Starting medical school 4~5 years later than my peers, too late??

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I just got accepted into NIH IRTA program, but the PI requires me to work in his lab for 2 years. I am already 24 and will be 25 soon, and if I start med school right after IRTA, I will be 26 or 27.

I know that there are plenty of people starting medical at my age, but I still have major concerns.

(1) Unlike my avatar, I am a guy, so there is no biological clock ticking problem for me. Do guys worry about their age when choosing residency?
(2) I am currently a FL resident and may lose this if I live in Maryland for 2 years. There are only two med schools in MD (Hopkins and Maryland) while there are 7 schools in FL.
(3) I am 24 now so I am still popular among girls. But will girls in med school date me even if I am 3~5 years older than them? Don't they usually have high standards?

My girlfriend is an MS2 and a lot of her classmates are 27 and older.

Originally Posted by libraryismyhome

I just got accepted into NIH IRTA program, but the PI requires me to work in his lab for 2 years. I am already 24 and will be 25 soon, and if I start med school right after IRTA, I will be 26 or 27.

I know that there are plenty of people starting medical at my age, but I still have major concerns.

(1) Unlike my avatar, I am a guy, so there is no biological clock ticking problem for me. Do guys worry about their age when choosing residency?
(2) I am currently a FL resident and may lose this if I live in Maryland for 2 years. There are only two med schools in MD (Hopkins and Maryland) while there are 7 schools in FL.
(3) I am 24 now so I am still popular among girls. But will girls in med school date me even if I am 3~5 years older than them? Don't they usually have high standards?

I'm sorry but I have to ask. Is this a serious post? If those are your only concerns about going to medical school you are leaps and bounds ahead of others. I will be 31 when I leave my current career for medical school. I'm happy to have my youthful days of sewing my wild oats behind me. It's nice just being able to focus on what you really matters. I know I couldn't have done med school and my younger twenties lifestyle at the same time. Best of luck to you.

Originally Posted by apachefly21

I'm sorry but I have to ask. Is this a serious post? If those are your only concerns about going to medical school you are leaps and bounds ahead of others. I will be 31 when I leave my current career for medical school. I'm happy to have my youthful days of sewing my wild oats behind me. It's nice just being able to focus on what you really matters. I know I couldn't have done med school and my younger twenties lifestyle at the same time. Best of luck to you.

Perhaps I shouldn't have started this thread from the first place. But I am 24 and most of my peers are MS2 and MS3s. Perhaps this is because I am in Florida where everyone starts school early, but I am just still concerned.

I'm a Florida resident as well. I completely understand where you are coming from with the number of schools in the area. Trust me when I say this but 24 is nothing. I started flight school in the military at 23 and thought I had to hurry up and get done, much like you are now. There's plenty of time and I wouldn't change anything or my decisions for the world. It's all about the experience of life. If you get so busy worried about the years of residency your going to be 30+ saying, " what the hell happen to the last five years of my life".

You may go to MD and find that it was one of the best experiences of your life. Hell, you might just run onto Mrs. Right. I gave up the clock and got a plan a few years back, and it truly has taken a lot of unwanted stress away. Whatever decision you make I'm sure it will all work out in the end.

I'm not trying to preach to you brother, just passing some life lessons learned that have helped me with the same kind of issues you're going through.

Originally Posted by apachefly21

I'm a Florida resident as well. I completely understand where you are coming from with the number of schools in the area. Trust me when I say this but 24 is nothing. I started flight school in the military at 23 and thought I had to hurry up and get done, much like you are now. There's plenty of time and I wouldn't change anything or my decisions for the world. It's all about the experience of life. If you get so busy worried about the years of residency your going to be 30+ saying, " what the hell happen to the last five years of my life".

You may go to MD and find that it was one of the best experiences of your life. Hell, you might just run onto Mrs. Right. I gave up the clock and got a plan a few years back, and it truly has taken a lot of unwanted stress away. Whatever decision you make I'm sure it will all work out in the end.

I'm not trying to preach to you brother, just passing some life lessons learned that have helped me with the same kind of issues you're going through.

Also, don't be afraid to ask a question. There's a lot of people that have answered mine in these forums. Wealth of knowledge.

Originally Posted by apachefly21

I'm a Florida resident as well. I completely understand where you are coming from with the number of schools in the area.

Thank you for your encouraging comments. But you know, Maryland only has Johns Hopkins and U Maryland. While Florida has 7 med schools from in all different rankings. UF and Miami (upper middle), USF, UCF, FIU (midtier), and FAU and FSU (low tier), is there a way to maintain my residency while staying in Maryland? I will be just getting a homestay while working at NIH.

Originally Posted by libraryismyhome

Thank you for your encouraging comments. But you know, Maryland only has Johns Hopkins and U Maryland. While Florida has 7 med schools from in all different rankings. UF and Miami (upper middle), USF, UCF, FIU (midtier), and FAU and FSU (low tier), is there a way to maintain my residency while staying in Maryland? I will be just getting a homestay while working at NIH.

Residency is a tricky subject. Being in the military I hold residency by where ever I say really. My parents are there, so I maintain it with their address. If I'm not mistaken, 24 is the year that Florida will allow you to declare as an independent for residency, financial aid, etc. ( other than like a ward of the state, etc). If you owned a house I could see it being easy, you have property. Best case would be to talk to the colleges directly.

I have gotten tons and tons of great info from these forums. However, no matter how awesome the responses you get, nothing is as good as directly out of the mouth of the University. I had questions over online pre reqs. Most of the schools said they would not take them went I sent them an email. I called and spoke to the admissions department and told the how I have been deployed taking these classes. I have been gone for training 8+ months out the year I am home! They said they would make an exception, that I qualified for a case by case basis.

So give them a call. UF, FSU, UCF, FAU, FIU, and DO Nova have been awesome and answered all questions I had, food or bad.

Originally Posted by libraryismyhome

I just got accepted into NIH IRTA program, but the PI requires me to work in his lab for 2 years. I am already 24 and will be 25 soon, and if I start med school right after IRTA, I will be 26 or 27.

I know that there are plenty of people starting medical at my age, but I still have major concerns.

(1) Unlike my avatar, I am a guy, so there is no biological clock ticking problem for me. Do guys worry about their age when choosing residency?
(2) I am currently a FL resident and may lose this if I live in Maryland for 2 years. There are only two med schools in MD (Hopkins and Maryland) while there are 7 schools in FL.
(3) I am 24 now so I am still popular among girls. But will girls in med school date me even if I am 3~5 years older than them? Don't they usually have high standards?

Girls like to date older guys.

Concerning issue 1, men have biological clocks as well. Google 'male biological clock' sometime.

Concerning issue 3, you are right: as a 27 year old the girls might not want to date you anymore.







...but the women will. And they are so much better. Trust me on this one.

Originally Posted by MT Headed

Concerning issue 1, men have biological clocks as well. Google 'male biological clock' sometime.

Concerning issue 3, you are right: as a 27 year old the girls might not want to date you anymore.







...but the women will. And they are so much better. Trust me on this one.

Hahaha, excellent comment.