Natural science to medical school at 38

[Anolis]

Hey there - I've really benefited from reading various threads and comments on this forum. Today, I'm presenting my scenario for your thoughts/criticisms.

I've been thinking a lot about applying to medical school over the last year. My story is that I'm 38 and my occupation has been in wildlife biology. I went back to get a post-bacc in biology from a state university and finished in 2011. Going to school, I met a lot of people on the medical path. I liked learning about how much service is involved, that appeals to me. E.g., the best part of my job in wildlife has been mentoring people and helping them get into exciting jobs. I also love biology (LOL although my first degree was history). I think I would really enjoy helping people as a doctor (if that happened).

I took the MCAT last September, and I scored 29N (9/10/10). My overall GPA is 3.77, and my science GPA is 3.88. I don't have clinical experience.

I turned down two job offers this week in wildlife, which has been hard, but I can't get medicine off my mind. I've pushed the introspection as far as I can. As to answering the obvious question, where is my heart?, I've come up short. I'm asking for people's thoughts mainly to see this from different angles. Questions I have are, do you think I can pull it off given my age and stats? Also, I would be curious to know how other people at my age have done at making friends and finding support during the process? (I'm not married...no kids...a lot of my friends live far away). And I'm curious if some of you struggled with the decision, and how did you go about getting past it? The two things that appeal to me are helping people and being immersed in science/medicine (and challenging myself to be better/smarter/faster).

If I decided to go for it, I would probably start volunteering at a local hospital, perhaps with EMT, and then start the AMCAS in a few weeks.

Many thanks to all of you in advance!!

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[ChemMed]

Make sure that you have adequately calculated the emotional/financial cost of this path. Ask TONS of questions. If nothing else would make you happy then this may be for you. If you are happy doing something else then do that. You are probably more than capable of doing this path, but I don't think this is about your ability. Its about what you are willing to give up to gain being a physician.

 

[DrMidlife]

I got started at 38 too. You'll have an easier time than I did because your GPA is high.

Without clinical experience (volunteer or paid) you are short on credibility. Volunteer first, decide later. How do you know what you'd be in for in medicine? You don't. Get onto some hospital websites today and start volunteering.

Part of the process of being sure is making it possible to be talked out of it. I recommend finding somebody close to retirement, and spend a day listening to them rant.

I suggest that applying in June could be a mistake, if your target schools are going to question the age of your classroom record, if your MCAT is too far below average (such as in California), if you don't have fresh faculty letters of recommendation based on classroom performance, if you aren't easy to understand in a sea of apps from 22 year olds, etc.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Helen Wheels]

Anolis,

Your stats are solid. The MCAT is slightly low for MD programs but applying wisely would probably net you an MD acceptance. The DO schools tend to love older, 2nd career students, and you would probably have no trouble with an acceptance there. Stats-wise, pretty good.

We'll see what other people think but I think it would be better to focus on getting some clinical experience over the next year and applying to start med school in fall 2014. I just think having only a few months of clinical exposure when your app is being reviewed will put you at a disadvantage. It is a disadvantage to be a re-applicant, so get you app strong over the coming year and then apply next year.

As far as age goes, I am 40 and a first year so, don't stress about the age thing. Not having a spouse and children is a plus in the sense that you can relocate for school if you need to and focus on your studies without having to deal with family responsibilities.

 

[Anolis]

Thank you for the comments. The idea of applying for a start in 2014 is something I had not thought of. Why not? I guess because age has been on my mind. But, it would be nice to take some time to e.g. "volunteer first, decide later," and calculate the "emotional/financial cost," as you all have suggested.