Too late to consider medical school?

[Sari314]

I am a 25 year old considering a career in medicine, but concerned about my chances, and hoped to get some insight from other non-traditional students. Tl;dr details follow, for those willing to read:

I started college in ‘11 planning to become a nurse, but after a rough start and a few financial setbacks I needed to take a few years off to work minimum wage jobs and help out at home. I resumed studies in ‘15 as a psych major with the goal of becoming an occupational therapist, then after nearly a year of volunteer work in an OT/PT clinic decided to switch to the PT track. I was never confident that either career was right for me, but committed to seeing it through.

However, since starting as a research assistant in an EMergency department I’m realizing that I’m much more drawn to medicine.

My GPA is currently a 3.4, a dramatic increase since my hiatus. I have one NC in Anatomy and Physiology 1 from sophomore year (i have since retaken and aced the class) that will drag down my science GPA if factored in. My work experience is all in retail, but since returning to school I have been volunteering, as mentioned, as well as a yearlong commitment to an ED research assistant program. Hopefully i will start medical scribe work soon. I’m a little psyched out by how involved most pre-meds are in school/extracurricular work, especially those who have known from an early age that they wanted to pursue medicine...

As far as prerequisites, I would be held back significantly by chemistry; my school requires me to complete gen chem before Orgo. Besides that I believe I’d only need calculus.

I’m afraid of delaying my graduation/career start any further by taking these courses only to not stand a chance of getting into school anyway. My family is very far from wealthy, and I’m eager to earn at least a little more than I’ve been earning in retail so I can have a bit more independence.

Realistically, what are my options?

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[bears1992]

25 is not too old at all (I'm 25 and am starting at a DO school next year). The average age for 1st year students is only two years younger. The 3.4 is great for DO but on the low side for MD. Unfortunately medical schools (both DO and MD) factor in all grades so retakes will not erase your original grade. A 3.4 GPA with a strong last two years will probably be ok for MD with an above average MCAT. Just out of the blue, I'd say you need a 498+ for DO and a 508+ for MD, assuming you check all your EC boxes and craft a great school list. Over the next 18 months, I suggest getting atleast:

150 clinical volunteer hours
50 non clinical volunteer hours with an underprivileged group
50 shadowing hours (25 of which should be primary care)
Take your prereqs
Obtain a letter of reference from a physician, two science professors, one non-science professor and your employer
Take the MCAT early 2019 and then retake in May 2019 if you needed.
Apply June 2019 and send in your secondaries within a few days of receiving them
Make everyone call you doc.

I took a very similar path to you (non-bio related major with 3.1 GPA) Let me know if you have any questions and I'll try to help.

 

[calivianya]

I went back for my med school prereqs spring '16. I turned 28 that year. I just got an acceptance to a DO program today, so I will be 30 when I matriculate.

You're not too old. If if's what you want, go for it!

 

[PastorDoc]

I went back for my med school prereqs spring '16. I turned 28 that year. I just got an acceptance to a DO program today, so I will be 30 when I matriculate.

You're not too old. If if's what you want, go for it!

Congrats!! You can do it OP!

 

[Robin-jay]

Not even close. Good luck OP!

 

[Sari314]

25 is not too old at all (I'm 25 and am starting at a DO school next year). The average age for 1st year students is only two years younger. The 3.4 is great for DO but on the low side for MD. Unfortunately medical schools (both DO and MD) factor in all grades so retakes will not erase your original grade. A 3.4 GPA with a strong last two years will probably be ok for MD with an above average MCAT. Just out of the blue, I'd say you need a 498+ for DO and a 508+ for MD, assuming you check all your EC boxes and craft a great school list. Over the next 18 months, I suggest getting atleast:

150 clinical volunteer hours
50 non clinical volunteer hours with an underprivileged group
50 shadowing hours (25 of which should be primary care)
Take your prereqs
Obtain a letter of reference from a physician, two science professors, one non-science professor and your employer
Take the MCAT early 2019 and then retake in May 2019 if you needed.
Apply June 2019 and send in your secondaries within a few days of receiving them
Make everyone call you doc.

I took a very similar path to you (non-bio related major with 3.1 GPA) Let me know if you have any questions and I'll try to help.

Thank you so much for your supportive and detailed response.

Do you think that volunteer experience that wasnt under supervision of physicians (my experience in hospital-based outpatient rehab) would suffice for the 150 clinical volunteer hours, or would it be necessary to volunteer additional hours in another setting?

As for the pre-reqs, if i were to do the bare minimum (not the advanced bio courses I see many pre-meds taking) would that potentially leave me unprepared for the MCAT? Completing gen chem before Orgo would mean another 1.5 years...do post-bacc programs allow students to take both courses simultaneously?

