Age and Residency

[wack]

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I will start medical school the month I turn 27. Making me an old medical student. Should being old effect my choice of specialty or should I consider all fields. I am very energetic but some times I wonder if I will be as energetic when I am rounding out my residency at 35. Will I face descrimination in certain specialties? Especially the more lengthy surgical residencies. I am sure this will all change after I go through rotations but right now I am interested in general surgery. I would be very interested in hearing from non-traditional medical students and how their circumstances affected their career choices.

 

[wack]

Anybody?

 

[mikecwru]

Originally posted by wack
I will start medical school the month I turn 27. Making me an old medical student. Should being old effect my choice of specialty or should I consider all fields. I am very energetic but some times I wonder if I will be as energetic when I am rounding out my residency at 35. Will I face descrimination in certain specialties? Especially the more lengthy surgical residencies. I am sure this will all change after I go through rotations but right now I am interested in general surgery. I would be very interested in hearing from non-traditional medical students and how their circumstances affected their career choices.

You wouldn't even be considered an "older student," you fall pretty much in the avg range of the standard med student. 3-4 years off is not a big deal, provided you didn't spend it smoking crack and abusing puppies. You will only be limited by yourself---if you feel you don't want to do something.

mike

 

[phllystyl]

and what about those of us who have been abusing puppies, but quit crack some time ago?

I just cant kick the puppy habit.... wink wink nudge nudge

 

[wack]

I know that when interviewing for medical school faculty members commented specifically and my illicit drug use and canine abuse. They felt that these activities broadened my perspective and made me a stronger candidate.

Thanks Mike

 

[ta'tanisha]

i think it's all good unless you are old for your age

 

[hotbovie]

Hey, wack,

26 is the AVERAGE starting age at my school. I'm a good bit older than that. See my PM for more.

Also, look at the oldpremds site. There is a surgery resident who posts regularly there who is older (I think late 40's)

 

[notstudying]

Originally posted by mikecwru
You wouldn't even be considered an "older student," you fall pretty much in the avg range of the standard med student. 3-4 years off is not a big deal, provided you didn't spend it smoking crack and abusing puppies. You will only be limited by yourself---if you feel you don't want to do something.

mike

What if I smoke puppies and abuse crack? 😉

 

[dr barb]

I'm 27 (probably a couple months older than you) and in my first year. I am considering a surgical specialty as well. My only concern is since I would like to have children, I have to factor that in the equation. So, I will probably have to put off having children until my mid thirties or so, but here's how I see it - when I am 80 and I am looking back at my life, I want to know that everything that I truly wanted to do in life, I did or at least made my best attempt to do. I would rather put off "life" for 3 extra years and have the career I want, than get an earlier start but compromise my dreams. You should do whatever it is you think you will love, because in the grand scheme of things, a few years longer is not that long.

 

[mikecwru]

Originally posted by wack
I know that when interviewing for medical school faculty members commented specifically and my illicit drug use and canine abuse. They felt that these activities broadened my perspective and made me a stronger candidate.

Thanks Mike

There are people in first year that are 45-50 years old... that's more of a discussion. And, if people are >35 y/o, especially with kids, they usually have a different spin on school.

But unfortunately, you are just like everyone else.

Good luck,
mike

 

[Resident Alien]

Who's 40-45 yrs old in the first year's class?

 

[DrQuinn]

26 was the AVERAGE age for 1st years at my school. We definately had people in their 40s and 50s... phewwee... as well as youngsters like me who were 21/22. Like one of the above posters said... I think that it all depends on if you feel you are young... if you are 40 but still live a life full of energy, then you're all good. If you're 40 and you sit on a rocker knitting a puppy smoking crack doiley, then maybe a 5 yr surgical residency isn't for you (unless you do a fellowship in behavioral substance abuse veterinarial endocrinology-ectomy fellowship).

 

[Winged Scapula]

There may be *some* who will question you about it (I was only asked at 1 interview and I was a few years older than you when I started medical school), but by and large, even for surgical specialties, your age will not be a significant factor in obtaining a residency - even the longer ones.

 

[Kluver Bucy]

Originally posted by wack
I am very energetic but some times I wonder if I will be as energetic when I am rounding out my residency at 35.

