40 and older

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
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This 40 year old just got back MCAT scores. 31R. Not as good as I was hoping (AAMC practice exam average was 35) but still good enough to take the next step. Both MD and DO applications open up this week!

Now to start honing the personal statement... I think that someone at 40 has more stuff to cut out than someone at 22.

I also wonder about the number of over 40 people on SDN. I have the feeling that many people over 40 don't know what a forum is, let alone ever posted on one.

dsoz
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mafunk said:
welcome. I've heard of a few folks in their 50s that started medical school.

I'll be applying to matriculate in my mid 40s.

I know of someone who matriculated in his mid 40s, became a surgeon, invented a surgery robot, sold it for bajillions of dollars. He still works as a surgeon and in medical education just for fun.
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bravo i lov it...
 
Helen Wheels said:
I will be starting med school in just a few months. Just a few weeks into my first semester I will be turning forty! I feel very young just reading this thread...

BTW, 40 is the new 20. :laugh:
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yayyyyyy!!!!! i feel the same way....41 and going strong
 
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cynthiam said:
Hello everyone - newbie here. :hello:

I should hear soon if I've been accepted and if so I'll start in September. I skimmed through the long ~NonTraditionals~: Ages to see how many are 50 or older and found a very few. So, I thought I'd start a thread to see if perhaps there are more of us including those thinking of med school, in pre-med or already in school or beyond.

I'm 51 and can't wait to get started!. :)
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Let me be one of the over 40's to welcome you aboard....Just a note of caution though.....PLEASE IGNORE ALL THE STUPID REMARKS ANS NEGATIVE FEEDBACK THAT YOU MAY RECEIVE FROM OTHERS THAT BELIEVE THAT MEDICINE IS RESERVED FOR THE 20-SOMETHING'S ONLY. We all know this is a myth and a mess. I AM MORE FOCUSED NOW IN MY 40'S THAN I EVER WAS PRIOR. I admire your strength and tenacity and faith in yourself. Boy am I excited about this thread and all the 40-50 somethings that came out of the woodwork. WE HAVE ALOT TO OFFER AND EXPERIENCE THAT IS PRICELESS!!! PLEASE LIVE YOUR DREAMS AND SHARE IT ALL.
 
Has anyone come across stories, articles, or anything else of that nature about people who entered med school very late in life and went on to be successful doctors? I'm looking for inspirational stories and thinking to pull them together as a resource to encourage us and others like us.

:corny:
 
Thank you gonnif! This is very helpful. I will check these out and try to make this my summer project. :)
 
Hold a doctorate in a clinical area with 22 years of conservative care. Took off the last 18 months, repeated classes which I had not had since my pre-medical years. Took the MCAT. At 58 I am pretty much considered outside the traditional US Model. Just my wife and I. Very active, enjoying school and looking to start my first year of med school fall/11. My desire is to work as a primary care physician until I am 80 plus ! I hope this is an encouragement for many wanting to do the same. Medicine is my life. I have practiced 22 years and look forward to the next 22. It is not just a job, but my lifetime passion.
 
Welcome LifeChange58! I am so glad to see your post! We seem to be stepping into our medical school journey at the same time so I hope we can touch base every once in awhile. :)
 
Hopefully we can set the stage for a whole new generation of non-traditional MD's who may help influence those changes which will shape our delivery system. Keeping in touch can only benefit us all when it comes to the Step's, Match, Residency Placement and how to make the right choices. We need to feed off our strenghts and experiences ! I encourage others " over 40 " to also respond. Thanks
 
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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.
 
Welcome MakesSense! Congratulations on starting this fall. I look forward to reading about your journey.
 
I am 46 and am 1/2 way through undergrad. I thought I was over the limit: A year ago when I searched for posts like yours I could hardly find any so I am happy to see this explosion of non-trads over 40. I feel encouraged and un-alone! That said I am still deciding whether to pursue clinical MD or research PhD/MD.

I agree med school is an adventure in itself; the most inspiring way to view the decade-based journey ahead. The linked stories on this thread were beyond admirable, and I plan to explore more of them. Thank you all for posting.
 
