~NonTraditionals~: Ages

Getting into Med School is Hard? Not with BeMo.
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live2theedge said:
I am 51 and 11/12 years old. Right now I am an M1 at The University of Nebraska Medical Center and having the time of my life!
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This is AWSOME!!!! ...and I get worried because Im 25 and will be 29 when I (hopefully) get accepted. It is absolutely true age is only a number. Its always better to say "i did it" than "i wish I had done it".

You guys are all inspiration!!!
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ymcMD said:
This is AWSOME!!!! ...and I get worried because Im 25 and will be 29 when I (hopefully) get accepted. It is absolutely true age is only a number. Its always better to say "i did it" than "i wish I had done it".

You guys are all inspiration!!!
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I'm in the same boat as you, just a little older and applying. Don't sweat it. Your plenty young enough and anyone who follows their passions at any age is an inspiration. One up on the awesomeness of the people in the non-trad forum.
 
36. Hopefully 37 when I start DO School {:)
 
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No one has posted on here for a while...how are all the 2011 non-traditional applicants doing out there? Any invites?

:luck: Everyone
 
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love this post!!!! i feel the same way-i could be 42 and still be a pharmacist or 42 doing something I LOVE!!!
 
I'm 36 (37 in December). I started post-bacc-premed about 4 years ago... my two music and education degrees were pretty squishy in the math and science departments.

Took the MCAT last year and was on my way to applying, but the other half of my department at work went on maternity leave :eek:. Oh well, I'm back again. Have an interview at DMU next week and the U of Iowa in October. Still waiting to hear back from some other schools (my premedical advisory committee has been slow getting my letter done).

It has been (and will continue to be, I'm sure) a grind, but I'm getting there. Keep it up, everybody! You can do it!
 
Just turned 27 and I'll be properly starting pre-reqs in a week.

I don't feel old in the context of this thread, but it should be ... interesting ... meeting my 18 year old lab partner.
 
I'm 29, military, married, 2 kids (1 and 3).

Graduated undergrad in '03, Masters in '05, took science courses in '08-'09 while working a full-time job, MCAT in '10 and headed to Med School next fall. I'll be 34 when I graduate, 37-38 when finishing residency.
 
holy crap, my first post and i'm already giving away my age~

31

a girl who once gave up her passion and dreams for a career in medicine.

now, figuring out how to make the first steps in... rekindling the fire.

good luck everyone. :thumbup:
 
Just finished all my pre-reqs. Currently studying for the Jan MCAT. I'm going on 25! :)
 
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I may have replied to this thread a long while ago, but if not: 36 now; 26 when I graduated from PA school; will be 37 when I matriculate to med school and will graduate just a few mos after I turn 40. Yay LECOM! I don't think I look my age though. A student told me she thought I was her age ;) I didn't know whether to be flattered or annoyed at the obvious brown-nosing.
 
Ok ::nervious sighs:: time to check in.

I've been reading these forums for the past 2 weeks. This is my very 1st post so bare with me. I'm 29 and finishing my bachelors in nursing this upcoming year. My dream ( and when I say dream, I mean it's all I think about all day) is to be a Doctor. I'm an immigrant (former refugee) in the US, so things have developed much slower for me. I decided to get my bachelors in nursing as a back up plan, given my circumstances of not having any money or financial support from anyone. I've been so concerned trying to come up with ideas to support myself, and be able to attend medical school when the moment comes, I've lost sleep over it. After reading everywhere looking for options, I've decided that as soon as I get my citizenship I will pursue the HSPS option with the Armed Forces. Please do not acuse me of wanting to take advantage of the military. Regardless of what you may believe, serving this country is also one of my dreams. I've been able to pursue real goals that one where only impossible dreams amongst caos.

While I have a partner who encourages me to be whatever I want to be, and is willing to adapt as long as I can realize my dreams, I don't have much of a network of friends pursuing anything similar.

Sorry about the long post, I apologize beforehand for any typos ( currently using iPhone), and thank you for all the helpful info and time you put into this forum. :)
 
one2bDr said:
I've decided that as soon as I get my citizenship I will pursue the HSPS option with the Armed Forces. Please do not acuse me of wanting to take advantage of the military.
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Please do not worry about "taking advantage of the military". No one on this board will ever accuse you of that. Only someone very, very ignorant would. The military is very capable of making sure that the advantage equation is tilted very heavily in their direction. Verily, verily

You have nothing but admiration from me. You are the sort of immigrant that this country should welcome even more than we do now.

Wait a bit on the HSPS option. You are such a hard worker, that I would not be surprised to find that you had sky-high stats and you may be welcomed into a stipend paying program.
 
EdLongshanks said:
Please do not worry about "taking advantage of the military". No one on this board will ever accuse you of that. Only someone very, very ignorant would. The military is very capable of making sure that the advantage equation is tilted very heavily in their direction. Verily, verily

You have nothing but admiration from me. You are the sort of immigrant that this country should welcome even more than we do now.

Wait a bit on the HSPS option. You are such a hard worker, that I would not be surprised to find that you had sky-high stats and you may be welcomed into a stipend paying program.
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Not to mention, unless he/she has worked himself into a deep hole of debt before med school, or if there is a family to support, it is very feasible to attend med school using loans. Some people may be averse to loans, but if you expect to have a solid, long, career, it is not folly to take out loans, as it may be to take out consumer loans.

And I'd like to second this - there is no taking advantage of the military. You pay a very high price taking the military's assistance to attend med school. It is certainly no free ride. For some it is worth it, and it is still definitely worth considering.
 
