34 too old?

[NoleDoc]

Hi all,

Just found this forum and I am looking for some advise. I am 34 soon to be 35 and have always loved the medical field. I graduated HS in 1992 and did not attend college after graduation instead decided to work. I think this was a first mistake. I am now almost 35 and have decided to attend college, am I just dreaming and missed the boat? I now have two kids 8 and 2 and work in the IT field as a Network engineer. I am looking into the medical field as I have always loved the field (Plastic Surgery ) just thought that I could not do it due to age and guess what time just keeps on going. Do you think that its too late to start college at my age? I have never attended college nor did I take my SAT when in HS. How should I start? Is this even a possibility at my age?

It's definitely possible. One of the Docs I work with began his career in business, turned around at the age of 35 and went into medicine. He is now one of the best Plastic Surgeons at our hospital. It's all about determination!

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[RANE]

It's definitely possible. One of the Docs I work with began his career in business, turned around at the age of 35 and went into medicine. He is now one of the best Plastic Surgeons at our hospital. It's all about determination!

Thanks NoleDoc,

Listen fellow board members, if i don't get plastics that is perfectly fine with me. I am happy doing general surgery or ER. But I will state this, at my "old" age of 35 I have overcome many obstacles in my life and have proved sooooo many people wrong and I plan to continue doing just the same ..Thanks to all for the inspirational support and for the "other" support which have also inspired me some more ..And yes I am taking it one class at a time.

 

[silas262]

Hi all,

Just found this forum and I am looking for some advise. I am 34 soon to be 35 and have always loved the medical field. I graduated HS in 1992 and did not attend college after graduation instead decided to work. I think this was a first mistake. I am now almost 35 and have decided to attend college, am I just dreaming and missed the boat? I now have two kids 8 and 2 and work in the IT field as a Network engineer. I am looking into the medical field as I have always loved the field (Plastic Surgery ) just thought that I could not do it due to age and guess what time just keeps on going. Do you think that its too late to start college at my age? I have never attended college nor did I take my SAT when in HS. How should I start? Is this even a possibility at my age?

I'm 40 with 3 children (ages 8, 6, and 3). Accepted Early Admission for Medical School next year. I had a relatively low undergraduate GPA (3.2) and a not so spectacular MCAT score (29). Anything is possible!!! If only I could be 35 again! You're young!!!

 

[lawyerdoc2b]

I am 52 and will be one month shy of 53 when I start medical school in August 2010.

 

[Ebete]

I'm a second year, I'm 32, and I have a spouse and four children. It's hard. It's really hard, I never imagined it would be this hard. The sheer volume of what we must memorize, and this year, the way the tests keep coming at us, one after another, no time to even catch our breath. First year was easy, I attended all the kids' doctors' appts, school events, etc. This year is different, just in order to survive, to squeeze out passing grades, I have to be gone a lot. I can only make about half to two-thirds of their things. I heard third year is also very time consuming, for a different reason, but ultimately with the same result--I'll be gone a lot.

On the other hand, I wouldn't trade my position for anyone else's. I wanted this, bad. This is my dream, and I'm getting to do it. There's no feeling like it.

so how do you do it? I too have 4 kids and a spouse and often wonder if I'm being too selfish for wanting this... I have looked at other options but fear it just won't be enough...I had my fourth a few months ago and want to get back to plans in 2-3 years, I don't want to put the younger kids in daycare yet, so I'm waiting a little while longer. What's your schedule like...how do you balance your school/kids/home/spouse... life?

 

[Ebete]

To the OP if I were you I would find out if you could take a placement test at your local university and skip th cc altogether. I was told med schools are not all that hthrilled with cc credits (especially in NJ)... doesn't make much sence taking 2 years at cc then 4 at another university, plus with your curent job stats I don't see why a university would turn you down. Or start by taking a couple of taking non-matric. classes and go from there, you might not even need to take a placement test (not sure)...good luck

oh and about your kids child support when the time comes, maybe you'll be able to work something out with the kids mother (if she's nice)

 

[kidkay]

Just curious, why do med schools frown upon taking CC credits (pre-reqs) ? "especially in NJ"? What's so bad about NJ? I would assume, if your GPA and MCAT score are competitive (there are other factors as well), then one should be "shoe in".

To the OP if I were you I would find out if you could take a placement test at your local university and skip th cc altogether. I was told med schools are not all that hthrilled with cc credits (especially in NJ)... doesn't make much sence taking 2 years at cc then 4 at another university, plus with your curent job stats I don't see why a university would turn you down. Or start by taking a couple of taking non-matric. classes and go from there, you might not even need to take a placement test (not sure)...good luck

oh and about your kids child support when the time comes, maybe you'll be able to work something out with the kids mother (if she's nice)

 

[lawyerdoc2b]

I earned my B.S. in Biology at a university. 25 years later I decided to leave lawyering and become a medical doctor. I repeated every single required science prerequiste at a community college. I was recently accepted and have a few more interviews scheduled.

Life experience trumps the negative (if there is one) about community college in my opinion. I admit that if I had had a choice I would have taken the courses at a local college. They just were not available at night. You do what you have to do.

 

[Ebete]

Just curious, why do med schools frown upon taking CC credits (pre-reqs) ? "especially in NJ"? What's so bad about NJ? I would assume, if your GPA and MCAT score are competitive (there are other factors as well), then one should be "shoe in".

