Is 40 too old?

[Peter76]

I used to roam these forums many, many years ago when I was an undergrad. Never quite got my ducks in a row and committed to medicine, and it's always been at the back of my mind for the past couple of decades.

Now, at 40, I find myself in a situation where I have the opportunity to reset my life. I'd go the post-bacc route, adding a couple of years. Medical school entry when I'm 43? Graduate at 47. Residency done by the time I'm in my early 50s.

I'd be doing this without taking on debt, so that's not an issue for me. My main concerns are:

- Med schools just not being interested in someone my age. It's a very old age to be switching careers, and the return on the investment in any sense other than "Well, I guess I followed my dreams" is probably going to be negative.
- Physically too old? It's not an easy route - lots of late nights, hard work, huge amounts of stress. Not sure how my body would cope.
- I'd be a complete misfit. Like, ridiculously out of place.

Given the opportunity to completely switch directions in life, I'm looking at all my options. Sure, the burning desire for a career in medicine isn't as fiery as it used to be, but it's still there. I'm just in the early stages of trying to figure out whether medicine is a realistic option, or whether it's a door that has forever closed at this point.

So...the question is: does anybody go to medical school at such an advanced age?

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[Snakes]

Uh, I hope so

Obviously that's a reference to my own age, but I can tell you there are definitely people who have done it, even into their 50s.

 

[Goro]

Some of my all time best students have been in their 30s and 40s. I just graduated one at 50.

Our oldest ever was 53. He's in practice now.

I used to roam these forums many, many years ago when I was an undergrad. Never quite got my ducks in a row and committed to medicine, and it's always been at the back of my mind for the past couple of decades.

Now, at 40, I find myself in a situation where I have the opportunity to reset my life. I'd go the post-bacc route, adding a couple of years. Medical school entry when I'm 43? Graduate at 47. Residency done by the time I'm in my early 50s.

I'd be doing this without taking on debt, so that's not an issue for me. My main concerns are:

- Med schools just not being interested in someone my age. It's a very old age to be switching careers, and the return on the investment in any sense other than "Well, I guess I followed my dreams" is probably going to be negative.
- Physically too old? It's not an easy route - lots of late nights, hard work, huge amounts of stress. Not sure how my body would cope.
- I'd be a complete misfit. Like, ridiculously out of place.

Given the opportunity to completely switch directions in life, I'm looking at all my options. Sure, the burning desire for a career in medicine isn't as fiery as it used to be, but it's still there. I'm just in the early stages of trying to figure out whether medicine is a realistic option, or whether it's a door that has forever closed at this point.

So...the question is: does anybody go to medical school at such an advanced age?

 

[DrMidlife]

There are 4 students over 40 in my MD16 class of 150.

 

[MrLogan13]

One of my friends graduated med school recently, she was in her 40's when she matriculated. No, not too old.

 

[DocWinter]

If you are ok with the cost and time involved, then absolutely, you are not too old. 3 students in their 40s in my class.

 

[NotaTVDR]

I certainly hope not as I will be 40ish when I start med school!! Power to the oldies!!

 

[Peter76]

Thanks for the responses. It's good to hear that med school at 40+ is not out of the question. (I was almost hoping that it would have been a non-starter . . . that would have made my life so much easier.)

 

[Aloft085]

Thanks for the responses. It's good to hear that med school at 40+ is not out of the question. (I was almost hoping that it would have been a non-starter . . . that would have made my life so much easier.)

It's doable, but it may not be worth it. You're looking at around 9+ years of rigorous schooling and residency for about 15 years worth of work. The cost is also non-trivial, to say the least. But only you know your complete situation, so only you can really do the cost/benefit analysis.

But if it's what's going to make you happy, then go for it. We may be old, but we're not dead yet.

 

[doctorold]

Man! you remind me when I thought 26 was too old . (sigh) Those were good days, for I was young and happy (feeling old) (sigh)

 

[cabinbuilder]

I work with a FM doc who went to med school at 48. One of my friends in med school went at 51. There were multiple students in my class over 40.

 

[Prncssbuttercup]

I started at 35... I know it's 5 years, but still...
My only thing is sometimes I just don't have the will power those young whippersnappers have...

 

[sazerac]

The two reasons not to do it are money and family. Sounds like money isn't a problem. What about family? Are you married / kids / etc?

