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[pacjeffery]

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I'm Jeff. 38 years old. Will get BS in Dec 2014 (GPA 3.10). I've already looked into my school's post-bacc program. That I'll finish May 2016. I'd be just turning 41. Originally I was going to PA school and let that do me. I would still need the post-bacc work as the local PA program requires similar courses. I sat in deep thought at 02:00 today. I can be a PA at age 43. I can be an MD at age 45. Private PA school and resident tuition at the MD school is a wash (Yes, PA school is expensive. Let nobody say different, lol). That's around $85k.

From those who've done them, how taxing (mentally and emotionally) are the clinical rotations of each program? At my age is becoming a physician ok? I've known about being in healthcare for a while. I'm currently a CNA. Although not much, I've saved $10k toward something over the three years of being an Aide.

Also, by the time I finish an MD and begin a Family Practice residency, my kids will be 8 years old. My wife is so supportive. She's an MSW candidate. I'm also good on tests. I don't want to say it's equivalent (to the MCAT) but I took the LSAT at 32 and got a 173.

What would y'all do?

And yes, I'm a city-born country boy (Texas parents. It ain't where you born but who raised ya!)

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[Chip N Sawbones]

I just learned that my med school class has a 54 year old in it. I haven't met him yet, but if he can do it, you can too. There have been a few good threads in the past about students returning to med school in their forties and older, so a search ought to yield some good information.

 

[pacjeffery]

Indeed it already has. I feel inspired to do it. Ideally my in-state school is best (tuition-wise).

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[Helen Wheels]

I can be a PA at age 43. I can be an MD at age 45.

Yes, you will have your MD degree at the age of 45 but you won't be an attending physician until age 48 or later, depending on what specialty you choose. You will get a paycheck during residency but it is only about $48-$50 K and you can't defer student loans as a resident so a big chunk of that will go toward student loan repayment. In other words, they'll still be lean years financially.

From those who've done them, how taxing (mentally and emotionally) are the clinical rotations of each program? At my age is becoming a physician ok?

I am currently a third year and will turn 42 in a few weeks. Your age is really not an issue. I have only had a couple rotations so far but I am hanging in there okay mentally and physically. I don't have a spouse or dependents so I can't speak to having a family during med school. I will say that med school is very time consuming and you and your family will definitely make sacrifices.

As an aside, allow me to suggest you check into osteopathic programs which have a reputation for appreciating older students such as us. Best of luck to you!

 

[dsoz]

I turned 42 in March, and am going to start my first year of medical school this month! I spent 19 years as a high school science teacher, raised two wonderful kids, and am still married to my high school sweetheart.

So that means my MD will be earned when I am 46, and end of residency by 49+. Just enough time to pay back the student loans and save a little for retirement.

Good luck, you need to follow your heart and do what you want to do. If that means PA or MD/DO then go for it. It will be a long road, but it is doable.

BTW, I am pretty sure that I am not the oldest one in my upcoming class. There is at least one gal that is a few months to a year older than me, and another that looks even older than that.

Good luck.

dsoz

 

[Goro]

Sure! Some of my all-time best students have been in their 40s.

At my age is becoming a physician ok?


Don't get cocky. Many an accountant had a medical career wrecked on the shoals of the MCAT.

I'm also good on tests. I don't want to say it's equivalent (to the MCAT) but I took the LSAT at 32 and got a 173.

 

[pacjeffery]

Love the Mortal Kombat name, btw. I'm no way cocky. I'm told the MCAT is a great humbler. Maybe I said it wrong. Perhaps I was lucky instead of good. I look forward to the challenges. At this point it's still a dream. What concerns me is how much time will I be away from my boys. I am adept at allocating time NOW because they're not here yet. They'll be born in a few weeks. That being said, when I enter first year Fall 2016 I'll be 41. My twins will be going on 3. End of 4th year they'll be 7 and when my residency in Family Practice is done, 10.

Just in time to have them begging for the Air Jordan XXXVI shoes! LoL

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[pacjeffery]

Did I say how much I appreciate this forum? I get guided advice from industry professionals. Those who've recrntly gone through the process and like-minded people. Thank you all.

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[iatros13]

It sounds like we are on about the same time/frame for applying for med school, and I am 37. I am thinking I may be done with residency around 48. That's 20+ years to devote to the calling!