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Welcome shauna! Thanks for joining the discussion. We are certainly unique students and I too appreciate the encouragement from everyone here. I hope we can share our progress and career decisions as we move through the years of study and clinicals. :)
 
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I haven't posted in a couple of years at least, but someone sent a private message to me about a very old post and dragged me back in. When I saw QofQ, one of my old homies, I thought I'd post.

I turned 45 years old the first week of medical school. Really, it was more of an issue for me than anyone else. It took me a long time to open-up to my twenty-something classmates, but when I got over myself I made many very close friends. Not that I would want to repeat med school - we had a lot of laughs but, looking back, those were tough years.

To address a couple of things I saw on this thread: yes we do know what "forums" are - sheesh. Although, I will admit, I first learned computer programming on punched cards in 1980. And, no, non-trad interns dropping out is not at all typical. My experience has always been that non-trads make some of the most satisfied physicians. I expected my intern year to be miserable, quite frankly - but I've had a good time. I love what I do.

The hours are long and hard but, even in my late-40s, I don't think I ever found the physical challenge more difficult than anyone else did. Actually, in many ways it was easier for me - I think many traditional students are extremely frustrated by a medical career's taking away one's 20's - but I never missed partying or going to the clubs. I had already been there and done that long before I ever went to med school.

There is more than enough room for us in medicine - I have found that I take a completely different approach to medicine because of my age when I first entered training. As long as you're prepared to meet the same standards as any other applicant - I say, go for it.

Non-TradTulsa, M.D., M.S.
University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, Tulsa
 
Non-TradTulsa said:
I haven't posted in a couple of years at least, but someone sent a private message to me about a very old post and dragged me back in. When I saw QofQ, one of my old homies, I thought I'd post.

I turned 45 years old the first week of medical school. Really, it was more of an issue for me than anyone else. It took me a long time to open-up to my twenty-something classmates, but when I got over myself I made many very close friends. Not that I would want to repeat med school - we had a lot of laughs but, looking back, those were tough years.

To address a couple of things I saw on this thread: yes we do know what "forums" are - sheesh. Although, I will admit, I first learned computer programming on punched cards in 1980. And, no, non-trad interns dropping out is not at all typical. My experience has always been that non-trads make some of the most satisfied physicians. I expected my intern year to be miserable, quite frankly - but I've had a good time. I love what I do.

The hours are long and hard but, even in my late-40s, I don't think I ever found the physical challenge more difficult than anyone else did. Actually, in many ways it was easier for me - I think many traditional students are extremely frustrated by a medical career's taking away one's 20's - but I never missed partying or going to the clubs. I had already been there and done that long before I ever went to med school.

There is more than enough room for us in medicine - I have found that I take a completely different approach to medicine because of my age when I first entered training. As long as you're prepared to meet the same standards as any other applicant - I say, go for it.

Non-TradTulsa, M.D., M.S.
University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, Tulsa
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Hey, I know you. You interviewed me for OU's School of Community Medicine and I got rejected. Hiss, hiss.

Actually, I got accepted at OSU so it's all good.
 
I think many traditional students are extremely frustrated by a medical career's taking away one's 20's - but I never missed partying or going to the clubs. I had already been there and done that long before I ever went to med school. There is more than enough room for us in medicine - I have found that I take a completely different approach to medicine because of my age when I first entered training. As long as you're prepared to meet the same standards as any other applicant - I say, go for it.
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So very true! While it would have been nice had circumstances of my life been different so that I could have studied and begun practicing years ago I think the life experiences I have had will benefit me in many ways that will make me a very different doctor than I would have been had I went straight into medicine earlier in life.
 
Just stopping by to share my news. I got accepted! Woo hoo!! :soexcited:
 
Thanks everyone! My first day of classes is Sep 10. :D
 
Helen, I see you're starting in one week. Congratulations! Are you as nervous and excited as I am? :scared: :D
 
I am 51 and will be starting orientation for my first year of medical school next week. I have practiced law since 1984, but three years ago decided to make a real contribution and become a primary care doc. I am very pleased to see that I am not alone in this journey. Good luck to all regardless of what stage you might be at now.
 
This is such a cool thread. I feel old for medicine at 23 lol. I've heard of 20-21 year olds entering this fall. I'm just so surprised by so many who are non-trads. I'm not sure if I could start this process at 40 so that in itself is really impressive to me.
 
loveoforganic said:
Some people don't retire :x
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I've seen too many people retire, and then pass away after a year of sitting on the couch too much....Working late into life sounds like a great idea...it keeps both mind and body active.
 
