I am 51 yrs old am I to old?

[souter]

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According to a recent AMSA publication, the fail out rate of US med schools is under 1.5%. So failing out isn't really a huge risk no matter what age you start.

I went to a DO school and 15-20% was more representative of my class. My favorite story was the guy who did not even finish orientation. He played golf with one of my buddies Friday afternoon left his clubs in his car and didn’t show up for the first day of class on Monday.

 

[Law2Doc]

I went to a DO school and 15-20% was more representative of my class. My favorite story was the guy who did not even finish orientation. He played golf with one of my buddies Friday afternoon left his clubs in his car and didn’t show up for the first day of class on Monday.

Leaving voluntarilly does not equal failing out.

 

[Law2Doc]

This isn't a debate of the number of people that fail out. I'm just saying that for every older person that could fail out there's at least one younger person who's failed out.

I agree. But am pointing out that failing out isn't really the biggest concern, as very few people do.

 

[souter]

Leaving voluntarilly does not equal failing out.

That was a spot that someone else could have taken and they would be a doctor by now. I have talked to a number of health care workers EMT, RN, RT, PHARM who couldn't make it in to med school because of poor grades and MCAT who would take that spot in a second.

 

[Law2Doc]

That was a spot that someone else could have taken and they would be a doctor by now. I have talked to a number of health care workers EMT, RN, RT, PHARM who couldn't make it in to med school because of poor grades and MCAT who would take that spot in a second.

Then I guess I don't understand your prior anecdotal point (about the one person who failed out). Unless you can show that a large percentage of the 15-20% of people who supposedly dropped out of your school were nontrads, your argument probably cuts the other way.😕

 

[JohnnyOU]

I have two masters already .

No you are not too old. There is a guy in our class who in in his late 50s.

Just go for it. 👍

 

[beetlerum]

2) People like to talk about young people having more stamina and I really don't get how on earth that's possible when so many of the so called "young" people I attend school with are over weight and out of shape. The OP is in that generation of folks that started tht excecise /fitness revolution in this country so why isn't the assumption being made that she DOES have the stamina that probably rivals her younger counterparts?

This is the kind of thing I'm talking about. People in their twenties generally have much more stamina than people in their fifties. Yes, there some rare exceptions and perhaps the OP is a marathon runner in perfect health, but unlikely. Even overweight twentysomethings have much more stamina generally. I think you know that. It's just you're straining to argue that age shouldn't be a factor, that the adcoms should consider a 22 year old and 70 year old on equal footing.

Anyway, enough of this.

 

[1Path]

Even overweight twentysomethings have much more stamina generally. I think you know that. .

Stamina?? WTH???

Are we talking about sex or brains, 'cause even if we are talking about sex, there's always viagra!🙄

 

[beetlerum]

Stamina?? WTH???

Are we talking about sex or brains, 'cause even if we are talking about sex, there's always viagra!🙄

The word stamina is commonly used to refer to things besides sex.

 

[MossPoh]

I want to believe that age is never a concern....but the money factor in it is...I mean God forbid it happens but when you get older your body may not always choose to function the way it did in the past. If you are in perfect health, never had heart problems, etc.....and you are prepared to pay out of your pocket or work quite a few years then go for it. I mean...if it is your idea of an early retirement then I guess it is just a bit different than buying a boat or something. 😉

 

[GoodDoctor]

Many posts are answering a different question than the OP's: "What policy should medical schools have toward admitting 51 yo applicants?" While this may be an interesting cost-benefit analysis, it is not the OP's question. Honestly, if you were in the OP's shoes would you cast your dream aside out of some altruistic desire to leave a spot open for a 22 yr old?

The OP is asking "I am 51 yrs old am I too old?"
This leads to questions like
Q: "Do med schools accept 51 yr old applicants?"
A: Yes

Q: "Is changing careers at my age advisable?"
A: Depends on your situation (finances, health, education, family, etc).
IMO, following your dream usually trumps all else.

When I was rounding 30, I was lamenting the fact that I was "too old" to pursue medicine now that I was in a place where I knew I had the drive and ability to do so. Gosh, I'd be 40 by the time I was done with school and residency. It occured to me that in 10 years I could be either 1) 40 yrs old and a doctor or 2) 40 yrs old and not a doctor. Option 1 sounded a lot more appealing.

It's a personal choice. Age alone does not preclude you from becoming a doctor. Follow your passion so you can love what you do.

 

[BookworMed]

?

