Thinking about getting started

[acfinn]

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I am 32 years old and am thinking about going back to school. I would be starting from scratch though so I would be in for a long road and that has me wondering. Is 32 too old to be starting pre--med? I am an epileptic whose seizures are under control so my primary interest is to become a neurologist down the road.

Anyways, I just wanted to get some advice on whether getting started this late would hinder my ability to get into medical school and succeed. Thanks for any tips you can give me.

 

[Bluesun]

I'm surprised nobody has posted here yet...

Welcome to SDN! You should do some reading before you get into question asking mode -- check out the FAQ for answers to most questions that you may have about med school in general (including whether or not 32 is too old, spoiler alert, it's definitely not). Starting "late" is not a hindrance, so long as your life can be molded to support the additional work and burden to your schedule. Getting into med school is very competitive, so making yourself the best candidate you can is paramount. Depending on your situation, this can take a considerable amount of time.

What schooling have you completed so far? How well did you do? Did you graduate? Have you already taken some or all of your hard sciences (hard as in core, not difficulty)? If so, how well did you do in those?

Do a bit of reading and/or answer these questions, and we should be able to give you a better idea of where to go, what you need to do, what's in store, etc. I can't overstate this enough, though -- read the FAQ and just browse the forums a bit. There is so much information here.

In the end, what really matters is how much you are willing to sacrifice for what you want to achieve (no different from anything else in life). Take care!

 

[acfinn]

I did read some other threads about age but they didn't seem to fit the same circumstances that I have. For instance I would be starting as a freshman undergrad. I just applied to Portland State. I apologize for the redundant thread though.

 

[Bluesun]

I did read some other threads about age but they didn't seem to fit the same circumstances that I have. For instance I would be starting as a freshman undergrad. I just applied to Portland State. I apologize for the redundant thread though.

If you're just starting out, then you have a clean slate. That's not necessarily a bad thing. It could be a problem, time-wise, if you're not ok with the idea of being a student into your 40's (depending upon if you do your undergrad full time). It's never too late to start, though. Make sure, however, that you maintain as close to a 4.0 as possible to make yourself the best possible candidate. Also, the better you understand the physical science classes, the better you will understand that section of the MCAT.

You could also consider PA school or some other healthcare alternatives (dentistry) that don't have quite the time commitment that becoming a doctor does.