~NonTraditionals~: Ages

[sunny1]

One month shy of 25. Still need to finish prerequisites and go through the application process, so I'll be 27 at matriculation if all goes according to plan.

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[ut2010]

43 years old..

Oh my god, maybe I should start bringing my walker to school!

 

[Bleurberry]

I'm 23 now - 24 next July. I've got two kids (both under 4 yrs) and a fiance. I thought I was too old to start into med school, but after reading some of your posts - I guess I'm the baby on here! Glad I stopped in here to check things out! Thanks for the boost guys!

Never too old, didn't you get enough of that from everyone?
Anyhow I'm 28, I'll be 32 by the time I get into medical school, and
I'm fine with that. I take my antioxidants, I should be kickin for a bit longer...

 

[Zyeist]

36. Only as old as you feel well until something goes snap, crackle, pop when it shouldn't

 

[ElZeekio]

When I turned 30, I had a bit of a crisis, and went and got a Master's degree. Then I realized that I still wanted to be a medical doctor, so I started the pre-med courses at 32 and I'll be 36 when/if I start this fall (yes, I'm *still* waiting to hear) or 37 if/when I start next year. Way I see it is this: I'll be 40/50/60 etc. no matter what I'm doing or not doing with my time and energy, so I may as well be doing something I love.

 

[transmetropol]

Im 26. Spent 4 years trying to figure out what to do with my life. Maybe Ill be 26 when I get into med school and maybe Ill be older. Who knows.

 

[Mountain Pie]

I'm 31 yrs old and just starting the process of a 1 year take all of my pre-reqs over again . I was originally pre-med when I went to college, but a guest speaker in my O-chem class who came to talk about getting into medical school said "If you don't have a 3.7 gpa forget about getting in!" So, I decided to get a masters instead and take a long time coming back to the conclusion that med school is what I really wanted all along and that %$##@ guest speaker can go shove it when I get in with a gpa lower than the 3.7 cuttoff!

 

[Snake]

I'm new here and maybe I haven't seen everyones posts about their ages but I think I may be the oldest...I'll be starting first year in August at the tender age of 47.

 

[JWitt]

I am 30, just got divorced, no kids. Will be MSI in just a few months.

 

[BruceBanner]

25...26 by matriculation. Not too bad , i guess.

 

[2BMD2011]

I am 30 and starting in August. I'm still not used to saying 30. 2 kids, ages 4 and 2. At one of my interviews, someone said something about it being easier for me because I am experienced (aka OLD). But really, I do feel smarter now than when I was 21 and just out of school. I have been around a bit, seen a lot, and I know what I want to do. I was able to work full-time, take care of my family, study for the MCAT, and actually get accepted! No one should be afraid to do this because you are not starting med school at 21. Know what you want and go for it!

 

[Dr. Gangrene]

27, starting school this fall (pod school)

 

[Dr. Gangrene]

Way I see it is this: I'll be 40/50/60 etc. no matter what I'm doing or not doing with my time and energy, so I may as well be doing something I love.

 

[SuperDot]

I'm 33 now, won't be finished with my prereqs until next year (I have a BS in Advertising), so HOPEFULLY, if all goes well (gulp), I'll be able to go for 2009 admission. So what, I'll be 43 when I'm done with my residency??? Oh boy. But yep, I'll be happy. This is the rest of my life - no regrets, right?

 

[UVABranch]

28...I'll be 28 if I get in this year...29 (or bust!) otherwise

 

[Bleurberry]

You guys know lovepark is a famous skateboard park in Philly, right?
I know some of you were wondering what's going on with my handle.

Age... getting older,
I can relate to the undercurrent of almost unconscious desperation that seems to surface every once in awhile, I think this is indicitave of getting more mature. Would the old heads like to respond to that?
Being around the corner from 29, I know I'm not in any position to make any sweeping statements about aging gracefully or any such thing, but I have noticed my person has taken on a whole new aspect to itself in the last 3 years, a serious nature that does, in some profound way, know it's finite. I think the yet immature me think's its "running out of time", but in my experience, there has always been a endless multitude of time.
I think, rather, the enlightened non traditional can actually defy time. It's when I was young I had a tendancy to rush through everything, but the non trad can take her time, actually slow down the journey with the big picture in mind. When I started the pre-med path, I couldn't get into med school quickly enough. Now I'm telling my friend JP that I'm considering an MS first.

 

[np2md]

I'm also 28 about to be 29 in a couple months. I really want to encourage you to keep the dream alive. I had this dream years ago and took a very convoluted way, but I just accepted a place in the class of 2011. So many ppl said it was a waste of time (I am a NP). I didn't listen to them. Don't succumb to the pressure. Do what you feel you need to do.

 

[Static Line]

36 y/o -- currently MS II

 

[DrPDot]

I'm 35 as of Sunday. I will be 39 when I graduate med school, 42 when I finish residency and 72 (on medicare) when I finish paying off my student loans!

I love those numbers they give me such a smile.

S.

