypothetical older student finishes residency at 42 or 45, why in the world would it take 7-10 years more to 'actually start practising'.

5. Medicine is not the only profession the young and older embark upon and sacrifice for. I've seen people retrain for every field from social work to civil aviation. I would imagine that gone are the days when all people began a career at 22 or 25 and spent 40 years working within it.

I hope this answers some of your questions.



Just wondering what the draw is for med school for older folks. Say you're 35 when you start med school. That's a minimum of seven years before you can start to practice. 42 years old... minimum. 44 or 45 if you choose a surgical specialty. Then you are just starting out. And if you're 45 when you start, then you're 52 before you actually start practicing.

It can't be the money, because you probably already had a decent job with a house and all that stuff. You are probably going from making good money to making nothing and spending 25K-50K per year of medical school.

What is it that makes you change your whole life around? Is there any one specialty that you are interested in, or do you just "want to be a doctor"?

I think it's cool that older folks are going to medical school. I just wonder what in the heck could make them give up a nice, stable life, for 4 years of med school, and then a rigorous residency, and then starting so late in life to build a practice. I admire the ambition for sure... I just don't really get the rationale.

Anyone?

For me it's not so much anymore about what it's like at the end of the journey (or how old I'll be when I get there) but what it's like along the way. I'll be just as old, but at least this way I'll be doing something I like. I like medicine, plain and simple.

For me it's not so much anymore about what it's like at the end of the journey (or how old I'll be when I get there) but what it's like along the way. I'll be just as old, but at least this way I'll be doing something I like. I like medicine, plain and simple.

that, i understand.

Just wondering what the draw is for med school for older folks. Say you're 35 when you start med school. That's a minimum of seven years before you can start to practice. 42 years old... minimum. 44 or 45 if you choose a surgical specialty. Then you are just starting out. And if you're 45 when you start, then you're 52 before you actually start practicing.

It can't be the money, because you probably already had a decent job with a house and all that stuff. You are probably going from making good money to making nothing and spending 25K-50K per year of medical school.

What is it that makes you change your whole life around? Is there any one specialty that you are interested in, or do you just "want to be a doctor"?

I think it's cool that older folks are going to medical school. I just wonder what in the heck could make them give up a nice, stable life, for 4 years of med school, and then a rigorous residency, and then starting so late in life to build a practice. I admire the ambition for sure... I just don't really get the rationale.

Anyone?


rationale BLAH!

if a 22 year old used rationale they wouldn't pursue medicine
either...malpractice for anyting but FP is outrageous and student
loans are astronimical.

i gave it all up. excellent salary, house, growing investments and
to pursue my PASSION! no rationale based on money involved.

caring and curing, to me, is about passion and it's what will keep
me going. hell rationale says y spend 4 years dumping books into
your brains all day...all nite to come out and make what?

yes...i call it PASSION and i'd do it over and over and over at the
old age of 32 again. :D

Passion is one way of putting it. For me it's making a difference. I'm sure adcoms hear "I want to help people" or "I want to make a difference" from potential doctors all the time. I remember this episode of ER where they were interviewing for residencies, and every candidate said "I want to help people". I imagine it's not too unlike that in real life. The difference between the trads and non trads is that it may come across as a little more sincere if the person is giving up a good career to do so. And that's not to say that there aren't traditional students who are genuinely passionate about medicine. But as a non-trad, they would be more likely to take you at your word after taking into consideration the sacrifices, and that you've given it quite a bit of thought before pursing it. That or you're crazy.

Just wondering what the draw is for med school for older folks. Say you're 35 when you start med school. That's a minimum of seven years before you can start to practice. 42 years old... minimum. 44 or 45 if you choose a surgical specialty. Then you are just starting out. And if you're 45 when you start, then you're 52 before you actually start practicing.

For me it's very simple. If I could do cancer research AND practice surgical pathology without the MD/PhD then I would.

I'd guess it goes a little like this for nontrads:

1) Find something you love to do or would love to do.
2) Find out what educational skill set is needed to do what you'd love to do.
3) Go for it!

