Turning 30 and re-evaluating med school aspirations

[PizzaButt]

So how about the sacrifices of medicine.....how have other non-trads reconciled this?

The main thing I'm struggling with right now is that I no longer have tunnel vision when it comes to medicine, as I did a few years ago when I was completing my post-bacc. What I mean by this is that now that I'm 30 and married and am looking at starting a family within a year or two, there are other things that are important to me that medicine would either take away or diminish greatly, in terms of the amount of time the medical path requires.

I'm struggling with whether medicine is worth it, and I simply have not been able to come to a conclusion about that. I want to be in healthcare--I know that for sure. And there are many other paths in healthcare that would not be as demanding, such as speech pathology, dentistry, physical therapy (these are a few of the other careers I'm considering). But maybe these other paths would not be nearly as fulfilling as medicine for me. That's what I'm concerned about. My biggest regret thus far is that I did not apply to med school in college or shortly thereafter. I think about that regret every day. I'm concerned that if I don't do medicine, I will continue to feel that regret....or would it fade?

How have others reconciled this? I have many interests....interests that the medical path would diminish or preclude entirely. This is true for nearly everyone, I imagine. But how are others able to say, well, medicine is what's most important so I'll push all those other interests to the back burner. I'd like to hear more from others about this.

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[anotherlaw2doc]

Helpfuldoc2b,

I did go to Top 10 law school and worked at a big DC firm earning six figures. One way to look at it would be that I wasted all those years, but hey you live in learn. As law2doc said I gained critical thinking and problem solving skills working w/ clients that would easily translate to the medical field. I also learned what I need in a job to make me happy, money alone won't do it.

PizzaButt,

I'm sorry about your experiences w/ the JD. Even from a top school I found it difficult to find non-legal jobs. As an example when I was looking at alternative jobs where I could still use my JD, I thought hey I like working w/ people why don't I try getting a job as a recruiter for a law firm. I have a JD and have been through the recruiting process and know how big firms work, perfect fit right? No, they'd rather hire someone w/ HR experience w/ just a BA. So I definitely agree with your statement that the JD doesn't necessarily open doors for you.
I'd also agree that having the JD w/o having practiced could be a hindrance in the medical school application process. When I called my post bacc administrator about their linkage program he was very interested in whether I had actually practiced law or not.

Finally, as Doctor Bagel said, these big firm jobs are pretty much the norm for the top schools and harder for graduates from other schools unless they did well. There are too many law schools and I feel bad for law students that go to expensive private schools thinking everyone gets these kind of jobs and paying off their loans won't be a problem.

I didn't mean to hijack this thread into a discussion about the value of a JD. Pizzabutt, go luck in your deliberations. Even though I am older than you I know that being a doctor is what will ultimately make me happy and actually look forward to the adventure of this whole crazy process.

 

[spicedmanna]

So how about the sacrifices of medicine.....how have other non-trads reconciled this?

Well, futurizing is fairly unproductive, in my experience. Nobody can really predict what will happen, or the true consequences of our actions. We all make choices based on our commitments, and then deal with the result, make any necessary adjustments and course corrections, and then move on from there. While I do my best to be informed, I also listen to my heart and my gut. True, it's good to realize that there will be sacrifices, but I don't dwell on them, past what I will need to face and respond to at this moment. The root meaning of the word "sacrifice" is to talk about "sacred work," or the work of the heart. If you have the heart for what you are doing, then it won't seem like wasted time at all, even if it appears that way to others. The path seems rich, even if it happens to be bumpy.

Also, you need to define worth for yourself. To me, it's worth doing anything that brings me more sustained happiness. Becoming a doctor plays into that beautifully. It's a natural expansion for me. I felt my whole body come alive when I pictured myself treating patients as a physician. That was enough to convince me to go for it, to put everything at risk for my greater happiness. I've been a fool for lesser things, mind you.

 

[PizzaButt]

To me, it's worth doing anything that brings me more sustained happiness. Becoming a doctor plays into that beautifully. It's a natural expansion for me. I felt my whole body come alive when I pictured myself treating patients as a physician. That was enough to convince me to go for it, to put everything at risk for my greater happiness. I've been a fool for lesser things, mind you.

But what if medicine doesn't turn out to be as wonderful as one thinks as a pre-med? That's a big concern of mine. I mean, the prospect of worrying about being sued is a major negative about medicine for me. Huge. I'm concerned that the stress of worrying about this (especially if one wants to go into a higher-risk specialty) will negate the other great things about medicine. Of course, there are many other negatives about medicine and being a practicing physician besides just being sued. I felt that my year working full-time in the hospital really helped me see all the negatives about medicine.

Is anyone else concerned that they're putting medicine up on too high of a pedestal, when another career in healthcare might offer similar pros (or fewer pros) but also fewer cons? For me, medicine has a lot of great pros--more so than any other career, but the cons are huge--more so than any other career. I'm struggling with that. What do you do when there are so many great reasons for pursuing medicine as a career--but so many huge negatives to it as well?

