Doctor going back to medical school

[avicenna1515]

Hi all, I've been lurking on this site for a little while now and debating whether to post this, but here goes. I'm a "doctor". Should I go to medical school a second time? To make a very long story short: I am originally from what our former president would have called a $***hole country, I graduated with my medical degree at 23 years, this was now almost 15 years ago. However, I did not complete my country's equivalent of medical residency because my family fled for political and safety reasons shortly after I graduated. Since then, I have worked a variety of jobs, though now I am in consulting with a well-known firm (I apologize, I am being vague as I haven't told anyone at work I am considering this yet).

To be totally honest, I hate my job. I do not feel like I am adding value to society and I have a lot of problems with what my firm does. I am only here because for a long time my only goal was to make money and support my family, but I have enough money now to comfortably not work for the rest of my life. I will admit I have played the "doctor" card half-jokingly on more than one occasion (mostly as a "fun fact" as I don't feel I have earned the right to use the title day-to-day), I'm sure it has helped me get my foot in some doors. But also, I think I identify with it because that was always my dream as a kid, before circumstances chose differently for me. I have been thinking a lot recently about whether there is any way for me to get back.

I am a US citizen now, but I don't think any US residency would recognize my medical degree because (1) my country is not well-regarded under any international metric, and (2) it was almost 15 years ago and I have forgotten basically everything anyway. The education I received probably is not up to US standards, I have looked at some USMLE questions and most of the time I have never even heard of what they are talking about.

So I'm wondering: is there any way for me to get into medicine in the US? What will medical schools think if I apply already technically being a doctor?

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[Princeton Medical Student]

Given that you fled a different country, I doubt any medical school will give you grief for having already completed medical school. Your best bet would be to start over, complete prereqs, take the MCAT and apply to medical schools in United States. If it's worth it or not, is a different story altogether.

 

[xffan624]

Hi all, I've been lurking on this site for a little while now and debating whether to post this, but here goes. I'm a "doctor". Should I go to medical school a second time? To make a very long story short: I am originally from what our former president would have called a $***hole country, I graduated with my medical degree at 23 years, this was now almost 15 years ago. However, I did not complete my country's equivalent of medical residency because my family fled for political and safety reasons shortly after I graduated. Since then, I have worked a variety of jobs, though now I am in consulting with a well-known firm (I apologize, I am being vague as I haven't told anyone at work I am considering this yet).

To be totally honest, I hate my job. I do not feel like I am adding value to society and I have a lot of problems with what my firm does. I am only here because for a long time my only goal was to make money and support my family, but I have enough money now to comfortably not work for the rest of my life. I will admit I have played the "doctor" card half-jokingly on more than one occasion (mostly as a "fun fact" as I don't feel I have earned the right to use the title day-to-day), I'm sure it has helped me get my foot in some doors. But also, I think I identify with it because that was always my dream as a kid, before circumstances chose differently for me. I have been thinking a lot recently about whether there is any way for me to get back.

I am a US citizen now, but I don't think any US residency would recognize my medical degree because (1) my country is not well-regarded under any international metric, and (2) it was almost 15 years ago and I have forgotten basically everything anyway. The education I received probably is not up to US standards, I have looked at some USMLE questions and most of the time I have never even heard of what they are talking about.

So I'm wondering: is there any way for me to get into medicine in the US? What will medical schools think if I apply already technically being a doctor?

If you want to be a real doctor (as opposed to a "doctor") in the United States, your likely only path is medical school in the US and then residency. The question is, do you want to go down that path? You're looking at a probably a 10 year (minimum) journey and 300-400K (minimum) in tuition costs (not even counting the lost money from not working).This is not impossible, but is it really the right thing for you? I can't answer that.

Maybe leveraging your experience with the consulting job into something more meaningful but lower paying (government or NGO...?) might be a less painful way to find fulfilling work

 

[CyrilFiggis]

If you are ok financially as you mentioned, is becoming a US MD the right path? If you want to add value to society as a doctor, you’re 10 years away with prereqs, Med school and residency. You’re almost 40. Why not find a non-profit, NGO or other business sector where you can feel like you contribute more. And honestly, I don’t think we really add that much value.

