Older Students!! How old were you (or will you be) in getting your degree?

[Rapsidy]

I was 31 when I started medicine, will be 35 when I matriculate and assuming I match psych as planned, 39 when I finished residency.

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[holdthemayo]

Mid 30s when I finished. Probably wouldn't do it again, maybe not sad that I did.

 

[Jenfromtx]

I will be 51 when I graduate med school.

 

[Fluidity of Movement]

MD ✅ age 59
Chief Resident ☑️ age 62
Residency ✔️ age 63 (this coming June !!)

Would do it all again twice to end up in the same place. I absolutely love this journey. (And this, from a person who is halfway through working 20 days in a row 😄)

Inspiration! I hope you don't mind if I read through your post history?

 

[it'sabeautifullife]

Inspiration! I hope you don't mind if I read through your post history?

Please do! Part of the reason I left a trail here was to empower the ones who came after me!! 😊💪🏽💚

 

[Barker Posey]

43 med school,
46 residency. Also a chief! Loved med school, really loved residency though now I’m out in the world can’t believe my family and I actually got through it. Love my job: would absolutely do it again.

 

[deleted1079620]

43 med school,
46 residency. Also a chief! Loved med school, really loved residency though now I’m out in the world can’t believe my family and I actually got through it. Love my job: would absolutely do it again.

What specialty?

 

[Barker Posey]

What specialty?

EM. Despite a lot of frustrations with the field in general that are well articulated by others, I love being a doctor, love my team, enjoy the flexibility of my shift times.

 

[MusicalMed]

MD: 31
Residency (PM&R): 35 (Chief 34-35) (in progress, almost there)
Fellowship (Sports Medicine): 36 (next year!)

I felt what really helped me was hanging out with my cohort/other non-traditional students whenever I was in medical school, and I loved having friends and colleagues from such diverse backgrounds. We also helped support each other since sometimes it felt like we could relate better to each other than the rest of our class. My medical school was quite friendly to non-traditionals (probably anywhere from 10-25% of the class typically).

As for the "too old" question, I don't think there is an age for that as long as you are happy with your choice/financially able to pay off what you need if you required any loans, as most of us did/do.

 

[LindaAccepted]

I am 27… hope thats not too old!

Definitely not too old.

 

[Moms_spaghetti]

I am 29 now starting med school this fall, assuming I match into EM, ill be 36-37 by the time i'm done

 

[txseagull]

I am 27… hope thats not too old!

Hi! I'm a non-trad as well. Is it alright if you DM me so I can ask some questions?

 

[FarmGirl2]

MD ✅ age 59
Chief Resident ☑️ age 62
Residency ✔️ age 63 (this coming June !!)

Would do it all again twice to end up in the same place. I absolutely love this journey. (And this, from a person who is halfway through working 20 days in a row 😄)

That is wonderful!! So glad that I am not the only one to be getting a degree at almost 60!! I got my MD at 30, and will get my DVM at 60.

 

[rhomantic]

i'm 41 right now starting my journey. will spend 2 years taking pre-reqs at a jc then a year in a post-bacc research program. by the time i start med school, i'd be 44-45. ~52 when done with residency. i'm gonna be that age anyways.

 

[SWR1913]

That is wonderful!! So glad that I am not the only one to be getting a degree at almost 60!! I got my MD at 30, and will get my DVM at 60.

Congrats

 

[VelmaBoots]

I am a "much older" applicant, transitionning from NP to DO
(yes, I know)

Me too!! How has your transition gone?

 

[VelmaBoots]

i'm 41 right now starting my journey. will spend 2 years taking pre-reqs at a jc then a year in a post-bacc research program. by the time i start med school, i'd be 44-45. ~52 when done with residency. i'm gonna be that age anyways.

I love this. Congratulations! I have already earned RN and NP licenses at ages 29 and 37. Decided to start my MD journey at the age of 41. I’m 43 and got accepted to medical school. I’ll be 44 when I start MD school, around 50 or 51 when I finish residency, and then possibly a fellowship to get me to the ripe “old” age of 52.
I wish I found this group a couple months ago I thought for sure I was gonna be the oldest person ever medical school. 😂😁

 

[rhomantic]

I love this. Congratulations! I have already earned RN and NP licenses at ages 29 and 37. Decided to start my MD journey at the age of 41. I’m 43 and got accepted to medical school. I’ll be 44 when I start MD school, around 50 or 51 when I finish residency, and then possibly a fellowship to get me to the ripe “old” age of 52.
I wish I found this group a couple months ago I thought for sure I was gonna be the oldest person ever medical school.

congrats!!! they say your 40s is when life really begins. you uncondition yourself of the negative, self-limiting beliefs society has ingrained in you and you become who you're truly meant to be. i know you'll do great since you already have healthcare training and experience. wish me luck tho bc i haven't done school in eons and they weren't science courses

 

[VelmaBoots]

congrats!!! they say your 40s is when life really begins. you uncondition yourself of the negative, self-limiting beliefs society has ingrained in you and you become who you're truly meant to be. i know you'll do great since you already have healthcare training and experience. wish me luck tho bc i haven't done school in eons and they weren't science courses

Good luck!

 

[esob]

Graduated med school in late 40's and still had the highest in-service exam score during residency

 

[Fluidity of Movement]

I didn't even start college until 23. Then life and illness kept getting in the way. I'm hoping to finally have my bachelor by 35 and matriculated by 36.

I have a friend down the road who just matched IM at 45.

 

[Lilobby]

Starting my postbacc this summer at 28 and will hopefully matriculate at 31. My grandmother just turned 81 and she keeps telling me how young I am and will be. I'm also a RN hoping to go MD/DO!

 

[it'sabeautifullife]

That is wonderful!! So glad that I am not the only one to be getting a degree at almost 60!! I got my MD at 30, and will get my DVM at 60.

Continues to be an excellent decision! I keep waiting for the part where I have huge regrets, and it just keeps getting better. Love the work, love being an attending, love seeing really sick people get better and knowing we played a small part in that, love my colleagues to pieces, favorite part is working with residents and medical students. Love that I already got a big raise I didn’t even ask for. Hate red tape and bureaucracy, but that’s part of nearly any job.

 

[Nugester]

38 and I will have shiny MD letters after my name this spring .

 

[MCX0402]

MD ✅ age 59
Chief Resident ☑️ age 62
Residency ✔️ age 63 (this coming June !!)

Would do it all again twice to end up in the same place. I absolutely love this journey. (And this, from a person who is halfway through working 20 days in a row 😄)

I would love to ask you questions. Nontraditional, second career seeking and 51 years old here...I will be 52 when I apply.

 

[it'sabeautifullife]

I would love to ask you questions. Nontraditional, second career seeking and 51 years old here...I will be 52 when I apply.

Sure, we can talk here if you feel it would be helpful for others, or we can have a private conversation.

 

[DivorceLawyer2011]

Hello all! I am 38 years old, and am currently working through online college for a degree as a veterinary technician. I've recently been playing with the idea of fully going for a degree as a doctor though, but I'm unsure if it's worth it, or if I'm too old to even think about it. I would love some input from older students!

How old were you when you got your degree? Is there a "too old"?

I am a 40-year-old lawyer. I was just accepted to an MD program, so I will be 44 when I finish. Team Nontrad for me!