Thinking of med school at 37

[kellyshark]

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I am a 37 yo registered nurse. graduated nsg school 1994. always wanted to be MD, but got married young and had family young. thought about it even in the immediate post-nsg school time, but family too young etc. i just kind of gave up on my dream and accepted my path as it was. however, i still have this burning desire to go back to school. i have a master's in nursing education (thought not to do NP b/c i always thought of returning for med school some day) anyway, my kids are "bigger" now-not grown-up but mid-school/hs ages. i feel like i chose to do things in the opposite manner-family/children first, school/career later. no one questions a woman for putting off having children until later 30s/early 40s. wondering why/if med school admissions committees may "get it" that a woman may want to have children younger, and pursue career in med later???? am i too old? am i crazy for even visiting this? should i just say forget it? should i try? as an aside, i really don't like nursing. i feel like my brain is wasting. presently work with an MD i adore and love the field in which i work and could def see myself doing what he does. i love it! and i know that the "science" portion of what he does is not something that nurses "do". i've been told i could specialize as an NP, but i dont feel like i would have the same grasp and knowledge of science. i love the basic science portion of the specialty and nsg gives one limited exposure to that. help! any advice greatly appreciated. dont want to embark on this if it is an exercise in futility.

 

[rmbsstock]

I believe that you should not wait any minute to pursue this dream. You have been in this field, and you know the good the bad and the ugly. Your kids are older now, yet still in the house (I am assuming teenagers?) maybe you can sit down and study together (same time, same place, same time for breaks). This new way of bonding will encourage your children to study and you become a good example for them.
I have two friends that chose to go back to school at an older age. These two did great because they knew what they wanted and they did not waste any time on nonsense. One became a Police Officer and the second will graduate this year as an RN.
Good luck, God Bless you on this journey

 

[SkyeJ]

i feel like i chose to do things in the opposite manner-family/children first, school/career later. no one questions a woman for putting off having children until later 30s/early 40s. wondering why/if med school admissions committees may "get it" that a woman may want to have children younger, and pursue career in med later???? am i too old?.

Au contraire, my fellow old premed, there are few elements left in society that are not dragon-breathing on the neck of a woman who has her children late. Watch any news show, talk show or read any editorial and they are ringing bells about wrinkly, brown eggs.

You are not too old and admissions committees care about how competitive you are academically. With a strong package, judicious application across the board, and patience, you will be competitive.

Check out other threads about grades, MCAT, volunteering, personal statements, and all that good stuff.

Good luck!

 

[Azjoe]

When I was 20 I wanted to practice medicine, when I was 25 I still wanted it, then at 30 I thought to myself if I had started this ten years ago I would be done. I decided right there that I wouldn't look back at 40 and say the same thing.

If it is really your dream, then who cares about anything else? I didn't begin until 30, but now that I have decided that I will be a doctor, nothing will stop me. Age is just a number, someday you will be 50 what will matter then?

If you decide that you are going to do it, put your head down, push forward, and take no prisoners.

 

[MiniMoo]

As long as you have the full support of your family and all understand and are willing to commit to the necessary sacrifices in time/money, then age shouldn't hold you back. 👍

 

[NTF]

Age isn't the issue. You're plenty young as far as this forum is concerned. All that matters is that you know what you're getting into, all that it entails, and that you still know it's what you want.

Also as a previous poster pointed out, making sure your family is along for the ride is also a crucial consideration.

Can it be done? absolutely.
Is it crazy? Is it worth it? Only you can answer those questions.

 

[RANE]

I am 35 and have no previous college at all. I just started at my community college and this is my second semester. NO YOU'RE NOT TOO OLD....I keep telling myself that.

 

[rmbsstock]

I am 35 and have no previous college at all. I just started at my community college and this is my second semester. NO YOU'RE NOT TOO OLD....I keep telling myself that.

GREAT, you and kellyshark should stay motivated, and like all the others said if family needs help and its your responsibility, take it easy, take care of them, but WORK, WORK ON YOUR DREAM. I will tell you this, my Dad always loved to be a lawyer, and just a year before his graduation, his father died. He left England (where he was studying) and went back to his country (before he came to the US). Well, all his life he kept on delaying his dream to take care of this, and that, and he kept talking about his dream, and he always watched Perry Mason, and all and every show related to law on TV. He did not leave a book he did not read about law. He died poor, lonely (away from his classmates that were with him, and he loved), without fulfilling his dream, and we (his family) feel sooooooooooo bad that his dream died with him.
DO NOT DO THAT TO YOURSELF OR YOUR FAMILY EITHER. Just do it for BOTH.
Thank You

 

[nowanmd]

I went to an american MD school at 39 yo. There were about 15 people in my class over 30. Some were even pregnant. Today I am 56 yo and am a practicing internist (Have been for more than 10 years) You can do it.

 

[dragonfly99]

I don't think you are necessarily too old. However, I don't think that you should deceive yourself about how hard this path will be. I personally cannot imaging doing residency in my 40's. I get exhausted now, at 34, doing my fellowship. Medicine can be really, really brutal. You have to think about the personal and financial ramifications of what you are thinking about doing. How long/how many prerequisites will you need before you can take the MCAT and apply? Are you going to have to borrow 150k to go to med school, and if you do will it affect your kids' choices of college, etc.? Is your whole family willing to move somewhere else out of town, maybe out of state, so that you can go to school? What if you have to sell your house, etc.? What if your spouse has to leave his job? What if your kids have to leave their schools? What if the med school in your city won't accept you, but you get in somewhere out of state, that is an expensive private school? If you pursue NP, will you end up doing similar things, with a similar patient population, better/more controllable work hours, perhaps with a similar salary and a lot less student debt? Perhaps so, especially if you are thinking to do internal medicine, pediatrics or family practice.

Nobody but you can tell you to do this or not, and I'm not necessarily telling you that you shouldn't. I just think that most people (traditional or nontraditional age) don't realize what they are getting into with the whole med school deal. It's a rough gig. And I think that financially speaking, it may be harder to come out on the winning end given you won't start making any real money until your late 40's.

 

[boaz]

You're not alone:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=351126

 

[Washingtonian]

I am 36 years old with two children, a 4 1/2 year old and 2 year old. I have a Masters in Public Health and have been working in the health care field for over 10 years. I have been wanting to go to medical school for a long time and I will be matriculating in August of 2010 to medical school. The bottom line is that YES, it can be done.

For those who might be cynical of my stamina, I dare you to say anything to someone who has worked full-time, stayed up through the night with two infants, and went to school. It takes shear determination and focus as with anything you may desire in life. While it doesn't get easier as you get older, the one thing you have in your favor is the learned ability to work efficiently and effectively.

I will also acknowledge that I have a very supportive husband who has been and will continue to be a strong support system.

If becoming a physician is your dream, then yes, pursue it and don't let anyone tell you differently.

Good luck in your journey!

 

[kia ora]

For those who might be cynical of my stamina, I dare you to say anything to someone who has worked full-time, stayed up through the night with two infants, and went to school. It takes shear determination and focus as with anything you may desire in life. While it doesn't get easier as you get older, the one thing you have in your favor is the learned ability to work efficiently and effectively.

word (except for the part about kids...I like them, but not enough to have my own🙂)

I have much more stamina (mentally and physically) than when I was a 20-something. I also have the advantages of knowing myself better now than I did at that age, and of knowing what I really want. I've already worked long hours in a professional career, I'm not afraid of working as hard or harder in another one. I'm also starting med school this August and while I have no illusions (delusions?) that it will be easy, I've never really been the kind of person who takes the easy route. this whole going-to-med school thing is causing major upheaval in my life, but I am okay with that