Legally Insane said:
I am 51 and will be starting orientation for my first year of medical school next week. I have practiced law since 1984, but three years ago decided to make a real contribution and become a primary care doc. I am very pleased to see that I am not alone in this journey. Good luck to all regardless of what stage you might be at now.
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Sweet! You'll have a lot to offer your class Im sure!
 
Wow I thought that doing pre-Med at 44 was not about to fly, but there are some oldies out there.....how is it working out....any advice?
 
44 and I'm still looking into whether this is the path for me. Some of what I read here is very discouraging about medicine as a career choice, but that's the kind of thing I need to consider before embarking on this journey. I see a lot of positives to it as well.

I'm signed up for the MCAT on September 2, and don't know if it is worth applying towards the end of this cycle or if I should wait a year. I decided to revive this dream only recently.
 
aliceandthecat said:
Wow I thought that doing pre-Med at 44 was not about to fly, but there are some oldies out there.....how is it working out....any advice?
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I don't start until Sep 10th so nothing to share yet.

44 and I'm still looking into whether this is the path for me. Some of what I read here is very discouraging about medicine as a career choice, but that's the kind of thing I need to consider before embarking on this journey. I see a lot of positives to it as well.
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Zinovia, what have you read that is very discouraging? Maybe it's something we could discuss as a group. :)
 
cynthiam said:
Zinovia, what have you read that is very discouraging? Maybe it's something we could discuss as a group. :)
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I've been really delving into my own motives, and the question of "Is it worth it?" - not so much from a financial standpoint, although that is a definite factor, but more the question of whether it's worth the years of training compared to other fields. If I go through with this, it's going to be for the right reasons.

So I've been reading a lot here and on other sites online, including a number of blogs. 40% of those surveyed below would not make the same decision to go to medical school if they had the chance to change their minds.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=55501

This thread is huge, but I read all of it. It certainly gives rise to a few second (and third!) thoughts.

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/careers-medicine/74417-career-medicine-really-worth.html

The Nova show "Doctor Diaries" is very interesting and worth watching. It follows 6 or 7 Harvard medical students through the course of their training, following up 20 years later by the end. It's available on Netflix streaming. Most of the doctors wound up divorcing, which says something about the work / family life balance.

Now I don't want to spread doom and gloom, because there's a lot of great things to say about the profession, but the training is such an ordeal that it has to be something you are 100% committed to. My biggest concern is lack of sleep during clinicals, because I just can't stay up all night long the way I did when I was 20. I can do it, but I guarantee that I'll be far from my best.
 
Zinovia said:
Now I don't want to spread doom and gloom, because there's a lot of great things to say about the profession, but the training is such an ordeal that it has to be something you are 100% committed to. My biggest concern is lack of sleep during clinicals, because I just can't stay up all night long the way I did when I was 20. I can do it, but I guarantee that I'll be far from my best.
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No one is at their best after being up for thirty straight hours. But you learn to cope with working while tired. And there are a lot of little things you can do that help, like having blackout curtains so you can sleep during the day, living close to the hospital so you don't have a long commute, taking a nap before you go home if you do have a long commute, etc.

I particularly enjoy doing the head bob thing during rounds, myself. :smuggrin:

All kidding aside, it's good that you're doing some real soul-searching, because medical training is not short, and it's not easy. Overall, though, medicine can be an awesome career if you find a niche for yourself, and medical training doesn't have to be a grim ordeal all the time. I know for me that academics is where it's at. Today confirmed that for me yet again. We had a couple of third year students start on our service, and the other intern on my team and I were working with them, helping them see patients, write their notes, practice presenting, etc. It was fun, and it was a good review for me too. I enjoyed it even though I'm an off-service resident and don't particularly love this rotation, and even though having a student along slowed me down (which I don't particularly need, seeing as I'm slow enough as it is. :hungover:) But I still had a good day anyway. The senior resident complimented my student on a note I had helped him write, and that was awesome.

