Should I quit

[justen_davila]

I have always wanted to be a surgeon. Since I was a child I have always wanted to be the best doctor that I could be, but now I am 21 years old and have yet to finish undergrad. I feel as though I will be too old to study surgery. What should I do? I don't want to give up but is this what I must do?

 

[NuttyEngDude]

quit tomorrow, not today. say the same thing tomorrow.

 

[Jamie561]

I have always wanted to be a surgeon. Since I was a child I have always wanted to be the best doctor that I could be, but now I am 21 years old and have yet to finish undergrad. I feel as though I will be too old to study surgery. What should I do? I don't want to give up but is this what I must do?

No don't quit!

 

[dudeliness]

What is "too old to study surgery"? I am 29 and in my first year of school and surgery is currently one of my top choices. Age isn't as much of a factor as good grades, clinical recommendations, and board scores are. If you want to do it, go for it.

I will say that if there is anything else you would be happy doing, you should give THAT career some serious thought before plunging into medicine!

Either way, you can do it. Good luck.

 

[IlDestriero]

Many very successful people had very humble beginnings, false starts, overcame incredible adversity, etc. They all had one thing in common though.
They never gave up.
You make your own luck.
Do it or don't. That's up to you alone.

 

[DrMidlife]

Average 1st year med student age is 24. That means half of med students start after they're 24.

 

[ejw5075]

Yes, you're too old. Quit now.

 

[QofQuimica]

I have always wanted to be a surgeon. Since I was a child I have always wanted to be the best doctor that I could be, but now I am 21 years old and have yet to finish undergrad. I feel as though I will be too old to study surgery. What should I do? I don't want to give up but is this what I must do?

What the eff? I was 21 when I graduated from college, and I was a year younger than most of my peers. If 21 is too old to still be in college, good grief, what is the right age? 15? 10? Prenatal?

 

[Pose]

Being a 21 year old undergraduate doesn't make you nontraditional. It makes you pretty average.

Even if you started undergrad now, you'd still be fine. Reeelax.

 

[CapCrunch]

Not sure if you're serious...

 

[Being]

I wish I was freaking 21 years old...

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

I have always wanted to be a surgeon. Since I was a child I have always wanted to be the best doctor that I could be, but now I am 21 years old and have yet to finish undergrad. I feel as though I will be too old to study surgery. What should I do? I don't want to give up but is this what I must do?

When will you finish undergrad?

 

[ruedjgtc]

I have always wanted to be a surgeon. Since I was a child I have always wanted to be the best doctor that I could be, but now I am 21 years old and have yet to finish undergrad. I feel as though I will be too old to study surgery. What should I do? I don't want to give up but is this what I must do?

Could you provide the timeline you were envisioning, considered taking the Dougie Hooser track?

 

[Darth Doc]

I have always wanted to be a surgeon. Since I was a child I have always wanted to be the best doctor that I could be, but now I am 21 years old and have yet to finish undergrad. I feel as though I will be too old to study surgery. What should I do? I don't want to give up but is this what I must do?

You'll be finished surgical residency (even if you specialize in neurosurgery) at a younger age than I'm hoping to start medical school.
But if you think you're too old and don't want to do it, then take an easier track. Medical school is harder if you're not confident in what you want to do. It's not that you can't do it or shouldn't. It isn't even that you're going to be too old. But if you don't it, then in 10 years when you're at a job that isn't what you really want and you're at the point where you could be finished your residency, will you have regrets?

 

[mspeedwagon]

OP couldn't have been serious. Especially, considering most on here are around 30 and starting medical school.
Also, out of curiosity, what would a good MCAT score for a prenatal applicant be? 😛.

What the eff? I was 21 when I graduated from college, and I was a year younger than most of my peers. If 21 is too old to still be in college, good grief, what is the right age? 15? 10? Prenatal?

 

[SN12357]

Average 1st year med student age is 24. That means half of med students start after they're 24.

The halfway point defines the median, not the average, and is 23, not 24 per the AAMC. https://www.aamc.org/download/321468/data/2012factstable6.pdf

The average is probably slightly higher due to the long tail in the data (that is, there will be people at age 30, 35, 40 etc starting medical school but not people correspondingly younger than the median age).

Regardless the OP is way too young to have this worry.

 

[deleted432032]

....
Also, out of curiosity, what would a good MCAT score for a prenatal applicant be? 😛.

Around 38? Unless of course they have forgotten the answers to the universe already.

 

[TeddyBoomBoom]

I was 21 fourteen years ago, and start med school next year. I, however, *am* probably too old for surgery. Not because it is too hard, but because the training program is so long. Hell I'd be pushing 50 by the time I was independent. You are fine.

 

[knv2u]

I have always wanted to be a surgeon. Since I was a child I have always wanted to be the best doctor that I could be, but now I am 21 years old and have yet to finish undergrad. I feel as though I will be too old to study surgery. What should I do? I don't want to give up but is this what I must do?

Using your logic (most people don't graduate college until 22 by the way), there would be almost no surgeons. You are not a non-traditional applicant. If you give up that easily on something that you say you have wanted for so long, then perhaps you should consider something other than medicine and surgery generally.

 

[MedWonk]

I have always wanted to be a surgeon. Since I was a child I have always wanted to be the best doctor that I could be, but now I am 21 years old and have yet to finish undergrad. I feel as though I will be too old to study surgery. What should I do? I don't want to give up but is this what I must do?