 

[Catalystik]

Hi all, I've been lurking on this site for a little while now and debating whether to post this, but here goes. I'm a "doctor". Should I go to medical school a second time? To make a very long story short: I am originally from what our former president would have called a $***hole country, I graduated with my medical degree at 23 years, this was now almost 15 years ago. However, I did not complete my country's equivalent of medical residency because my family fled for political and safety reasons shortly after I graduated. Since then, I have worked a variety of jobs, though now I am in consulting with a well-known firm (I apologize, I am being vague as I haven't told anyone at work I am considering this yet).

To be totally honest, I hate my job. I do not feel like I am adding value to society and I have a lot of problems with what my firm does. I am only here because for a long time my only goal was to make money and support my family, but I have enough money now to comfortably not work for the rest of my life. I will admit I have played the "doctor" card half-jokingly on more than one occasion (mostly as a "fun fact" as I don't feel I have earned the right to use the title day-to-day), I'm sure it has helped me get my foot in some doors. But also, I think I identify with it because that was always my dream as a kid, before circumstances chose differently for me. I have been thinking a lot recently about whether there is any way for me to get back.

I am a US citizen now, but I don't think any US residency would recognize my medical degree because (1) my country is not well-regarded under any international metric, and (2) it was almost 15 years ago and I have forgotten basically everything anyway. The education I received probably is not up to US standards, I have looked at some USMLE questions and most of the time I have never even heard of what they are talking about.

So I'm wondering: is there any way for me to get into medicine in the US? What will medical schools think if I apply already technically being a doctor?

You might look into becoming a Nurse Practitioner as did a work colleague of mine who was a practicing surgeon in his home country, but was never able to pass the USMLEs after moving to the USA.

 

[avicenna1515]

If you are ok financially as you mentioned, is becoming a US MD the right path? If you want to add value to society as a doctor, you’re 10 years away with prereqs, Med school and residency. You’re almost 40. Why not find a non-profit, NGO or other business sector where you can feel like you contribute more. And honestly, I don’t think we really add that much value.

Hi, thanks that's a fair question. I think I'm just tired of this type of work--making powerpoints and staring at spreadsheets and schmoozing VIPs etc. I don't feel like I'm doing anything real. I think at an NGO or in government I might feel better about what my organization is doing, but my day-to-day job probably wouldn't be that different. Honestly the alternative would be to just retire early, but I think I could still do something with my life and some of my most fulfilling experiences in my memory are from seeing patients when I was in the clinic as a medical student and then (briefly) as a trainee doctor.
Maybe for some context, doctors in my country are not paid well like they are in this country, even relative to the lower cost of living. People in my family were actually surprised I enrolled in university for medicine because I would have had it a lot easier if I just went into business with my father.
I get your point though I don't think it would quite be 10 years since I would consider my career as a doctor to start with residency, not after.

 

[LunaOri]

I think that if you want to be a doctor, you should go for it. I think the greatest difficulty would be that you will have to repeat undergrad. You could consider other medical careers like nursing or PA, if you are willing to forego the title of “doctor”.

 

[YeeOldeMillenial]

Hi all, I've been lurking on this site for a little while now and debating whether to post this, but here goes. I'm a "doctor". Should I go to medical school a second time? To make a very long story short: I am originally from what our former president would have called a $***hole country, I graduated with my medical degree at 23 years, this was now almost 15 years ago. However, I did not complete my country's equivalent of medical residency because my family fled for political and safety reasons shortly after I graduated. Since then, I have worked a variety of jobs, though now I am in consulting with a well-known firm (I apologize, I am being vague as I haven't told anyone at work I am considering this yet).

To be totally honest, I hate my job. I do not feel like I am adding value to society and I have a lot of problems with what my firm does. I am only here because for a long time my only goal was to make money and support my family, but I have enough money now to comfortably not work for the rest of my life. I will admit I have played the "doctor" card half-jokingly on more than one occasion (mostly as a "fun fact" as I don't feel I have earned the right to use the title day-to-day), I'm sure it has helped me get my foot in some doors. But also, I think I identify with it because that was always my dream as a kid, before circumstances chose differently for me. I have been thinking a lot recently about whether there is any way for me to get back.