One of my classmates is in her 50s and is doing quite well. In general, I think DO schools are more accepting of non-traditional, older students than MD schools. But there are emotional/financial/social concerns - especially the "fish out of 20something water" issues that come up on a daily basis.
But if you really want to become a doctor, and you're prepared to make major sacrifices to do so, write a strong personal statement and apply to lots of schools, incl. plenty of osteo ones. Good luck!
Non-Trad @ UMDNJ-SOM, Class of 2009

 

[gregMD]

at the risk of taking an unpopular view point....

maybe i'm the only one who thinks this, but i think it would be completely irresponsible for medical school (DO, MD or otherwise) to accept a 51 year old person. Its a complete waste of training. The likely hood is that someone who is starting med school at 25 is going to give the profession 25 if not 30 or 35 more years than someone who is 51 (and graduating from residency when they're 60). Hell, you dont start to get good at your job until you've been practicing for 10 years, and that's after completing your residency. Sorry, but admitting a 50 year old to medical school is completely ridiculous. Especially given the fact that there are hundreds of qualified young people who are rejected from med schools every year. Give me a break.

 

[emgirl]

at the risk of taking an unpopular view point....

maybe i'm the only one who thinks this, but i think it would be completely irresponsible for medical school (DO, MD or otherwise) to accept a 51 year old person. Its a complete waste of training. The likely hood is that someone who is starting med school at 25 is going to give the profession 25 if not 30 or 35 more years than someone who is 51 (and graduating from residency when they're 60). Hell, you dont start to get good at your job until you've been practicing for 10 years, and that's after completing your residency. Sorry, but admitting a 50 year old to medical school is completely ridiculous. Especially given the fact that there are hundreds of qualified young people who are rejected from med schools every year. Give me a break.

Agreed. The rest of this, go for your dream, age discrimination babble is just overly PC nonsense. Medicine is NOT an equal opportunity employer in the strictest sense- many med schools have statements on their websites that they will not accept you if you can't carry out the motor/physical/sensory tasks being a doctor requires, so someone that is blind can be rejected FOR BEING BLIND. They could be perf smart but if they can't fulfill the physical requirements of being a doc, they can be rejected. I'm not saying the OP can't physically handle it- there are lots of 50yos in great shape. But med schools don't have to just accept anyone that is qualified. They have social obligations to consider how who they are taking will affect society and serve society's needs. Taking a qualified 51+ year old when there are thousands of qualified 20-40 year olds out there for that spot is IRRESPONSIBLE and a waste of training and resources. Don't think that your tuition is the only thing paying for your training. Lots of med schools and residency programs are subsidized by the govt, which means we all have a stake in how many doctors are practicing in our country. I do not want my tax $ to subsidize training for a person that will likely only practice several years before dying or becoming physically unable to work. And don't claim this person could practice until they are 80 or 90. The likelihood of that happening is astronomically low. I'm sorry but this person just missed the boat. If this was truly your dream, you would have made it happen earlier in life (and I'm not saying you had to do it when you were 21...but come on at 51 you are just starting to think about pursuing your dream occupation?). Society shouldn't have to pay for your dream, you should have taken ownership of it alot earlier in life.

 

[1Path]

Society shouldn't have to pay for your dream, you should have taken ownership of it alot earlier in life.

Wow! What a display of arrogance, ignorace, greed. This coming from a generation that smokes more, eats more, and excercises LESS than any other in the history of the US.🙄 At the rate your generation is going, you'll be dead or disabled before the 51 year old medical student finishes her residency.🙄

Well I say if you can dish it out then surely you can take it. So when you end up a diabetic lung cancer victum at 35, have your cyanide pill ready to ingest so that SOCIETY won't have to pay for the drain YOU and YOUR generation will surely make on whatever healthcare situation exists in the future.👍

It seems to me that you guys must have parents that have seriously not taken care of themselves or else why would age/stamina/fitness be such an issue?

 

[gregMD]

Wow! What a display of arrogance, ignorace, greed. This coming from a generation that smokes more, eats more, and excercises LESS than any other in the history of the US.🙄 At the rate your generation is going, you'll be dead or disabled before the 51 year old medical student finishes her residency.🙄

Well I say if you can dish it out then surely you can take it. So when you end up a diabetic lung cancer victum at 35, have your cyanide pill ready to ingest so that SOCIETY won't have to pay for the drain YOU and YOUR generation will surely make on whatever healthcare situation exists in the future.👍

It seems to me that you guys must have parents that have seriously not taken care of themselves or else why would age/stamina/fitness be such an issue?