For the traditional student, I'd say it goes a little like this:

1) Find out what pays the most money and is most prestigious.
2) For the guys, decide if this will attract more babes.
3)Make sure it doesn't get in the way of being done with school by age 29. You don't want to be a "old" doctor!
4) Go for it!
5) Buy a porche (for the guys)!! :laugh:

PS-This is a JOKE! :laugh:

Fruit fly. You have tugged at my heart strings with your post.

:love: :love:

Taxpayers don't dictate how long a doctor would be in practice for. A doctor, young or old, could leave his or her practice for whatever the reason. First of all, like discrimination against those with disabilities, I think that age discrimination is wrong too.

Where's your logic? If anything, I would rather see a 60 yr old doctor who had recently graduated from medical school than one who had graduated from medical school years and years ago. I would expect our non-trad to be a lot more up to date in his or her knowledge of medicine, because it's easier when you're supposed to be learning versus how it is left to doctors these days to be self-motivated towards learning. I think that there should be mandatory testing for doctors every now and then to keep them on their toes, where changes could be recommended that could only benefit the patient in the long run. I think the patient has the potential to benefit from his or her time with a non-trad just as much as with any other type of doctor. Life experience is important as well in medicine, and many doctors who are the traditionals, have led sheltered lives and don't know what life is like for anyone else. I believe that Non-trads have the potential of capturing the art of medicine, which involves a relationship with the patient, much more than a traditional.

Furthermore, if you care so much about the medical field, amicus, then who are you to insinuate that that 60 yr old would give any less to the field of medicine than anyone else? You are already limiting the years of someone's life with your blind statement, which doesn't go towards the ethic of medicine and optimism either. You measure success in years. But you should really be measuring it in terms of knowledge, motivation, ethics and character.


Good post, congrats.

Say you're 35 when you start med school. That's a minimum of seven years before you can start to practice. 42 years old... minimum. 44 or 45 if you choose a surgical specialty. Then you are just starting out. And if you're 45 when you start, then you're 52 before you actually start practicing.

I'm interested in learning where you came to your conclusions:

Didn't you start to "practice" medicine the first time they let you have actual patient contact? I'm sure you didn't have to wait seven years in a four year med sch program to start caring for patients.

Could have been an oversight on my behalf

Smiles,

Robert

Just curious...but how old do you think is too old to apply to/get accepted to med school?

I think you are too old to think about med sch when you can no longer care for your own needs, whatever age that may be. If you can no longer walk, talk, reason, manipulate your hands, formulate opinions about sometimes complex matters, etc....then it MAY be too late, even for the most optimistic!

Aside from that, maybe some other reasons, it's death do us part!

Robert

I think it's cool that older folks are going to medical school. I just wonder what in the heck could make them give up a nice, stable life, for 4 years of med school, and then a rigorous residency, and then starting so late in life to build a practice. I admire the ambition for sure... I just don't really get the rationale. You ever read "Dilbert" on the funny pages?

Yeah, that's pretty much the other choice. Paying $200k for the chance to scut my ass off as a 41-year-old intern seems worth it.

I'm interested in learning where you came to your conclusions:

Didn't you start to "practice" medicine the first time they let you have actual patient contact? I'm sure you didn't have to wait seven years in a four year med sch program to start caring for patients.

Could have been an oversight on my behalf

Smiles,

Robert

Physicians use the word "practice" to describe post-residency work life.
I am in the 2nd year of residency, and I am not "practicing" medicine. I am "in training".

To clarify the timeframe put forth in my original post... 4 years of medical school + minimum 3 years of residency = 7 years. So, if you went to med school and trained in family medicine, then it would be a minimum of 7 years before you started to practice. Likewise, if you trained in a surgical field it would be a minimum total of 9 years before you could start to practice surgery.

Good luck.

Thanks for all the responses to my post.

What you guys are telling me is that leaving your current careers isn't that much of a sacrifice since those careers aren't as satisfying and rewarding as a career as a physician.

Good luck to you all. I'm in the 2nd year of residency, and some days I can't believe how fast the time goes by. 4 years of medical school passed by very quickly. And residency seems to be going by at a similar pace. But it has been, and continues to be, an incredible experience.