 

[spicedmanna]

But what if medicine doesn't turn out to be as wonderful as one thinks as a pre-med? That's a big concern of mine. I mean, the prospect of worrying about being sued is a major negative about medicine for me. Huge. I'm concerned that the stress of worrying about this (especially if one wants to go into a higher-risk specialty) will negate the other great things about medicine. Of course, there are many other negatives about medicine and being a practicing physician besides just being sued. I felt that my year working full-time in the hospital really helped me see all the negatives about medicine.

Is anyone else concerned that they're putting medicine up on too high of a pedestal, when another career in healthcare might offer similar pros (or fewer pros) but also fewer cons? For me, medicine has a lot of great pros--more so than any other career, but the cons are huge--more so than any other career. I'm struggling with that. What do you do when there are so many great reasons for pursuing medicine as a career--but so many huge negatives to it as well?

I hear you. Being sued is a reality of practicing medicine at the level of a physician. I'm sure it's not pleasant, but in most cases it's just a matter of having a good atty. Really, if you are doing your best to be your patient's heathcare advocate, you will minimize the risks of getting sued.

There are a lot of problems in healthcare. However, the work-a-day world, in my experience, is no walk in the park either. I worked in the business and technology sector for several years, and I can tell you, it's vicious. I worked 120 hrs straight in some instances, to very little benefit. In this sense, there are sacrifices in just about any profession. There are cons in everything you choose to do.

I decided that the cons involved in practicing as a physician are not as significant as the pleasures I will have from doing it each day. I stood in the shoes of several doctors and was actively engaged in pt care as an EMT-B intern. From these experiences, I carefully measured the possible rewards as well as the possible problems. The rewards made it all worth it. I really enjoyed being there for patients when they injured, scared, and raw. I saw myself making a difference for them, even if it was just being a calm presence at their side, giving them some oxygen, and holding their hand. I wanted to do even more, to be there for them and to manage their care medically. I see being a physician as the optimal way for me to do that.

At the end of the day, we can never be sure. It could all be a wash, for sure. But I trust myself and my choices. I am committed to happiness and to doing things that bring out my essence. I trust that commitment.

 

[lulubell]

But what if medicine doesn't turn out to be as wonderful as one thinks as a pre-med? That's a big concern of mine. I mean, the prospect of worrying about being sued is a major negative about medicine for me. Huge. I'm concerned that the stress of worrying about this (especially if one wants to go into a higher-risk specialty) will negate the other great things about medicine. Of course, there are many other negatives about medicine and being a practicing physician besides just being sued. I felt that my year working full-time in the hospital really helped me see all the negatives about medicine.

Is anyone else concerned that they're putting medicine up on too high of a pedestal, when another career in healthcare might offer similar pros (or fewer pros) but also fewer cons? For me, medicine has a lot of great pros--more so than any other career, but the cons are huge--more so than any other career. I'm struggling with that. What do you do when there are so many great reasons for pursuing medicine as a career--but so many huge negatives to it as well?

The purpose of shadowing doctors, spending time with them, and asking questions is to get insight into these types of concerns. I shadowed an anesthesiologist who talked about his experiences with lawsuits -- he's been sued 4 times in his 25 year career thus far and all 4 times the cases were dismissed. Basically as long as you're not negligent in your duties and you follow protocol and do what you know you're supposed to do as a good physician, you're covered.. at least that's the impression that I got. In the end, it's pointless to worry about these types of things. That's like wanting to be an olympic skiier, but worrying about all the broken bones or torn muscles you might get during your career. For me, nothing else is going to satisfy me like being an MD. I think about it all the time. But if there's anything else you might be satisfied with doing that's less stressful, but still fulfilling for you, then i'd recommend doing that.

 

[Law2Doc]

I hear you. Being sued is a reality of practicing medicine at the level of a physician. I'm sure it's not pleasant, but in most cases it's just a matter of having a good atty. Really, if you are doing your best to be your patient's heathcare advocate, you will minimize the risks of getting sued.

All physicians get sued at least once in their career. Surgeons and OB/GYNs will get sued more than once. Won't be fun but it's part of the current landscape. It's why you will be paying a ton of money to insurance companies year after year and why your employer or partnership will be keeping an attorney on retainer. You will do the best you can to limit exposure but mistakes get made, or things go bad for patients. You deal with it and move on. Not something you can lose sleep over.

 

[PizzaButt]

In the end, it's pointless to worry about these types of things.

Well, I wouldn't be worried....if it were not for the enormous debt of medical school and the 8-year medical path. What I'm saying is that if you change your mind in med school or residency or after a year or two of practice, realizing that you can't handle all the stress, the hours, etc., then what? You've got $100-$200,000 in loans to pay back. It was pretty easy for me to decide halfway through law school that I would not be practicing law because I changed my mind about it.....because I didn't have too many law school loans b/c I worked through law school. But all the uncertainties I'm thinking right now is because the medical path is such a huge committment.

Even my year of full-time work in the hospital, plus lots of volunteering in different settings (free clinic, hospital, doctor's office, etc.) and tons of informational interviews with practitioners hasn't really helped my decisions (plus I'm back to working in the hospital now). I feel there isn't much more information I can collect at this point to help make the decision. I'm pretty much 50-50.

 

[Law2Doc]

I'm pretty much 50-50.