Age/Stamina/Fitness is not the issue. I really dont care if a 51 year old could run 3 marathons in a day - i still think they shouldn't be admitted to medical school. Like i said before, i firmly believe that the seat a 51 year old would take would be better served by putting a 20 year old in, because in the long term, he/she is more likely to be a productive, contributing member to the field. Not to say that a 51 year old wouldn't, but the 20 year old is likely going to give many more years to patients and health care than the graduating 60 year old doctor.

 

[1Path]

Not to say that a 51 year old wouldn't, but the 20 year old is likely going to give many more years to patients and health care than the graduating 60 year old doctor.

The 20 year old is FAR more likely to not only be going into medicine for the WRONG reasons for example, Mommy or Daddy is a MD and/or PhD, I wanna be rich, I'm making up for being a short dude, ect, but when they finish, to end up in a field for the money and wealthy patient base, ie derm or plastic surgery.

So in the end who is more likely to contribute to the overall health of society, the 50 year old who is much more likely to go into one of the primary care fields, or the 20 year old who does boob jobs all day?😕

 

[Law2Doc]

The 20 year old is FAR more likely to not only be going into medicine for the WRONG reasons for example, Mommy or Daddy is a MD and/or PhD, I wanna be rich, I'm making up for being a short dude, ect, but when they finish, to end up in a field for the money and wealthy patient base, ie derm or plastic surgery.

There are quite a few live threads on the pre-allo board which are certainly suggestive of this.

 

[gregMD]

The 20 year old is FAR more likely to not only be going into medicine for the WRONG reasons for example, Mommy or Daddy is a MD and/or PhD, I wanna be rich, I'm making up for being a short dude, ect, but when they finish, to end up in a field for the money and wealthy patient base, ie derm or plastic surgery.

So in the end who is more likely to contribute to the overall health of society, the 50 year old who is much more likely to go into one of the primary care fields, or the 20 year old who does boob jobs all day?😕

I would say that these people are in the minority. Given that the vast majority of people do not go into these specialties (whether its because they dont want to, or because they cannot due to the highly competitive nature of these specialties), i would say that this argument is defunct.

Further, to say that 51 year old's intentions are more genuine than the average 20 year olds is ridiculous. Why didn't this person apply to medical school in the beginning? Why didn't this person apply to medical school when they were 30 or 40? I would say that their intentions at this point are highly questionable. If anything, i'd say that the 20 year old is more committed to the field given that they likely will not have the benefit of applying as a mature student, and will have their GPA, MCAT and EC's held to a higher degree of scrutiny than those of a mature student. I think its safe to say that these students have to work extremely hard to get into medical school, and that's not something you do if you' dont truly want to be there (this isn't to say that mature students dont have to work hard).

 

[gregMD]

The 20 year old is FAR more likely to not only be going into medicine for the WRONG reasons for example, Mommy or Daddy is a MD and/or PhD, I wanna be rich, I'm making up for being a short dude, ect, but when they finish, to end up in a field for the money and wealthy patient base, ie derm or plastic surgery.

So in the end who is more likely to contribute to the overall health of society, the 50 year old who is much more likely to go into one of the primary care fields, or the 20 year old who does boob jobs all day?😕

incidentally, i also take issue with the fact that you're insinuating that plastics and derm dont offer significant services to the community. Obviously the scope of plastic surgery is well beyond that of breast augmentations and cosmetic procedures. Although cosmetics may constitute a portion of these peoples practices, they do much more than just lipo and breast implants. For example, mastectomy reconstruction would be done by a plastic surgeon, congenital disfigurement repairs, re-attachment of severed digits, burn repairs.... Just to name a few.

 

[Law2Doc]

Further, to say that 51 year old's intentions are more genuine than the average 20 year olds is ridiculous. Why didn't this person apply to medical school in the beginning? Why didn't this person apply to medical school when they were 30 or 40? I would say that their intentions at this point are highly questionable. If anything, i'd say that the 20 year old is more committed to the field given that they likely will not have the benefit of applying as a mature student, and will have their GPA, MCAT and EC's held to a higher degree of scrutiny than those of a mature student. I think its safe to say that these students have to work extremely hard to get into medical school, and that's not something you do if you' dont truly want to be there (this isn't to say that mature students dont have to work hard).

