Is 30 an acceptable age to start medical school?

[Ochempwnsme]

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I'm likely going to be doing an SMP this year and if all goes well, I would matriculate in August of 2014, one month shy of my 30th birthday. I'd basically be 8 years behind the typical fresh out of college matriculant at age 22. I'd graduate medical school a few months shy of my 34th birthday. One of the other subforums on here had a lively discussion between a medical school applicant in his early 40s and some medical students/residents about whether medical schools and residency program directors would consider someone at his age, due to the diminished amount of time that he would be able to practice. I realize that I'm not that old yet, but if I graduated med school in 2018 and did an ER residency, I would be an EM attending just shy of my 37th birthday, and could see myself putting in 25-28 years of practice. If I did a five year residency, I'd be an attending at 38, just short of my 39th birthday. I have no real interest in surgery or surgical specialties (not due to my age) and I'm pretty sure that won't change. I'm not trolling here, because I know people my age have done it, although it seems that fewer than 5% of most US MD classes are comprised of people who are 30+, and maybe 7-8% at most who are late 20s or older. For what it's worth, I am in very good health, I don't smoke or drink, and I eat healthily and stay fit.

I'm interested to hear the opinion of current medical students about this, both in regards to any obstacles that would have to be overcome in terms of admissions or residency apps, as well as a medical student being considerably older than his/her classmates.

 

[D elegans]

In short, you will be fine. 30 is a fine age to begin. There are several in my class around that age and honestly it's hard to distinguish them from the mid-20s lot (a huge percentage, including me). We have a few students who are older than 35 too. You'll find that being 30 is no big deal and there will be an appreciable number older than you.

 

[Carlin]

You'll absolutely be fine! The fresh-out-of-college med student is a rarity in my class. Most people started a couple years out of college, but we had one or two 29 or 30-year-olds as well. I'm not sure anyone took notice of my age in any context while I was interviewing for residency. It doesn't seem to be an issue.

 

[DrMidlife]

You'll find more of the over-30 and over-40 med students in the nontrad forum.

 

[BuddyTheElf]

Quite a few over-30 and some even over-40 students in my class. You'll be fine 🙂

 

[JShephard]

It's fine but ask yourself if 10 years living like a student is what you want to do at that age. If you have a job where you can earn 70-150k a year them you may want to think if it makes financial sense also. Medicine is a demanding field that is above most others in sacrifice to train and for some, their work as attendings.

It's very doable. But that's not the best question to ask.

 

[dsoz]

30 is too young. Wait another 10 years or so. 🙂 just kidding.

I had a full 19 year career as a high school teacher. Now that my kids are grown up and out of the house, I am going to also go to school.

If I graduate at 46, residency until 50, I still can practice for 15 to 20 years. That is considered a full career by some. Since my generation is expected to work until they are in their early 70s (social security, if it still exists, won't start until 72), I have plenty of time to be a physician.

Maybe my experience teaching high school will allow me to be an academic physician and help train the doctors of the future. It would be funny to have one of my former students again later in life. Ha ha. One thing that I am afraid of is having one of my former students as a SUPERVISOR or more senior resident. That could get awkward.

good luck to you. If you are happy with what you are doing, don't let anyone tell you that you are doing the wrong thing.

dsoz

 

[teacherman]

I started medical school at 32 after teaching high school for ten years. Best decision I ever made. Loved medical school and just recently matched into EM! If you have any questions let me know. Best of luck!

 

[hewmanoid]

It's never too late at any age. My class has two guys over 40 and a handful of 30s. But they tend to pursue specialties that are less time-consuming such as FM, IM, Psych....etc.

 

[evilbooyaa]

Had a few people around 30-35 at start of med school. I interacted with them as normal. Generally, they wouldn't come out to the post-exam ragers that all the 20-somethings would frequent, but there were a lot of 23-24 year olds that wouldn't come out either, so it didn't really matter.

If you know you want to do it and can justify the cost (financial and time) to yourself, then go for it.

 

[Rippy087]

Current MS1 here. The average age at matriculation at my school was 26 and we have two students that are 34. I think the MS2 class has someone that was 42 at matriculation.

In other words, you are completely fine.

 

[Mygod]

Yeah it's no big deal. My school has most kids starting their 3rd year of med school just barely cracking the legal drinking age but there are a few 30 year olds too. As long as you are energetic and committed I don't see too much getting in your way. goodluck!

 

[togaedere]

I'm 32, in my first year of school after also working for 10 years, and also the best decision I ever made. Typically I've found people use the age thing as one of the reasons not to do something. If you (hopefully) are going to be 40 (or whatever age that you feel is "too old" to be a student or in training) anyway, why not be 40 on the track to doing something you love instead of a job you want to get out of?

I have some friends in school who are around my age, some friends who are 10 years younger. I go to the post-exam parties and conferences. I work on organizations with my younger peers in positions both above and below me in hierarchy. If you don't know how to humble yourself there might be some added stress ("so-and-so attending is younger than i am!"), but I find it's best to just let it go.

I happen to look young, so people don't know unless I say something. I'm open about it though, because there's nothing shameful about my circumstances or being in my 30s. One plus is that I do tend to catch some obscure references lecturers tend to make.