My kids are 13 and 15, and probably prefer me being busy! haha... I work full time and go to school almost full time (sometimes full time). It is crazy... And I miss out on stuff. But their age makes a difference. We talk every day (they would say they get lectures everyday... and I get plenty of eyerolls...) lol. =D Our lack of doing stuff is more a matter of money (can't afford family vacations now - even if there was time).

I think with conscious effort, you should be able to accomplish your goal and still be an involved parent. When I look back at all the stuff I did before going back to school, I think about all the wasted time that I could have been spending doing things with my children, and I am a bit disappointed... Maybe the schooling will help you be more conscious of the time you spend with them... (rather than letting a lot of it slip past with other idle distractions)... Not saying I have been absent from my children's life, but more time sitting and painting models with my son would have been a lot better than the TV I watched or video games I played... When I went back to school - I cut those things out of my life and the time I have with the kids is about the same.

 

[iatros13]

Also, I thought that the loans were deferred through residency? When I first started considering medical school, I did some research and that is the answer I came up with. I sure hope I am not wrong, because paying back loans on the salary of a resident seems daunting... (I also had the resident salary pegged at about $36K - but I like your numbers better!)

 

[deleted480308]

Loans can (but are not automatically) be deferred during residency but most people will start IBR repayment to set their payments at a resident income level for the life of the program

 

[pacjeffery]

I wrestle with not going anymore but how much I'll miss those toddler years. I'm going to "see" them but our interactions will be limited. Even the nurses I work with say do it. The boys seeing me happy (but tired) will make them more proud of me.

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[yossarian444]

you can't defer student loans as a resident so a big chunk of that will go toward student loan repayment. In other words, they'll still be lean years financially.

True, you can't defer student loans while in residency. However, you do qualify for forbearance.

Loans go like this:
While in school (be it post-bac or med school), your existing student loans are put into deferment. This means you don't make payments and the subsidized loans do not accrue interest while the unsubsudized loans do accrue interest.

Once you graduate medical school, your loans are automatically put into grace period for 6 months, provided you haven't already used a grace period for that loan. So, that means for 6 months, no payment is due and interest only accures on the non-subsidized loans. Any existing undergrad loans have probably already used up this grace period and thus payment for your undergrad loans begin again the day you graduate medical school.

After 6 months, your loans get put into payment status at the default method, which I believe is like 10 or 15 year repayment plan. For most of us, this is financially impossible with our resident salary. Thus, many people opt to put their loans into Income-Based Repayment Plan (IBR) which is much more managable.

However, some of us (like me) opt to put their loans completely into forbearance during residency. Being a resident automatically qualifies you for this, I believe. There is a special form to fill out for residents. While in forbearance, both my subsidized and unsubsized loans accrue interest and I don't make any payments for 12 months. After 12 months, I can opt to renew the forbearance or start a payment plan.

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OP: getting to your original question:
Your kids will be 8 when you begin residency. While family practice does give you more weekends off than many other specialties, make no doubt about it: Residency is hard. It consumes you. At times, you'll look back to medical school and wish life were as easy now as it was then. Your kids will be 11 by the time you finish residency and begin a "real job" where you have some control over your hours and working conditions. If you change your mind and choose a surgical field, then you'll really struggle to have time for family.

PA training will take you to a "real job" much quicker.

As far as comparing how taxing the PA vs MD programs are....there really isn't a comparison. My med school had both PA and MD programs so I did witness some of what the PA's go through (though I'm admittedly biased seeing the world through the MD eyes).

The pre-clinical years for med school compared to the one pre-clinical year of PA school is like comparing a bicycle to a racecar. Yeah, PA's study a lot, but nothing compares to the pressure, the competition, and the expectations to do well in medical school.

As far as the MD clinical years vs the PA clinical year, the PA training seems much more humane. The preceptors seem nice. There is little abuse that occurs. The hours are easier for PA's. The evaluations they receive have less career impact than does a bad eval on an MD rotation.

In short, go for MD/DO if you want it. However, don't do it due to "it's only an extra couple years and a few extra thousand dollars compared to PA school." The life of a med stuent and resident is vastly different than that of a PA.