I had the bona fides, but not enough. It's ageism. I'm done.

  • Thread starter Thread starter deleted967857
  • Start date Start date
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
D

deleted967857

Members do not see this ad.
Applied to 8 DO schools. All rejections pre II. 509, 3.85 sgpa, 3.52 cgpa. 40 yo. My journey to applying not typical. Schools just want cookie cutter applicants, the rest is bs. Sorry I listened Mr G several years ago. Bona fides mean nothing if you are old.
 
I was in my 40s when I graduated medical school and I wasn't even the oldest in my class. If you got 8 rejections pre II then there has to be something missing or bad in your application, because schools love to take your money for secondaries. If you're serious about medicine then I'd take another look at your application. Still plenty of time before the next application cycle.
 
What are your EC's? What other things have been going on besides your GPA?

You just have solid stats and if you don't have any volunteer/clinical hours then that may be your issue. Its no reason to throw the whole app away. You've worked hard.
 
I know someone who is a 1st year medical student at age 49. So age really isn't a factor. He goes to Incarnate Word, but the majority of medical schools will accept older students (average - 10% are 30+). Your age should have nothing to do with it.

If you got all rejections with those stats, this tells me there is an issue with your ECs (or lack of), LORs, and/or your personal statement and activity descriptions.

That being said, you should really apply more broadly next cycle, as 8 schools seems like a low number to me. I have seen even top tier students to apply to more schools. You just really need to do your research and not just apply more broadly, but find schools that will be a very good fit.

You should also follow-up on your rejections for feedback. I read on here that one student followed up on a rejection that turned into an interview that turned into an acceptance. And even if that does not happen, if the schools are willing, they can tell you what was the issue with your application in order to improve for next cycle.
 
Last edited:
600 hours clinical exp, DO shadowing, 250 non clinical volunteering. 3 great letters. To not even get interviews...My essay wasn't the best, but no red flags.
 
ohwellbye said:
Applied to 8 DO schools. All rejections pre II. 509, 3.85 sgpa, 3.52 cgpa. 40 yo. My journey to applying not typical. Schools just want cookie cutter applicants, the rest is bs. Sorry I listened Mr G several years ago. Bona fides mean nothing if you are old.
Click to expand...
My school has accepted people >40 and the record I think is 53. We've found that some of our all-time best students are in their 30s and 40s. I graduated a stellar one a few years ago at age 50, and she's an attending now.

If you're having poor luck with DO schools, you probably have a lethal LOR.
 
I think most schools love older non-traditional students because they provide different experiences. However, being old is not an advantage in and of itself. You kind of have to have accomplished things commensurate to your age. If you have the same resume more or less as a 22 year old and don't bring anything new to the table, yeah the 22 year old has more upside because their trajectory is higher.

Sorry OP feels this way, I think this post is more to vent than anything else. Not much anyone can do to change your mind if you're already settled on it. I just want to say that in my experience med schools do not discriminate on age alone, but they do expect accomplishments and experiences to be proportional to your age.
 
ohwellbye said:
Applied to 8 DO schools. All rejections pre II. 509, 3.85 sgpa, 3.52 cgpa. 40 yo. My journey to applying not typical. Schools just want cookie cutter applicants, the rest is bs. Sorry I listened Mr G several years ago. Bona fides mean nothing if you are old.
Click to expand...
Yea I agree with the above, I mean seriously 8? big whoop. I did cancel interviews once I got my A, but I applied 15 DO schools 15 MD, and only got 1 A. And that was with a decent # of interviews. Once you have acceptable stats it’s just a numbers game and you didn’t play it, aka no pity from me.
 
First off, putting that much time into something and coming up short sucks. Sorry this happened to you.

I'll echo what others said with the numbers. I applied in my early 30s (ended up as the oldest person in my class). Stats were ~220 and 3.89. I applied to 15 schools and only ended up with one A. I grossly underestimated the numbers game. I assumed I would be choosing among cities to decide where I was going to train. Nuh uh...I took what I got.

If you can muster it, you might try one more time, but go all in, broaden your scope, and apply to a lot more schools than 8.
 
ohwellbye said:
Applied to 8 DO schools. All rejections pre II. 509, 3.85 sgpa, 3.52 cgpa. 40 yo. My journey to applying not typical. Schools just want cookie cutter applicants, the rest is bs. Sorry I listened Mr G several years ago. Bona fides mean nothing if you are old.
Click to expand...
We must assume you only applied to 8 DO schools because you would not have attended any of the remaining 34 if having received an A. We don't know that list of 8 so we cannot infer whether or not you went upper tier, lower tier, or balanced with this bunch. Surely you have good reasons to feel your age is the culprit. However based on the limited information you've shared, things may have turned out differently if you were willing to attend more schools and decided to apply to them.

There's still time by the way. A few clicks in AACOMAS and some time writing essays may yet make you a doctor.
 