Until you get closer to 100-0 you probably don't want to go down this road. It's too expensive to bail and it's not an easy path.

 

[spicedmanna]

Until you get closer to 100-0 you probably don't want to go down this road. It's too expensive to bail and it's not an easy path.

Sounds true.

 

[1Path]

Until you get closer to 100-0 you probably don't want to go down this road. It's too expensive to bail and it's not an easy path.

After reading through this thread, I'll have to agree 1000%. Doubt in my mind means don't, at least not right now.

 

[PizzaButt]

double post by mistake. see below.

 

[PizzaButt]

Until you get closer to 100-0 you probably don't want to go down this road. It's too expensive to bail and it's not an easy path.

I agree with you. The problem is....that I don't know what to do with myself at this point. I have a useless JD, a completed post-bacc, two MCATs under my belt, full-time work experience in the OR, (currently working in a hospital right now as well for minimum wage), lots of volunteer experience in medicine, and a bunch of miscellaneous work experience in the past couple of years that has nothing to do with law or medicine.

I would love to reach the point where I am 90-100% sure about medicine....but I am not there now and after all the experience I listed above....am not sure when or if I will get there.

What should I do in the meantime? I feel like I'm a hamster running on a wheel right now. I've been running in place since my med school rejections came in, and I haven't been able to get on a new path or find meaningful and productive work in any field since. This has made me feel depressed. I'm 30 and feel this internal pressure to commit to some career path rather than staying on that hamster wheel. I can't say goodbye to medicine, because that makes me feel sad and regretful. I've been to several career counselors this year, and not one of them was able to help me with this. I don't know what to do now. I don't want to attempt the MCAT for a third time because without having that 90-100% feeling of certainty, because I'm not sure I have the motivation to dust off the old SN1 reactions, etc. and put forth an incredible amount of effort for the many months it would take me to get beyond my 26 MCAT score.

I've been thinking about going ahead and applying to the other healthcare careers that somewhat interest me, such as speech pathology, clinical psychology, etc. And then seeing if/where I get in anywhere and take it from there. These careers sound interesting, but they do not excite me anywhere near the way medicine does. I'd be settling for these careers, and that saddens me somewhat.

 

[spicedmanna]

Ugh, forget about the far future right now. You don't need to have it all figured out. Focus on the question, "what do I want right now?" Then let it progress from there.

 

[postbacker]

Find a career counselor...also look into Johnson O'Connor aptitude testing (google it - testing centers in major cities) - not exactly career counseling, but analysis of your aptitudes for different fields...

 

[Law2Doc]

but analysis of your aptitudes for different fields...

Aptitude is not really the issue. Lots of career changers had a ton of aptitude for their prior vocation. Doesn't mean they were satisfied with it. You can be very good at a job you don't see yourself doing for the rest of your life. And very happy at a job you find challenging.

 

[postbacker]

Aptitude is not really the issue. Lots of career changers had a ton of aptitude for their prior vocation. Doesn't mean they were satisfied with it. You can be very good at a job you don't see yourself doing for the rest of your life. And very happy at a job you find challenging.

There is more to the service than I will bother to write about here, but it is more than just aptitude testing...it is also designed to help you merge your talents with your interests...

Frankly, it is pretty hard to know what to say to this poster - pretty damn strange stuff if you ask me - just trying to offer him something to look into...

 

[mitawa]

I turned 30 last September, in the middle of my third application cycle.
I applied when I was 21 and 22, and was having no success, due in large part to my poor undergraduate GPA. I did a Master's in Bio, then I worked in an Osteopathic clinic, and later in a large hospital, as a cardiology tech. I was moderately happy, but getting less and less so, because I knew I was capable of being so much more.

At 29, I decided to take the plunge again. I quit my job, and took the Princeton Review, brought my MCAT from a 28 to a 34. I applied to both allopathic and osteopathic programs this year, and quite broadly. I received a lot of rejections, but I am now on 1 MD waitlist, 2 DO waitlists, and have been accepted to a DO school. It's a rough path, and much of it is yet to play out, but I do know that I am on the right track again. This is what I have always wanted, although I took the long path to get there. Good luck, because if it's what you really want, you can do it.

Congratulations! Persistence can definitely pay off. I know a number of people (and women) who started med school a little later. Just adjust your game plan accordingly, and make sure that you assess the feasibility of your career goals relative to your long term personal goals.

Best of Luck!

 

[126990]

i relate plenty to your situation. i'm 29, have a 1-yr-old, am married, am a psychotherapist with a very successful private practice, and am in a post-bacc program. i'm extremely excited about it. i love what i do for work, but i'm bored by it. i want some more action. i've done a lot of soul searching, may get deeper in to the pre med and then med, and see it's not for me, but for now, i'm inspired, doing well, facing much adversity from family and other do-gooders with opinions, and know i'm sacrificing so much. i may realize i can't have family, this new education, and a life, but i hear people from all walks of life have all sorts of experiences, and despite my strong will, i'm of the belief we make our own destinies. but if your heart isn't in it, there's nothing wrong with that. but if you're torn, split about it, if you feel dejected, i'm not trying to be condescending, but i'm sure you'll find a way.
word.

