To Older Pharm Students

[bringinit247]

Do any of you ever get depressed when you walk around campus and see kids five, six, seven years younger than you taking the same exact classes, or hanging out in the same buildings? I will be in that same boat when I finish my undergrad and come back for pharmacy, and I'm afraid of feeling too old when I'm going to class. I will be 24-27 during pharmacy school, and my classmates will be between 21-24. It will be disheartening for me to be around students who are alot younger than I am, but still in the same place career-wise. I will feel as if I wasted three years out of my twenties, the prime of my life. From a professional standpoint it could be psychologically disconcerting, but even socially as well. While I am in my mid-twenties and will have grown out of the college social scene, my classmates will still be eating it up. Plus, it's not to hard to become somewhat of an outcast if you're an older college towny...Certainly these are important things to think about but don't get me wrong; being an older, nontraditional student is a price that I am willing to pay. But how do you older students combat these insecurities and the loneliness that I anticipate feeling?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Triangulation]

It's pretty much how you play it. I just turned 28, and it doesn't faze me. The most pressure I feel is that I can't take any more years than the minimum to get where I wanna go. I haven't had prob whatsoeve hangin out with the 21 yr ols running around in my class. You just have to decide to interact. You're not gonna be black-balled bc you're 25. Most of my class is early twenties, but a significant portion is 25 and up.

It's cliched, but the older students do, in general, have a broader perspective and more experience to draw from that adds to their tool kit and their cache. You don't need to worry about this.

Like, the last three girls i've dated were at least five years younger than me and that's not bc i was trying to date that age group. That's just kinda how it landed up, so apparently those younger peeps didn't think i was an old bastard.

At any rate, don't sweat it. You will find that people care about your personality rather than your age.

 

[jdpharmd?]

The average age of our 1st-year class is 27 or 28. About 35% are married, and many of those have at least one kid. The age range is 18-50 years old. There is something for everyone. I'm 23.

Tri: you're old.

 

[LVPharm]

We have more than our fair share of older students at our school, including me (I'm 31). We have at least 5 students in my class older than 30, one of whom used to be a chemical engineer. I took a look at the incoming 1st years, and it looks like there's more!

You shouldn't have any trouble "fitting in". The older folks are admired for their "enhanced" perspective...especially the career changers. This is a professional school, and everyone treats each other with respect. You'll never be ostracized for your age...besides you're only in your mid 20's! We have a middle-aged guy with white hair and a white beard, and he's probably one of the most popular guys in the class!

Honestly, the only problem I have is looking at a cute girl and thinking to myself: "My gawd, when she was born, I was like...10 years old!"

I feel so dirty now....

JD: If Tri's old, then I'm a fossil...

 

[Triangulation]

Tri: you're old.

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAHHAH

 

[jdpharmd?]

Hey, you can't quote me and leave out the winking smiley! That's like taking something out of context!

 

[Roxicet]

bringinit247:

I strongly believe that you are as old as you feel. I don't think you should isolate yourself because you think you are too old to have fun. Why do you "feel" so old? I'm 25, but I still get carded to see an R-rated movie or buy a lottery ticket. If you don't want to tell people how old you are, you don't have to. I will be 26-29 or 30 when I'm in pharmacy school, but I'm sure I'll still get carded.

I'm a very nontraditional student too. It feels a little wierd to be around young people with no responsibilities. (check your other thread: post-bacc into pharmacy school.)

you'll be fine.

 

[dgroulx]

I'm 46 years old. There are quite a few over 30 and we tend to hang out together. Most are married with kids and have a lot to do at home besides worrying about school. This gives us a common thread of things to bitch about.

 

[Heyyyyy]

bringinit247. How old will you be when you start pharmacy school? 24? or 27? If age is a big concern for you, you can finish your pharmacy degree in less than 3yrs. Education is ageless!!!!!

 

[bringinit247]

You reminded me of a quote...."Education is a continuous process ending only when ambition comes to a halt." And my ambition is alive and well.

I'm gonna be 24 when I start pharmacy school, and 27 when I finish my rotations and get my Pharm. D. The overwhelming majority of kids at my college's pharmacy school do the whole 0+6 program right out of high school...Non-trads and post-baccs like me are just not that common here. That explains my insecurity about not belonging with everybody else.

 

[Heyyyyy]

dude you are young. average age for most pharmacy schools is 24 or 25 i remember seeing the stats for unc where the average age was like 27 or 28.

 

[Heyyyyy]

age doesn't matter if you do something that you enjoy or will benefit from.

 

[chunkyb]

When I went back to school to do my pre-reqs. for pharm school at age 24, I felt really insecure and pathetic. i was absolutely mortified about the possiblity of running into former classmates on campus and the possiblity that while they were working on their PhD.s, they could actually turn out to be one of my TA's. it turned out to be no big deal at all.

I was also worried about being really old for pharm school, but in my pharmacy class now, I am "seem" young or just about the avg. age. You will find out that there will be many people older than you. I think that this is probably common for most professional programs. Anyway, if it's any consolation, the older students are way more interesting and cooler than the younger ones (who seem really shy and kind of boring).