Both you guys are taking the extremes, but real life is often in the middle. There are a ton of very committed 20 year olds, and many are extraordinarilly mature. But a lot of them were already on the path to premed as a teenager, and most haven't really seen a lot of other options, so the thought process in deciding a career and the degree of soul searching involved is going to be understandably different. Older nontrads tend to have been exposed to more and hopefully have thought through this kind of decision more, before uprooting their likely already established lives. Many people are foolish and ill-equipped to make career decisions at 17 -- I know I was.
People pull the trigger on a change at different times, and there are lots of unplanned non-career things that can happen in peoples lives (esp. family and health issues), so it might not be reasonable to read much in the level of committment based on whether someone is making the jump at 30 versus 50.
At any rate this is an interesting debate. But nontrads, even older ones, are seeing greater acceptance every year, and are likely here to stay.

 

[TrumpsMom]

As a 55 year old 3rd year medical student who has traversed many murky waters on my venture through medical school, I say that if someone truly wants and has that burning desire to be a doctor, they should definitely try to do so. As others have already said, you will be the same age in about 6 years, whether you go to medical school or don't. . . and if you really have the desire to become a physician, you won't let your age stand in your way.

As to the comments regarding your classmates ridiculing you, that may be true in some cases. However, out of the majority of my class, I can only think of 1 or 2 who may have felt I shouldn't be there. Almost all of the younger students were very supportive, and some even said they got a lot of encouragement when they were feeling overly tired by seeing that I was able to complete the task at hand.

As to medical issues affecting older students, of course that's a possibility. I know I've had my share. . . but they haven't stopped me yet! And anyone, regardless of age, can have a medical problem. Whether its a new diagnosis of a condition, or possibly an accident that has incapacitated them; there is no saying that an older student won't make it through just as easily as a younger student would due to such issues.

Long work hours. . . you bet they are. During school, you spend a great deal of time studying. During rotations, you may spend what seems to be an interminable amount of time on your feet working. But, somehow, when you need to do it, you just do. . . especially if it's something you seriously want to be doing. As a matter of fact, during my first internal medicine rotation, my attending was going to be gone for a few days and said I could take the time away from the hospital if I wanted. But, unlike my colleague, I told him I would be there every day to check on MY patients. This is a very important journey to me and I love every minute of it! My colleague, who is about 28 years younger than me, said I was simply 'anal' not to take the time off. I told her that if that meant I cared about my patients, she was right. And I won't ever change that!

Anyway, to the OP, you are NEVER too old unless you think you are. Go for your dream with all your gusto and let the naysayers fall by the wayside!

 

[MossPoh]

As a 55 year old 3rd year medical student who has traversed many murky waters on my venture through medical school, I say that if someone truly wants and has that burning desire to be a doctor, they should definitely try to do so. As others have already said, you will be the same age in about 6 years, whether you go to medical school or don't. . . and if you really have the desire to become a physician, you won't let your age stand in your way.

As to the comments regarding your classmates ridiculing you, that may be true in some cases. However, out of the majority of my class, I can only think of 1 or 2 who may have felt I shouldn't be there. Almost all of the younger students were very supportive, and some even said they got a lot of encouragement when they were feeling overly tired by seeing that I was able to complete the task at hand.

As to medical issues affecting older students, of course that's a possibility. I know I've had my share. . . but they haven't stopped me yet! And anyone, regardless of age, can have a medical problem. Whether its a new diagnosis of a condition, or possibly an accident that has incapacitated them; there is no saying that an older student won't make it through just as easily as a younger student would due to such issues.

Long work hours. . . you bet they are. During school, you spend a great deal of time studying. During rotations, you may spend what seems to be an interminable amount of time on your feet working. But, somehow, when you need to do it, you just do. . . especially if it's something you seriously want to be doing. As a matter of fact, during my first internal medicine rotation, my attending was going to be gone for a few days and said I could take the time away from the hospital if I wanted. But, unlike my colleague, I told him I would be there every day to check on MY patients. This is a very important journey to me and I love every minute of it! My colleague, who is about 28 years younger than me, said I was simply 'anal' not to take the time off. I told her that if that meant I cared about my patients, she was right. And I won't ever change that!

Anyway, to the OP, you are NEVER too old unless you think you are. Go for your dream with all your gusto and let the naysayers fall by the wayside!

I would defintley respect the older students...and honestly the never living a life regretting something is a philosphy I try to follow...but damn it is hard after a certain point.Of course the schooling and residency seems like an eternity when you are younger...so I think we (the younger students) have a perspective of time that makes things kind of difficult to even fathom starting so late.

 

[1Path]

incidentally, i also take issue with the fact that you're insinuating that plastics and derm dont offer significant services to the community.