 

[yyd]

-

 

[spicedmanna]

Honestly, I believe it is much better to own a flower shop (for example) if this is what a person truly enjoys than to be a miserable doctor.

What makes you happy? What kind of a job you could do for hours and not worry about whether it is "worths it"? I don't care whether it is medicine or painting flower pots for sale, it has to be something that you enjoy doing. You need to do some serious soul searching and gain a lot more confidence in yourself. Stop looking at other people: they don't have an answer. You have ~60 more years to live, give or take. What do YOU want?

QFT. Very nicely said.

 

[PizzaButt]

If you don't get a rush of adrenaline thinking of medicine BEFORE you begin your studies, I'd imagine it can only go downhill from there. Thus, it is ultimately wrong to ask if medicine is "worth it." What is definitely NOT worth it is spending your life in a career you have doubts about.

What makes you happy? What kind of a job you could do for hours and not worry about whether it is "worths it"? I don't care whether it is medicine or painting flower pots for sale, it has to be something that you enjoy doing. You need to do some serious soul searching and gain a lot more confidence in yourself. Stop looking at other people: they don't have an answer. You have ~60 more years to live, give or take. What do YOU want?

The problem is that I have done the soul-searching. For the past three years, very intensively. I want to get to the bottom of this. My husband and I have had many long conversations about this. Medicine is what gives me that rush of adrenaline, without a doubt. But without a doubt medicine is a profession that requires sacrifices on a scale that few other professions, if any, require. This fact is a struggle that I can't reconcile.

Medicine for sure makes me happy. My job in the OR is the only job I've ever had that I loved. But despite my love for medicine/adrenaline rush, I just don't know if the sacrifices are worth it. This is where I am stuck. And I'm not sure that I can spend any more time soul-searching productively. I've already done it for three years and not made much progress, except for trying out more jobs/careers and realizing they're not for me.

I was pushed into law by my family, for sure. But I realized in law school that I would never be happy as a lawyer. Then I realized that medicine was my true passion. My family, actually, is 100% against me going into medicine (except for my husband.) My family's opinion about medicine has nothing to do with my feelings about it. My husband is open to whatever I want to do.

 

[spicedmanna]

But despite my love for medicine/adrenaline rush, I just don't know if the sacrifices are worth it.

I think you might need to make peace with the thought that you might not know until you are doing it, or when you've done it. Yes, the sacrifices are going to be big, but the thought of not doing what I want for another day beats out the thought that it will be tough and that it is possible that I might have to give up some things.

 

[spicedmanna]

Alright, I'm pulling out the wisdom of Yoda, 900 years old, for this one:

LUKE (focusing, quietly): All right, I'll give it a try.

YODA: No! Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.

LUKE: I don't... I don't believe it.

YODA: That is why you fail.

 

[lulubell]

I know that you've talked to your husband about medical school.. but does he truly know the type of hours that you're going to be working (ie: 80 hour weeks in residency)? I read in your original post that you're looking to start a family ("My thoughts are now turning to starting a family, and I'm feeling far removed from my pre-med post-bacc days, even though that was really only 3 years ago...") -- would that be while you're in medical school? Would your husband be willing to take up some of the slack in rearing the kids (if I read the original post correctly and there's going to be kids involved)?

Have you ever thought about other fields such as nursing, PA, etc. instead?

I'm not trying to put more doubts or questions in your head, just making sure that all aspects have been explored. If after all of the above, your husband is willing to support you and it's just your own doubts about whether it's "worth it" holding you back.. well only you can answer that for yourself -- different things are "worth it" to different people.. but if you can't be truly happy doing anything else, then I think that answers that question for you.

Lulu

 

[Law2Doc]

Alright, I'm pulling out the wisdom of Yoda, 900 years old, for this one:

LUKE (focusing, quietly): All right, I'll give it a try.

YODA: No! Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.


LUKE: I don't... I don't believe it.

YODA: That is why you fail.

Please don't base your career decision on the sage advice of a muppet.

 

[yyd]

-

 

[postbacker]

Also, it seems to me that your real issue is your doubt whether you can GET INTO medical school, whereas "whether it is worths it" is a cover for it. You told us that you've had difficulty with MCAT and it left you very frustrated. So, what you REALLY doubt is your abilities, not medicine per se. You know, how sometimes we try for something, we don't get it, and we say: "well, I did not really want it in the first place." I think the same thing is happening here.

Agree completely with this assessment...sort of a mixture of "fear of failure" and "fear of success" going on with the OP...and these are normal doubts for everyone, but at some point you push through or set them aside, but what you should not do is ever give in to the doubts...don't let doubt win.

 

[QofQuimica]

OP, none of us can answer the question of whether these sacrifices will be "worth it" for you, unfortunately. I applied when I was 30. At the time, I decided that I was only going to apply once. If I didn't get in, I'd know that I had done my best, but I was going to get on with my life and find a chemistry post doc. I decided to do everything I could think of to increase my chances, but it was going to be a one shot deal. I did get in, so I'm in medical school now. But if I had not gotten in, I would have gone on to my post doc and not looked back.