I wasn't very energetic at 35 and I was downright lethargic at 27, but as a 39 yo MS3, I finally have my mojo back. There are many things other than age that affect energy level. Med school can energize you or it can suck the life out of you. Choose wisely. Good luck kiddo!

 

[Winged Scapula]

BTW, moving to General Residency Issues...

 

[BenHoganFan]

I will be 33 when I start Diagnostic Radiology.

 

[Ctrhu]

My partner was an engineer for many years. He finished Interventional Radiology fellowship at age 42. He has two kids a 16 yo son and a 10 yo daughter.

Being older with family responsibilities demand a lot of maturity, determination and especially, efficiency in order to succeed.

I was pissed off when med sch interviewers told me to take some time off at 19 before going into medicine. After residency and private practice, the shoe was on the other foot for me when I went through law sch. It is definitely harder to do well when you have a spouse and kids. Trying to work part-time and going to school full-time was rough. One benefit is that professors treat you with respect as you are closer to their age and that you can tell BS when you see it.

 

[HiddenTruth]

I have an oppisite issue than what you all are talking abt. I am in a 6 year program right out of high school, and I will be 23-24 when I graduate. Will that have a negative influence on my interviews? I'd like to see what you all have to say. Thanks

hiddentruth

 

[Foxxy Cleopatra]

"...but as a 39 yo MS3, I finally have my mojo back. " - Kluver Bucy

He he he, mojo, that's awesome

Seriously, I am a MS4 general surgery applicant, and I've met several people on the interview scene who are a little bit older (had careers prior to medical school, served in the military, etc.) so hopefully you won't encounter too much prejudice. I agree with the other posters; 27 isn't much older than the norm.

-F. C.

 

[smithani]

Originally posted by HiddenTruth
I have an oppisite issue than what you all are talking abt. I am in a 6 year program right out of high school, and I will be 23-24 when I graduate. Will that have a negative influence on my interviews? I'd like to see what you all have to say. Thanks

hiddentruth

I am an MS4 right now. I started med school when I was 20, and I definitely got a ton of questions while I was interviewing for med school, but it never became an issue after that. I am interviewing for residencies in General Surgery and not one person has mentioned it at all. I think if you come off as mature and levelheaded it is not an issue. Hell, I am not either one of those and it still does not matter.

Good Luck

 

[mikecwru]

Originally posted by Resident Alien
Who's 40-45 yrs old in the first year's class?

I re-read my post and was confused myself. We have at least one guy in the 4th year class who was 45 or so when starting the first year.

I assume there's a few older students in each class.... there isn't someone 40+ in your class?

mike

 

[HiddenTruth]

Originally posted by smithani
I am an MS4 right now. I started med school when I was 20, and I definitely got a ton of questions while I was interviewing for med school, but it never became an issue after that.

Well thanks for the input. I had just heard some stories how it can be a negative influence since we are below the average graduates age. But I think if you are mature and don't make age a factor than it shouldn't really matter. Again, thanks for your your input.

Hidden

 

[jeannepop]

I'm 33, but look 23. I got my MBA, and just starting post-bac pre-med classes this Spring '03. Either way you're gonna get older, so give it a go and see what sticks... that's what I'm doing. Took me a while and some valium to figure this out.

 

[hotbovie]

I was 38 when I started med school, now interviewing for General Surgery residency. With one interview to go, I can say it really hasn't been an issue. (I was a little concerned at the outset because one of the faculty at my school made an issue of it, with the ultimately will cause me to rank my schools program lower than I would have otherwise) Only about 3 people made any reference to it, by asking "Do you have any problem taking orders from people younger than you?" (I wanted to shout "if I had a problem with it, I wouldn't be doing this!!'), But I merely smiled and said, "no, and in fact I've gotten used to it during clinical rotations during school"

More people have looked at my background as positive, rather than negative. They like the idea of having a mature person who knows what it's like to have a job vs some kid who has been in school all his/her life and whose very first job will be that of an intern. And in fact I have been VERY well recieved by several programs.

DO NOT let age stop you from doing what you want..you'll regret it.