Now I KNEW someone was going to bring up the mastectomy as soon as I mentioned boobs.🙄

My generation grew up with Quincy MD as our "role model" physician. YOUR generation is all about Dr.90210. Speaking of Dr.90210, has he done any breast reconstruction after mastectomy lately?😕

Dr.90210........... I think that just about says it for YOUR generation!

@Trumps Mom, best of luck to you as you finish med school!

 

[Law2Doc]

Speaking of Dr.90210, has he done any breast reconstruction after mastectomy lately?😕

There actually is no one "Dr. 90210". The show follows the lives and practices of a half dozen surgeons (not all male). I think you probably mean Dr. Rey.😀

 

[Pharos]

I would defintley respect the older students...and honestly the never living a life regretting something is a philosphy I try to follow...but damn it is hard after a certain point.Of course the schooling and residency seems like an eternity when you are younger...so I think we (the younger students) have a perspective of time that makes things kind of difficult to even fathom starting so late.

I think you'll find with that most people, around their late 20's/early 30's, time seems to take on a bigger perspective and your outlook becomes a little different. (When you are younger, as in early 20's, your time-window seems to be smaller. Five years seems like a lifetime. As you get a little older, this window widens and 10-15 years seems like a long time). This difference can change your perspective somewhat and make you more willing to take on bigger challenges later in life. When you are young, you just want to get on with life and are in a hurry to get moving and make progress. Most of the older folks have been there and done that already. Their urgency changes...the endeavor becomes as much about the journey as the final destination.

 

[IckeyShuffle]

in the words of bradd pitt from fight club....
too old

 

[mmmkay121]

The 20 year old is FAR more likely to not only be going into medicine for the WRONG reasons for example, Mommy or Daddy is a MD and/or PhD, I wanna be rich, I'm making up for being a short dude, ect, but when they finish, to end up in a field for the money and wealthy patient base, ie derm or plastic surgery.

I don't understand your argument 😕

Each year, there is a set amount of spots available in those specialties you listed. Regardless of who applies and what their intentions are, these spots will be filled up.

Also, are you somehow implying 50 year old premeds are going into medicine for better reasons than 20 year old premeds? Where do you come up with this stuff? 🙄 This is pretty offensive. Imagine if a 20 year premed said the converse to you; you'd get pretty mad.

 

[1Path]

I don't understand your argument 😕 .

Well perhaps you're not old enough to understand. Check back in about 10 years.😉

Also, are you somehow implying 50 year old premeds are going into medicine for better reasons than 20 year old premeds? Where do you come up with this stuff? 🙄 This is pretty offensive. Imagine if a 20 year premed said the converse to you; you'd get pretty mad.

Where do I come up with this stuff? It's called DATA. Or you can breeze on by old premeds and do a survey of the specialities folks there go into. Better yet, look into WHY folks there go into medicine. I seriously doubt you'd find 3 threads in the HISTORY of that site that makes any strong references to physician compensation.

And actually I don't mad at much, especialy the ramblings of folks whose first job with "real" benefits will come they're in residency. The beauty of "aging" is that the older you get, the less you care other the insecurities of others.

 

[Law2Doc]

in the words of bradd pitt from fight club....
too old

Except that in that movie he was the figment of someone's imagination, and a crazy one at that. The main character didn't listen to him, so neither should we.🙂

 

[beetlerum]

Where do I come up with this stuff? It's called DATA.

Great, you must have data. Please provide.

Or you can breeze on by old premeds and do a survey of the specialities folks there go into. Better yet, look into WHY folks there go into medicine. I seriously doubt you'd find 3 threads in the HISTORY of that site that makes any strong references to physician compensation.

Again, this data would be interesting. Please provide this data on specialty by age of matriculation.

 

[DebDynamite]

Dear OP,
Honestly only you can answer this question. If you are pretty sure that in your golden years you will regret it deeply if you don't do it, then you have your answer there. When I was 28 I freaked out because I started to feel that I was "missing my chance" to be a doctor, I ended up matriculating at 30. Nothing at that time could have stopped me from trying, once I made up my mind. Now I often look back at that window between 23 & 29 and think of all of the other things I could have done instead. But I had, as the admissions director at my med school stated, "the fire in the belly"- ie the drive to knock it out and get through it all . Do you have the fire in your belly? If not it can be one long and painful process.