Jeez, this is a terrifying post. I'll be applying at age 43 next spring. Certainly hope med schools will give me a look. sGPA 4.0, cGPA 3.7. Only 2 lab prereqs left to complete. No MCAT yet, but half-diag (for whatever that's worth) was 507 and I have 5 months to study. Also have 10k+ hours of clinical experience as an RN & NP, 300 hrs research, 250 hrs volunteering. One negative academic mark--an IA from 21 years ago that resulted in an F in a class. Planning to apply to ~35-40 schools, MD & DO.
 
samc said:
Also, just to give some perspective on the numbers--I applied to 27 schools my unsuccessful cycle, then 41 my successful cycle. So (nothing personal) 8 is nowhere near enough. Give it a shot with a healthy, i.e., very large, number of schools.
Click to expand...
Same, same. I applied 15 schools first cycle. Got 2 ii's and no acceptances. Next cycle I applied to 35 schools. 10 ii's and 9 acceptances. Ended up going to a top 20 school at age of 40. You need to apply broadly.

Sn00pygrrl said:
Jeez, this is a terrifying post. I'll be applying at age 43 next spring. Certainly hope med schools will give me a look. sGPA 4.0, cGPA 3.7. Only 2 lab prereqs left to complete. No MCAT yet, but half-diag (for whatever that's worth) was 507 and I have 5 months to study. Also have 10k+ hours of clinical experience as an RN & NP, 300 hrs research, 250 hrs volunteering. One negative academic mark--an IA from 21 years ago that resulted in an F in a class. Planning to apply to ~35-40 schools, MD & DO.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't worry. Think you'll do just fine.
 
Adding to the pile: 8 is not enough. I applied to 30+ my first time around, 2 II no A. 30+ my second time around, 8 II and 4 A. I’m in my mid 30s
 
8 do and 20 md. 2 interviews. 1 rejection and probably another one soon too. 1 brought up what took so long to apply...I mean Mr, why this bias against non traditional folks? All those years working hard only to be denied bc I'm not cookie cutter? Beyond sad.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
There is no guarantee a mid 20s applicant will not become a vitamin/supplement huckster and the practice of medicine will not be their priority. What saves my sanity is knowing that intellectually I run circles around 80% of traditional students and can do well in anything else I might try. But it still sucks.
 
One of my classmates is in their 60s.

One thing could be the recency of your coursework. You can have decent grades, but if the last coursework was >5 years ago, that will hurt you, not the fact that you are an older applicant. If all you did recently was just decide to study for the MCAT (on which you got an average grade), it may not sit well with someone reviewing your app if you haven't done anything academic recently.

With age comes wisdom, and as an older applicant, I'd expect you to have a great personal statement explaining "why medicine?", especially if you are in your 40s. You said your essays may not have been great. Well--you may have done a poor job explaining why the mid-life change. The age isn't hurting you, but a lack of clarity or vision can hurt you.

I'd encourage you to not give up, but it's absolutely something to reflect on whether or not you truly want to go down this path.
 
ohwellbye said:
8 do and 20 md. 2 interviews. 1 rejection and probably another one soon too. 1 brought up what took so long to apply...I mean Mr, why this bias against non traditional folks? All those years working hard only to be denied bc I'm not cookie cutter? Beyond sad.
Click to expand...

How does one asking why you decided to apply to medical school at this point in your life insinuate a bias against non trads? How do you know for a fact that you were denied for not being cookie cutter? Why would these schools even interview you if your age was the reason they weren't going to accept you?

ohwellbye said:
There is no guarantee a mid 20s applicant will not become a vitamin/supplement huckster and the practice of medicine will not be their priority. What saves my sanity is knowing that intellectually I run circles around 80% of traditional students and can do well in anything else I might try. But it still sucks.
Click to expand...

All of this sounds like you are refusing to look at your application objectively and are deflecting this onto others being ageist as an excuse to not take responsibility for your actions.

Also, is how you talk in this thread any indication of how you spoke in your essays and interviews?
 
ohwellbye said:
8 do and 20 md. 2 interviews. 1 rejection and probably another one soon too. 1 brought up what took so long to apply...I mean Mr, why this bias against non traditional folks? All those years working hard only to be denied bc I'm not cookie cutter? Beyond sad.
Click to expand...
Still blaming your age? I suggest you look at your essays and your interview skills. AND BTW, 60% of applicants never get in and the majority that do have only a single accept.
ohwellbye said:
There is no guarantee a mid 20s applicant will not become a vitamin/supplement huckster and the practice of medicine will not be their priority. What saves my sanity is knowing that intellectually I run circles around 80% of traditional students and can do well in anything else I might try. But it still sucks.
Click to expand...
If that makes you feel better, run with it.
 
Sn00pygrrl said:
Just wanted to circle back to this thread and give hope to those over 40 who may be applying. I'm having a pretty good cycle (see signature).
Click to expand...
Congratulations!!! 🎉🎈🍾🎊 Please continue to share the good news! I know of several students who are in their 40s - 50s and starting medical school (I was 49 when I started last year) and I have a friend who is applying to my school, UIWSOM, in her late 50s! You got this!
 