I'm really overtired right now, so I hope you'll forgive me the loquaciousness. I'm just in a good mood even though I'm exhausted, I guess. :)
 
I spoke with the health professions advisor at my alma mater and will be applying next year after doing some course work. I need to retake organics because of a poor past grade. It's also my weakest area on the MCAT questions I've done so far. I'll take the MCAT next year and get my app in early, and then hope. It's good to know that my school will still write a committee letter for me after all these years. That never hurts.

There are a lot of decisions to make in the mean time. Which schools to apply to is the biggest. Also I'm unsure about osteopathic schools. The only one in my state is Rocky Vista, which is brand new and not fully accredited yet. I will likely apply out of state as well. There's time to think about it.

I'm happy to see other people in my age group making the same journey. Best of luck to you all.
 
There are three or four posts on the last page of that first thread you linked, Zinovia, that made me feel pretty good about that whole discussion. Specifically this, this, and this. Oh, and this. That's not to say that I don't find myself worrying about what's ahead of me. I am very nervous and think about it daily. But I also wonder how much of what the "no I would not do it again" folks say has to do with the struggles of med school in general and the debt. It's hard to read their posts and determine how long they have been doctors. If we were to poll people who have been in practice for 5 or maybe 10+ years now would we get similar results?

I've not read that second thread you linked but I'll try to get to it over the weekend. Thanks for sharing. :)
 
Zinovia said:
The Nova show "Doctor Diaries" is very interesting and worth watching. It follows 6 or 7 Harvard medical students through the course of their training, following up 20 years later by the end. It's available on Netflix streaming. Most of the doctors wound up divorcing, which says something about the work / family life balance./QUOTE]

My wife was all for me going to med school and then I made the mistake of watching "Doctor Diaries" with her. Now she's worried about us getting a divorce:( Completely ******ed. I work and go to school now as much (if not more) then a medical student.
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Zinovia said:
The Nova show "Doctor Diaries" is very interesting and worth watching. It follows 6 or 7 Harvard medical students through the course of their training, following up 20 years later by the end. It's available on Netflix streaming. Most of the doctors wound up divorcing, which says something about the work / family life balance./QUOTE]

My wife was all for me going to med school and then I made the mistake of watching "Doctor Diaries" with her. Now she's worried about us getting a divorce:( Completely ******ed. I work and go to school now as much (if not more) then a medical student.
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And that is something that is not taken into account by a lot of the naysayers one reads/hears from around here. I worked FT and went to school FT, all the way through UG and an MBA. At least, for the time being, I've actually enjoyed an increase in the time I get to spend with my family, as I'm no longer working nights so that I can go to school during the day. Added to that, when I'm home, I'm actually awake! So now I can play with my kids and help my oldest with his homework. Hell, I even get to share a bed with my wife every night now:D Whodathunkit?

Of course, there are going to be some weeks/months in the next several years that are going to suck! And from what I've heard, pretty much all of PGY1 is gonna suck big time. But for the time being, at least, it's better than the last 8 years have been.

Edited to add:

In re: Doctors' Diaries It's been a while since I've seen it, but as I remember it, most of those profiled came across to me as entirely self-absorbed from Day 1, with the exception of the brunette with huge glasses and the non-trad EM guy who had such a self-destructive bent.
 
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I am so glad that I found this thread. This is real therapy.:laugh:
 
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very strange awkward feeling anyone else get this?

im like the only older person in my classes

everyone else is like 18-20ish

granted some girl next to me is talking with me but i'd figured there'd be more adults like at the community college hmmm
 
Thank you very much for this thread! If I decide to do medicine it won't be until I'm 49 or so.

I turn 37 this coming week and I just started to retrain into CLS/MT. I am also taking an EMT-B class right now. After I get back into the work force, I want to work in the public sector for 10 years to get my student loans forgiven. During this time, my wife and I plan to use cash to buy either a tax auction property or maybe a HUD foreclosure and rehab it, move in, sell our current house and then not have a mortgage. We should also be able to save up a chunk of change during this time and start generating some passive income.

Once we're debt free, I plan to take a long hard look at how well CLS/MT and/or EMT are a fit for me and whether I want a different challenge. With a chunk of change available for the tuition and some passive income available to support a debt free lifestyle, I just might be one of those old men in class.
 
jsp132 said:
very strange awkward feeling anyone else get this?

im like the only older person in my classes

everyone else is like 18-20ish

granted some girl next to me is talking with me but i'd figured there'd be more adults like at the community college hmmm
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I did half my classes at a community college. It was primarily a nursing school, so its mission was to flunk out the 19 year olds (half the class) after collecting their tuition, and train the single moms in their 30s (the other half) to be the next generation of nurses. Maybe things were different because my CC had a theme.