What I think would help you more than anything is to formulate a plan that you and your husband can live with, and do it, once. Set goals for yourself, work toward those goals, and give yourself the maximum chance. Start by getting some admissions counseling from a local med school. Do what they suggest that you can do to improve your app, apply very broadly (and include DO schools), and have a Plan B in case med school doesn't work out.

As for the regrets, well, we all have regrets in life. That's a part of being human. I wish I could have been an astronaut instead of a chemist or a physician, but it isn't meant to be. Dwelling on opportunities missed and mistakes made will only make you crazy, as I'm sure I don't need to tell you. Best of luck to you.

 

[Doctor~Detroit]

OP, none of us can answer the question of whether these sacrifices will be "worth it" for you, unfortunately. I applied when I was 30. At the time, I decided that I was only going to apply once. If I didn't get in, I'd know that I had done my best, but I was going to get on with my life and find a chemistry post doc. I decided to do everything I could think of to increase my chances, but it was going to be a one shot deal. I did get in, so I'm in medical school now. But if I had not gotten in, I would have gone on to my post doc and not looked back.

What I think would help you more than anything is to formulate a plan that you and your husband can live with, and do it, once. Set goals for yourself, work toward those goals, and give yourself the maximum chance. Start by getting some admissions counseling from a local med school. Do what they suggest that you can do to improve your app, apply very broadly (and include DO schools), and have a Plan B in case med school doesn't work out.

As for the regrets, well, we all have regrets in life. That's a part of being human. I wish I could have been an astronaut instead of a chemist or a physician, but it isn't meant to be. Dwelling on opportunities missed and mistakes made will only make you crazy, as I'm sure I don't need to tell you. Best of luck to you.

i *knew* it!!! behold, identity revealed!!!

 

[PizzaButt]

Also, it seems to me that your real issue is your doubt whether you can GET INTO medical school, whereas "whether it is worths it" is a cover for it.

No, actually it's "whether it's worth it" that's the main issue here. I truly believe that if I get an MCAT tutor, try a different MCAT course, and devote 6 months or more to the task, I could improve my MCAT score. Not that I didn't put forth 100% effort before--I did. But now I realize that I simply do not have that MCAT problem-solving technique down. I know how to memorize, but I realize now that that's not enough to do well on the MCAT. Also, to help my application further, I can take even more post-bacc classes (like more advanced bio) to further improve my GPA, but my GPA is already a 3.75.

Anyhow, the real issue here really is "is it worth it." I am really struggling with that. I appreciate everyone's responses on here, but I still feel very confused. Re: the family thing, I guess I'm concerned that juggling medicine and family will simply be too stressful. My husband has a very demanding career. We don't live near any family (and I imagine we won't live near any family during my further schooling). I barely see my husband as it is now. I can only imagine how it would be adding a child into the mix. I know many other women do it but I can only imagine their stress level when they have to take care of the kids, the house and put in all the intensive hours for studying/working in med school. I really don't know how they keep it all together, and I am in awe. I barely have time to do errands, cook, clean, and spend quality time with my husband just working a normal 40-hour per week job. The issue here is medicine worth feeling enormous amounts of stress in your personal life, as you try to juggle taking care of the kids, the house, cooking, spending time with your spouse, etc.

But that's just one issue. Another issue is basically pushing everything else aside during the medical path, such as personal interests, hobbies, friends, etc. I'm just not sure about that.

Basically I'm trying to imagine myself in another career in healthcare and trying to imagine what that would fee like. It's hard, because I really do feel that medicine is the only career for me. Medicine is the only career I get excited about, that I feel passion for. But maybe it's time to realize that I am putting too much emphasis on career in general. Just how important is career as a general concept? I feel it is very important for me to work and to have a career, but I know that I put too much emphasis on a career providing a sense of identity and maybe this is the problem. The problem is that I really like the idea of medicine being an all-encompassing career, meaning that unlike a typical 9 to 5 job, at the end of the day, you don't just leave medicine at the office. Medicine is more of a lifestyle than just a regular old job, and I really like that about it.

But, I am wondering: must you have a career you feel passion/excitement for? Or can you just be lukewarm about it and that's okay? A few years ago I would have said absolutely not--I must be excited and passionate about my career. But now, at 30, I'm starting to wonder about this. Maybe lukewarm is okay. If I'm lukewarm about my career, but I feel really good about my personal life, is that a better situation than if I feel completely passionate about my career but my personal life is unravelling and the stress of keeping it all together is stressing me out constantly?

 

[lulubell]

Re: the family thing, I guess I'm concerned that juggling medicine and family will simply be too stressful. My husband has a very demanding career. We don't live near any family (and I imagine we won't live near any family during my further schooling). I barely see my husband as it is now. I can only imagine how it would be adding a child into the mix. I know many other women do it but I can only imagine their stress level when they have to take care of the kids, the house and put in all the intensive hours for studying/working in med school. I really don't know how they keep it all together, and I am in awe. I barely have time to do errands, cook, clean, and spend quality time with my husband just working a normal 40-hour per week job. The issue here is medicine worth feeling enormous amounts of stress in your personal life, as you try to juggle taking care of the kids, the house, cooking, spending time with your spouse, etc.