I was told by UMDNJ that they don't like classes taken at cc because they are a lot less difficult as they would be taken at Rutgers for example (this is what I was told, not from personal experience), less challenging...they want to make sure you worked hard to get that well deserved "A". I too was considering taking a few classes at cc (a lot cheapper) but was advised against it. Instead they told me to take some Graduate level classes at Rutgers (an affiliate U.) I have to say they were challenging and the professors were really great and hard(they were all very involved in their field/research... and I learned A LOT), their LOR also weight eavier; on the other hand my sister so happens to be taking a nursing degree from one of the cc in the area and when I tell you the chemistry she is taking is like HS all over again! making our tuturing sessions a nice walk in the park. So you can see there is a difference, as far as other cc out of NJ, I couldn't say, but are probably the same considering one of a CC main focus is to help students getting the right grades to transfer to a 4 yr U, for students who could not get in before. I could be wrong but I see my medical school's point.

 

[Ebete]

...also in my case, since my u/g gpa and MCAT was not stellar, cc would be a waste of time ( I was told by the director of admitions). But of course each applicant has a different profile, so should be looked at differently... call your school of interest and find out your best route to get where you want to be, that's what I did.

 

[Octagonecology]

I started medical school this year at 34.

Let me tell you I would not have done it any different. I had so much fun over the years and did so many things.....

Now I get to re-invent my life and start a new adventure. It's hard as balls but I love every minute of it. Age means nothing.

Would you rather be a 40 year old doctor, or a 40 year old guy who wishes they were a doctor.

Go for it and never look back......good luck.

 

[agirl]

deleted.

I was told by UMDNJ that they don't like classes taken at cc because they are a lot less difficult as they would be taken at Rutgers for example (this is what I was told, not from personal experience), less challenging...they want to make sure you worked hard to get that well deserved "A". I too was considering taking a few classes at cc (a lot cheapper) but was advised against it. Instead they told me to take some Graduate level classes at Rutgers (an affiliate U.) I have to say they were challenging and the professors were really great and hard(they were all very involved in their field/research... and I learned A LOT), their LOR also weight eavier; on the other hand my sister so happens to be taking a nursing degree from one of the cc in the area and when I tell you the chemistry she is taking is like HS all over again! making our tuturing sessions a nice walk in the park. So you can see there is a difference, as far as other cc out of NJ, I couldn't say, but are probably the same considering one of a CC main focus is to help students getting the right grades to transfer to a 4 yr U, for students who could not get in before. I could be wrong but I see my medical school's point.

 

[RANE]

Funny that is exactly where I plan to go. I am going to transfer to Rutgers and then shoot for UMDNJ

 

[RANE]

I started medical school this year at 34.

Let me tell you I would not have done it any different. I had so much fun over the years and did so many things.....

Now I get to re-invent my life and start a new adventure. It's hard as balls but I love every minute of it. Age means nothing.

Would you rather be a 40 year old doctor, or a 40 year old guy who wishes they were a doctor.

Go for it and never look back......good luck.

Congrats!!!! I know it wont be easy but there is no looking back now..full steam ahead..

 

[FutureDoctorJ]

I'd say rethink this. Yes failure is absolutely a possibility you have to contemplate if you are trying to go into one of the hardest fields to get into, coming from the starting point of a much older age and no college background. Most folks will not get plastics, derm, rad onc, the most competitive specialties. If one of those is what your ultimate dream is, then step back and look at medicine as a whole and see if you are really on a good path. You absolutely need to go into this NOT WITH A SPECIALTY AS YOUR DREAM, but with BEING A DOCTOR AS YOUR DREAM. If you dream of being a physician, then that's great, you are not too old and with hard work you can attain this. If you dream of being in a very very very competitive subset of physician as your dream, not so great. Even with the hardest of work, you may not be able to attain this. Most people who want plastics don't get it. Most won't even make it to the point where that is a possibility on the decision tree (based on grades, board scores, evals). I'm not saying this to be a downer, or to say that it's impossible for you. I'm just saying that you don't want to go down this road with this being the thing that would make you happy. You have to be happy with the road itself. Look at it like playing sports. You play, eg, basketball because you enjoy playing, not because you want to be an NBA star. If you are only doing it to be an NBA star, but don't particularly enjoy the game, I'd say find something else. So too with medicine and subspecialties. If you enjoy the "game" of being a physician, go for it. If you are only doing it to get to an end point most won't get, this is a really really foolish path to start down.

Cool it with the whole "failure is not an option" talk. That's fine if you are a 19 year old premed, but a nontrad in his 30s with a family, you have to be more of a realist. Yes, failure is an option -- in fact it is the likelihood coming from your starting point, if you deem not getting to plastics as a failure. Deal with it. If you shoot for the stars, you usually don't get past the moon. So even better would be to have the attitude that you'll be shooting for the moon, and if once you get there, the stars are an option, then fantastic. Such is the path here -- you have a lot of years to go to become a doctor -- and you can get there if you are really devoted, work hard, and have family stay supportive. But once you start telling us your dream is to be a plastic surgeon, then no, we can't give you the same kind of assurances that you can get there. And so again, if that's where you need to end up to satisfy this dream, it may not pay to uproot your life and start down this path. If, however, that is but one of many interests in medicine, and you'd be similarly happy becoming an internist or a physiatrist or FP, then I'd say sounds good, proceed. Sorry to be blunt, but the problem with SDN is sometimes that there are often many people to cheer you on and too few who tell you what you don't want to hear.

If you give up your dream you die. Failure IS NOT AN OPTION if thats how you feel. Shoot for the stars....being an NBA star is not a bad goal....nor is going to med school in your non traditional years. Aloha