I started med school at 42 being single and with cash in the bank. It's been a blast, but I do go to a school that emphasizes fun über alles, and I am pretty immature for a mid-40s guy.

 

[buffdoc]

I'm pretty sure that I met a doctor who had just graduated from a 3 year residency in their 60's. With life expectancy until the mid-80's, that's still easily a 20+ year career, probably the same career length as someone who graduates in their 20's. All that it takes is motivation.

 

[Helen Wheels]

I am 43 years young and will graduate from medical school in 7 months. Definitely doable in your 40's if it's what you really want.

 

[vm26]

all about your internal motor/drive, like to think that I possessed average intelligence for a med student and the amount of studying that was required was insane (def need to have some degree of OCD), in a strange way though it was fun, developed some deep bonds with several of my classmates (sorta like being in a foxhole together!), btw I started med school at 30

 

[Aloft085]

I'm pretty sure that I met a doctor who had just graduated from a 3 year residency in their 60's. With life expectancy until the mid-80's, that's still easily a 20+ year career, probably the same career length as someone who graduates in their 20's. All that it takes is motivation.

I don't think you can really expect to work past 70, man. That's getting really old. There's also no telling what kind of health problems you'll have at that point.

 

[Law2Doc]

I don't think you can really expect to work past 70, man. That's getting really old. There's also no telling what kind of health problems you'll have at that point.

Meh. I know at least a dozen people still chugging away who are over 75. As long as you don't pick surgery or EM or other procedural heavy fields you are good to go as long as you don't go blind or senile.

Actuarial science has taught us that if you are 20, your odds of living to 80 are lower than someone who has already reached 40 in good health. So the older you are the better your odds of milking every last minute off this planet.

Besides, what's the alternative, dying in an assisted living facility/retirement home someplace never having taken a shot? Why not do what you enjoy until you can't? If you keel over at 70 on the wards that's still better than quitting because you assumed (correctly) you won't reach 75.

 

[DrMidlife]

I love the recurring speculative declarations about what all 40/50/60/70 year olds are all like and therefore blah blah blah. Always amusing. I think the younger folks can't help but project their own mom/dad/grandma/grandpa onto us older folks. I get this from my classmates too.

As I was taking on med school over 40, I did a pretty rigorous analysis of all my older relatives, their ailments, onset, age at retirement, how efficient they were at their jobs after 65. Etc. Knees, backs, eyes, tremors. Etc.

And then, because I was obsessed and biased in favor of going to med school no matter what, it was really easy to say "oh my mom still works at 80 and her mom lived to 99 so I'll be fine" and disregard the less healthy, less sane, less functional folks in my gene pool. The only real mistake I've made with this, I think, was in staying excited about surgery as a possibility longer than was ever realistic.

On my less optimistic days I am fully aware that my 40-year-old self sold my retirement-age self into slavery for this. On my more optimistic days I really enjoy having all this life experience to draw from all day every day, vs. my younger classmates who are just constantly baffled and oblivious and not at all helpful in general.

 

[jl lin]

Could it be that I actually don't know what to say anymore about this kind of post that seems to pop up at least every other week? Seriously?

If anyone has a reliable crystal ball, build a website immediately, cuz you will make a killing on this question alone if advertised here.

I'm trying to formulate a new, improved response. . . . . . .OK.

If you can run or at least run and speed-walk no less than 5 miles a day, work every day for 12 hours, while staying very alert and attentive, read and comprehend at least 500 pages of something challenging or at least important, very methodically, everyday, and then, and this is very important, maintain a happy love/sex life with your spouse--meaning no less than 2-3x's per week, and then you can keep doing all of that for at least 48 weeks per year, I'll say any of those ages in Dr. Midlife's post are fine for med school/medicine.
K?
Hopefully someone will finally search "too old for med school" and this post will come up, and that will be that.

 

[Promethean]

Not too old, if you have it in you to go for it.

One thing to consider, though: The standards are going to be a bit higher for nontrads, because we are expected to have had more life experiences, etc. If I were on an adcom and I saw a 38 year old's application that only had volunteerism and other ECs in the last two years, I would be much harsher than if I saw the same pattern on a 21 year old's app.

That was a reason that I didn't bother trying to get involved in research at this time. I'd never sought out research, so it would look like I was just doing it in order to make my app look better, rather than because of a genuine interest. That would be fine for someone half my age to do, because they would be figuring out what they like and what they don't, and dabbling for that reason is always legit. But putting it on an app would just look like box-checking. My volunteer activities stretch back for two decades, so when I say that I have an enduring commitment to service, that is meaningful. If I suddenly had started voluntourism and medical missions to third world countries, it would seem calculated and fake.

