How old where you when you entered med School O' ye non trads

Getting into Med School is Hard? Not with BeMo.
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51 and 47? Heck... You guys make me feel like the youngest chicken on the spring roster.....

Ahh to do what I strongly feel is right.... yet with the two children, can i really justify the income loss I will most surely experience during the early stages of such a quest?

I know this is what I should do, but as with anything this significant in life, you can't blame one for being a bit hesitant .... Let's face it my family can not afford the musings of a half interested intellectual ....

If it is a doctor I wish to become, I must be doing it for the right reasons--- Or maybe I'm just reading way too much into it.

It interests me though at 47 and 51, what was your application process like?

I've read of many applicants doing shotgun apps to 20 some institutions and so on... Were you more selective and did you know where you wanted to go and why?
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I will be starting med school this fall at 34. When I graduate, it will be the same year as my 20th high school reunion.
 
28. it's been hard, because i've been watching friends settle down, get married, buy houses, assume mortgages--it's made me feel somewhat inadequate at times. i'll be 32 before i'm earning a regular salary (albeit the paltry one of a first year resident), and i'll be 35 at least before i enter private practice as an associate or something. but at the same time, i know there's nothing else i'd rather do than medicine, so.. the soundest advice came from my PI. she said "look, you're going to get old no matter what, so why not get older doing something you love?" besides, i know that those other things (buying a house, getting married) will come in time.. and i'll finally have EVERYTHING i wanted, not just half--and that will make the final destination that much sweeter.

my sister, who is 21, is applying now. chances are we'll be one year apart from each other in med school.
 
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I'll be 26 when I start med school in '08.....:banana:

I'm non-traditional by age, but I'll only have one year that I wasn't in school.
 
megboo said:
I don't want to get too personal, but what sort of debt (school loans only) do you have now and will you have when you are out of med school?

I'm thinking of taking some upper-level courses in the glide year and not working, but it depends on where I (hopefully) get accepted. Just wondering how others do it :)!
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Eh nothing personal, but why would you be adverse to "working" during your "glide" year? Just wondering, perhaps you'd rather spend time with your family or something... ... Everyone's different
 
ariesgirl said:
I'll be 49 when i start this fall.
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You go get im aries... Hey not to be too personal but just wondering what your GPA/Mcat was like...

Did you do your undergrad years ago? Or are you a recent Undergrad student as well?

Thanks in advance.
 
Kajukenbo said:
Started at 37.
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Sweet... I love you guys... I thought, well to be honest, STILL THINK I was nuts to consider this in my late 30's but having other people just as crazy as me makes it so much easier to "comprehend" .

But like somebody said I can either be a Doctor at 45 or not be a doctor at 45... So let's get this rolling and see where it takes us.
 
BudhakOn

I did my undergrad years ago. Master's in Nursing 2000 - 4.0. Total GPA 3.7 Science 3.6. Post bac pgm 2005. Took the MCAT twice. First time 28 with a 7 in physical science. Second time 29 with a 9 in physical science (honestly, that was just a miracle). Have 30 years experience as a nurse - the last 20 as a nurse practitioner. Applied to 38 schools - got 5 interviews. Accepted at two, wait listed at two, and flat out rejected by one.

I see that there are a few people in their late 40s and early 50s going into med school. Are you all men, or are there some women my age as well?
 
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I'll be 29 my first year. I am married with three kids. I figure, when i finish medical school and residency I'll be at the same point as the youngins that go to med school first and then start their families. Also, I'll be young enough to enjoy my grandkids so YAY!
 
I started at 40.

Almost every day I thought : Thats it. Screw this. Its impossible. I quit.

The next day I was somehow doing it again. Largely with encouragement from my wife. If my wife had once said, Okay then just quit, I would have never finished.

I finished, I passed boards (USMLE) - although marginally : 77 on step 1 and 81 on step 2.

I am going through residency interviews now - have 10 scheduled.
 
Aries girl - congratulations. Very impressive
 
Wow, I don't feel so non-trad now. :laugh:. I will be 34 when I start in august. I have two toddlers and a super supportive wife at home.
 
I'm 21 and I'll hopefully apply by 23, if I don't get deployed. I'm in the army reserve. I have already missed a full year of school between basic/A.I.T. and annual training. I now have potential deployment to look at over the next year. Besides all that. I am a junior and haven't taken a single science course. Yeah, it will be a while. I'm thinking 25 is more realistic than 23 for an application date.
 
MickeyMike3810 said:
I'm 21 and I'll hopefully apply by 23, if I don't get deployed.
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Wow, you must really want this man! Kudos for not getting down on yourself for being a full 3 months older than the youngsters. :)
 
lol
when we are young we don't understand why the old discount our aged wisdom, and when we are older we don't understand why the young don't respect aged wisdom.
 
I will be 33 when I start next August.
 
Wow, you guys rock. Seriously. As you can see, this is my first post.I'm a lurker. Wasn't planning on posting anything, but after reading this I had to reply. I was worried about starting med school at 24 and being the oldest (silly I know), but now after reading this, I realize age is just a state of mind. Yay for non trads!
 