It's impossible to juggle everything yourself. That's why I asked if your husband honestly understands the commitment involved.. not just for you but for him as well. Medical school would change the entire dynamic of household life for both of you. He would have to be willing to cook, take up housework.. if you guys had kids, he'd have to be willing to pick up the slack of taking care of them when you're occupied with exams or on call, etc. It's a huge time commitment, so much so that oftentimes the men become stay at home dads. If he's not willing to put in the time and effort it would require to support you through medical school and residency, then the relationship isn't going to work.

But, I am wondering: must you have a career you feel passion/excitement for? Or can you just be lukewarm about it and that's okay? A few years ago I would have said absolutely not--I must be excited and passionate about my career. But now, at 30, I'm starting to wonder about this. Maybe lukewarm is okay. If I'm lukewarm about my career, but I feel really good about my personal life, is that a better situation than if I feel completely passionate about my career but my personal life is unravelling and the stress of keeping it all together is stressing me out constantly?

Lots of people settle for a "lukewarm" career -- but oftentimes just earning a decent income but still having time for family and other activities provides enough enrichment in life to make it satisfying in it's own way. And no matter what you do -- accounting, law, teaching -- there's always satisfaction and pride in doing something well, even if it's not your #1 choice in career. Maybe you can delve further into your feelings by talking to a therapist?

 

[DoctorMom78]

I am a 30-year-old, married, non-trad potential re-applicant to med school. A brief background: I have a law degree, did a post-bacc 2 years ago (did great in my coursework--took all my pre-med pre-reqs for the first time), worked full-time in an OR after my post-bacc was done, volunteered in hospitals, etc., took the MCAT and applied, but did not get any interviews. [As a side note, I only applied to schools with higher acceptance rates and non-trad friendly schools]. I was extremely crushed by not getting any interviews after working so hard at my post-bacc, working in the field, and being so excited about becoming a doctor. After getting no acceptances, I re-took the MCAT again but it was hardly better than my first attempt (25 and 26, respectively). I decided not to reapply at that time, since I realized that an MCAT of 26 was not going to do anything for my application.

Anyhow, I got discouraged about all this, because I felt that I could not do any better on the MCAT (I took a review course both times) and decided to give up my dreams of medicine. For the last few years I tried some other careers (I didn't want to practice law) and did not find anything that was a good fit. In fact, I was pretty much miserable in every career/job I tried, including law.

This past year I've done a lot of soul-searching. I realized that at 30, I'm really not where I thought I'd be career-wise. For all practical purposes, I haven't had a career at all (at least any that have been a good fit for me). At the same time, I feel this enormous pressure to hurry up and choose a career--whether that be medicine or another career--because I've been dilly dallying and soul-searching for a long time without making any progress. My husband and I recently moved to a new city. I temped and worked with career counselors and really tried to figure out what I wanted and where I could see myself. My thoughts are now turning to starting a family, and I'm feeling far removed from my pre-med post-bacc days, even though that was really only 3 years ago. The problem, though, is that medicine is still the only career I can see myself in. I think about how much I want to be a doctor nearly every day. The only job I've ever held that I loved was my year working in the operating room at a major hospital. But I'm starting to wonder whether or not I should just forget about medicine and focus on a career that requires a lot less committment.

I'm having a really hard time trying to decide whether to dust off the old MCAT books and study for the MCAT a third time and apply this June for fall '08. Turning 30 has been a very soul-searching time, but I haven't really emerged any clearer about whether or not I should re-apply to med schools. I love many things about medicine, but at the same time I am very clear about its many negatives. The biggest negative, in my mind, is that I'm not sure I want to spend my 30's studying that hard and working that hard while at the same time starting a family.

I have been actively exploring other healthcare careers, because the one thing I did discover in all this soul-searching is that healthcare is my passion and that I for sure want to have a healthcare-related career. Other careers I'm currently exploring include a PhD in clinical psychology, a master's in marriage and family therapy, physical therapy, speech pathology, and dentistry. I'm currently working in medical research as well, because I thought it would be helpful to get back into the field as I prepare to make my next career decision (which will be my third career change). Besides knowing that I for sure want a career in healthcare, I am also looking for a career with good job stability, that's in demand, and that pays well. I am very interested in clinical psychology and counseling/therapy careers, but the fact that they are not as much in demand as, say, dentists or doctors, and the fact that the field pays so poorly, bothers me. Although many people on this board feel otherwise, salary is a very important consideration when you're investing more years and money in school, especially when you already have loans from your first grad program plus your spouse's loans to pay off.

I wondered if anyone who is turning 30 or around that age has also experienced this kind of intense soul-searching and doubt, and what decision they ultimately made. I feel very out-of-the-loop from my pre-med post-bacc days. I am really torn about whether or not to re-apply to med school (though without re-taking the MCAT I probably wouldn't get any interviews again)--or whether or not I should just give up my dreams of medicine. My family urges me to be a housewife and give up my dreams of having a career; they feel like at this age I should be focusing on starting a family and homemaking--not on starting on a rigourous career path from scratch at age 30. I don't agree with their views whatsoever, but besides my husband, I don't have any support system in making this decision.

