Am I too old for medical school?

[funsizemayra]

Hi, I am a 26 year old single mother of 2 kids. 10 and 7 years old. I am currently talking my pre-reqs at a cc. My ed plan had me scheduled to transfer to CSUSB fall of 2016 and obtain my biology major but getting classes at a cc is a hassle and I was not able to register for any of the classes I needed to take this fall to transfer so now my time there will be longer. I thought about transferring to University of La Verne instead since they require less credits to transfer and to be able to stay on track and apply to med school sooner but some people are telling me to think of a different career because of my kids and my age. By the time I finish medical school I will be in my late 30s, is that too old? It has been a dream of mine to become a doctor for as long as I can remember but having so many people tell me it's starting to make me focus on the time I have left to accomplish my dream rather than focusing on the present. Any advice??? Thanks in advance.

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[Elevencents]

I just started medical school and I am 34.

 

[funsizemayra]

I just started medical school and I am 34.

Do you have any children? I know there will be a lot of sacrifices I will have to make during the entire process but I feel that since my kids are not babies it won't be as difficult, is this true?

So this is your first year in medical school?

 

[Postictal Raiden]

First year med student here.

I'm married and have a kid. I'm 28. I don't feel I'm older that much older than my classmates. The average age in my class is 25; that's only 3 years younger than me, and I go to a school that has a lower average age than most other DO schools.

 

[evrybodylies]

Avg age in my class is 27. The first doc I ever shadowed went back to medical school when she was in her late 30's. Granted, she didn't have kids but age should never hold you back. School is a huge time sacrifice but I know plenty of people that do it with younger kids and do just fine. It's all about time management and efficient studying. Good luck!

 

[Goro]

Jeeze, you kids.

Some of my all time best students have been in their 30s and 40s (just graduated one at 50). I've had single moms as students. I've had students have children while they were in medical school. If they can do it, so can you. You just have to be good at time mgt., good coping skills, and a decent support system. The students who have children can provide the latter.

Hi, I am a 26 year old single mother of 2 kids. 10 and 7 years old. I am currently talking my pre-reqs at a cc. My ed plan had me scheduled to transfer to CSUSB fall of 2016 and obtain my biology major but getting classes at a cc is a hassle and I was not able to register for any of the classes I needed to take this fall to transfer so now my time there will be longer. I thought about transferring to University of La Verne instead since they require less credits to transfer and to be able to stay on track and apply to med school sooner but some people are telling me to think of a different career because of my kids and my age. By the time I finish medical school I will be in my late 30s, is that too old? It has been a dream of mine to become a doctor for as long as I can remember but having so many people tell me it's starting to make me focus on the time I have left to accomplish my dream rather than focusing on the present. Any advice??? Thanks in advance.

 

[UTsksk]

I'm 26 w/ a wife and daughter. There's 2 or 3 people who are in their 40's in my class

 

[hallowmann]

While I don't have kids yet, there are plenty of people in my class who are older than me and have kids (they've had kids since before they started and were 30-somethings when they started med school. They are doing just fine. @cabinbuilder might have more specific advice for your situation.

 

[cabinbuilder]

Hi, I am a 26 year old single mother of 2 kids. 10 and 7 years old. I am currently talking my pre-reqs at a cc. My ed plan had me scheduled to transfer to CSUSB fall of 2016 and obtain my biology major but getting classes at a cc is a hassle and I was not able to register for any of the classes I needed to take this fall to transfer so now my time there will be longer. I thought about transferring to University of La Verne instead since they require less credits to transfer and to be able to stay on track and apply to med school sooner but some people are telling me to think of a different career because of my kids and my age. By the time I finish medical school I will be in my late 30s, is that too old? It has been a dream of mine to become a doctor for as long as I can remember but having so many people tell me it's starting to make me focus on the time I have left to accomplish my dream rather than focusing on the present. Any advice??? Thanks in advance.

Your age and kid's ages are perfect. Discard the negative and do what you want to do for yourself and your kids. I finished med school at 37, residency at 40. Best thing I ever did. Have the $$ to do all those things I dreamed about with my kids and have done it. You can too. You are lucky because your kids are old enough to be self sufficient and be on board with a common goal for all of you.

 

[Mr Kenobi]

I am 35 and in my second year now. Although I just took one of those "what's your real age" quizzes on Facebook and I got 19 and it showed a picture of Justin Bieber, so my advice is probably worthless.

 

[bajastapler]

U are not too old, but u r going to need a very very strong support system to get through med school and residency.