 

[DelayedGratification]

I completed my prereqs + biochemistry + social sciences in 1.5 years, I can't imagine any possible way to do it faster. I felt a slight disadvantage for the MCAT not taking any upper level bio courses, however it was very minor and you can fill in the blanks with MCAT material.

Also, I am almost 30, you're very young don't worry

 

[star.buck]

I started with a bachelor's in music performance, knocked out the prerequisite courses for med school in 2 hours... and was accepted into an in-state MD school at the ripe old age of 32. It is most certainly not too late for you. I second everything bears1992 said. As far as financing medical school, that really stressed me out as well (especially since I didn't start this adventure til I was in my 30's). If you run the calculations, assume you need $250k in loans (don't get sticker-shocked by that number!) and get paid roughly $220 a year... after taxes, insurance, house payment, car payment, minimum loan payment... you'll have roughly $5-7k left a month... throw that at loans (as I plan to), and you can pay that debt off quickly. Granted, I'm in Michigan with a low cost of living... but you can run these numbers for your own state and see this is very doable.

Best of luck to you!! And a suggestion from experience: Don't let people around you tell you that your dreams are stupid, or you're too old, or you can't do it... I have classmates in their 40's and I can see the phenomenal physicians they will be in the very near future.

 

[bears1992]

Do you think that volunteer experience that wasnt under supervision of physicians (my experience in hospital-based outpatient rehab) would suffice for the 150 clinical volunteer hours, or would it be necessary to volunteer additional hours in another setting?

I don't think your volunteer experience needs to be with a physician. I've often heard that as long as you are in a clinical setting and you are close enough to smell your patients, then it will be considered clinical volunteering. I did 150 hours of ER volunteering. In both my interviews, they asked me to tell them what experiences I had volunteering in the ER. the 150 hours did not seem to be a problem with any of my 26 schools.

As for the pre-reqs, if i were to do the bare minimum (not the advanced bio courses I see many pre-meds taking) would that potentially leave me unprepared for the MCAT? Completing gen chem before Orgo would mean another 1.5 years...do post-bacc programs allow students to take both courses simultaneously?

I almost think Orgo I and II is a must for the MCAT but not upper level Bio. Studying from the MCAT prep books (Kaplan or Exam Krackers) should get you everything you need. When I took the MCAT, I opnly had Orgo I&II, Bio I&II, Chem I&II and Physics I&II. I got a 505 (126/126/126/127) which is not great for MD schools but good for most DO schools. I did not do a post-bac program so I can't say if they require chem I&II before orgo. I did a DIY postbac at my local state school and Chem II was required before Orgo I. See my post from a few months ago for my postbac work.

What are my odds of getting an interview with this school list?

 

[willow84]

I started my prereqs at 30, and I will matriculate at an MD program next fall two months before I turn 34. You are fine.

 

[etp123]

There is a guy in my MCAT prep class who is 48. Our instructor said before him there was a woman who was in her 50's who did fine and got accepted to a very good med school. The average age of the matriculant these days is ~25. You are not too old

 

[KdotLB]

.

 

[Blanky]

I took my first college course at 25! If you do not want to drag out graduation then finish, then sign up for a bio major/second degree seeking and take the prereqs and then drop the major.

 

[Tabiyou]

I started med school at 30, now 31 in my second year. You aren't old at all.

 

[arcus]

regarding being too old for medical school, consider the following:

Asked About Retiring, They Have a Simple Answer: Why?

“If you have something you love, there’s nothing else”​

The two physicians referenced in that article make me feel like a toddler. We need more role models like these elderly yet never retiring professionals

 

[Osminog]

You're not too old, OP! I'm __, and I'm in my ____ year of medical school. One of my classmates is __ years old, and he/she is doing great. Good luck!

(Template for your convenience, SDN users. This type of thread seems to pop up at least a couple of times a day.)

 

[skibenz]

My stepmom is starting DO school next year at 47...I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Sari314]

You're not too old, OP! I'm __, and I'm in my ____ year of medical school. One of my classmates is __ years old, and he/she is doing great. Good luck!

(Template for your convenience, SDN users. This type of thread seems to pop up at least a couple of times a day.)

Lol. A useful template, no doubt. Perhaps my post was misleading; I’m less concerned about my age than I am about having enough experience already behind me to stand a chance at getting into med school. In any case I’m thankful for all the encouragement I’ve gotten on this thread.

 

[Magus5454]

Don't feel bad about your age. I'm 37 and was just accepted