I am a US citizen now, but I don't think any US residency would recognize my medical degree because (1) my country is not well-regarded under any international metric, and (2) it was almost 15 years ago and I have forgotten basically everything anyway. The education I received probably is not up to US standards, I have looked at some USMLE questions and most of the time I have never even heard of what they are talking about.

So I'm wondering: is there any way for me to get into medicine in the US? What will medical schools think if I apply already technically being a doctor?

If you want to be a physician - go for it. You have an incredible story and may end up with some excellent scholarships. Tell your story, be yourself, and go for your dreams. Life is too short not to!

 

[deleted1075526]

A lot of doctors from other countries have done exactly this. I know one or two. It’s a tedious process but as long as it’s the right decision for you and your family (carefully consider all your options), then I think you could go ahead. I would recommend getting all your undergrad pre-req courses done as soon as you can. Best of luck!

 

[avicenna1515]

I think that if you want to be a doctor, you should go for it. I think the greatest difficulty would be that you will have to repeat undergrad. You could consider other medical careers like nursing or PA, if you are willing to forego the title of “doctor”.

Thanks. Would I have to repeat undergrad? Since I already have a degree I was just thinking I would just do the requirements I am still missing part-time while working (one benefit my job provides is tuition reimbursement)

 

[nicesecrets]

Thanks. Would I have to repeat undergrad? Since I already have a degree I was just thinking I would just do the requirements I am still missing part-time while working (one benefit my job provides is tuition reimbursement)

Hi OP, there is a lot of differing advice about this, but I will share my perspective with you. I am a career changer in my late 20s with a US PhD but foreign undergrad. I did not complete my undergrad again in the US but submitted my app with ~65 undergrad credits including prereqs. I also took some additional classes based on the specific schools. Often it is not enough to just complete the pre req science courses. Many schools also require some humanities, math, English etc.. or schools may ask for 2-3 years of study in the US.

In my case, I have so far been able to secure three interviews and my academic history has never come up as a negative. However, this may be biased by my PhD from this country. My school list also included mid-high tier schools with less stringent UG requirements and I had a 518 MCAT which may have assuaged any other fears about my academic ability.

In your specific case, since there is quite a gap between your UG/medical education and your application, you may still have to do more than just the pre-reqs to convince schools that you can take on the rigors of med school.. just my two cents

 

[avicenna1515]

Hi OP, there is a lot of differing advice about this, but I will share my perspective with you. I am a career changer in my late 20s with a US PhD but foreign undergrad. I did not complete my undergrad again in the US but submitted my app with ~65 undergrad credits including prereqs. I also took some additional classes based on the specific schools. Often it is not enough to just complete the pre req science courses. Many schools also require some humanities, math, English etc.. or schools may ask for 2-3 years of study in the US.

In my case, I have so far been able to secure three interviews and my academic history has never come up as a negative. However, this may be biased by my PhD from this country. My school list also included mid-high tier schools with less stringent UG requirements and I had a 518 MCAT which may have assuaged any other fears about my academic ability.

In your specific case, since there is quite a gap between your UG/medical education and your application, you may still have to do more than just the pre-reqs to convince schools that you can take on the rigors of med school.. just my two cents

Thanks for sharing your experience, this is actually extremely informative. In that case I guess I am not starting completely from scratch--I don't have a US undergrad degree but I do have a Master's, which I completed part-time several years ago through a good US university (paid for by my company), and for which I did some of those classes (my company and field subscribe heavily to the philosophy that the more letters after your name = the more you get paid)

 

[nicesecrets]

Thanks for sharing your experience, this is actually extremely informative. In that case I guess I am not starting completely from scratch--I don't have a US undergrad degree but I do have a Master's, which I completed part-time several years ago through a good US university (paid for by my company), and for which I did some of those classes (my company and field subscribe heavily to the philosophy that the more letters after your name = the more you get paid)

You will have to include your master's transcripts and depending on the number of credits obtained (assuming it is a 2 year course), *some* schools may consider that a part of the overall years of study in the US. I want to emphasize that this is only some schools though.. I had originally included 5 schools on my school list which asked for 90+ credits or US undergrad. Two of these schools agreed that a US PhD could be used to show time spent studying in the US, while the other three flat out refused.

Schools that require US undergrad only like Mayo, Jefferson etc are also going to be non-starters even with a Master's from the US. The other thing to keep in mind is that they are not going to care about the master's GPA because these programs are often grade deflated.