I started medical school at 32 after teaching high school for ten years. Best decision I ever made. Loved medical school and just recently matched into EM! If you have any questions let me know. Best of luck!

 

[Anigma07]

Just recently spoke to a class mate who started in his 30s, doesn't regret it at all. If you have financial support from your family or a wife that would make it much easier.

 

[Ochempwnsme]

.

 

[Jas1360]

I'll be turning 30 shortly after starting medical school this fall so of course it's a perfect age. 🙂

 

[Ochempwnsme]

Thank you so much to everybody for your opinions, feel free to keep them coming.

Just recently spoke to a class mate who started in his 30s, doesn't regret it at all. If you have financial support from your family or a wife that would make it much easier.

With regard to student debt, I don't have any from my previous schooling. I do come from a wealthy family, so I would finish the SMP and medical school with a maximum of 100k in debt (that I would choose to take on because I would prefer to pay for living expenses so that my parents don't pay for EVERYTHING even though they could). This is also why I am not averse to entering fields such as general IM should I find them appealing during school. I assume this makes the decision easier?

I'll be turning 30 shortly after starting medical school this fall so of course it's a perfect age.

Hey Jas, congrats on the acceptance! I remember you from the Louisville thread. I regret not applying DO this year because now I've wasted a year. I just figured after I got two MD interview invites by winter that I'd get into one so I didn't apply DO at that point, but that turned out to be rather stupid in retrospect.

 

[Jas1360]

Hey Jas, congrats on the acceptance! I remember you from the Louisville thread. I regret not applying DO this year because now I've wasted a year. I just figured after I got two MD interview invites by winter that I'd get into one so I didn't apply DO at that point, but that turned out to be rather stupid in retrospect.

I know what you mean. I had my first two MD interviews before December too. I'm glad that I got one of my rejections before November. It gave me the motivation to finish my DO applications. I was hesitant to fill out my DO applications because that would mean that we were going to have to sell our house and part of me really wanted to stay put.

 

[notbobtrustme]

30 is about as old as I'd recommend anyone going to medical school. After that, it just doesn't make financial sense.

 

[mspeedwagon]

Many of us non-trads aren't in it for the financial gain, but rather a passion for medicine. A few of us are leaving 100k+ careers (myself included) to go into medicine. There is more to the equation that a financial analysis.

As to the OPs question, I think 30 is the perfect age to start. You are mature, know more about yourself and what you'd like to do than you do at 22 (If all goes well this upcoming cycle, I'll be 31 when I start school).

30 is about as old as I'd recommend anyone going to medical school. After that, it just doesn't make financial sense.

 

[tantacles]

Yes.

 

[Law2Doc]

Many of us non-trads aren't in it for the financial gain, but rather a passion for medicine. A few of us are leaving 100k+ careers (myself included) to go into medicine. There is more to the equation that a financial analysis.

...).

agreed. Once you already have been in the working world you will appreciate that money is a shallow motivator, really not as important to your career as a multitude of other factors, and rarely enough to make it worth while to remain on a particular career path. Career changers are often going into medicine at a financial loss and generally aren't troubled by that. Notbobtrustme's post suggests a bit of professional naïveté. This is why this kind of question should probably only be asked on the nontrad board -- an early 20s opinion about what will be important after 30 is rarely on the mark.

 

[notbobtrustme]

agreed. Once you already have been in the working world you will appreciate that money is a shallow motivator, really not as important to your career as a multitude of other factors, and rarely enough to make it worth while to remain on a particular career path. Career changers are often going into medicine at a financial loss and generally aren't troubled by that. Notbobtrustme's post suggests a bit of professional naïveté. This is why this kind of question should probably only be asked on the nontrad board -- an early 20s opinion about what will be important after 30 is rarely on the mark.

I'm turning 30 this year 😛

 

[yoyostring]

agreed. Once you already have been in the working world you will appreciate that money is a shallow motivator, really not as important to your career as a multitude of other factors, and rarely enough to make it worth while to remain on a particular career path. Career changers are often going into medicine at a financial loss and generally aren't troubled by that. Notbobtrustme's post suggests a bit of professional naïveté. This is why this kind of question should probably only be asked on the nontrad board -- an early 20s opinion about what will be important after 30 is rarely on the mark.

👍👍 Perfectly put.

Decide what will make you happy in the future and go with that.

 

[valkener]

I was 20 when I matriculated and sometimes wish I would have waited an extra year or two.. I always dress as professional as possible to make myself look older. You'll be fine with 30, that's not an outlier age. And even if, what matters is drive and focus. There are people who are 75 who's drive is stronger than that of an average 18 year old. Take Ron Paul for example, he's almost 80.

 

[Law2Doc]

I'm turning 30 this year 😛

Chronologically perhaps, in terms of experience, I have questions.

 

[notbobtrustme]

Chronologically perhaps, in terms of experience, I have questions.

my wife always jokes that the kid is going to be older than me this year because I think like a 2 year old, so your questions may be well grounded.... 😀

 

[badasshairday]

ewww, 30, so inappropriately OLD!

Just kidding.

One of my med school classmates started at 30, oldest in our class. Doing well now. Totally lived amazing, adventurous years in her 20's. Kind of jealous actually.