My motivation for becoming a physician stemmed from a desire to be useful, and make a difference to people. I wanted to be able to look back at my life when I am old and grey, and know that I had helped individual human beings with their health problems. My experience so far has simply reinforced this motivation.

Additionally, there is the added bonus of working with extremely bright, hard-working, motivated individuals. I'm developing a deep empathy not just for patients for physicians as a group.

I cannot imagine doing anything else as a career. Except for maybe being a rock star. Or a famous movie star. So, if you are a rock star, or a famous movie star,... maybe you should just stick with that.

Good luck all.

It is interesting that nontraditional folks are willing to give up a career to begin medical school. What pushed me was a passion for becoming a doctor so that I could bring comfort to those in need. That is why I selected anesthesiology. I gave up a career as an aide to a senator on Capitol Hill--I had worked there several years. My ultimate goal has always been to become a physician. Now I am a resident and I am seeing my studies and experience come to fruition through patient care.

Hi there,
It is not a matter of being too "old" in chronological years but being too "old" in physiological and psychological years. I had people in my medical school class that were 24 but too tired and burned out from the pre-med years to make it through. They washed out after the third week of classes. On the other hand, I had a 53-year-old who graduated at age 57 and is now happily finishing a Family Practice residency.

People age at different rates and in different ways. I have seen 26-year-olds who looked 50 and acted even older. I have also taken care of 40-year-old CABG patients who have stressed themselves into CAD and who didn't do as well as many of the 70-year-old CABG patients. Aging is a highly subjective matter and many influences come into consideration.

The 90-year-old marathon runner is probably just as much of a prodigy as the 19-year-old medical school freshman but each in different ways. As one of the older students in my class, I was no more tired or had less energy than my 25-year-old counterparts. If there was any difference, I would cite just being comfortable "in my skin". I tended to let most things roll off and I tended to be more adaptable in adverse situations. I have always been a natural born problem-solver. I attributed these things not so much to my age as my innate personality type. I guess this is why I ended up in General Surgery. :D

njbmd :cool:

For me it's not so much anymore about what it's like at the end of the journey (or how old I'll be when I get there) but what it's like along the way. I'll be just as old, but at least this way I'll be doing something I like. I like medicine, plain and simple.

I feel this way exactly...I just started taking my first science-pre req a week ago after being out of undergrad for 4 years and felt so happy to be back in school again. I hope I can hang on to that feeling and use it when I'm feeling overwhelmed & doubtful when things get tougher along the way.

i would be very upset to se someone in their 60's get accepted to a school.
A person will practice for 10 years maybe. That is a waste of taxpayer money.


I strongly disagree. If a person is that dedicated and it shows in their interview so well that they get accepted (b/c i'm sure a school considers that), i bet they do better doctoring in ten years than some do in their whole career starting at age 25.

Age doesn't matter either...I am doing it because I have never wanted to do anything more in my whole life.

I think that is all that matters...

There was a gentleman in NYC that decided to go to medical school in his sixties. He took an undergraduate degree with pre-medicine and applied to and was accepted by one of the NYC medical schools. There was a story on him in the newspaper. When he was 68 years old, he was accepted into an NYC IM internship/residency. When asked what he expected to do with such limited time to practice, he responded that he expected to make his patients' lives better with application of his medical knowledge to their lives. He is now a board-certified physician in New York. Amazing.

I think that there should be mandatory testing for doctors every now and then to keep them on their toes, where changes could be recommended that could only benefit the patient in the long run.

There are such exams in place. They are called recertification exams that are taken by every physician that wants to remain board-certified. Depending on the field, these exams are mandatory every 5-10 years to maintain board stature.

Physicians use the word "practice" to describe post-residency work life.
I am in the 2nd year of residency, and I am not "practicing" medicine. I am "in training".

To clarify the timeframe put forth in my original post... 4 years of medical school + minimum 3 years of residency = 7 years. So, if you went to med school and trained in family medicine, then it would be a minimum of 7 years before you started to practice. Likewise, if you trained in a surgical field it would be a minimum total of 9 years before you could start to practice surgery.

