The effect of age

[Law2Doc]

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As a lot of the non-trads know, there's always a possibility for a change down the road. Even if you do go through medical school and residency, there's always an option to switch at that point to doing something else (research, consulting, etc.)

I would argue that medicine is probably one of the hardest fields to change out of because the golden handcuffs are on the tightest. You need to go through 4 years of school and 3+ years of residency before you can even think of paying back loans so as to free yourself to try something else. Folks who do other fields (eg law) can be earning money sufficient to pay down their substantially smaller loans in a relatively small fraction of the time. Medicine is one of the few careers where it is often too expensive to get out once you start. Which is why you ought to be darn sure.

 

[da8s0859q]

I would argue that medicine is probably one of the hardest fields to change out of because the golden handcuffs are on the tightest. You need to go through 4 years of school and 3+ years of residency before you can even think of paying back loans so as to free yourself to try something else. Folks who do other fields (eg law) can be earning money sufficient to pay down their substantially smaller loans in a relatively small fraction of the time. Medicine is one of the few careers where it is often too expensive to get out once you start. Which is why you ought to be darn sure.

IAW, as usual, l2d.

Incidentally, as related to medicine, this makes me glad to be a Texas resident. Much like the kid in Not Another Teen Movie, resident tuition here makes me happy in pants.

 

[TheRealMD]

IAW, as usual, l2d.

Incidentally, as related to medicine, this makes me glad to be a Texas resident. Much like the kid in Not Another Teen Movie, resident tuition here makes me happy in pants.

Lol, maybe that and we have 6 schools we can apply to, all for like $180 in primary and secondary fees. Makes me wonder why the AMCAS costs so much and why I'm going to pay $160 just for Baylor. *sigh*

Baylor should switch to the TMDSAS system. heck, 75% of their class is from Texas anyway, so SAVE US SOME DOUGH! 👍

 

[RokChalkJayhawk]

Well, Kansas sucks at football but is pretty good at basketball. Kansas State was good for a few years and now sucks again. Cal Berkeley is good at football but only because they have Tedford, the former Oregon coordinator who learned his lessons well at the U of O. And LT and San Diego, well, pro football is not worth watching. Who cares? I can't see how you relate to these crappy football teams.

This reminds me of the scene from Billy Madison where Adam Sandler yells out that his high school football team rules.

 

[searun]

This reminds me of the scene from Billy Madison where Adam Sandler yells out that his high school football team rules.

Well, I played soccer in high school, not football. As a freshman, I started for my high school varsity team at sweeper and we won our state's high school soccer championship. So, yeah, my high school team did rule. One of my teammates hit a bicycle kick, over his head, on the fly, to win the game. I collapsed in joy on the field at the end of the game. Yeah, it was pretty cool, particularly for a ninth grader, when everyone else on the field was a junior or senior. So I can relate to the Adam Sandler character. How about you....Did you play in any big games, Mr. Jayhawk, or are you just a spectator who buys a jersey at the college bookstore?

 

[notdeadyet]

Well, I played soccer in high school, not football. As a freshman, I started for my high school varsity team at sweeper and we won our state's high school soccer championship. So, yeah, my high school team did rule.

Just a warning: reminescing about atheletic glory days from when you were 14 might be opening the floodgates for slagging. Not from me, mind, but others on the board may jump on it...

 

[LifetimeDoc]

Just a warning: reminescing about atheletic glory days from when you were 14 might be opening the floodgates for slagging. Not from me, mind, but others on the board may jump on it...

I was actually on the treadmill a few minutes ago doing my 30 minutes of cardio running and was thinking back to when I was 16 running cross country in high school. Then I realized that was 20 years ago! 😱:cry:😀

 

[notdeadyet]

I was actually on the treadmill a few minutes ago doing my 30 minutes of cardio running and was thinking back to when I was 16 running cross country in high school. Then I realized that was 20 years ago! 😱:cry:😀

I hear that. I ran cross country in high school and stopped running pretty much as soon as I set foot on a college campus. Fast forward 14 years and I started running again.

About two months ago, I was really sweating it out and I hit a great (for me) time on my three mile run. I was scratching my head and then realized I broke my personal high school best. I was delighted with myself until an old friend pointed out that I was never much of a runner in high school.

Old friends were invented to prevent the venial sin of pride....

 

[soulspokn]

this thread reminded me of dougie houser. anyone remember that?

 

[TheRealMD]

this thread reminded me of dougie houser. anyone remember that?

-_-

Perhaps you should re-read the entire thread and you'll see why I want to slap you for saying that.