 

[sehnsucht]

29 right now, turning 30 later this year. the way i figure, i may not be as young as the traditional applicants but i have a ton of experience to make up for the years in between undergrad and starting medical school

 

[126990]

29, starting post-bacc, married, kid.

 

[alleigh79]

27 -- husband, 2 small children (3 and 20 mos). Just finished freshman yr. undergrad!! Got a long way to go! Oh yeah - 2 dogs

 

[WhiteCoatFuture]

25 now. 27 when I apply. Hopefully 28 when I matriculate.

 

[Crookshanks]

22..........w/2.5yr old...........

meow

 

[mojo1313]

Currently 35, will be 38 when I hope to start med school.

Same timeline as gerilc. I'm 35 now, finishing PhD in psychology; hope to matric to med school by 38. Oh, and partner, teen daughter, a spoiled cat, and one very temperamental old house.

 

[mojo1313]

I'm 31 yrs old and just starting the process of a 1 year take all of my pre-reqs over again . I was originally pre-med when I went to college, but a guest speaker in my O-chem class who came to talk about getting into medical school said "If you don't have a 3.7 gpa forget about getting in!" So, I decided to get a masters instead and take a long time coming back to the conclusion that med school is what I really wanted all along and that %$##@ guest speaker can go shove it when I get in with a gpa lower than the 3.7 cuttoff!

I totally understand your situation, Mountain Pie. I made a similar mistake listening to my faculty advisor as an undergrad. He told me I had no shot since I had poor chem grades and I should try something else. He was right that I wasn't focused at the time, but I was 18 with a full time job and a full course load of advanced classes! I took on too much due to immaturity and my GPA suffered in critical science courses. So, I just thought I wasn't meant for the field "because my all-knowing professor said so." Foolish mistake. Now that I know more about academia I realize he didn't know much about med schools, just biology. I won't let others stand in my way so easily now that I'm older and wiser.

 

[docsmitty]

30 years old and have not completed one year of school yet... ughhhh... I know, the odds are stacked against me... Well, it's ok. rather be a physician than be a army medic the rest of my life... good luck to all of my fellow old timers!!! and cheers to my younger compatriots!

 

[sekt88]

On paper, I am 40. Chronologically, I am also 40. Through copious amounts of endurance and wieght training, I feel like 25 , my body looks as if it is 27 and my face looks about 30. How´s that for getting around the fact that I am 40 I figure I will be 42 when I start med. school

 

[photogrl]

I'm 26, 27 in July.
Hope to matriculate by the time I am 29, maybe 30.
We'll see how things go!

Oh, and single with no kids, no pets, NO DRAMA! I'm one of the few. LOL

 

[computerdorkdan]

I'm 26 - will be 27 before I go through the current gallon of milk.

I'll hopefully start post-bac this summer (waiting to hear) and start med school hopefully before 30.

 

[computerdorkdan]

I wrote quick script to parse the 6 pages of posts so far and graph the ages. Yes, I'm an ascii art dork and I love it. I had to squish the graph together so it would fit in the posting.

I kinda-sorta checked the data, my logic probably caught the ages correctly, but many of you had several ages (aka: 2 digit numbers) in your postings and it was hard to compensate for that. So don't go thinking this is 100% accurate.

x-axis is age, y-axis is count - I had to fill in all the whitespace since the post kept automatically deleting it for me.

15 |________#________________________
14 |________#________________________
13 |________#________________________
12 |________#________________________
11 |_______##________________________
10 |_______##________________________
09 |_____####_#______________________
08 |____#####_#___#__________________
07 |____#####_#___#__________________
06 |___######_###_###________________
05 |___######_###_###________________
04 |___######_#######________________
03 |___##############________________
02 |__###############__##__#_________
01 |_#################_##_####_#___#_
...+---------------------------------
....222222222233333333334444444444555
....012345678901234567890123456789012

Here's the distribution:

20 -
21 - 1
22 - 2
23 - 6
24 - 8
25 - 9
26 - 9
27 - 11
28 - 15
29 - 3
30 - 9
31 - 6
32 - 6
33 - 4
34 - 8
35 - 6
36 - 6
37 - 1
38 -
39 - 2
40 - 2
41 -
42 - 1
43 - 2
44 - 1
45 - 1
46 -
47 - 1
48 -
49 -
50 -
51 - 1
52 -

 

[Bleurberry]

I'm also 28 about to be 29 in a couple months. I really want to encourage you to keep the dream alive. I had this dream years ago and took a very convoluted way, but I just accepted a place in the class of 2011. So many ppl said it was a waste of time (I am a NP). I didn't listen to them. Don't succumb to the pressure. Do what you feel you need to do.

If one is set on medical school at 27-35+, you KNOW they're serious cats.
I can't tell you how great it feels to sit in physiology and actually give a crap about what the lecture is all about. Everything I learn I know I'll apply someday in some way. When I was 20, I had a similar intensity but just couldn't care less about medicine or anything "practical".

I don't mind currently not engaging my "asset base", I really couldn't care much less about my "net worth" than I do now. My "intrinsic value" is what's more important to this non-trad, and by God, I'm good enough, smart enough, and gosh darnit people like me... well I'm smart enough, anyway. Wait, what was the question?