Respectfully, if a support system will not be available and its going to be just u supporting the kids, then I think u would b much happier with a different health care profession. 7 years - at mibimum - is a long time to put off being a full time single mom. Just my two cents.

 

[Elisabeth Kate]

Respectfully, if a support system will not be available and its going to be just u supporting the kids, then I think u would b much happier with a different health care profession. 7 years - at mibimum - is a long time to put off being a full time single mom. Just my two cents.

Very, VERY few people are able to be a full-time single mom. Many single moms are working two jobs just to support their kids.

OP, if this has always been a dream of yours and you have a support system (i.e. family who can watch the kids if you need them to), you should do it. Some people in med school will be in their 40s, even 50s. You're not even close to being too old.

 

[Buckeye1992]

Even though I am only 22, my wife had our first child our senior year of high school and we had our second our freshman year of college. We both have our bachelor's degrees and I am now an MS1. It's not easy by any means but it is possible. If being a doctor is what you want then I say go for it.

 

[funsizemayra]

Avg age in my class is 27. The first doc I ever shadowed went back to medical school when she was in her late 30's. Granted, she didn't have kids but age should never hold you back. School is a huge time sacrifice but I know plenty of people that do it with younger kids and do just fine. It's all about time management and efficient studying. Good luck!

You're right, time management and efficient studying are the keys...thank you!

 

[funsizemayra]

Jeeze, you kids.

Some of my all time best students have been in their 30s and 40s (just graduated one at 50). I've had single moms as students. I've had students have children while they were in medical school. If they can do it, so can you. You just have to be good at time mgt., good coping skills, and a decent support system. The students who have children can provide the latter.

Thanks! That definitely makes me feel so much better about my decision.

 

[funsizemayra]

Your age and kid's ages are perfect. Discard the negative and do what you want to do for yourself and your kids. I finished med school at 37, residency at 40. Best thing I ever did. Have the $$ to do all those things I dreamed about with my kids and have done it. You can too. You are lucky because your kids are old enough to be self sufficient and be on board with a common goal for all of you.

An advice coming from a physician makes me feel more confident that I can do it. Although I do not have a very good support system, you are right. My kids are at an age where they help out a lot and understand what I'm trying to do. By the time I start medical school they will both be old enough to look out for each other. Thank you!!

 

[HebrewLove]

OP some days I feel like you. I am a single mom who is a week away from 30. My son turned 12 this summer. I have a long up hill battled to repair my GPA and finish my BS. But I know I don't want to be 35yrs old with regrets bc I didn't try.

 

[FLN]

I'm 45. Have 5 kids, blended family. In my 3rd week of med school. You're never too old!

 

[cbrons]

26 is close to the average age for M1s... even at MD schools...

 

[Spindrift11B4]

I may as well one up most of you on the age subject, I'm 37 and just started. I know for a fact that there are at least a couple of 40-somethings in my class and in the class ahead of us, and a good number in their mid-30's. So in short, don't let age hold you back by any means. I don't find it a detriment at all, quite the contrary. The only matter I had to deliberate over for a while before taking the plunge had nothing to do with my age, instead it was considering the life-stage that my kids are at. I really didn't want to put them through something like med school and a residency throughout their childhood...hmm well it looks like they got the short end of the straw there haha! Seriously though, we just have to find creative ways to spend quality time as a family so now that I am here, I am not too worried about it.

As far as all of the other dynamics unique to your situation...well that is the hard part to figure out. Good luck either way!

 

[SLC]

I'm 33, with three kids (10,7,2). But I'm also the father, and I'm married; it would no doubt be much harder as a single mother.

My advice: Have a heart to heart with your children and make sure they are on board with this; because it's likely to be just as hard, perhaps even harder, for them as it is for you. You want them to be on board, you want them to be supportive of the idea, and you want them to be invested in your success. Let's be honest here, a pair of pre-teens who don't like what their mother is doing can do a lot of damage in their attempt to get their mother back.

That sounded really pessimistic, I didn't mean it to be. But I think a lot of different POV's, especially from some of us who are doing it, or who have done it, are valuable.

 

[laboholic]

You are only too old if you think you are too old. No one but you can answer this question.

 

[LivingOnAPrayer123]

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[Helen Wheels]

I don't have children so I can't speak about that, but I can speak about the age thing. No, late 30's is definitely not too old. My 43rd birthday is in a few days and I am a fourth year medical student.

 

[el_duderino]

I just started medical school and I am 34.

Same here, except 33.