Med students in their early 30s...need your advice plz!

[Marcy C.]

Im 32 yr old nurse who has been in the nursing field for 6 yrs. Im burned out! Im thinking about going back to school, perhaps med school. I have a BS in bio ('92). The question I cant seem to find an answer for is this.....do I want to be in my 40s when Im a practicing MD? your thoughts please!

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[gherelin]

Hi Marcy,
My first thought is yes! Do it! Your nursing background is such a great asset. I was sort of in your position-had been working with adults with developmental disabilities for 10 years then went back to school. But, I had no hospital experience. That culture was a rude shock to me but you already have that familiarity. Also, being older than my classmates with different priorities and perspectives, and at the same time feeling as if I'd given up my adult status in the eyes of professors and attendings was difficult too. I happened to look younger than I was, and the short white coat infantilizes you anyway, and so my dignity and credibility just seemed to have melted from me when I entered med school. I would do a lot of shadowing of med students if you can, just to prepare yourself for the different role. Good luck!

 

[jlw2004]

Go for it! I'm 30 (married w/ 2 kids) and am just starting my third year. I am far from the oldest one in my class. There will still be plenty of career time left if you finish around 40 -- 25 years if you retire at regular retirement age.

Like someone said to me when I complained that "in 8 yrs when I'm done with med school / residency, I'll be 36!", how old will you be in 8 yrs if you don't go to med school?

It's never too late to follow your dream. The only thing that concerns me is that you want to go to med school because you're "burnt out". What part of nursing has you burnt out? If it's the fact that you're never the final authority, that's a great reason to consider med school, if it's the patients / medical setting, being a doctor won't change that.

Good luck on your decision. It's always nice to have some more "old folks" in med school.

 

[Annette]

Mary, don't let age be a deciding factor. There was a guy in my class who was in his 50's!!! He was a retired resp. therapist and decided that he wanted to be a doc in a rural area. I'm in my 30's, and I was just a little over the average age in my school ("Our Lady of Off Shore").

 

[Big Bill]

Age shouldnt be a deciding factor. I know of a general surgeon resident who was 50 when they started their residency. here name is natalie belle. There is Mary renard who is on this board sometimes and she is 46 and an MSII.

 

[md03]

I'm 41 year old about to be M4 going into general surgery. Don't let age stop you!!!

 

[mdmom]

Here! Here!

33 yr old mom of two, also a nurse. Class of 2006 thank you very much! Good Luck.

 

[kd]

You're in good company. My second year class has a 51-year-old, a 43-year-old, and at least 10 people in their 30's. Two former nurses included in the above. The person above said it right- we're all going to be in our 40's regardless, so we might as well be 40 and an MD rather than 40 and thinking "what if?"

 

[Fenrezz]

Just to add myself into this, I'm starting med school in August, and two months afterwards I'll turn 31.

The only thing that gives me the slightest pause (which is basically no pause at all) is that when I'm done with residency, most doctors my age will be halfway through paying back their loans while I'll just be starting. But what difference does that make?

As long as you feel being a doctor is the way to go, by all means do it!

 

[EpiII]

I also agree with the input from others. I am 30 and have been working in the Public Health field for the past 5 years. I will be starting med school this fall.

I found that as long as you have compelling reasons to be going to med school and you have had good experiences, the schools like older students.

 

[Kluver Bucy]

Nobody on this board can answer that question for you. I hate to be the wet blanket, but burning out on nursing and wanting to back to school aren't the most inspiring reasons for pursuing a career in medicine. Age isn't a factor, but that doesn't mean there aren't other factors. What if you burn out on med school, or on residency or on doctoring? If you have a 6-figure debt from medical school loans, your options are limited. If you go into sales, interior decorating, etc., then you won't have that massive debt and you will have the freedom to change careers. If you pursue medicine, you're locked into four years of med school, 3+ years of residency, and at least enough years of practice to pull yourself into the black financially. That's a lot longer than the average marriage lasts, so be sure you're in love before you say "I do."

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Marcy C.:
•Im 32 yr old nurse who has been in the nursing field for 6 yrs. Im burned out! Im thinking about going back to school, perhaps med school. I have a BS in bio ('92). The question I cant seem to find an answer for is this.....do I want to be in my 40s when Im a practicing MD? your thoughts please!•••••

 

[Jeff698]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Marcy C.:
•do I want to be in my 40s when Im a practicing MD?•••••That's pretty much a question only you can answer. I can tell you that it is certainly do-able. In fact, many folks start school after another career.

I'm a 34 year old MS-II. I was a paramedic for years before going to medical school. I know many 'older' students at schools across the nation. We're certainly not a majority, but we're also not unheard of, either.

For me, age really wasn't an issue. I was feeling sorry for myself after I figured out I'd be 40 before finishing my residency. A friend asked me how old I'd be in 8 years (at the time) if I didn't go to medical school. Pretty much still 40.

Also, if you're interested, there is a web site for non-trads. Take a look at <a href="http://www.oldpremeds.net." target="_blank">www.oldpremeds.net.</a> They have a discussion forum where you can get some great information.

Take care,

 

[silvercholla]

I think I posted on this but I don't see it so I will say it again, though not to discourage you. If you burned out as a nurse don't you think that the different (though not necessarily extra) work as a doctor won't make you burn out as well? If you burned out because you were frustrated with the limits placed on you as a nurse and you want to remedy that by becoming a doctor then I say Go For It! but if you burned out because of the work load and the amount of patient care and continuing education then maybe you should step back and decide if the medical field is were you really want to be.