Good luck.

This is what I have always understood. Practice implies mastery; residency implies training.

To the quote that dead is too old - Amen :D

The only "taxpayer" money involved is in funding residencies. Of course, the government gets indentured servants for that period, where the residents work 80+ hours a week for well under minimum wage. The replacement cost of just the work done by residents would cost 10x as much as the residencies cost, and there would still have to be some sort of training method.


Sorry to revive this thread, but being a new member here at SDN, I couldn't help myself.

To clarify regarding the poster who was indignant over a 60+ med student ripping off the taxpayer on the support of his/her medical education, flighterdoc is totally onto something that might be worth some discussion here.

The fact is that regardless of how much you finance your own medical education, there is taxpayer support for you.

The biggest subsidy is Medicare payments for Direct Graduate Medical Education and Indirect Medical Education. These are subsidy dollars that, for DGME, go directly to hospitals to subsidize the cost of medical residencies. IME, a far greater (into the Billions each year) share of government support, supports the additional costs hospitals incur as a result of indirect medical education costs, such as ordering additional diagnostics for educational purposes that an attending wouldn't normally order. And though I don't know how much in total, state med schools are supporting medical education through lower tuition. There are many other government programs that directly or indirectly support medical education as well, such as Childrens Hospital GME payments (@$300 million a year), NIH grants, or Nat'l Health Service Corps scholarships.

All of these ostensibly either subsidize institutions for costs not otherwise borne by the private sector or to serve a social purpose, i.e. NHSC requirement to serve in a HPSA. It would simply cost more to students and other entities if the government didn't subsidize medical education (what flighterdoc was saying) and the quality of education would be less.

Aside from the age discrimination arguments, who's to say from a public policy or ethical perspective that a 60 year old med student who may only practice for 10 years--say, in a Community Health Center--is a more valuable doctor to the health care system than the traditional student who becomes a suburban GP who disses Medicare and Medicaid to run a concierge-style practice?

But we don't make admission dependent on how you practice medicine at the end, right? So why penalize an older student simply because there will be less "time" to practice? HOW you practice medicine and your motivations for going through 7 years (at a minimum) training, in my opinion, are the ultimate arbiters for whether the taxpayer has received value in your education. That's why we leave it up to med schools to decide whether you are worthy, not through discriminatory laws.

(In the interest of full disclosure, I will be rapidly approaching 40 if/when I start practicing medicine.)

A co-worker of mine was just accecpted to UVM, he was 43(ish) and out of school for a long time. If you have a will to do it, its all yours. Take my money if your going to do well!



uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... what taxpayer money? AS far as I know....IT is my damn money I am using......So even though I am 41 ..it is none of ANYONE'S business when I get into med school and how long I practice.

The best way to put this is that the 'pain of regret is 5 times worse than the pain of discipline'. My sister just quit her job as a teacher of twelve years and she made twice the money I made, however I have been much happier than she has by going after my dream. Being older I have realized that life is better when you are happy. You are healthier, enjoy your work, and can enjoy lifes little pleasures.
One of the biggest tragedies I have ever seen are the employees at my former job. Many of them had been with the company for over 30 years. yet the stress of the job and the misery they had experienced during that time kept them from enjoying their retirement. Several had accumilated 401k packages of six figures yet were to disabled to use it. That is not a life; it is complete misery.
There are other reasons to justify medschool after 30-35 years of age. One is that the average job will be around 4-5 years before someone changes careers. Career changing has become a career.
I cant explain why we went this way and didnt get in earlier in life. If your a female it could have been a bad marriage or your waiting for kids to grow up. if your male you got tired of changing jobs. I think we took a different fork in the road.
What matters is how good of a doctor you are. A physician starting at 55 and loves what he does will give you 20-30 solid years of service. A physician at 25 who is there for something else( ie parents, expectations) will not give the same quality of service. They may even get out of medicine early and do what we are doing with another feild.

I started medical school at age 40. I'm in my 4th year now. You should never let age be the deciding factor for anything you do in life. If becoming a physician is what you really want, if you have the ability and the energy, and if you are willing to make the necessary sacrifices, then go for it. A friend of mine started medical school at age 49, and just completed a residency in Family Medicine in his mid-fifties.

bump!!!!