My advice to you would be to start contacting med schools ahead of time, explain your situation and see what the schools would accept for UG requirements. Also give yourself time to process this situation if indeed you are required to complete 60+ or 90+ UG credits part time despite the master's degree. How long would it take to complete these requirements part time, and would it still be worth it for you to pursue medical school if it added on several years to the process?

You can feel free to PM me if you would like to chat more.

 

[aceegreene]

@avicenna1515 look at NYIT COM. I’ve heard they have a program for foreign medical graduates to receive a DO degree. And in some cases they may even exempt the MCAT (I could be wrong there but you could dig deeper of course).

 

[nicesecrets]

@avicenna1515 look at NYIT COM. I’ve heard they have a program for foreign medical graduates to receive a DO degree. And in some cases they may even exempt the MCAT (I could be wrong there but you could dig deeper of course).

This is actually really nice to know and is helpful for some foreign medical graduates who want to obtain US licensure.. some points to note though for OP's situation
1) Very selective program of only 35 seats (not sure how many applicants)
2) Entrance exam is required which can be waived if MCAT is submitted. Either way, it looks like OP would still need to take pre-reqs to prepare for these exams
3) Course-by-course evaluation of OP's degrees. WES provides this service, but depending on where OP is from (they mention the country not being well regarded by the US, and also having to flee the country because of safety reasons), this may not be easy to do.
4) It looks like OP still needs to have a fairly competitive app in other regards based on application requirements - US shadowing, clinical and non clinical volunteering and other factors like leadership. Depending on how much OP has done of the above, they would still have to spend time as a "traditional" applicant gaining some of these experiences outside of their job in order to be competitive.

In sum, it seems like this might be one potential option where OP would have to complete just the prereqs to take the examination/MCAT and have a good app otherwise. However, admission here would also depend on whether OP could get all the course details from the foreign medical institution. I think it would be wise to still apply to other programs though since regardless the program seems quite competitive and they would have to still take coursework anyways from the US to be eligible for it.

 

[nicesecrets]

This is actually really nice to know and is helpful for some foreign medical graduates who want to obtain US licensure.. some points to note though for OP's situation
1) Very selective program of only 35 seats (not sure how many applicants)
2) Entrance exam is required which can be waived if MCAT is submitted. Either way, it looks like OP would still need to take pre-reqs to prepare for these exams
3) Course-by-course evaluation of OP's degrees. WES provides this service, but depending on where OP is from (they mention the country not being well regarded by the US, and also having to flee the country because of safety reasons), this may not be easy to do.
4) It looks like OP still needs to have a fairly competitive app in other regards based on application requirements - US shadowing, clinical and non clinical volunteering and other factors like leadership. Depending on how much OP has done of the above, they would still have to spend time as a "traditional" applicant gaining some of these experiences outside of their job in order to be competitive.

In sum, it seems like this might be one potential option where OP would have to complete just the prereqs to take the examination/MCAT and have a good app otherwise. However, admission here would also depend on whether OP could get all the course details from the foreign medical institution. I think it would be wise to still apply to other programs though since regardless the program seems quite competitive and they would have to still take coursework anyways from the US to be eligible for it.

Also, dang, the application fee for the program is $200! That's double (or more than double) many of my MD secondary fees. I'm not saying that is a deal breaker or anything, but I was surprised by the price tag on that one

 

[Med Ed]

Hi all, I've been lurking on this site for a little while now and debating whether to post this, but here goes. I'm a "doctor". Should I go to medical school a second time? To make a very long story short: I am originally from what our former president would have called a $***hole country, I graduated with my medical degree at 23 years, this was now almost 15 years ago. However, I did not complete my country's equivalent of medical residency because my family fled for political and safety reasons shortly after I graduated. Since then, I have worked a variety of jobs, though now I am in consulting with a well-known firm (I apologize, I am being vague as I haven't told anyone at work I am considering this yet).

To be totally honest, I hate my job. I do not feel like I am adding value to society and I have a lot of problems with what my firm does. I am only here because for a long time my only goal was to make money and support my family, but I have enough money now to comfortably not work for the rest of my life. I will admit I have played the "doctor" card half-jokingly on more than one occasion (mostly as a "fun fact" as I don't feel I have earned the right to use the title day-to-day), I'm sure it has helped me get my foot in some doors. But also, I think I identify with it because that was always my dream as a kid, before circumstances chose differently for me. I have been thinking a lot recently about whether there is any way for me to get back.