I didn't read through everyone's responses, so this may be a repeat of things that have been said. (Sorry, feeling lazy.) Anyway, you have to retake the MCAT anyway because it won't count anymore. Why not retake the MCAT and see how you do? If you end up in the mid-20s anyway, why not apply to DO school? If you really just want to be a doctor, then it shouldn't matter. You can have a family and also become a doctor. You don't have to give up on your dreams, you just have to make adjustments and sacrifices that other people may not have to make. You are not that old anyway. Retake the MCAT and apply. GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[spicedmanna]

No, actually it's "whether it's worth it" that's the main issue here.

We can assign your fear to any phrase, or question, but it is still fear. The rest is arguable at best.

Anyhow, the real issue here really is "is it worth it." I am really struggling with that. I appreciate everyone's responses on here, but I still feel very confused. Re: the family thing, I guess I'm concerned that juggling medicine and family will simply be too stressful. My husband has a very demanding career. We don't live near any family (and I imagine we won't live near any family during my further schooling). I barely see my husband as it is now. I can only imagine how it would be adding a child into the mix. I know many other women do it but I can only imagine their stress level when they have to take care of the kids, the house and put in all the intensive hours for studying/working in med school. I really don't know how they keep it all together, and I am in awe. I barely have time to do errands, cook, clean, and spend quality time with my husband just working a normal 40-hour per week job. The issue here is medicine worth feeling enormous amounts of stress in your personal life, as you try to juggle taking care of the kids, the house, cooking, spending time with your spouse, etc.

What if you are already committed to struggling and your choice to go into medicine has nothing to do with it? Then it would flavor whatever choice you made.

You are futurizing to the n-th degree. Neither you, nor I, can possibly know for sure the effects of pursuing medicine on you, until you actually do it. It's all arguable, what you said, until then, especially the thought that it is "too stressful" for you. Medical school is surely stressful, but so are many other things you might attempt. It's a myth that you can't have a life in medical school--that is a personal choice. Your life will undoubtedly require modification, but I don't think you will need to give up on everything just to go to medical school. You just need to prioritize and triage better. I would recommend not arguing in favor of limitations before you are faced with the situation at hand. Yes, going to medical school adds a whole bunch of stressors into the mix; but remember, stress is in how you handle it.

But that's just one issue. Another issue is basically pushing everything else aside during the medical path, such as personal interests, hobbies, friends, etc. I'm just not sure about that.

That's a myth. You need to prioritize and triage better, not necessarily give up on these things. From my understanding, it is actually these things above that help one get through medical school.

Basically I'm trying to imagine myself in another career in healthcare and trying to imagine what that would fee like. It's hard, because I really do feel that medicine is the only career for me. Medicine is the only career I get excited about, that I feel passion for. But maybe it's time to realize that I am putting too much emphasis on career in general. Just how important is career as a general concept? I feel it is very important for me to work and to have a career, but I know that I put too much emphasis on a career providing a sense of identity and maybe this is the problem. The problem is that I really like the idea of medicine being an all-encompassing career, meaning that unlike a typical 9 to 5 job, at the end of the day, you don't just leave medicine at the office. Medicine is more of a lifestyle than just a regular old job, and I really like that about it.

If you love medicine and the idea of becoming a physician, then go for it.

But, I am wondering: must you have a career you feel passion/excitement for? Or can you just be lukewarm about it and that's okay?

No it is not necessary. My parents and many of my friends took jobs and careers they feel lukewarm about. Mostly, they had at some point given up on their dreams. That's fine. I still love them. It's a choice, and they chose something else over their dreams and creative potential. Again, it comes back to the question, "What do YOU want?"

Good luck.

 

[PizzaButt]

Lots of people settle for a "lukewarm" career -- but oftentimes just earning a decent income but still having time for family and other activities provides enough enrichment in life to make it satisfying in it's own way. And no matter what you do -- accounting, law, teaching -- there's always satisfaction and pride in doing something well, even if it's not your #1 choice in career. Maybe you can delve further into your feelings by talking to a therapist?

How do others feel about this? Did you consider just settling for a lukewarm career rather than the passion/excitement of medicine? I am really struggling with this whole lukewarm thing.

 

[spicedmanna]

Maybe you can delve further into your feelings by talking to a therapist?

Agreed.

 

[spicedmanna]

How do others feel about this? Did you consider just settling for a lukewarm career rather than the passion/excitement of medicine? I am really struggling with this whole lukewarm thing.

Well, most people I know who settled have unfulfilled potential and creativity in some form. This doesn't mean they aren't happy, but there is sense of whole body give up and regret. They often argue in favor of their choices, but their body betrays them, giving out a signal that suggests they settled. That's my impression. Really it's a choice: magnificence, or mediocrity. Either choice is fine and loveable.

Did I ever consider settling? Of course; I've been doing that for years. At some point in my life, I had such an overwhelming desire to go forward with medicine when I tried it on, however, there was really no alternative but to go forward.