I say this all the time-- I would not have made it through my first semester of medical school without my older, more mature, and sometimes even 'motherly' classmates. They are the ones that took care of me when I most needed support. They are the ones that opened my eyes and reminded me that there is a world outside of medical school.

I am always amazed by their ability to stay on top of school and then go home and still be super mom or dad. Their hardwork and perseverance is truly admirable and even helps motivate me to do my best. I love having them in my class.
:love: :love: :love:

Considering the forecast of a general shortage of doctors, and the fact that med school slots are not increasing in a likewise manner, it would nice if you could expect every med school grad to practice for some reasonable period of time. Anyway, by posting this thread in the nontrad students forum, nobody can possibly be surprised at the general tone of the response.

i would be very upset to se someone in their 60's get accepted to a school.
A person will practice for 10 years maybe. That is a waste of taxpayer money.

Once you have paid as much money in taxes as the typical 60 year old has already paid, then you have a right to be upset...
There are plenty of 21 year olds who end up "wasting" their medical degrees, and who's to say the 10 or so years (probably more like 15) the truly devoted 60 year old might practice will not provide more "taxpayer" benefit than the numerous folks in their 20s who get into med school but then never finish, or those who get MDs and then go into totally non-clinical fields (consulting etc).

Once you have paid as much money in taxes as the typical 60 year old has already paid, then you have a right to be upset...
Word. :thumbup:

If a physician dies tragically at 40, was his education a waste of taxpayer money? And don't forget that taxpayers are actually getting patient care (care of hospitalized Medicare patients in resident staffed hospitals) for those tax dollars. We cannot guarantee that any applicant of any age is going to work for a certain period of years.

Two of my colleagues are older physicians. One is 86 and still doing NIH funded research, another is 90 and is the editor of a well-regarded textbook. The 90 year old was a biochemist who went to med school at 40-something because there was a push, at that time, to train scientists to be physicians. I think that they got their money's worth in his case. Even docs who stop doing pt care can keep working.

[QUOTE=LizzyM]If a physician dies tragically at 40, was his education a waste of taxpayer money? And don't forget that taxpayers are actually getting patient care (care of hospitalized Medicare patients in resident staffed hospitals) for those tax dollars. We cannot guarantee that any applicant of any age is going to work for a certain period of years.[QUOTE=LizzyM]

Sorry if I messed up adding the last post, I don't post often.
I like this post. I am already hearing of docs who plan on retiring in their 50's. That's fine, but it is only 25 years of service, the minimum that I hope to practice by starting med school in my 40's. Does that make their education a waste? As a former teacher, I had a few 70 year olds who wiped the floor (both mentally and physically) with the younger folks in the class. I realize that this isn't the norm, neccessarily, but it does exist, and education should be open to those willing to pursue it.

For women, IMO start med school before early 30s and finish before 40.

Got a 51yr old starting with me nest week. I'm 30


What school is this thackl?

Just jumping in with my 2 cents. I'm just starting at University College Cork in Ireland and I turned 40 on the third day of classes. (That way I can always say I started med school when I turned 40). I left an 8-year career as a high school teacher and had to totally uproot to get here (sell my ranch and animals and 90% of what we own) and disrupt my cozy family life. My wife and toddler are moving over in a couple of weeks and we're having our second child here in Ireland in January.

For me/us it's about complacency. Besides reaching a lifelong goal, we understand our own natures and temperaments at our "advanced age". We get to shake things up, let go of possessions, live in Europe for five years, introduce our children to other culture(s) (and have them get compulsory irish language in school!). This decision would clearly not suit everyone and while many say they wouldn't choose our path, virtually all seem to find it inspiring in some way. I have no regrets and I'm really excited (pinch, pinch) to be making it happen. (And the Irish schools seem to be excellent BTW). It's about individuals and individual decisions/context, not about what everyone else is doing or stereotypes et al. And I'm also feeling good about the 20-25 years I could easily practice (versus my teaching "career" of 8 years)....for what it's worth.