I am a US citizen now, but I don't think any US residency would recognize my medical degree because (1) my country is not well-regarded under any international metric, and (2) it was almost 15 years ago and I have forgotten basically everything anyway. The education I received probably is not up to US standards, I have looked at some USMLE questions and most of the time I have never even heard of what they are talking about.

So I'm wondering: is there any way for me to get into medicine in the US? What will medical schools think if I apply already technically being a doctor?

You should do some shadowing before going any further. The practice of medicine in the US in 2021 is probably quite different from the practice of medicine in your home country 15+ years ago. You're also not the same person now that you were at 23. You can probably find a path forward if the spark is still there, but our lives (and lifetime earnings) are obviously finite. I'd be careful about making such a commitment of time and money at this point.

 

[avicenna1515]

This is actually really nice to know and is helpful for some foreign medical graduates who want to obtain US licensure.. some points to note though for OP's situation
1) Very selective program of only 35 seats (not sure how many applicants)
2) Entrance exam is required which can be waived if MCAT is submitted. Either way, it looks like OP would still need to take pre-reqs to prepare for these exams
3) Course-by-course evaluation of OP's degrees. WES provides this service, but depending on where OP is from (they mention the country not being well regarded by the US, and also having to flee the country because of safety reasons), this may not be easy to do.
4) It looks like OP still needs to have a fairly competitive app in other regards based on application requirements - US shadowing, clinical and non clinical volunteering and other factors like leadership. Depending on how much OP has done of the above, they would still have to spend time as a "traditional" applicant gaining some of these experiences outside of their job in order to be competitive.

In sum, it seems like this might be one potential option where OP would have to complete just the prereqs to take the examination/MCAT and have a good app otherwise. However, admission here would also depend on whether OP could get all the course details from the foreign medical institution. I think it would be wise to still apply to other programs though since regardless the program seems quite competitive and they would have to still take coursework anyways from the US to be eligible for it.

This is very interesting, thank you -- I did not know this program existed. That seems like a cool option, but I'm not sure what the advantage would be over just applying in the general pool, especially if it is the same duration and very competitive? It also seems like their recent graduates are people who have been practicing more recently than I have. Obtaining my educational records might be difficult... the government has turned over several times since then and I don't really have any contacts back home anymore.
I'm OK with doing any prereqs that med schools want to see but I don't anticipate taking any classes just to prepare for exams--I'm good at picking things up independently. I've looked through an MCAT practice test and even though it has been a few years I still remember enough that those questions are pretty easy, I could probably get up to speed by practicing a little bit on my own.

 

[PhD_to_DO]

Hi all, I've been lurking on this site for a little while now and debating whether to post this, but here goes. I'm a "doctor". Should I go to medical school a second time? To make a very long story short: I am originally from what our former president would have called a $***hole country, I graduated with my medical degree at 23 years, this was now almost 15 years ago. However, I did not complete my country's equivalent of medical residency because my family fled for political and safety reasons shortly after I graduated. Since then, I have worked a variety of jobs, though now I am in consulting with a well-known firm (I apologize, I am being vague as I haven't told anyone at work I am considering this yet).

To be totally honest, I hate my job. I do not feel like I am adding value to society and I have a lot of problems with what my firm does. I am only here because for a long time my only goal was to make money and support my family, but I have enough money now to comfortably not work for the rest of my life. I will admit I have played the "doctor" card half-jokingly on more than one occasion (mostly as a "fun fact" as I don't feel I have earned the right to use the title day-to-day), I'm sure it has helped me get my foot in some doors. But also, I think I identify with it because that was always my dream as a kid, before circumstances chose differently for me. I have been thinking a lot recently about whether there is any way for me to get back.

I am a US citizen now, but I don't think any US residency would recognize my medical degree because (1) my country is not well-regarded under any international metric, and (2) it was almost 15 years ago and I have forgotten basically everything anyway. The education I received probably is not up to US standards, I have looked at some USMLE questions and most of the time I have never even heard of what they are talking about.