You should also be prepared to make personal sacrifices along the way. You cannot get through medical school and do all of the following easily: keep your house clean, workout and cook for yourself daily, plant a garden, read novels, sleep 6-8 hrs nightly, spend quality time with your family and friends daily. You will miss a lot of birthday parties, late night get togethers, etc. That's just how it goes. Even if you do as I did and maintain relative balance by doing most of the above (and skipping class) during your first 2 years, your junior year will sometimes demand inordinately large chunks of time. Residency & beyond I haven't experienced yet.

So, are you too old? Maybe, maybe not. Personally I would not do it at 35 knowing what I do now (having gone through 3 years of it), but that is a personal thing. Hindsight is 20/20. Having made this statement, I don't particularly regret it either. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Pembleton]

Both you guys are taking the extremes, but real life is often in the middle. There are a ton of very committed 20 year olds, and many are extraordinarilly mature. But a lot of them were already on the path to premed as a teenager, and most haven't really seen a lot of other options, so the thought process in deciding a career and the degree of soul searching involved is going to be understandably different. Older nontrads tend to have been exposed to more and hopefully have thought through this kind of decision more, before uprooting their likely already established lives. Many people are foolish and ill-equipped to make career decisions at 17 -- I know I was.
People pull the trigger on a change at different times, and there are lots of unplanned non-career things that can happen in peoples lives (esp. family and health issues), so it might not be reasonable to read much in the level of committment based on whether someone is making the jump at 30 versus 50.
At any rate this is an interesting debate. But nontrads, even older ones, are seeing greater acceptance every year, and are likely here to stay.

The voice of wisdom...

 

[kemper]

Only you can answer that question. Why would you ask a question like that? Do you think we can answer that question when we know nothing about you except how long you've been on this Earth. You may not be too old, but I question your maturity.

 

[thirdunity]

Even if it's "too late" by the time you die you'll be able to say "well I at least TRIED to be a doctor"

Even if you dropped dead or had to quit in your first year of med school wouldn't you rather be a dead or ex med student than a bitter old man or woman telling people, "I really wanted to be a doctor..."

 

[shane_doc]

To the OP: If you are willing to make the sacrifice (money,time, personal) then rock the MCAT and go for it. Like other posters have said be ready to answer questions about your age. Some of the posters have been very rude in their comments but be prepared to hear rude things. The medical community is not as "PC" as you think esp behind closed doors.

My motto for med school is "no regrets." I've seen classmates go into psychiatry only because they wanted a family friendly career. I would love to speak to them in 10 years to see if they are really happy. Take the road less traveled. You only live once and you decide how useful you are to society.

 

[beetlerum]

To the OP: If you are willing to make the sacrifice (money,time, personal) then rock the MCAT and go for it. Like other posters have said be ready to answer questions about your age. Some of the posters have been very rude in their comments but be prepared to hear rude things. The medical community is not as "PC" as you think esp behind closed doors.

I don't know about the medical community, but SDN is unbelievably PC. I actually don't think anyone was really rude. Some people gave honest opinions rather than the typical SDN unconditionally supportive blather.

My motto for med school is "no regrets." I've seen classmates go into psychiatry only because they wanted a family friendly career. I would love to speak to them in 10 years to see if they are really happy. Take the road less traveled. You only live once and you decide how useful you are to society.

How is a no regrets philosophy useful for making decisions? Every option has regrets. If you pick the field you want most, regardless of effect on families, you are just making a different type of sacrifice--family instead of professional. You are probably not going to have options that involve no regret, just different potential ways to have regret. And since people are much more likely to regret spending too little time with family rather than too much, it's probably best to err on the side of preferring family when uncertain.

 

[shane_doc]

Beetlerum, IMHO some of the posters comments were rude. Some people even prefaced their comments with "I know this is not PC" so to speak. Telling a 51yo that we know nothing about that her medical education would be a waste of taxpayer money or that a younger person could contribute more to society. That was rude, but the OP will face this when she applies.

I also said the medical community (NOT the SDN community) is not as PC as one would like to think esp behind closed doors. No offense to you or any other posters but many members of the SDN community have not actually attended medical school or a residency program. I don't know you, maybe you have attended medical school. Those of us who have will tell you that you will run across SOME people who could give a rat's a** about being PC. Call it being old school, part of the good ole boy's club, but this woman is going to face age discrimination from men and women. I went to medical school with older classmates (over 35yo) who were "heavily discouraged" from going into fields like surgery. These classmates were hardworkers and had the grades and board scores, but they were older. This is MY experience.