PhD_to_DO said:
Congratulations!!! 🎉🎈🍾🎊 Please continue to share the good news! I know of several students who are in their 40s - 50s and starting medical school (I was 49 when I started last year) and I have a friend who is applying to my school, UIWSOM, in her late 50s! You got this!
Click to expand...
Congrats to you! Love to see it!
 
BritainKittenMittens said:
If you have the same resume more or less as a 22 year old and don't bring anything new to the table, yeah the 22 year old has more upside because their trajectory is higher.
Click to expand...
What are some examples of this, or what this means, please.
 
@Leo88 I agree with @BritainKittenMittens - this just means you can't sit around. You need to do something meaningful to explain gaps in your CV. As an attending, you will need to explain gaps in employment, however things get easier as you go along.

I spent 9 years between undergrad and medical school working the pharmaceutical industry (clinical data management), photography and IT support - I was able to roll my experiences together into a medical school essay. Life experience translates into empathy which will make you an amazing physician. Good luck!
 
Another way of putting it is that if you have the same resume (e.g. accomplishments and experience) as a 22 yo, their trendline is steeper so when extrapolated, they have a higher ceiling.
 
Just Call Me Doc said:
Same, same. I applied 15 schools first cycle. Got 2 ii's and no acceptances. Next cycle I applied to 35 schools. 10 ii's and 9 acceptances. Ended up going to a top 20 school at age of 40. You need to apply broadly.


I wouldn't worry. Think you'll do just fine.
Click to expand...
What an amazing story. I'm gonna shot for 40 schools. Thank you for the encouragement.
 
SWR1913 said:
What an amazing story. I'm gonna shot for 40 schools. Thank you for the encouragement.
Click to expand...
I recommend applying to 25-35 schools, as anymore than that, you'll just burn out. In addition, there comes a point where you run out of schools that you're competitive for, and are realistic as an OOS applicant (ie, avoid those state schools that do not accept OOSers or rarely admits them (UCD, U MS, U AB, etc)
 
Goro said:
I recommend applying to 25-35 schools, as anymore than that, you'll just burn out. In addition, there comes a point where you run out of schools that you're competitive for, and are realistic as an OOS applicant (ie, avoid those state schools that do not accept OOSers or rarely admits them (UCD, U MS, U AB, etc)
Click to expand...
Thank you. You're the best.
 
PhD_to_DO said:
Congratulations!!! 🎉🎈🍾🎊 Please continue to share the good news! I know of several students who are in their 40s - 50s and starting medical school (I was 49 when I started last year) and I have a friend who is applying to my school, UIWSOM, in her late 50s! You got this!
Click to expand...
I saw you on a podcast. I now follow your blog. Congrats on getting into med school
 
SWR1913 said:
I saw you on a podcast. I now follow your blog. Congrats on getting into med school
Click to expand...
Thank you 🙏 😊 Its been a journey; my faculty advisor was telling me that I’ve got about 16 months till clinicals start and that this time is going to pass QUICKLY! Looking forward to everything else that I’m going to be exposed to!
 
MU55Y said:
I’m sure my age was an issue for some schools, but I’ve been very successful with MD schools that are said to be “non-trad friendly.”
Click to expand...
What schools are you successful at. I'm a non-trad about to apply for the 2024 cycle.
 
SWR1913 said:
What schools are you successful at. I'm a non-trad about to apply for the 2024 cycle.
Click to expand...
Depending on your stats, residency, and mission fit, consider Dartmouth, Tulane, Mayo, University of Pittsburgh, University of Cincinnati, OHSU, UC Davis, UCSF, UC Irvine, Case Western, Drexel, Brown, UVA, BU, Rosalind Franklin, Wake Forest, and University of Michigan.
 
MU55Y said:
Depending on your stats, residency, and mission fit, consider Dartmouth, Tulane, Mayo, University of Pittsburgh, University of Cincinnati, OHSU, UC Davis, UCSF, UC Irvine, Case Western, Drexel, Brown, UVA, BU, Rosalind Franklin, Wake Forest, and University of Michigan.
Click to expand...
Thank you
 
Diastereo said:
Same. I'm 38 and my cycle is going excellent with even lower stats than the OP. Gotta update that signature and give the people some hope!
Click to expand...
Also lower stats than OP, but 32 years old, so still older and non traditional. I haven't felt age has been an issue during my interviews, and if anything, my previous work and clinical experience has been the main topic of conversation during interviews.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

A
Low GPA/Bad MCAT/ not enough clinical — post bacc or CC
Replies
4
Views
1K
Faha
F
J
Doing a DIY PostBacc, but not sure to retake certain classes
Replies
5
Views
1K
Wamuu
Wamuu
Anthodite
I barely passed and I'm still ecstatic
Replies
0
Views
666
Anthodite
Anthodite
spaceracer
Nontraditional MD Applicant - Almost Done
Replies
2
Views
416
spaceracer
spaceracer
S
Just started clinical volunteering/shadowing… will it be enough to apply 2026-2027?
Replies
2
Views
858
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
Top