So I'm wondering: is there any way for me to get into medicine in the US? What will medical schools think if I apply already technically being a doctor?

Not being an international medical graduate, I can't comment on what you would need to do to get into medical school here in the U.S. but what I can say is that if you are not happy in your career and feel that medicine is your calling, then you have to pursue that. I'm a career changer, 50 years old, and a medical student now. I came from a 13 year, successful career in university teaching and research. I loved teaching and research but was not fulfilled. Towards the end of my tenure at the university, my job felt like, well, just a job. I was only there to get a paycheck and I was "faking it" so that I could continue to get great evaluations from my students and my chair. I always wanted to pursue medicine but for various reasons, I didn't do it. I finally pulled the trigger and applied last cycle and was blessed to gain admittance to a D.O. program. I feel more alive than I have in years and am THRILLED with what I'm doing. I don't know how residency will play out and its possible, no, probably likely, that I will face age discrimination when I apply for residency but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. I know for sure that if I hadn't at least tried my hand at this dream, I'd live the rest of my days full of regret. Do what is going to make y ou fulfilled. I wish you the best on your journey.

 

[dnyal]

Hi all, I've been lurking on this site for a little while now and debating whether to post this, but here goes. I'm a "doctor". Should I go to medical school a second time?

I’m doing it. Either there aren’t many of us or many feel embarrassed to say it because this is the first time I’ve come across a post like this. I wouldn’t call my native country a s-hole, but because of financial reasons, I had to go with a cheap med school that ended up closing shortly after I graduated. ECFMG certification was out of the question because they were never even listed there. Fortunately, that wasn’t a problem in my native land, as the school was recognized by the government there, and I had passed the licensing exam. I practiced for some years before moving to the U.S.

It is certainly doable. I’ve even contacted several medical schools regarding my previous degree and whether it would be an issue. Other than Columbia and the University of Florida, all other schools said it was a non-issue. Now, since my previous school was not accredited (that’s another aggravating factor there, but medical schools in my native country aren’t required to get accredited, anyway), absolutely none of my credits transferred when I decided to get my prerequisites in order to apply for medical school here. I had to start all over from scratch, so I’m currently halfway through getting my American bachelor’s. I did consider, at first, doing something else (e.g., PA, sonographer, etc.), but quickly realized my heart was not in those things, like you.

Fortunately, I have age on my side (sort of): I started my bachelor’s in my late 20s. I’ll be in my early 30s by the time I apply to medical schools. I don’t mean to sound like an as* by mentioning age, but like someone else pointed out already, you’re almost 40, and that’s definitely something to take into consideration. Going back to school after almost a decade of finishing it was brutal to me (maybe because I have to work while going to school, which might not be a problem for you). Medical schools will also take age into consideration. However, I can say that a few have accepted applicants in their 40s. I know that Yale did because I asked their admissions lady about my age, and she told me they once accepted someone in their 40s, but it sounded like an exception.

I had looked into other avenues to becoming a doctor here before deciding to do it all over from zero, so I can share some information. The majority of medical schools will require you to have an American (or Canadian) bachelor’s, period. Others will take foreign bachelor’s, which your degree might count towards, but will still require that you complete all your prerequisites at an accredited American university. This way, you might want to take a post-bac in order to fulfill your prerequisites, but you’ll be limited to only applying to these schools. Another path would be to see if a private, accredited university gives you credit for your previous degree towards a bachelor’s with them. It might not be likely, given how old your medical degree is, but some could. You could then take your prerequisites and graduate with a bachelor’s, which won’t limit the medical schools you’d be able to apply to. I think these methods might shorten your path to medical school, instead of starting from zero. Alternatives could be becoming a PA: just a two-year master’s, no residency afterwards, they mostly do what my old job was (I even used to work under the supervision of a specialist, so PA school remains an option to me, personally). PA school is super competitive, too, but many of them accept foreign bachelor’s (many others won’t, though). I can’t speak for DO schools, since that’s not something I would go into, so I haven’t read a lot of info on that.