Like I said in my previous post, live life so you have no (or minimal) regrets. If you chosse a field solely on one thing whether it be what your parents want, how much money you wll make, how much time you will be able to spend with your kids, I predict that 10 years down the line you will regret it. The person I spoke of wanted to do OB but when she became pregnant changed to psychiatry because she felt it was more family friendly. She had a passion for OB, not for psych. It would have been harder to juggle a family with an OB schedule but she will never know because she never tried. There is also no gaurantee that she will be happy which could translant into an unhappy family. That is my opinion. Finish the statement: "opinions are like dinguses...."

 

[beetlerum]

Like I said in my previous post, live life so you have no (or minimal) regrets. If you chosse a field solely on one thing whether it be what your parents want, how much money you wll make, how much time you will be able to spend with your kids, I predict that 10 years down the line you will regret it. The person I spoke of wanted to do OB but when she became pregnant changed to psychiatry because she felt it was more family friendly. She had a passion for OB, not for psych. It would have been harder to juggle a family with an OB schedule but she will never know because she never tried. There is also no gaurantee that she will be happy which could translant into an unhappy family. That is my opinion. Finish the statement: "opinions are like dinguses...."

My point was just that choosing OB because of her passion could lead to regrets just as much as choosing psych to have more time for a family.

But the point is well taken that the med world is not very PC. For me, personally, that's a plus. I don't think, for example, it makes sense to pretend that a 35 year old is in the same situation as a 25 year old regarding fields like surgery, though I agree that automatic discouragement is a little harsh.

 

[dlinks]

the only way we ever get too old to something is when we're too old to live... 😀

so live life and go for it... who cares if you're 151 years old? 😀 😉

 

[R.P. McMurphy]

This is a topic that always interests me. I truely admire those who decide to pursue medicine later in life, because quite frankly it's crazy. But I can't say I agree with it.

I agree with gregmd. I keep hearing about "personal accomplishments" and "not letting anything keep you back from achieving your dreams" but these seem like very selfish reasons for becoming a doctor, especially knowing that there is a very good chance you will be able to practice and contribute to society for a significantly smaller amount of time. I can't say I think it's right to turn down a young person, struggling with fact that he or she has no money at that time and knows how hard this career is, who is truely dedicated to a lifelong career in medicine, in favor of a much older applicant. Being a doctor is not so much about your personal accomplishments, it's about serving others and society.

Being a doctor is not just about what you learn in med school - it's about experience. How much experience can a 60 year old new doctor build before health issues become a problem? Before he/she is just too tired?

I guess what bugs me is the "personal accomplishments" excuse. There are TONS of ways that older applicants can help people in this world other than going to med school at age 51, so I guess I don't really understand how using the "helping others" line can really work either. To me, it just boils down to plain old inefficiency.

With that being said though, discrimination is discrimination and it's just not allowed in this country. And if I do get the chance to meet a 51 year old med student, I will be the first to congratulate him 🙂

 

[notdeadyet]

Now would be a good point for many of you to print out a copy of what you've written on this thread, print it out, put it in an envelope and file it away.

When you turn 51, open it again and read it. You'll have a great laugh...

 

[lpressley130]

As a 55 year old 3rd year medical student who has traversed many murky waters on my venture through medical school, I say that if someone truly wants and has that burning desire to be a doctor, they should definitely try to do so. As others have already said, you will be the same age in about 6 years, whether you go to medical school or don't. . . and if you really have the desire to become a physician, you won't let your age stand in your way.

As to the comments regarding your classmates ridiculing you, that may be true in some cases. However, out of the majority of my class, I can only think of 1 or 2 who may have felt I shouldn't be there. Almost all of the younger students were very supportive, and some even said they got a lot of encouragement when they were feeling overly tired by seeing that I was able to complete the task at hand.

As to medical issues affecting older students, of course that's a possibility. I know I've had my share. . . but they haven't stopped me yet! And anyone, regardless of age, can have a medical problem. Whether its a new diagnosis of a condition, or possibly an accident that has incapacitated them; there is no saying that an older student won't make it through just as easily as a younger student would due to such issues.

Long work hours. . . you bet they are. During school, you spend a great deal of time studying. During rotations, you may spend what seems to be an interminable amount of time on your feet working. But, somehow, when you need to do it, you just do. . . especially if it's something you seriously want to be doing. As a matter of fact, during my first internal medicine rotation, my attending was going to be gone for a few days and said I could take the time away from the hospital if I wanted. But, unlike my colleague, I told him I would be there every day to check on MY patients. This is a very important journey to me and I love every minute of it! My colleague, who is about 28 years younger than me, said I was simply 'anal' not to take the time off. I told her that if that meant I cared about my patients, she was right. And I won't ever change that!

