Older med students

[peehdee]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Do you think older med students fit in well in school? or can you spot a student who is older (over 28 or so)

What is their attitude towards younger students (fresh our of college)?

Do you wish you were a little older before starting med school?

 

[fourthyearmed]

Do you think older med students fit in well in school? or can you spot a student who is older (over 28 or so)

What is their attitude towards younger students (fresh our of college)?

Do you wish you were a little older before starting med school?

In my class there is very little difference between "older" and "younger" med students. The only real difference is that most of them have families and rarely come to class events so in that way they distance themselves. Otherwise they fit in fine and get along well with everyone. Most of them tend to do well as they are focused on scheduling their time so that they really study when they study and then they spend time with their family when not studying. I went into med school straight out of college and I'm really glad I did because I'm ready to get finished with school and on with my life as I have postponed everything else and med school is my life at this time. But that's what works for me, other people are different. All in all it doesn't really matter how old you are and I don't think there is any advantage in being older or younger age wise, it's really more about maturity and focus.

 

[peehdee]

thanks for the reply..
what school are u at?

In my class there is very little difference between "older" and "younger" med students. The only real difference is that most of them have families and rarely come to class events so in that way they distance themselves. Otherwise they fit in fine and get along well with everyone. Most of them tend to do well as they are focused on scheduling their time so that they really study when they study and then they spend time with their family when not studying. I went into med school straight out of college and I'm really glad I did because I'm ready to get finished with school and on with my life as I have postponed everything else and med school is my life at this time. But that's what works for me, other people are different. All in all it doesn't really matter how old you are and I don't think there is any advantage in being older or younger age wise, it's really more about maturity and focus.

 

[Bad Mojo]

I turned 25 yesterday. Does that count?

 

[E.A. Poe]

I'm a 30 year old, married M1 with a 2 year old. I don't really look too much older so I don't stand out that way even though I'm like the 7th oldest person in a class of 200+.

In regards to immaturity there is a big difference between some of my peers' behaviors and what I feel like dealing with, but for the most part folks are pretty mature.

There is a lot of fun-looking socialization that I cannot go to but its no big deal since I have other things to do. I also don't need the same social support as my peers since I get that at home (and other nice perks like help with laundry, meals, cleaning, and an INCOME 🙂). I guess I would like to socialize more, but for the most part its just a no-go. As a fairly new parent I'm also sure -- ok, I know -- I talk about my kid way too much and the younger students just don't relate to that much at all.

Do I fit in? Ummm, sure. Everyone is cordial regardless of whether you go out to the bar with them or not. Is there a little bit of a divide between me and the younger people? Yes. But, honestly, it could just be me but you kind of get to a certain age and just don't give a **** anymore. We're all going to be colleagues so we're already pretty strongly linked through that... and maybe by the fact that you don't know who you're going to be practicing next to someday.

I think that age has been a factor in some cases in my ability to perform a little bit better than others in the limited clinical exposure I've had so far, but again, some of the younger people have been doing remakably well with it. I'm also handling the stress and workload better than many, maybe age/experience has been a factor with that as well.

 

[Baditude]

I am a 34 year old married first year student. I also have 2 children ages 12 and 8 so I am a very nontraditional med student. However I have found that I am readily accepted by the younger students. I am asked to go out to movies, to study groups and yes to the bar and I attend some of the outings but not all and my husband and I attend a few of the after exam bar parties but they are really
not our scene but we go just to have fun with "my peers". I do not feel out of place in the least and I am also by far not the oldest person in my class!!

 

[jennie 21]

I think it depends in part on where you go to school. My school, NYU, has very few "older" students (older than 28-29 or so). I can't tell the difference generally between someone who's 22 and someone who's 28, it all kind of blends and everyone fits in just fine. I think older students (30's on up) might have a hard time fitting in at my school simply because there are so few of them, that's not to say everybody wouldn't be friendly but there's not much in the way of a peer group for older students or students with kids. Very few people in my class are even married (I'm one of the few, but I'm also within the "traditional" age bracket). So I think it depends; if you're older, you may want to make sure that whatever school you go to has its fair share of non-trad students just so you'll have more of a peer group. It's not that anyone in my class would be unfriendly to older students or those with kids, but they can't really relate. And anyway, most 35 year olds aren't all that into hanging out with 22 year olds anyway...just different interests and life stages for the most part.

 

[Paws]

I would agree about NYU, I don't know why it has so few 'older' students. I think they're pretty neat!

Well, I'm a bit older than the average 22 year old, and I don't see much difference in how people are except that sometimes some of the just out of school students are still maybe in the adolescent frame of mind. I think a few years (even one or two) working can make a big difference in your outlook. A couple of people still live with their parents and I think you can see that in their behavior.

 

[thackl]

The range in my class is 20-54. I'm 30 (with kids) and there are quite a few older than me. Everyone gets along though I can definately see a maturity divide in general (though not the rule). I play b-ball with the young guns every week, but tend to stay away from the bars and parties.

On the upside, I may be 37-38 when done, but I'll also be a 44yr old empyty-nester 😀 And my 8yrs of working and hard saving has tied up my retirement, so I no longer have to worry about that once out. I see benefits to doing it either way.

 

[debvz]

Do you think older med students fit in well in school? or can you spot a student who is older (over 28 or so)

28 is old? *checks self for gray hair*