*sigh*

 

[Meatwad]

-_-

Perhaps you should re-read the entire thread and you'll see why I want to slap you for saying that.

*sigh*

Temper, temper; if you get into med school at your age, you will have to deal with hearing this daily, and in real life nonetheless.

 

[kirexhana]

-_-

Perhaps you should re-read the entire thread and you'll see why I want to slap you for saying that.

*sigh*

yea, if i hear someone call me doogie howser one more time, i think will get an aneurysm

 

[Law2Doc]

yea, if i hear someone call me doogie howser one more time, i think will get an aneurysm

Cool. Hey Doogie Howser.

 

[notdeadyet]

Cool. Hey Doogie Howser.

Going for the low hanging fruit today, eh, L2D? That was too easy...

 

[Law2Doc]

Going for the low hanging fruit today, eh, L2D? That was too easy...

True, but I always wanted to see someone "get an aneurysm".

 

[TheRealMD]

Temper, temper; if you get into med school at your age, you will have to deal with hearing this daily, and in real life nonetheless.

Real life is different from the internet though, thankfully.

I won't get this kind of stuff unless I "act my age". 😛

 

[kirexhana]

True, but I always wanted to see someone "get an aneurysm".

*blooooooooooooooooooooooooop*

sorry, that's my best interpretation of what an aneursym would sound like

 

[notdeadyet]

True, but I always wanted to see someone "get an aneurysm".

Well, it is aneurysm season...

 

[soulspokn]

I'd say, live it up dougie =P you wont escape the dougie houser thing for quite some time. so take it as a compliment and relax. Sorry about the aneurysm. =P

 

[LovelyMD]

Well, there's a 19 year old in Columbia's first year class if I'm not mistaken... probably 20 by now.

If I were in your shoes, I'd probably take some time to do something for a year like work & make some money, or go for a fellowship to go someplace new, do something I may not get the chance to do once I start med school, something along those lines... but I'd say go ahead and apply! I think Texas will show you some love

 

[RokChalkJayhawk]

Well, I played soccer in high school, not football. As a freshman, I started for my high school varsity team at sweeper and we won our state's high school soccer championship. So, yeah, my high school team did rule. One of my teammates hit a bicycle kick, over his head, on the fly, to win the game. I collapsed in joy on the field at the end of the game. Yeah, it was pretty cool, particularly for a ninth grader, when everyone else on the field was a junior or senior. So I can relate to the Adam Sandler character. How about you....Did you play in any big games, Mr. Jayhawk, or are you just a spectator who buys a jersey at the college bookstore?

Wow. Are you serious?

I had a good response to this, but I deleted it so I wouldn't belittle your accomplishment. But we'll put it this way. I played football for 8 years, including a CIF (California equivalent of state title game) section championship against a team quarterbacked by Alex Smith and featuring a running back you may have heard of... Reggie Bush. I also swam competitively for 14 years and medaled in multiple events at my section's championships in high school. I chose pre-med over (D1) college swimming. As I will be attending med school this Fall, I think I made the right choice.

 

[8744]

How does age affect a person's chances of getting into a school? Is it viewed as a positive or a negative in some cases when you start deviating from the norm?

I ask because I just turned 18 and plan on applying this cycle and my new MSAR shows a total of 0 matriculants into med school. Then again, it's a large scale but people keep telling me that I'll have to show "maturity" in my interview because I might be too young.

Anyway, here are my stats to put things into perspective for me:

African-American URM
Cum. GPA: 3.76
BCPM GPA: 3.76
MCAT: 32P (10V, 12P, 10B)

Some volunteering at an info desk previously, doing ER and Surgical ICU now.
Some doctor shadowing planned.

I feel that while I might be extremely young and probably didn't get an adequate chance to do what most pre-meds would (explore college and what not), I'm 100% sure on being a doctor. And i have gone through 3 years of college but it's just weird to explain how.

So can someone tell me how my age will affect my app? I'd hate for an adcom to say "You're too young but an otherwise great applicant. Come back next year!" 🙁

Those are good stats but being African American is really going to hurt you. There is a huge bias against admitting minorities into medical school and typically, URMs need much, much higer MCAT scores and grades to break the color barrier.

Have you considered listing your race as "white" to improve your chances? It worked for me.

 

[TheRealMD]

Those are good stats but being African American is really going to hurt you. There is a huge bias against admitting minorities into medical school and typically, URMs need much, much higer MCAT scores and grades to break the color barrier.

Have you considered listing your race as "white" to improve your chances? It worked for me.

Haha, so funny. I think they'll be giving me funny faces when I show up for an interview.