I am in my first year of medical school and am 39. I got into well over a dozen schools, and choose the one that I liked the most (rank is not as important as how you feel here). I have a varied past, but think most schools wanted to see someone who displays a life long interest in learning, people and a desire to make the world better.

Steps to get in
1. Enter a post bac program (I did harvard extension in cambridge). Find tutors, buy books, and take some loans to take the required classes for 2 years.
2. Study and take MCATs
3. Volunteer at a health related place (homeless shelters are your best best). Do not get paid, that is not volunteering (regardless of what you do).
4. Read lots about medical (all the fun books), and some ethics for interviews
5. If you don't have a "strong" highlight point in your life, take a month or two and work in Africa or Asia and do some health related work. This will be the foundation for "why" in your essay to medical school.

Good Luck :love:

Taxpayers support Private Schools' Tuition Too? I don't think so.

Taxpayers support Private Schools' Tuition Too? I don't think so.

Private schools tend to still be affiliated with hospitals (i.e. where you will do your rotations and residencies) which use taxpayer money. While I disagree with the prior post about "wasting taxpayer money" on nontrads, there is taxpayer money involved.

[QUOTE=LizzyM]As a former teacher, I had a few 70 year olds who wiped the floor (both mentally and physically) with the younger folks in the class. I realize that this isn't the norm, neccessarily, but it does exist, and education should be open to those willing to pursue it.

Amen. While I'm not 70 (I'm 41), I find that I am able to competently hold my own with the younger folks in my undergrad premed classes, even acing an occasional test or two.

About the volunteer thing: Why is it bad to get paid? I have worked at a Psychiatric facility for three years while in school, and have had many great (and some really lousy) experiences. Are they deemed less important if I am getting paid while having them? The only volunteer work I have done is teach BLS.

About the volunteer thing: Why is it bad to get paid? I have worked at a Psychiatric facility for three years while in school, and have had many great (and some really lousy) experiences. Are they deemed less important if I am getting paid while having them? The only volunteer work I have done is teach BLS.

For clinical experience, getting paid is totally fine. I would tend to disagree with the prior poster who indicated that your health experiences must be volunteer, but perhaps he/she was suggesting that the free positions are easier to get.
For the couple of schools I have seen that also like to see their applicants have been involved in some charitable/civic/community service (non-health) type stuff, like habitat for humanity, soup kitchens etc., the pay job obviously wouldn't count.

I would tend to disagree with the prior poster who indicated that your health experiences must be volunteer, but perhaps he/she was suggesting that the free positions are easier to get.

I was recently grilled for not having any recent health related volunteer experiences.

I don't think it's bad to get paid. I do enough "pro bono" work that I count that as volunteer as well (free screenings, etc.).

Heh. For what I get paid, I consider it pro bono. :D

Whoever said its a waste of taxpayers money doesn't know how to do math.

I work at a med school and I know more than most HOW taxpayer money goes around a med school. And we pay back to society 100 fold...the 60yr old doc at least breaks even.

I know of a woman in her late 50s who went to Tulane...and never went to college! I also know of some 40 somethings that re-careered and went to U of Chicago.

I'm 30 and even I looked at the average age of admittants in the med school description book I bought. Some of the average ages suggest that some schools actually favor older students.

38 is nothing...trust me.

You're a practically a spring chicken and not ironically so...may be able to deal with the long hours of residency better than those who went right from college to med school...trust me. You probably know what you want more than someone 10 years your junior and you don't resent working hard for it. You are actually less likely to burn out.

I've seen it happen and the ones that I've known to take a year off or have serious life problems (some were friends) were those that went right out of college.

See you in med school!

Sarah;-)

Yeah, I find it hard to believe that someone would get upset that a 60-year-old would get accepted to med school *solely* for the tax excuse. Sounds more like jealousy to me.

Even if someone only practiced for 10 years, and made a salary of 150K, they could theoretically pay $450K in taxes over 10 years (at a 30% tax bracket - maybe a little high :)). A teacher making 50K would pay about 250K over a 20 year period (at a 25% tax bracket). (quickie math)

So even practicing for a short time and *only* looking at monetary contributions to society, a physician does make a difference.

