Is it too late?

[jdsob]

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Hi All.
Hope this is the right forum for my question.

I am 33 years old, w a bachelors degree in the humanities (3.7 GPA).
4 years ago I made the decision that I wanted to attend medical school, and spent 2 years taking the necessary pre-reqs at a local college (3.5 GPA). In my last semester, my brother died, leaving me financially responsible for his son and unable to take the MCAT or even consider leaving my job or foregoing overtime at the time. My nephew is now 18 and in college on scholarship.

I recently went through several AAMC practice tests, and am appalled at how little I've retained. I literally feel as if I barely learned any of the material at all, even though it's only been two years since I've seen it. Specifically in the equation based material such as chem, o-chem, and physics. These subjects were difficult for me when I originally took them, and now seem almost alien to me 2 years later.

Is there any comprehensive review program for someone with such a shoddy base that could realistically prepare me for the MCAT? Any suggestions short of retaking most of my classes? Or should I just give up on the dream of being a physician, acknowledge my late start and weak(end) background, and find a good PA program?

Thank you so much for any advice. Really not looking for encouragement, more along the lines of a realistic assessment of my situation.

 

[keikoblue2]

Hi All.
Hope this is the right forum for my question.

I am 33 years old, w a bachelors degree in the humanities (3.7 GPA).
4 years ago I made the decision that I wanted to attend medical school, and spent 2 years taking the necessary pre-reqs at a local college (3.5 GPA). In my last semester, my brother died, leaving me financially responsible for his son and unable to take the MCAT or even consider leaving my job or foregoing overtime at the time. My nephew is now 18 and in college on scholarship.

I recently went through several AAMC practice tests, and am appalled at how little I've retained. I literally feel as if I barely learned any of the material at all, even though it's only been two years since I've seen it. Specifically in the equation based material such as chem, o-chem, and physics. These subjects were difficult for me when I originally took them, and now seem almost alien to me 2 years later.

Is there any comprehensive review program for someone with such a shoddy base that could realistically prepare me for the MCAT? Any suggestions short of retaking most of my classes? Or should I just give up on the dream of being a physician, acknowledge my late start and weak(end) background, and find a good PA program?

Thank you so much for any advice. Really not looking for encouragement, more along the lines of a realistic assessment of my situation.

That's really admirable of you, to put aside your own goals to care for your nephew. My dad also passed away two years ago, and if someone had done that for me, I would be beyond grateful and probably in tears. Sorry for going off topic, I was just really moved!

Back to your question- IT'S NEVER TOO LATE! There are plenty of people in their thirties who decide they want to be a doctor, and succeed in their goals. If the content is all that's holding you back, you definitely have a shot. Have you heard of Chad's videos? I hear they're superb, since he explains concepts really well. The Berkeley Review (Especially Physics and Gen Chem) and Princeton Review Hyperlearning books are also good with explanations and practice passages. Youtube is a great source if you're a visual learner. Most of the prep companies have an MCAT course you can take (but it's expensive, a couple thousand dollars), with instructors who can answer your questions. I really think if you work hard enough to review the sciences and do a ton of practice passages and review them thoroughly, you can definitely score well. Even if you're not competitive for MD, there's DO (don't be fooled by SDN's negative attitude towards a DO degree. If you truly want to practice medicine, there are more ways to go about it than the traditional MD route). That's all I can think of at the moment, sorry 🙁

But the MCAT isn't all you need to worry about. You also need clinical experience (shadowing, hospital volunteering, etc...) to make sure you've been exposed to a healthcare setting and understand (somewhat) what you're getting yourself into.

Good luck, OP! Go for your dreams if there's nothing holding you back.

 

[equang]

Two weeks ago I heard this story from a patient. Her husband was a patent lawyer, and they had a very very sick son. He had always wished to go to medical school, and having the resources to do so, entered at age 39 (DO I believe) and practiced for many years, and lived a great life.

You sound like a person with a good heart. I think you will be able to make it if you really believe that you can. Sorry, it is 12:42 am, and I don't feel like saying much more. But good luck to you.

Perhaps you could read some reviews on Princeton Review or Kaplan review courses in your area? This would take you another 2/3 months, and you could gauge your preparation then. They also have online courses I believe.

 

[basicallyno]

Hi All.
Hope this is the right forum for my question.

I am 33 years old, w a bachelors degree in the humanities (3.7 GPA).
4 years ago I made the decision that I wanted to attend medical school, and spent 2 years taking the necessary pre-reqs at a local college (3.5 GPA). In my last semester, my brother died, leaving me financially responsible for his son and unable to take the MCAT or even consider leaving my job or foregoing overtime at the time. My nephew is now 18 and in college on scholarship.

I recently went through several AAMC practice tests, and am appalled at how little I've retained. I literally feel as if I barely learned any of the material at all, even though it's only been two years since I've seen it. Specifically in the equation based material such as chem, o-chem, and physics. These subjects were difficult for me when I originally took them, and now seem almost alien to me 2 years later.

Is there any comprehensive review program for someone with such a shoddy base that could realistically prepare me for the MCAT? Any suggestions short of retaking most of my classes? Or should I just give up on the dream of being a physician, acknowledge my late start and weak(end) background, and find a good PA program?

Thank you so much for any advice. Really not looking for encouragement, more along the lines of a realistic assessment of my situation.

You are indeed a very admirable person. I am very inspired by your determination.

I would suggest you maybe take a course or doing your own studies for about 2-3 months (that's how long the classes usually are), and see if you are at a range where you'll feel comfortable of getting into at least one school. For me that would be about a 33+ (I have similar GPA as you).

Sadly, if you've spend much time studying for it and are still far too off of your goal score, say like low to mid 20s, then you should perhaps pursue another dream.

Keep in mind that if you get in med school ASAP, you will be a professional at about 40 yrs old.

 

[SN2ed]

As others have mentioned, it's never too late. However, it can be impractical. You should take into the consideration the large time and money investment you'll be making. You're looking at around a quarter of a million in debt with a high interest rate and 4 years of medical school with 3 or more years of residency afterwards. Plus, if you're married, you'll need to consider your spouse and how moving might affect them. All of this doesn't even take into account the investment you'll make applying to medical school which includes the cost of the MCAT, study materials, application fees (can easily be into the $1000s range with secondary app fees), and travel expenses for interviews.

Overall, if you're set of medicine, go for it. Many "older" individuals have done it before and have excelled in medicine. Just keep in mind that it comes at a cost which might not be worth it.