The other half of my classes were at the city university. It had a bigger percentage of the traditional 18-20 year olds. Eventually the serious students (generally the ones headed towards graduate or professional school) sorted themselves out and formed study groups. My group had a 19yr old, 24yrs, 33yrs, and me. Since we had similar goals and ambitions, our age differences didn't seem to be an issue.
 
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hmmmm, good idea for a thread!

I'm 40 and a first year ms in DC, I did almost all my post bacs at a CC, and a few at a state university while I got my RN. Being older and an RN, I did find that it was a bit of a double whammy against me w/certain old school types, even w/3.9, 30S, but, I think researching in advance the schools' culture before you apply is key. There are a lot of schools that actively pursue non trads, they actually like to have people w/world experience in their programs.

I've got a great friend who just graduated at age 54, it's absolutely possible and, more and more people are becoming accepting of non trads in all workplaces/school environments.
 
Thank you for this thread. I had scored a 38S years ago and was doing some one-on-one tutoring when I started working on what would become WikiPremed in 1994. First it was MCAT Academy in Atlanta in the nineties. My thought was that I would take a few years to finish the unified science curriculum, the contours of which had taken shape in my mind, and then I would go to medical school, as I had always planned. Now I'm 45. Lots and lots of my former students are doctors across the Southeast now. For my part, this thread is helping me look through the window onto my own old premed dreams just a bit and not think I am deluding myself. Thank you so much. Maybe it will be possible for me to go to medical school some day, though I still have a lot of work to do with WikiPremed, which I love. For folks contemplating becoming medical students in their forties, just let me just plug the importance of meditation/relaxation and physical fitness. I think one of the biggest challenges for older students has got to be maintaining their own health through the process.
 
This has got to be the absolute truth. Health in the 40's is not the same as in the 20's and 30's. The things that I could do in my 20's & 30's are not as easily done in the 40's especially with the addition of a 5 year old and a husband ad stress of life and bills and family and household issues. but nevertheless, it can be done....Let me encourage you to move forward and do not be distracted. you can do it......

The race is not given to the swift, neither the battle to the strong, but he that endureth to the end....MATTHEW 24:13.........True Biblical words to live by....
 
cynthiam said:
Hello everyone - newbie here. :hello:

I should hear soon if I've been accepted and if so I'll start in September. I skimmed through the long ~NonTraditionals~: Ages to see how many are 50 or older and found a very few. So, I thought I'd start a thread to see if perhaps there are more of us including those thinking of med school, in pre-med or already in school or beyond.

I'm 51 and can't wait to get started!. :)
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Just wanted to say I applaud you!! The world needs more people like you and probably less like me:laugh:

By 51 I hope to be retired or a couple of years from it! My wife is wired like you as her family is 68 Engineer still working, 83 Engineer still working, 61 Nurse still working.

Me I'm hopin 50 retired and done :thumbup: Best of luck!!
 
this is awesome.............

Jasil said:
Just wanted to say I applaud you!! The world needs more people like you and probably less like me:laugh:

By 51 I hope to be retired or a couple of years from it! My wife is wired like you as her family is 68 Engineer still working, 83 Engineer still working, 61 Nurse still working.

Me I'm hopin 50 retired and done :thumbup: Best of luck!!
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37, and still taking pre-reqs, should be 39 when i matriculate by the grace of God
 
Thanks for starting this thread, and congrats on your acceptance, Cynthiam!

I hope to begin premed studies next year just prior to turning 45.
 
43 now, 41 when I started my premed. Finished this summer and took Sept 2 MCAT. Like everything else I've done I'm a little (very!) behind and am just working on my apps now. Luckily I got an auto-interview to UMich so not all is lost....
 
Hi everyone and welcome to all the new folks and a big thanks for sharing and for your encouragement. :)

I have a big integrated exam next week. I've done well so far but this one is very intimidating. I'll let you know how it goes. :luck:
 
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