Regardless of money, all things being equal, I think a nontrad student brings much more to the table than a student fresh from college. I have seen so many students fresh from college who seem to know it all and feel invincible. The non-trad has been through that stage and experienced the real world of ups and downs that life brings, and could probably deal with the more complicated situations because they themselves have experienced them. ESPECIALLY for those who had an allied health career track.

Now, of course there are mature 21-year-olds and immature 40-year-olds, but for the most part, experience is an incredible teacher, and that's something that a 21-year-old will never have over a 40-year-old.

So age should NOT be an issue to a certain extent. But seriously, how often does a 60-year-old apply to med school?

A physician in his/her 40's and 50's is just as good as a physician in his/her 20's and 30's so why shouldn't a student in his/her 40's and 50's be just as good (or better!) than a student in his/her 20's and 30's?

Anyway, since adcoms *are* accepting older students now, just go for it! You can shut the naysayers up with your acceptance letter!

Dead is too old. Anytime before that, why not?


I love it :D

Actually my Mom and I thought about starting together I am 34 and she is 56 but she decided she wouldn't be able to practice for enough years to make the $200,000 price tag worthwile so I am going in alone and she is watching my kids and helping from the sidelines.


How beautiful it that! Hey, my family doctor practiced until he was 82 years old! Tell your mom to think about that :-) I think it's wonderful that you both support each other like that. Maybe your mom could do something else in medicine even if she doesn't decide to be a doctor?

A physician in his/her 40's and 50's is just as good as a physician in his/her 20's and 30's so why shouldn't a student in his/her 40's and 50's be just as good (or better!) than a student in his/her 20's and 30's?
I don't care what ANYONE says, older people tend to make better decisions than younger people. So by definition, older physicians are better than younger ones simply because most have learned the hard way to THINK things through.
Oh yeah, dead is DEFINITELY too old! :laugh:

I don't care what ANYONE says, older people tend to make better decisions than younger people. So by definition, older physicians are better than younger ones simply because most have learned the hard way to THINK things through.
Oh yeah, dead is DEFINITELY too old! :laugh:

That's what I'm talkin' about :D

Just curious...but how old do you think is too old to apply to/get accepted to med school?


You are too old when you are 6' under. As far as some other posting about a certain age being too old, I disagree. People now work into their 70's and 80's and beyond, so I don't think any age is too old.

I plan to work until I've got flowers growing above me, otherwise I'd get bored.

Wook

Hi there,
Age is not so much of a factor in medical school as doing well. I can say from experience, that as an older student, I was not treated any differently than my non-traditional colleagues. The material presented in medical school does not know the age of the student and any person who is not dead, is capable of learning. If you make it through the pre-med stuff and MCAT intact, you can make it through medical school.

Medical school and residency takes common sense and a good work ethic. I had non-traditional classmates who believed that they could rely on previous health care experience to get them through. Wrong! I had traditional classmates who believed that they could get through because they had done well as an undergrad. Wrong! The truth is, you either get it done or you do not. You put in the hours every day and get the material mastered and the job done. This has nothing to do with age or maturity.

In terms of years of practice, there are plenty of traditional-aged medical students who plan on not practicing medicine and there are plenty of non-traditional medical students who went for the long hours and high performance specialties (like myself) who are thriving after four years of residency and contemplating more. I am no more tired at the end of the day than my traditional-aged colleagues and we are more alike than different.

Medical schools in this country are not going to take any student regardless of age, race, ethnicity if said student does not show evidence of being able to handle a challenging curriculum. Either you get it done or you don't and this is more a function of work ethic than anything else. When a patient is trying to die, they do not care about your age, color, your grades or who your father was. They want you to know what to do to help them.

Medical school is not a reward or a right. It is a professional school that prepares one for residency and little else. I am nothing special but I was a very good medical student with a very strong work ethic. When I applied to medical school, I never cared what anyone thought of my decision or age as attending medical school was the right decision for me and I earned the right by my undergradute and graduate school performance to attend medical school.

njbmd :)