Too late? And about reincarnation... can I come back as a doctor?

[DRMCB]

I'm 27 and married with a son who is almost 1. I still need to take many of the pre-med classes, which I hope to start with next August, after I complete my Masters program. Currently my wife works part-time so that she can be home with our son. It is very important to us that we be with him, rather than sticking him in some day care all day. After he is in school, my wife plans to return to work. That would be when I would start medical school, most likely. So I guess we're looking at starting Fall 2006. The earliest I could start would be Fall 2004, with the pre-med classes, MCAT, and applications in the meantime. What I'm wondering is whether there is some way to start in '04, while still holding to our committment to keep our son out of day care. Could I care for him while in med school? Do med schools have on-site day cares at all? Is it all worth it at this point? I'm feeling old now and I'm going to be really old by the time I graduate and complete my residency I'll be approaching 40! Should I just wait for med school in my next life?

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[ckent]

Well, I guess the answer to that is really going to depend on you. With regards to the age issue, remember that in 13 years you are going to be 40 years old regardless of what you choose to do now, so you could be a doctor then, or you could be continuing to do whatever you do now. If you think that you can be 40 years old and be happy with your decision not to pursue medical school, then you might want to go with that route. With regards to whether or not it is possible, I definitely believe that it is possible, albeit difficult. We have one classmate here that brings his infant with him to lecture (the infant is fairly quiet and sits in the back row). Most medical schools are implementing curriculums with less lecture time so what you choose to do with the time that you are not in class is completely up to you. I know several parents who are excellent time managers and can finish studying most days by 4pm and then can go home to be with their kids. 3rd and 4th year and then residency will probably be more difficult for you and your family, but I imagine that it would be no more difficult then for a family with a father with a job that required many hours (so other families have gotten through it).

 

[bugzee75]

At my medical school first and second year lectures are from 8-12 so depending on your time management skills it is possible to care for children in the afternoon as long as you find time to study.

Some of my classmates have children and with support from their families they were able to survive medical school and care for their kids.

The third year is more difficult time wise because you will spend long hours in the hospital, have to take overnight call, and have little control over the rotations you are required to take. Fourth year provides you with more freedom to select rotations including those with less rigid hours.

In general, you CAN attend medical school and spend time with your family, but be sure to select your school wisely and ask how many current students have children when you interview. You may want to go to school near family or friends who can help out with your son.

Good Luck and if you do decide to go to medical school you will be entering one of the most challenging and exciting professional careers there is. If you think you would be unhappy doing anything else then go for it, otherwise if you can be fulfilled in another field then do something else.

 

[Starflyr]

I think that you can go to medical school in '04 without having your kids in daycare ALL day, yes. It depends on the med school. Dont go to one that has lectures from 8-5. At UTMB, first year we have classes (lectures, labs, what have you) ~8-12, depending on the block. Once a week we also have a 2 hour afternoon class, plus once in awhile assorted afternoon activities (site visits at clinics and such). Second year, classes are 1-5, with the 2 hour class in the morning (+ site visit stuff occasionally). So...if you could find either a part-time daycare (like mornings only) or something like a preschool or museum school that your kids could go to for 3 hours everyday, sure, you could do it (at least, here). The trick is finding time to study. preschool age kids cant be trusted (generally) to entertain themselves while you try to memorize the innervation of the pelvis. And if you study after your wife comes home, you probably wont see her very much. Are you willing to make that kind of sacrifice?

Star

 

[SocialistMD]

I have a few classmates who actually have spouses that stay-at-home to raise the kids while they (my classmates) are in med school. They are living entirely off student loans and are making it ok. If your current financial debt isn't too great and you can live on a budget, it is possible for your wife to continue to stay home as long as she initally planned while you to are in med school and live on loans alone. Again, it comes back to what you want to do and what you are willing to sacrifice.

