Title more clever than "Help";)

[missaligned]

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It's 4 AM, and I'm having my daily early morning RN/PA/MD/DO debate. I'm non-traditional in every sense of the word; a non "practicing" ER tech, I work in medical records and drool over every aspect of the health care industry that I'm not involved in. I started out on a track towards nursing, however, once I got within 10 feet of the physicians, I felt a pull towards what they were doing. At 24, I feel ancient compared to the 26 year old residents I work with. I'm very much at square one. I have a family who is begging me to become a nurse, as it's possible to obtain my RN in two years flat, my fiance is supportive of my daily indecision, and then I have myself, completely lost around my peers who by my age had half of their medical training behind them. I know I'm getting nowhere by constantly putting off due to indecision, so I suppose what I'm asking is: Where on earth does one start when they really are at square one? (or should I say, pre-square one?😉

 

[Beau Geste]

It's 4 AM, and I'm having my daily early morning RN/PA/MD/DO debate. I'm non-traditional in every sense of the word; a non "practicing" ER tech, I work in medical records and drool over every aspect of the health care industry that I'm not involved in. I started out on a track towards nursing, however, once I got within 10 feet of the physicians, I felt a pull towards what they were doing. At 24, I feel ancient compared to the 26 year old residents I work with. I'm very much at square one. I have a family who is begging me to become a nurse, as it's possible to obtain my RN in two years flat, my fiance is supportive of my daily indecision, and then I have myself, completely lost around my peers who by my age had half of their medical training behind them. I know I'm getting nowhere by constantly putting off due to indecision, so I suppose what I'm asking is: Where on earth does one start when they really are at square one? (or should I say, pre-square one?😉

Well, whether you become a nurse or physician, you still need your basic sciences: chem, bio, orgo, physics (or at least you SHOULD). So you could start by completing your pre-reqs and then see where you stand. If you work full time, you could finish them in a year or so (Fall semester through the next fall semester if you include summer).

You gotta start somewhere. Also, to cheer you up on age - I'll be 29 in a month and won't be taking the MCAT until Spring '07, which, if everything goes peachy, I'll be 31 going on 32 when I enter med school. Chin up!

 

[DocteurMarion]

Hey you are young! I am 28 and not even done with bachelors and science pre-req! 😉
Like the other person said, start with your science classes, that is where to start and also talk to a pre-med advisor in a University near you.

Good Luck!

 

[blee]

You definitely need to take those classes either way, but I would have a difficult time concentrating and studying if I didn't know what my eventual goal really was.

Obviously, only you can decide for yourself, but I will tell you that your age is absolutely not an issue. I totally know what you mean about feeling old, but it's only going to be a hindrance if you let it get in your way. I quit my job last year at 26, beat the vast majority of my undergrad classmates during my postbac year, and am applying to med schools at 27. I'll be 28 and staring straight in the face of 29 if one of my interviews (four so far) leads to an acceptance. I wasn't entirely sure of myself when I started this whole process; today, however, I absolutely know that I can keep up with everyone else and even stay near the very top of the class.

Finally, nontrads are almost becoming commonplace in the med school application process. My tour guide at last week's interview was 40 and a single father. Three of that school's first year class are currently pregnant. Roughly 4-5 out of the 19 who showed up for my interview day were married with children; another 3 or 4 were at least one year out of school. So don't be intimidated by age.