No Longer A Spring Chicken

[DoctorLion]

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What are your thoughts about starting med school when you're 27. I estimate that how old I will be when I get accepted into a program. I have two previous degrees under my belt and now I'm going in for the final one. I'm strongly thinking about becoming a psychiatrist....But starting med school at 27 years old? Is this normal?

Thanks in advance for your opinions 🙂

 

[SmallBird]

If you start med school at 27 you will finish residency when you are 35 - 38 which means you will have around 30 years to practice medicine...

 

[diagonal]

If you start med school at 27 you will finish residency when you are 35 - 38 which means you will have around 30 years to practice medicine...

Uh, most shrinks don't retire at 65. That's when **** gets started.

 

[SmallBird]

Uh, most shrinks don't retire at 65. That's when **** gets started.

Good point. I was suggesting 30 years is a long time. It could be closer to 40 which really makes it seem like 27 is not too late!

 

[Daedra22]

Last time I checked the average age of matriculation at my particular school is 25, so many of my classmates have been 27 or older. I don't think it's too old at all. You might consider discussing this topic further in the nontrad forum, as well.

 

[Silent Cool]

Are you kidding? Plenty of people go to medical school at that age and older. I started at 30. Honestly, I think everyone should work for a number of years prior to starting. 27 is fine. Just go to the cheapest school that you can. I have classmates in their 30s with families. If you want to go, do it.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Started at 33, residency at 37. Agree with all of the above.
Age and craft defeats youth and skill. 😀

 

[peppy]

Dude, 27 isn't old. I'm older than that, so it can't possibly be old. (I'm a resident already, but still...I don't like hearing that I'm old 🙂 )

Psychiatry is definitely a specialty where older people seem to do very well. In addition to psych residents who are older because they went to med school after pursuing a different career first, it's very common for physicians to switch into psychiatry after doing a different specialty. You would not stick out as unusual for being a bit older in psych residency.
Life experience and maturity are quite valuable in psych. I have become better at connecting with patients and understanding their experiences as I've gotten older and wiser.

 

[sunlioness]

Someone in my med school class started med school when she was 40. She's now a geri psychiatrist. I started at age 25. I don't think starting at 27 is a big deal at all.

 

[DebDynamite]

I started at thirty. Most of my classmates didn't realize I was a few years older until I told them. One of the girls got mad at me as if I had been keeping a secret. 27 is no big deal at all. Unless, perhaps, you are female and have a bunch of kids planned for your future. Not that that can't be done also. But, it is a harder road to travel.

 

[st2205]

Someone in my med school class started med school when she was 40. She's now a geri psychiatrist. I started at age 25. I don't think starting at 27 is a big deal at all.

Are you saying she's a psychiatrist who specializes in the treatment of geriatric patients or she is a geriatric who happens to practice psychiatry?

 

[sunlioness]

The former. She's older than I am, but I wouldn't call her geriatric herself yet. 🙂

 

[Chimed]

I started in my 30's...Being older has a lot of advantages, especially in regards to relating to your patients and having more life experience. The older students are probably inclined to put up with as much BS during medical school.

 

[PrideNeverDie]

started at 26 and i am glad i worked a few years before starting

the 22 year old version of myself was so arrogant and naive. my classmates remind me of this fact by occasionally being immature, whiny, or out of touch with reality. i have to remind myself that i would have been just like them if i had started right out of college.

i'm going to practice until i die, so that would give me around 50 years of work give or take

 

[VoodooDogma]

What are your thoughts about starting med school when you're 27. I estimate that how old I will be when I get accepted into a program. I have two previous degrees under my belt and now I'm going in for the final one. I'm strongly thinking about becoming a psychiatrist....But starting med school at 27 years old? Is this normal?

Thanks in advance for your opinions 🙂

Who cares if it's "normal"? I started med schoolmate 39. Don't be a coward. You were going to get old anyway. What's your alternative. Sheesh. What a question. Perhaps a better question might be, "why would anybody in their right mind want to be a doctor?"

 

[notdeadyet]

I started in my 30's...Being older has a lot of advantages, especially in regards to relating to your patients and having more life experience. The older students are probably inclined to put up with as much BS during medical school.

True. You will find the phrase "it's not fair" pass through your lips far less frequently.

You'll also have an unfair advantage in residency. Patients tend to relate better and trust folks more when they have a bit less tread on the tires.

 

[2tall]

fine wine