specialties for nontrads

[RabbiDoc]

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are all the specializations avaliable for us non trads.

for example if i want to become a neurosurgeon and am just begining the prereqs at 35 years old, do i stand a chance?

 

[Jacq]

are all the specializations avaliable for us non trads.

for example if i want to become a neurosurgeon and am just begining the prereqs at 35 years old, do i stand a chance?

I sure hope so. I'm 30 and neurosurgery is what I want to pursue. I'm sure the majority of people will say that's it's not possible, but I've got to believe that there's an exception to every rule and hopefully I'm it.😀

 

[Febrifuge]

Most med students change their minds about specialty training several times -- it would be weird to consider any specialty off-limits, just like it would be weird to consider any one a sure thing.

If you want to be a neurosurgeon, be prepared to deal with all the stuff anyone has to, as they go through the steps for becoming one. Maybe your age will be a positive, maybe it will be a negative. It's all about how you use it.

 

[vtucci]

Okay- most of the older students in my class (myself included) want to go into emergency medicine. Some of the others are looking at radiology, orthopedics, family med, internal.

Neurosurg is a tough road-- it will be a min 7 years (most programs might even be 9 years now) for residency. The hours will be grueling but if it is what you love-- I say go for it. Keep in mind, you will be 40+ when you start residency and will need to show that you do not tire easily and are a well-spring of energy (so you can compete with the young turks out there). Do what you love.

 

[arcin]

Everyone will have an opinion on this and well you have to decide how much you want something and what you are willing to give to get it. I think it is more important to specialize as you will have less time practicing than someone younger. Therefore, your ROI (Return On Investment) needs to be comparable. I am not saying it is all about money but you have to have considered that. Also, as far as I am concerned it is a plus for Neuro because you will be able to react/act under pressure a lot different than someone that has no experience in any kind of field. But I am biased because I want Neuro and I am a non-trad as well. 😀

 

[Jacq]

Everyone will have an opinion on this and well you have to decide how much you want something and what you are willing to give to get it. I think it is more important to specialize as you will have less time practicing than someone younger. Therefore, your ROI (Return On Investment) needs to be comparable. I am not saying it is all about money but you have to have considered that. Also, as far as I am concerned it is a plus for Neuro because you will be able to react/act under pressure a lot different than someone that has no experience in any kind of field. But I am biased because I want Neuro and I am a non-trad as well. 😀

I'm with you McDreamy! 😎

 

[Haemulon]

The one thing I have considered is that being older, I feel like I don't have as much time to go on and on in an extended residency and fellowship. Maybe I will. I guess I'll see. I have thought a lot about combined residencies (such as IM and Med Gen for instance), but that is 5 years and if I want to add a fellowship it is yet another 2. I contrast this with just picking another area of interest, such as Neurology, where I would just have a 3 year residency (or is it PG1 + 3?). I guess i'll have to see how things evolve.

I have a strong background in genetics so I feel like I want to continue it in something like Med Gen, but I still don't want to give up the broader clinical practice of other specialties, like IM, EM, or something like that. Path would be an option too, but I feel like i'm already off-gasing all kinds of lab chemicals from my previous experiences. We'll see how it plays out.

 

[QofQuimica]

are all the specializations avaliable for us non trads.

for example if i want to become a neurosurgeon and am just begining the prereqs at 35 years old, do i stand a chance?

Yes. You should PM njbmd and ask her for some advice. She went to med school in her forties and is now a surgery resident. 🙂

 

[Beau Geste]

Yes. You should PM njbmd and ask her for some advice. She went to med school in her forties and is now a surgery resident. 🙂

Not only that - she has expressed high interest in vascular surgery - probably about as intensive as neurosurgery!

Her story is a great one - find a post by her and in her sig. is her blog. It's new, but she writes well and is a powerhouse of knowledge.

 

[Nasrudin]

I don't feel restricted to certain specialties or that my scope is limited by my age--33 hope to enter med school by 34-36. One reason is the return-investment dynamic mentioned by one poster. The specialities that require longer periods of training generally yield higher salaries...well atleast generally speaking. I'm interested in infectious disease which is an internal medicine sub-specialty that does not really pay more..but that's what med school is for-ruling out fields or sparking your interest and considering the lifestyle of the respective attendings. I definitely don't feel limited, exept that I know myself better and would be less likely to pick something for the wrong reasons and end up having to switch. I'll likely pick something that interests me and that suits my personality regardless of the pay because even at our age we'll be working into our sixties and beyond--we might as well enjoy what we're doing.
Although I suppose that is self-selecting in and of itself. When I was younger my interests might have led to something with more action and as a younger person you can put in a career and retire earlier in your life arc. As my temperment and forseeable requirements to work very late in life I might pick a field that is more cerebral that adrenaline-inducing. So I suppose the OP's question is a good one.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Yes. You should PM njbmd and ask her for some advice. She went to med school in her forties and is now a surgery resident. 🙂

And she's planning on going to law school, too, right? 🙂 That being said, if you're going to follow her path, you probably need a hell of a lot of energy. I don't have it -- I didn't have it when I was in my 20s, either, though.

We nontrads generally carry a little more baggage like families, debt, worries about retirement, etc., than our trad counterparts, so you've got to factor that stuff in when picking a residency. That certainly doesn't mean that you can't do whatever you want regardless of your age.

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

There is certainly no specialty that is closed to us non-trads. Since I started medical school at 44, I do plan to pursue internal medicine because that's where I see a great need but I also do not want to do a long fellowship. If I change my mind and decide to do a fellowship in one of the internal med subspecialties, there is no reason that I can't.

However, I can think of one caveat. I spent all of my previous career in healthcare, the last ten years in a major multi-hospital health system (in finance and administration). You might want to consider the fact that many surgeons that I knew in the most demanding surgical sub-specialties retired or considered retirement in their mid-50's (kind of like pro football - make your money early and get out before your body fails you). The hours are incredibly grueling and you can't keep a rock-steady hand forever.

It's non unrealistic for me to say that, as an Internal Medicine physician, I don't plan to retire until my late '60's or even 70. I do not think that would be a realistic retirement date for a neurosurgeon.

Just something to consider....

 

[Law2Doc]

are all the specializations avaliable for us non trads.

for example if i want to become a neurosurgeon and am just begining the prereqs at 35 years old, do i stand a chance?

Agree with the others that nothing is closed. That being said, some of the more gung ho surgical fields tend to not get a lot of interest from nontrads, although it's unclear how much is self selection and how much is residency directors wanting to select from a certain mold.

 

[Skialta]

I am an MSIV and 36 years old and are at the end of my interviews for general surgery residency. Be prepared to explain to residency directors why you want to be a surgeon at your age. That being said I have interviewed at top 20 programs in the country and don't think that age is that big of a factor, they just want to make sure you are going to finish what you start.

Skialta