 

[rickmyster78]

A good friend of mine is a single mother of two daughters. She is in her late thirties and she wants to become a physician. I give props to all parent-college students and med students alike, becuase I know it is very difficult to attend school and be there for your children. Besides parent students are among the most disciplined and the most dedicated students that I know. I'd rather have one of you guys at my side as a future physician than a 25-year-old-gunner M.D. with a pre-med state of mind. I definitely think that you can do it. Good luck.

Rickey

 

[Hannibal Gabriel]

As previously stated...just because somebody's a 25 year old M.D. doesn't mean he's a second-class citizen. Being young doesn't make you a fool any more reliably than being old makes you wise.

 

[rickmyster78]

Hannibal,

No offense with my previous post. I am 23 and starting med school in fall 2002. I just meant that those pesky brown-nosing, pre-med-gunner types that we all had during our college years just never seem to grow up. And you are right, old doesn't make you wiser. I'm trying to say that it's not too late for seasoned individuals to apply to med school, make it and still become great doctors.

Rickey

 

[Orthodog]

Hannibal,

Medical students that are older, married, and have children are usually more disciplined than their younger, single, childrenless peers. This not only is evident in their private lives, but this usually carries over into every aspect of their life. In the majority of cases, many older students are more detailed about their patient hx. and are able to show empathy. Younger med students are more likely to focus on the academic portion of medicine and do far much better in the basic science years, but clinically, older students are superb because their interpersonal skills, as well as their focus on detail is has matured.

 

[rickmyster78]

Orthodog,

I agree.

 

[djmd]

You pose two questions or issues...
Are you to old and can it be done(re family)...

The first is a flat out no.
My school, Penn State likes taking nontraditional students. In my entering class, we had several families. Some with kids ranging from newborns to 10 years old. The oldest member of our class was 40 years old when we started...

Secondly, can it be done with family...
I speak of other students (no family yet), but many people in my class balance family life with medical school. During the first two years it is actually possible to spend a great deal of time at home (if you can study there!!). Classes only run 4-5 hours a day (labs can add on top of that)..
Keeping in mind that is at my school...
3rd and some fo 4th year is much more demanding in the time spent away from home...

Hope that helps..
-DjMd

 

[youngjock]

have you guys noticed my membership number?! Now these days, most of you have membership number that is over 8000. What happened to all those 6000 or so members?

man, i am truly an old member! And I am still single. you already have a life with a kid, and I haven't found the one.

of course, there is nothing to feel happy about. then I suppose that I can do anything I choose to do. that is the good part.

my dad already told me to move on, since the freshmen in college can call me uncle now. hahaha.


well, i am not that old, still I think that i am ok, just hanging in there.

 

[DRMCB]

I'm encouraged by the feedback that you have given and feel like beginning medical school in 2004, while also continuing to be a good and present father and husband may be more of an option that I thought.

A couple of additional questions:

1) Given the varying schedules at medical schools, does anyone have any feeling for the schedules (family-friendliness) of Chicago area schools... specifically UIC, Rush, Loyola, Finch, and the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine? These are the schools that I am currently considering.

2) If I attended a school with a schedule of 8-12 (as referenced above), is it realistic to think that I could spend the early afternoon with my son (until maybe 4 or so) and still have time to study? Of course I would have more time on the weekends to study, but I also don't want to be an absentee father and husband. Any thoughts?

 

[acrowder]

I'm with you here. Actually, you are ahead of me and I'm a year older. I'm 28, and starting from the very bottom....at the CC. I have no degree at all and I'm giving up a great career here in the Silicon Valley as a network engineer. This will be my 3rd potential career that I will be giving up. so far, I have been in the military, worked as a deep sea diver in the gulf of mexico, and worked in IT. At this point in my life I thought I'd try something extreme.
One thing I have learned is this: ANYTHING can be done with enough blood, sweat, and tears. Dig deep, make a gut check, and hunker down. Know that it will suck, but also look at how many MD's there are in the world.
When I was diving I had a old salt as our dive sup. His advice was to take the job one dive at a time. It worked. If you stop looking at the HUGE picture and look at it on a smaller scale, it doesn't look so bad. work on the task at hand, then find the next one. Break it down into smaller goals. Before you know it, your done.
Bottom line: You want to be an MD....then go be one!