Whens your b-day?? I'm a june 13 baby!! The big 29 for me, too. WooOoOOoo... I gotta feeling that for everyone who's rushing into their career, life is a lot longer than one would imagine it to feel.
This girl in my lab is actually pre-pharm cause she didn't wanna spend so much time in school to be a physician. I had to wrap my brain around that one for awhile.

 

[Sabby22]

When I turned 30, I had a bit of a crisis, and went and got a Master's degree. Then I realized that I still wanted to be a medical doctor, so I started the pre-med courses at 32 and I'll be 36 when/if I start this fall (yes, I'm *still* waiting to hear) or 37 if/when I start next year. Way I see it is this: I'll be 40/50/60 etc. no matter what I'm doing or not doing with my time and energy, so I may as well be doing something I love.

Well put, ElZeekio. I spent too much time fretting on whether or not I was too old, until I realized that life is a waste if you are not doing what you really want, wherever you are. Medicine just reminds me how precious life is, and I'm thrilled to be starting med school this fall at 36.

 

[tc13]

37 Here! Two years ago filed for academic fresh start and began school in Texas as a true freshman while working full time. So, fast forward two years and I'm already a junior, overall 3.8 gpa, done with all the prereqs (and then some), taking the mcat this August, and applying for Fall 09 admission. I'll be 39 when I start. Oh, and this semester my wife of 13+ years (an RN) decided she wanted the single life, so divorce started during the semester and just ended last week. I may be a little bent, but not broken.

 

[OlyUCLA]

Doing Post-Bac now (just turned 25 on 5/20) and will hopefully be entering medical school when I'm 27.

The only thing I sometimes wonder about is whether I'll be closing a certain window to get married and have children. I tried not to let that be a consideration or anything that would keep me from being a doctor, but once in a while I think about it in the back of my head, especially now that a lot of my college sorority sisters are getting engaged or are already married or in serious relationships. I know one can't "have it all," but sometimes I think with all this studying it can be harder to meet someone of quality. Thought I'd be with someone I'd been together with for three years, but since we broke up two weeks ago I dunno about that now.

Oh well, can't plan these things out I guess, and can't let the fear of the unknown stop me either. I still don't even know if I'll get into med school 100% let alone meet "the one" hehe...

 

[bass806]

41 and applying for 2008. I feel 60 though.

 

[powerbooki]

OlyUCLA, I am 33 and head to med school this Fall. I have been married for seven years and my wife and I still don't have kids. Sometimes I think of this too, since our friends all have kids now. With me starting school, it will be hard to have kids. But we will try. My cousin just had her first baby at age 39. So don't get too worried, there are a lot like you. I am sure you will meet someone and have enough time to have a family.

 

[AdroitDarkHorse]

bump

 

[2008orbust]

About to turn 34 next week. Two toddlers and a great supportive wife who will do whatever it takes to help me pursue my passion.

 

[Kunsan]

Turned 28... You guys and gals definately have some real determination... Good luck to you all. Better to try now than regret later....

 

[stbxTechie]

I'm 31. I'm starting my prereqs from a nearly clean slate, though, so I probably won't be applying until I'm 35 .

 

[proclivity]

5 years as a diesel mechanic in the US navy after high school. 5 years undergrad for a nursing major and chem minor. RN currently working in the SICU.

I'll be 28 in August. I don't plan on applying for a couple of years.....perhaps matriculation in 2009 or 2010. I am working on applying to an MS/PhD program for organic or biochemistry. GRE in a month or so.

I'll probably be 30 or 31 if/when i get into medical school. Plan on taking the MCAT next spring or summer. Haven't started studying yet. Ought to be fun.

 

[IUgrad]

I'm 28, applying this year. If all goes well this cycle, I'll be 29 when I start med school. [fingers crossed]

It's nice to see that there are so many other applicants close to the same age. Good luck!

 

[zed350]

I'M 25 ..will be 26 after exactly one month from now..Hope to matriculate by 2009

 

[DramaticSurgeon]

I'll be 26 on the 25th. Hopefully *knocks on wood* I'll be 29 or so when I enter med school.

 

[silverchola]

I'm 32

 

[TraumaTech]

29 - about to be thirty in a couple of weeks (YIKES)! I graduated with a BS in Business and an MBA, then finally admitted to myself that I didn't give a *@#^ about any of that stuff and wanted to go to med school. I will apply next year for 2009 admission.

 

[lvhunnie]

x

 

[Truth74]

I'll be 33 in August of this year.

 

[dancinRN1022]

hey

I am a 24 yrs old RN working in the ER... I have a BS in Biology/ Dance 2003 and a BS in Nursing 2004....

I'm not married and I don't have kids...but I do have a wonderful boyfriend who is super supportive and went through this whole process (he's a fourth year resident/fellow)... I thought I was almost too "mature" to start this now....because I will be 26 (hopefully) when I start medical school... but I love reading how successful everyone has been...good luck to everyone!!!!