Am I out of my mind?

[ProfessorMom]

I am currently 30 years old and have a MS in Microbiology. I work as a professor of undergraduate Microbiology, Anatomy and Physiology and general biology. I've had dreams of going to medical school since childhood but poverty and social issues kept me from pursuing that dream. I ended up going to programs that offered me full tuition waivers and I am currently debt free.

I have some chronic medical conditions and a family (husband and one child). I am in a stable job now but I still have that dream of going to medical school. If I take the MCAT in January and get accepted into a local ked school, I would be 35 by the time I graduate and 37-38 by the time I am done with residency. Am I out of my mind? not being able to med school is one of my biggest regrets. How practical is medical school at this age? While being a parent ?

It is overwhelming.

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[Mad Jack]

Depends on your health conditions, but other than that you're fine. I'm old as dirt and won't finish residency until my late 30s.

 

[Plastic156600sub3]

I am currently 30 years old and have a MS in Microbiology. I work as a professor of undergraduate Microbiology, Anatomy and Physiology and general biology. I've had dreams of going to medical school since childhood but poverty and social issues kept me from pursuing that dream. I ended up going to programs that offered me full tuition waivers and I am currently debt free.

I have some chronic medical conditions and a family (husband and one child). I am in a stable job now but I still have that dream of going to medical school. If I take the MCAT in January and get accepted into a local ked school, I would be 35 by the time I graduate and 37-38 by the time I am done with residency. Am I out of my mind? not being able to med school is one of my biggest regrets. How practical is medical school at this age? While being a parent ?

It is overwhelming.

Ha. You wouldn't be the first one to change careers. Join the club. That's what this nontrad forum is about. All of us are in different situations in regards to different careers, ages (outside of traditional ages of around 20-25 depending on the school), family situations, and places in their formal education. Everyone from your career student, to professors/teachers, to engineers, to EMTs, ,to managers, to accountants, to HR, business owners, nurses, trucking workers, mechanics, to tech guys, and beyond...
If you look around, we have people who make 100-150k yearly and want to switch.

It's practical, and it's fine at your age. 30 is nothing.

Here are some great threads for encouragement for you to look at:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/age-starting-medical-school.316825/
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...you-entered-med-school-o-ye-non-trads.278319/

Good luck to you.

 

[Darth Doc]

I have some chronic medical conditions and a family (husband and one child). I am in a stable job now but I still have that dream of going to medical school. If I take the MCAT in January and get accepted into a local ked school, I would be 35 by the time I graduate and 37-38 by the time I am done with residency. Am I out of my mind? not being able to med school is one of my biggest regrets. How practical is medical school at this age? While being a parent ?

Are you out of your mind? Probably. It's ok. Wanting to go to medical school when you already have a good job is nuts. Most of us in this forum are the same.

Practical? No. Possible? absolutely... IF your spouse is 150% behind you. It takes a lot out of them too. And if you end up moving for school, it's helpful if your spouse is able to get a job in the same area. One of my classmates left her family behind a state away (husband and kids) to go to school. It's possible but very hard for her. My spouse was able to relocate his job, and I wouldn't have done this otherwise.

Parent? Definitely possible. Again, it's important that your spouse is completely behind you. It's helpful if your kid is school age if your school is in a good area where your kids can go to school and you don't have a long commute. (aka not located in an inner city) I live near the best public schools in the state and only a few miles from school/ hospital. This isn't something I planned initially, but realize now that it's one of the best things about my school. I highly recommend looking for a program in a safe town with good public schools. Also, it's possible to be at the important events (concerts) but realize you won't be on the PTA or at most of the school functions. I don't do a lot outside of school and family, but my kids are thriving and we're all still happy. There are a couple other parents in the class, but they mostly have younger kids.

(And I started a few years older than you will and will be finishing residency in my 40s.)

 

[Gastrapathy]

Depends on your health. We are an intolerant bunch when you miss work in residency. Are you health conditions something that can be exacerbated by years of disrupted sleep?

Being married is fine. A kid is fine (you'll be around quite a bit as a student, less as a resident and then have control over how much as an attending). Realize that you give up control of where you will live.

Your timing doesn't make sense. Jan MCAT would put you at a major disadvantage for this cycle.

 

[Goro]

Some of my all time best students have been in their 30s and 40s. I graduated one stellar one last year at age 50. She's a resident somewhere in Sothern CA right now.


The question is: wqill you be able to handle this AND med school: "I have some chronic medical conditions."

I am currently 30 years old and have a MS in Microbiology. I work as a professor of undergraduate Microbiology, Anatomy and Physiology and general biology. I've had dreams of going to medical school since childhood but poverty and social issues kept me from pursuing that dream. I ended up going to programs that offered me full tuition waivers and I am currently debt free.

I have some chronic medical conditions and a family (husband and one child). I am in a stable job now but I still have that dream of going to medical school. If I take the MCAT in January and get accepted into a local ked school, I would be 35 by the time I graduate and 37-38 by the time I am done with residency. Am I out of my mind? not being able to med school is one of my biggest regrets. How practical is medical school at this age? While being a parent ?

It is overwhelming.

 

[Crayola227]

Eh, I can think of more married couples that broke up during school/training than stayed together.

It's the *idea* of medical school that's making you unhappy. You'll go and you'll wonder at yourself for ever thinking your life was incomplete without attending. I have the benefit of hindsight to say that, had I *not* gone, I would always play the "what if" game, that I don't have to play cuz I went. That said, it sort of took going to find out it's not all it's cracked up to being. In fact, I should have just taught high school. You're a professor, you're ahead of the game.

Repeat after me, "my life isn't complete until I've pursued medical school is just a silly construct in my mind."

 

[TheTao]

"In fact, I should have just taught high school."

I taught high school last year and trust me, teaching is NOT where it's at.

To the OP, optimal health is super important especially as you get older. I'm an asthmatic but function just fine. I also put off pursuing med school until my kid finished high school. Everything depends on your support system, if I had had one outside of DH and DD, I may have done something different.

 

[Plastic156600sub3]

That said, it sort of took going to find out it's not all it's cracked up to being. In fact, I should have just taught high school.

"In fact, I should have just taught high school."

I taught high school last year and trust me, teaching is NOT where it's at.

I agree with TheTao.
I am licensed and taught high school for a while, as well. I left because of all the political garbage, not being allowed to keep control of my own classroom, and general petty BS involved. Believe me, I love teaching, but when administration doesn't back you, you get nowhere, especially with parents who refuse to discipline. Then, when your boss prohibits you from telling a kid to quiet down or not cause a fuss, well, no one learns anything.

It's not what it's cracked up to be at all.
Still, almost every profession has its not-so-rosy side.

 

[TheTao]

It's not what it's cracked up to be at all.
Still, almost every profession has its not-so-rosy side.

I first taught in the 90's and man, have the STUDENTS changed! Rich, poor, Black, White, I find them ALL to be too much to deal with these days!!

 

[wholeheartedly]

I first taught in the 90's and man, have the STUDENTS changed! Rich, poor, Black, White, I find them ALL to be too much to deal with these days!!

Then again, those high schools kids will be your patients someday...

 

[TheTao]

Then again, those high schools kids will be your patients someday...

Not sure what this point here is....

At any rate, my top career choices today are IM/Peds, Peds, or IM/Infectious Disease/HIV. So they'll either be too old to be a patient or ?????