Anyway, to the OP, you are NEVER too old unless you think you are. Go for your dream with all your gusto and let the naysayers fall by the wayside!

Great post and good luck to you!

 

[thirdunity]

I can't say I think it's right to turn down a young person, struggling with fact that he or she has no money at that time and knows how hard this career is, who is truely dedicated to a lifelong career in medicine, in favor of a much older applicant.

But if we get rid of the amount of 20something med students who are in it because "my dad is a doctor" and haven't really given it any thought, there should be enough room for both the serious 20somethings and the serious 50somethings.

 

[R.P. McMurphy]

But if we get rid of the amount of 20something med students who are in it because "my dad is a doctor" and haven't really given it any thought, there should be enough room for both the serious 20somethings and the serious 50somethings.

You have a choice between two doctors. Both are 60 years old.

Doctor A went into medicine because his dad was a doctor. He is a certified physician with 30+ years experience.

Doctor B went into medicine at age 51 to fulfill a life-long dream of becoming a physician. He is also a certified physician, but only has 1 or 2 years experience.

Which would you chose?

 

[randomedstudent]

Yes you are in my opinion.

Agreed. Without knowing your whole story, I would say that 51 is too old to be thinking about entering medical school. The reason I say this has nothing to do with stamina, brain power, etc. and everything to do with money. The average med student graduates with over $100,000 in debt and many have over $200,000, which they usually take 20-30 years to pay back. If you were to get in now and start next year at age 52, you would graduate at 56, then finish residency by age 59 at the earliest. So I just don't see how it would make sense financially. That said, if you are already independently wealthy and have enough savings to afford tuition and living expenses then perhaps it would be doable, although if you had that kind of money why on earth would you be thinking about going to med school in the first place, go and enjoy your riches. The other major factor is residency and work hours. You must be honest with yourself and realize you will likely be working 80+ hours a week (with a few exceptions of derm, path, PMR), and decide whether this is how you want to spend 3-5 years of your life after just finishing the 4 somewhat grueling years of med school. So, bottomline, if it were me, heck no, I would not start med school at 51.

 

[1Path]

Doctor A went into medicine because his dad was a doctor. He is a certified physician with 30+ years experience.

Doctor B went into medicine at age 51 to fulfill a life-long dream of becoming a physician. He is also a certified physician, but only has 1 or 2 years experience.

Which would you chose?

Perhpas a better question is when was the last time anyone asked their doctor how much experience they had, especially in an emergency?

How about this for a question.

Dcotor A is 32 and has been practicing for 5 years.

Doctor B is 62 and has been practicing for 5 years.

Which one would you choose?

I come from the "youth is wasted on the young" school of thought, so I'm going to choose life experience + an MD over the alternative.

 

[R.P. McMurphy]

Perhpas a better question is when was the last time anyone asked their doctor how much experience they had, especially in an emergency?

Ok take a look at this question again, because I think your line of thought is just ridiculous (no offense) You are basically making an argument that ignorance is bliss.

So if I am about to die and I go to a quack who doesn't know a thing about how to treat, say, a gsw; is this ok just because I don't know the difference? Is it ok to have lesser qualified doctors caring for our citizens just because we don't know the difference? Of COURSE it's not.

You can argue all you want, but in general experience is what counts, and more experienced doctors will have more benefits to society than inexperienced.

 

[R.P. McMurphy]

Dcotor A is 32 and has been practicing for 5 years.

Doctor B is 62 and has been practicing for 5 years.

Which one would you choose?

I come from the "youth is wasted on the young" school of thought, so I'm going to choose life experience + an MD over the alternative.

I think you were missing my point. I am trying to make the argument that doctor B, dispite being less "life experienced" at that time, will eventually have all the life experience he needs WHILE having treated and helping hundreds, possibly thousands of more people. I'm just trying to look at this on a grander scale.

But sure, I will agree that in that particular instant, with all else equal, I would take the older doctor with more world experience, although this still isn't really hitting on my point.

 

[Pharos]

You have a choice between two doctors. Both are 60 years old.

Doctor A went into medicine because his dad was a doctor. He is a certified physician with 30+ years experience.

Doctor B went into medicine at age 51 to fulfill a life-long dream of becoming a physician. He is also a certified physician, but only has 1 or 2 years experience.

Which would you chose?

Which ever was the better physician - experience doesn't always = better.