I'll be 36 when I start in 2012! Awwwwww Yeeeahhh.
 
will start at 31 here....will be doing the combined MD/PhD program....

just done with two degrees in dentistry too, a foreign BDS( Bachelor in Dental Surgery) and an American DDS from UCHSC....
good to know there are some out there who are just as crazy...:laugh:

its never too late unless ur dead....giving up on ur dreams equals death ....doesn`t it?!
besides, more degrees that follow ur name would look good ....even on my Tomb stone....:laugh:
plus the 500 000 $ student loans!


regards
samer
 
haven't posted in forever! Felt the need to come full circle because i first found this site as a post-bacc and really appreciated the support.

I started med school at 29 and am now a 4th year interviewing. Maturity has without a doubt been one of my biggest assets. It completely sets you apart from some of your younger classmates in a positive way.

There were definitely times where I regretted "wasting my time" before med school, but when I realize that having a unique perspective is so valued, I learn to let some of that go. Yes I have less earning potential (just because of years to work), but I do not regret this investment in myself. The opportunities are enormous for interesting work and work satisfaction.

Having more life experience has made it easier to prioritize, easier to not sweat the small stuff, and easier to not get caught up in some of the high school antics that can exist in med school.

So, follow your guts, hearts, or whatever keeps you moving forward.

No matter what, everyone looks young in a short white coat!
Big ups to post-baccs!! :love:
 
I just turned 38. So, I'll be 38 when I start med school next year and soon after schools starts I'll be 39.:eek:
 
I'll be 29 when I start next fall.
 
I will be turning 40 two weeks before I begin school in July 2008.
 
helenac said:
Wow, you guys rock. Seriously. As you can see, this is my first post.I'm a lurker. Wasn't planning on posting anything, but after reading this I had to reply. I was worried about starting med school at 24 and being the oldest (silly I know), but now after reading this, I realize age is just a state of mind. Yay for non trads!
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Don't worry lol, I'm 24 too. We're not old persay, but I am here because I'm a career switching non-trad. :p
 
I turned 49 today and just got accepted to the class of 2012 at DMU.
 
Happy birthday, and congrats! :)
 
Wickedgood said:
I'll be 32 when I apply, hopefully will start when I'm 33 ~

Before I was referred to this site, I thought I was pursuing a nearly impossible goal. But now I am confident that it is attainable if I work hard enough :)
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me too Wicked....ill be 29 when i apply and 30 when i get in...if God says the same

PMG:)
 
I'm 27 now, will apply at 28, and if I get in the first shot around, will start at 30.
 
I will be 26 when I start and 30 when I finish. :p
 
If any of us non-trads ever get discouraged remember this...

Although we may be older and many of our friends have their lives "together" - how many of them actually do what they love? Most people I know work only for the money and aren't really making any significant difference in the world like on can do in medicine. Most find little fulfillment with their work.

Would you rather live knowing you actually pursued your dream instead of talking about pursuing your dream? I've learned that I fear regret more than I fear failure...

Stay the course...
 
michael515 said:
Would you rather live knowing you actually pursued your dream instead of talking about pursuing your dream? I've learned that I fear regret more than I fear failure...

Stay the course...
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Well said michael515! Am 31 and am happier in med school than I have been in a long time.

One of the things about med school that I didn't really understand when applying was that the schools WANT older students in the mix.

-w
 
chrisjohn said:
How many years do you have? If you’re over ten, consider staying.

There have been many times, prior to matriculation, when everything seemed to fall out of place that I pondered about what my career would look like if I would have reenlisted. Let’s see, E7 by now, probably WO or OCS if the cards were dealt that way. This is of course while starving, working as a research assistant full time while getting a biology MS.

Think seriously about it. Don’t let others defer you if you have the fire in the heart. I made it and others have too.
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I know is a very old thread, but just want to say that I did the E7 and the WO route. Hated to be a officer because I felt it was time for me to start my dream. I resigned everything and now at the age of 31 will be starting college. Planning to attend medical school at 34. Wish me luck!
 
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rangerdad said:
I know is a very old thread, but just want to say that I did the E7 and the WO route. Hated to be a officer because I felt it was time for me to start my dream. I resigned everything and now at the age of 31 will be starting college. Planning to attend medical school at 34. Wish me luck!
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The good thing is the E7/WO Route will give you plenty of stuff to talk about when they ask "Do you have any leaderhip experience?'

I'm starting in 2 weeks at 37.
 
CajunMedic said:
The good thing is the E7/WO Route will give you plenty of stuff to talk about when they ask "Do you have any leaderhip experience?'

I'm starting in 2 weeks at 37.
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I hope so!!! I want to focus on my GPA and MCAT so other than DO shadowing, one Summer ER volunteering and maybe some research I won't do ECs. I think my experiences in the military as surgical tech, combat corpsman, field artillery, SFC, and Warrant should be enough for the application. We'll see in 4 yrs!

Good luck, YOU PUMP ME UP!!!
 
rangerdad said:
I hope so!!! I want to focus on my GPA and MCAT so other than DO shadowing, one Summer ER volunteering and maybe some research I won't do ECs. I think my experiences in the military as surgical tech, combat corpsman, field artillery, SFC, and Warrant should be enough for the application. We'll see in 4 yrs!

Good luck, YOU PUMP ME UP!!!
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Thanks!

If you are looking at DO schools, consider LMU-DCOM in Harrogate, TN. They love non-trads with military experience. One of the interview faculty is ex-101st, he wears the mini Air Assault wings and unit patch pins.

It's a long road, but worth it in the end. PM me if you ever need any intel on the process, etc.

Best of luck to you!
 
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