Especially if you are coming from an unrelated career, you may not have an app that looks just like all the college kids. Good thing it doesn't need to. As long as it tells your story, and as long as it demonstrates that you possess the qualities that make for a great physician, it doesn't have to be cookie-cutter.

 

[Dylasa]

My main concerns are:

- Med schools just not being interested in someone my age. It's a very old age to be switching careers, and the return on the investment in any sense other than "Well, I guess I followed my dreams" is probably going to be negative.
- Physically too old? It's not an easy route - lots of late nights, hard work, huge amounts of stress. Not sure how my body would cope.
- I'd be a complete misfit. Like, ridiculously out of place.

Given the opportunity to completely switch directions in life, I'm looking at all my options. Sure, the burning desire for a career in medicine isn't as fiery as it used to be, but it's still there. I'm just in the early stages of trying to figure out whether medicine is a realistic option, or whether it's a door that has forever closed at this point.

So...the question is: does anybody go to medical school at such an advanced age?

I'm 45 and a first year. Here has been my experience:

- Med schools are interested in graduating good doctors, and I think many of them feel like having a few older students in the class raises the maturity level of the whole class. We have perspective and we know how to lead and get things done - or at least, that seems to be the case with the older students who get into med school. People ask me all the time how I'm doing this, and usually I say it's because I no longer trip on how to get my taxes and laundry done, and I'm married so I don't date.
- Physically and mentally, this is really demanding, no joke. For best results, get all of your health issues under control before you even apply. Be in good shape. I think the fact that I'm relatively healthy is key to my success right now. You will learn to live and think with fatigue.
- I am totally a misfit. I am ridiculously out of place, and I feel it every day, but I'm starting to see how that benefits me. I have a whole life I can escape to when I need to, I'm not as enmeshed in the interpersonal drama and so I'm not as distracted, and man, when you're a mom of two and in your 40's, and you lay down a really well-timed dirty joke in small group, the looks on their faces? PRICELESS. Also, I have friends. It's ok.

Just do you, man. You get one trip on this dirty rock, you might do what you want to.

 

[TheTao]

Always amusing. I think the younger folks can't help but project their own mom/dad/grandma/grandpa onto us older folks.

It's been clear for a VERY long time that many people on SDN don't have parents/grandparents like those of us in this thread!

 

[TheTao]

If you can run or at least run and speed-walk no less than 5 miles a day, work every day for 12 hours, while staying very alert and attentive, read and comprehend at least 500 pages of something challenging or at least important, very methodically, everyday, and then, and this is very important, maintain a happy love/sex life with your spouse--meaning no less than 2-3x's per week, and then you can keep doing all of that for at least 48 weeks per year, I'll say any of those ages in Dr. Midlife's post are fine for med school/medicine.
K?

Is there anyone at any age that can do this???

 

[jl lin]

Is there anyone at any age that can do this???

LOL, routinely for 48 weeks w/o fail--and the work hours are on lower end? Probably not. I'm being a smart arse and looking for a "simple" equation b/c of the frequency with which the question occurs here at SDN. To be fair, however, the posters of such questions would really get beaten down if they posted this line in pre-med forum. If you are intelligent enough to post such questions in the non-trad forum, then I'd say, you are smart enough to at least try to first use the search feature.

Maybe I should further simplify it-->If you can walk without a walker, think w/o forgetting every 5 minutes, accurately strike a keyboard, and hold on to a pen w/o dropping it, then you're good to go? LOL

Heck, many days, I'd just be happy not losing my pen or having it stolen. Healthcare is full of pen thieves, and sometimes Littmann Cardiology Stethoscope thieves. (Seriously. Had this happen over the years, more than once. That's why people keep them on their bodies at all times.)

 

[jl lin]

- Physically and mentally, this is really demanding, no joke. For best results, get all of your health issues under control before you even apply. Be in good shape. I think the fact that I'm relatively healthy is key to my success right now. You will learn to live and think with fatigue.

^ This...besides the regular stuff, regardless of whether 20ish or middle age.

 

[orbicularisoculi]

I'm 40 and was just accepted to IU. Granted it was one of my safe schools but the cycle is still ongoing. You can do it!