 

[Arohanui]

You guys rock - im 25 and starting my second career - i have decided to do pediatrics - totally know what i want to do but i have had negative comments on the whole changing careers especially into medicine but i think its the right thing to do.

 

[Future_Doc]

It's never too late! I will be 30 next year when I start (I deferred 1 year). I currently have a family and a great career. But once you decide that that's what you want to do, go for it! If you don't, you will be asking yourself "what if..." 10 years from now. Better to be a 40 year old doctor than a 40 year old accountant (or whatever) if it's what you want to do.

 

[DRMCB]

It sounds like the first two years are somewhat flexible. What should I expect from the 3rd and 4th years? My child will be in K or 1st grade by then, so I wouldn't need to be home by 12 and would be able to put in more hours. At the same time, I still want to be a good/present father and husband. Is it realistic to think that my family will see me occasionally? What is a "typical" schedule... if there is one! What about in residency... I plan on family med. or pediatrics. Thanks.

 

[djmd]

Typical schedule?

Different rotations are well different.
Surgery is a preround at 4:30-5ish (maybe earlier)
get out arround 5-6 pm, when not on call...

Medicine starts later prerounding 6ish, there till 6ish. Call is usually overnight and usually every 4 nights.

Family, psych usually start later sometimes without prerounding... less call.

Residency?
I don't know from experience, but I think
this is close
Fam Med 7-8 start, there till 5-6 (paperwork plus clinic) and call ... q5-6?

Peds 6-7 start, there till 7 and call? Q4-5?

hopefully someone else will know more about the residencies...

DjMD

 

[agent]

Originally posted by Arohanui
You guys rock - im 25 and starting my second career - i have decided to do pediatrics - totally know what i want to do but i have had negative comments on the whole changing careers especially into medicine but i think its the right thing to do.

im 25 as well. crankin away at my bachelor's degree and pre-reqs.

i hope to apply in 2-3 years

------------
class of 2007!

 

[JmE]

DRMCB,

I am 34 and have four children. I will be starting a DO program this Tuesday. You are only going to get older, you might as well be doing something you love to do. Good luck!


rickmyster78, et al

Thanks, those were some nice posts. I think it encourages us non-traditionals to hear a vote of confidence here and there.


Hannibal Gabriel,

I agree, even at only 34, I have noticed that I do not process information as fast as I did ten years ago. So, I think there may be some trade-offs as an older student. I seem to retain more detail and understand it better than I used to, however, I have to take a different approach to getting the information in. I don't think that age makes someone better, just different which may make them better suited to a particular situation or not.



Well, back to packing... we aren't even moved yet. Yikes!!

-JmE-

 

[KWBum]

My two cents...

Nothing is impossible. Yes, it's a cliche, but, frankly, it's true.

You've got to give it a go. You won't be able to live with yourself down the road. The reward is really quite great. I could go on and on, anecdotally, about various doctors I know. Some went to Mexico at the age of 28 and are now surgeons. Some came to the US at 50, after practicing in Europe for 25 years and started anew with more successes than I can mention.

Make your own future.

I'm 32. In spite of my having applied and interviewed at ~3 MD schools per year, for two consecutive years (AND I interviewed at Nova [DO] three years in a row) they still didn't none of them take me. They didn't take me with a 3.3 and a 31, not the best, I know...but passable.

So, I went to Europe leaving a fiancee in LA. We're still going strong, in fact, probably stronger than ever. I had no idea life would be like this...you can't beat it!

Think of the example you'll set for your kids. Dad did EXACTLY what he wanted. Persisted, and succeeded!

KWBum
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