Whatever you decide, I think it is worth doing if you really want it and feel you have enough energy for it. I can’t tell you enough times how brutal it was for me to go back to school. I have read that’s why many foreign doctors in America simply decide to go into other careers rather than going back to residency or studying for the boards. The standard of education here is very high, and the medical school application process is extremely competitive (suffice it to say, I confidently think more than 85% of my class in my old school would not have made it through the application process here). Again, I don’t wanna sound like a party pooper, I’m just one of those people who likes warnings in order to make a better informed decision. However, I can tell you that, after having adjusted, being back in a science classroom and learning in more depth the basic science part of many things I had superficially learned before is very gratifying!

 

[SCallergydoc]

My med school class included a 42 yo with PhD in history. It can be done. If you were in consulting for 15 years then you should be a partner. Not sure why you are still making powerpoint presentations at this point in your career. As a partner your life is much easier than when I was a resident and as a business associate it was about the same. Residency now is much kinder---it will still be tough in your 40's especially if you have a family.

If helping people is what you want you might help more people in the long run as a CEO of a non-profit. The path will be shorter and the stress much less

 

[snooper]

For starters, look up what US equivalency your degree would be, i.e. evaluation of foreign credentials. It's simply not true that you need to have a US or Canadian undergraduate degree (tell that to all the African, Asian European students who come here for grad school). Let's assume that its at least equivalent to a US BA/BS or MA/MS. Also make a list of courses/classes you took. Then contact a postbac program, ideally one that links directly to a med school and ask what they think about your preparation. The beauty of a linking postbac program is that you are prepared and you save yourself one year (since you apply in January of your postbac year for entry into med school still the same year). The con is that you can only apply to one program and won't qualify for outright scholarships.

International Degree Equivalencies : Graduate School

gradschool.cornell.edu

 

[Tenk]

So you’re 38 and well off and thinking about taking on hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt and throwing away 11+ years of your life assuming you can even get in?

Yeah…. Gonna have to recommend a pass on this one. Just work less, enjoy your life and your family and consider it a bullet dodged.

 

[nimbus]

He was a 51 yo intern at the hospital where I work. Returned to medicine after a long side career.

We also have an MD from Vietnam as our lead echo tech, another MD from Vietnam who was an anesthesia tech and now an RN, and an MD from Mexico who works as a scrub tech and is considering nursing school.

Peter Wingfield - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[avicenna1515]

So you’re 38 and well off and thinking about taking on hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt and throwing away 11+ years of your life assuming you can even get in?

Yeah…. Gonna have to recommend a pass on this one. Just work less, enjoy your life and your family and consider it a bullet dodged.

well not quite -- I acknowledge I am in a very privileged position to not have to worry about the financial aspect at least. I am extremely fortunate to be in a place in life now where I could pay for any med school upfront in cash and still be able to retire comfortably even if I never make a cent as a doctor. I know people making about the same as me who are spending that kind of money on a boat or a second (or third) home, and tbh that's never held any appeal for me. So I think the only consideration would be the time, and my philosophy has always been, time is always well-spent doing something you enjoy. Of course, assuming I get in!

 

[Tenk]

well not quite -- I acknowledge I am in a very privileged position to not have to worry about the financial aspect at least. I am extremely fortunate to be in a place in life now where I could pay for any med school upfront in cash and still be able to retire comfortably even if I never make a cent as a doctor. I know people making about the same as me who are spending that kind of money on a boat or a second (or third) home, and tbh that's never held any appeal for me. So I think the only consideration would be the time, and my philosophy has always been, time is always well-spent doing something you enjoy. Of course, assuming I get in!

Even more reason to not do it.

 

[nimbus]

More inspiration…it’s up to us to spend our lives doing whatever we feel is worthwhile. Golf, boats, and weekend football games are not for everyone.

MD 1955
PhD biochemistry 1967
PhD physics 2022

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2021/11/25/retired-doctor-earns-physics-doctorate-age-89/

 

[Dr Meow]

You said you have enough money to not work for the rest of your life?
Then don't. You're done. Just chill. Maybe start a business. Med school here is insane. You can't imagine how insane it is if you said you didn't recognize anything on the USMLE practice problems and it just keeps getting harder.
You don't have to work especially for anyone else. Why would you want to be someone else's economic slave?

But if this is just to fulfil a dream and you have nothing else you want to do with your life then do it. Just make sure that losing 300K won't make a difference in your "won't need to work for the rest of your life" situation.