Thank you guys for your comments! On the other hand...yes I have given ( and continue to give) a lot if though about joining the military. I know I could take loans, but I am just not comfortable carrying all that debt. Every other week there's an article either on yahoo, msn or CNN featuring some young Doctor 300k to 500k deep into debt, I just can't even stomach the thought of it. I live humbly, drive an old car, don't eat out or go on vacations, so I can at sleep knowing I am debt free.

When I 1st signed up to school, I had to pay everything out of pocket because I was processing my immigration status and was not eligible to get financial aid or scholarships. The whole process was so long grueling and costly, that by the time I was granted refugee status I had already completed 2 years of my bachelors completetly paid out of pocket thanks to my full time job so I decided to do the last 2 also debt free.

Funny thing about all this is that I don't even work in my field!! I work full time at a law office. I'm a professional paper pusher :-/ (paralegal)... I am totally indifferent to my job. The only thing that gets me through is knowing I have a class to go to and that one day I won't be doing that anymore. However, I've learned a lot from seeing our clients ( which includes many doctors) facing foreclosure, not being able to pay the bills and desilusioned when they find out that neither chapter 7 or chapter 13 bankruptcy will erase their massive student loan debts. :(

by the way, I am a "she" :)
 
36 and hoping to start medical school when I am 39.
 
I am 24. By the time I am ready I will probably be 26 or 27.
 
34 years young. Starting somewhere this August!!! So excited!!!
 
I'm 26. Hopefully applying this year (most likely next year)
 
27 now, and just tuned down the pace at which I plan to complete my pre-reqs and be ready to apply. By the looks of it, I'll be turning 30 (holy **** thats not far away) when I apply. I'm not at all worried about age or time though, I feel quite young and youthful, the males in my family live long productive lives, and I imagine I'll be practicing till i'm about the age of the worlds oldest brain surgeon.
 
chidoman said:
Im 26 and just got accepted, when everyone found out that I'm married and have a daughter they just looked at me and asked "why?"

what do you say to that?
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"Why not?"
 
I turn 28 nine days after I take the MCAT this May. I hope to apply this cycle if I do well...
 
Started a post bac at 29. I'm now a third year DO student, and will graduate in ONE MORE YEAR at age 34! Rock on, everyone,
 
32, will be 35 in my first year of medical school (hopefully)
 
Just turned 27 this April 12th :D and got a long way of fun and exciting pre-med classes to go :D
 
28 in July, African Immigrant who worked his way through Undergrad with dual major in Bio & Chem. Accepted to Medical school for fall 2011 - blessed with multiple offers now deciding where to go.

God bless you all and keep up the diligence and passion. Being non-trad actually brings invaluable experience to the table so lets all be proud of that.

All the best.
 
I'll be 43 when I start as a MS1 in the fall of 2011. All we have left is time - we should do what we want with it and ENJOY it as much as we can!!
 
I recently turned 24. If everything goes well with registering for my last few pre-reqs (and I can switch to part-time at work next spring), I could be ready to apply next summer at 25. If not, it'll be another year and applying at 26. Age is just a number, but I'm itching to get started now. Heh, patience is something I need to work on...
 
GeniusMD said:
28 in July, African Immigrant who worked his way through Undergrad with dual major in Bio & Chem. Accepted to Medical school for fall 2011 - blessed with multiple offers now deciding where to go.

God bless you all and keep up the diligence and passion. Being non-trad actually brings invaluable experience to the table so lets all be proud of that.

All the best.
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Congrats! Did you feel that the schools were more favorable to non-traditional students?
 
KellyKapowski said:
I recently turned 24. If everything goes well with registering for my last few pre-reqs (and I can switch to part-time at work next spring), I could be ready to apply next summer at 25. If not, it'll be another year and applying at 26. Age is just a number, but I'm itching to get started now. Heh, patience is something I need to work on...
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Even at 26, you're still very young!
 
25 here, just got accepted into med school for the fall
 
I am 29 starting school this fall. For those non-trads out there looking for advice, my experience has been that DO schools are generally more accepting to non-traditional older students. So make sure to throw a couple of DO schools in your application mix.
 
I am 52 and will be starting my first year of med school this fall. I did not start the process of going to medical school until I was 50. (Then it was taking classes, studying for the MCAT, interviews, ect., and yes, many people thought I had lost my mind doing this at MY age, including me at times.) All of you are alot younger, so if I can do, then it is possible!!!!!
 
I guess I'll give an update. I will be starting medical school this fall at the ripe old age of 30. (Okay not really that old)
 
I am 28 now, applying this cycle but expect to have to re-apply (weak EC's) and hopefully enter 2013 at the age of 30. With any luck (and depending on what specialty I choose) I will be an attending by age 40.
 
31 years old. I was studying with some students in my biology class yesterday, and they mentioned some show they were reminded of by one of the protein names. When I told them I'd never heard of the show, they were amazed, because I "must have watched it as a kid". I warily asked, how long ago was this show on? They said about 10 years ago...um yeah, that would have been the year I *should* have graduated from college (going to my reunion in a few weeks!). I tend to get along well with all of the trad-aged kids, but moments like that remind me that though I may look ~24, I definitely am not. Also, earlier today, I ran into an old neighbor from childhood, the father of a girl 5 or so years younger than me, and hearing about her 3 kids and career made me feel good and unaccomplished.

For me, I wouldn't feel so bad about being older if I felt I had something to show for myself up to this point. But I'm finally making progress. I will be finishing my second bachelors next spring and I will also apply at that time, with the hopes of being an MD or DO by the age of 37!

**First post after lurking forever!**
 
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:)
 
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