It is obvious that you harbor some resentment towards nonTrads. As a nonTrad who did not have direction in college at the begining but then found it I have to take serious offense with your comments because they are ignorant.
No I did not party too much, yes I had problems with my grades at the start, yes when I retook my classes and actually put my mind to it I did well, however by the time it was said and done, my GPA was in the trash. Then I go out in the real world and work. It was not until several years later while getting a Masters degree did I want to go into medicine again because I thought I had a chance.
Since you are a Trad, I can imagine that you have NO clue what it is like being a nontrad. Let me give you a run down of what a typical 24 hour day is like:
6am wake up
6:30 have that cup of coffee while preparing the baby's bottle and the school lunch
7:30 Take the kids to day care/school head to work
9-5 work
6pm-6:30pm dinner with family
7pm-9pm classes
9:30pm-12:30am homework
12:30-6am sleep
On top of that maintain a good GPA, study, write papers, spend quality time with your children, and spend quality time with your spouse. Oh yeah, being a NonTrad is certainly easier
that going to medical school right out of college.
Then you have to explain what changed between then and now that makes you a better applicant. Why did you choose medicine after a successful career making widgets? Why put your family through the financial strain and time strain that will be in your future?
Have you EVER had to figure out how to pay the bills while still in school? If you think being in debt after medical school is tough, try being in debt after you go to medical school and trying to put your own kids through college.
However, you are right about one thing, NonTrad DO have an advantage over you. Older patients will be more prone to talk to someone who has been there too as opposed to the 25 year old who treats them like babies.