 

[binx]

I'm 32, I will be starting med school this fall. My husband is a very busy grad student at an Ivy (i.e. I hardly ever see him) finishing up his PhD. I certainly went through the "is medicine worth it" phase. I tried graduate school, I tried teaching, I tried Public Health, all of which I was lukewarm about. I tried these other avenues because I wanted a family and I knew that my husband wasn't going to have time to take care of the kids. However, lukewarm doesn't cut it. I have also come to the realization that I may never have a family. I think this is totally ok. I am sometimes angered by society and my family members who think women aren't complete until they have a child. So, dedicating my life to helping others means I wasted it? In your posts it seems as though you are struggling with the family issue. Do you want kids or do you just feel pressured to have them? If you want to be a mommy more than anything, have the kids, get a job where you can spend some time with them. However, if you can't see yourself living any other life besides a medical one (not career, if a career is what you want try one of those other health fields), go to med school. If you still want the kids, you'll be finished by 35 and then can have a kid in residency when you can benefit from the FMLA. I wish I could press a rewind button for you and you could start all over at 18 as a pre-med. As that isn't the case, I hope you find some peace of mind soon. Best Wishes!

 

[st0w]

You know, how sometimes we try for something, we don't get it, and we say: "well, I did not really want it in the first place." I think the same thing is happening here. All I have to say is that if medicine is truly your passion, you will try again, give it all you have and do it until you get it. If you don't have the motivation to fight (and admission process is pretty much a battle considering the efforts and the uncertainty involved) then it will be this much harder.

Hear, hear! It's very easy to rationalize things not going your way; much easier than trying to step back, assess the problems, and fix them. After a very tough road and a very tough year on several fronts, this happened to me. But very shortly thereafter, the desire returned. And it returned with a vengeance. It took a few years, but I addressed the bumps in a more focused manner. And now I'm so incredibly excited to apply this year, I couldn't be happier. Even with all the challenges. And if it doesn't work this year, I'll improve my credentials and try again in a year or two.

To the OP, as has been said repeatedly, nobody here can solve the problem for you. If you're concerned about what it will actually be like, the only way you can know for sure is to go for it. Yes, you may incur a substantial amount of debt and sacrifice a lot before you realize it's not for you. But at least you'll be able to live the rest of your life knowing that, and not living with regret every single day.

Which is worse is up to you to figure out.

 

[yyd]

-

 

[8744]

My MCAT sections were:

V 10
BS 9
PS 7

Basically I'm wondering if anyone has done the soul-searching around age 30, taking into account where they thought they'd be and where they want to be, combined with a passion and love for medicine, but a clear awareness of medicine's many negatives and drawbacks. I think 30 is a time when you start to question what is really important to you. I'm in the midst of this and not sure what to do re: medicine. I know that should I decide to re-apply I'll need to have a completely different strategy for the MCAT. But my question is did anyone feel that turning 30 and the soul-searching changed their perspective on a career in medicine?

You'd be a lot happier if you let it go. But everybody gets mad when I say this so 30 is not old and a 26 is not bad. Not good, you understand, but not bad.

You're overthinking it, anyways. It's not "worth it" but I don't believe in the history of SDN anybody has come to that conclusion. Retake the MCAT, get a better score, don't be in a rush, your still young etc. etc.

 

[8744]

It is really hard for me to relate to your situation, because I have never doubted whether medicine is right for me. Yes, I was frustrated because I could not apply right after college, and when I did not get the MCAT score I wanted the first time I took the test. These, however, were all practical issues. Like someone else here, I also told myself that with my 30th birthday rapidly approaching, it is either now or never and I did my best to gain an acceptance the first (and only) time I applied. Fortunately, I got into a med school and I could not be more excited about it. You say medicine is your passion, but everything else you say contradicts this statement. How is it possible? It is kind of like saying to someone "I love you to death, but you are an ugly incompetent slob." There is an inherent contradiction in your texts and I don't quite buy the passion part of it. I am sorry.
Instead of thinking "WHAT IF I have to give everything up" try to think "WHAT IF I get into a great med school and succeed in being a doctor AND a parent." There is too much of a negative dialog going on in your head.
I am amazed at all the things you are scared of. Is there anything in your life that you are sure of? Anything at all? Is this how you approach all difficult decisions: laying out the negatives (which may or may not be true) without considering the positives?

Also, life being quite unfair as it is, what is your plan B? I knew that if I did not have a chance to be a doctor, I'd use my PhD to work for a company. I was painfully aware that things may not work in my favor. However, this thought only pushed me to work harder for my goals. The best advice you can get (and someone here already said it) is to give it all, knowing that you did your best, and see what happens. Sometimes life is smarter than any dicision we ever make. I honestly believe that whatever happens is for the best.

You are going to find that a medical career, at least medical school and residency which are the only parts on which I would presume to comment, is a lot like an abusive relationship of a kind I saw on Dr. Phil the other night where you are the disgusting 650 pound woman being abused by your live-in boyfriend who you only tolerate because you have no place else to go. He calls you a "fat slob" and the "C-word" and even punches you in your ample gut but you still tell Dr. Phil that you love him despite his faults.

 

[8744]

May I suggest engineering as an alternate career. And no, I'm not talking about effete "computer" or "software" engineering but real, bare-fisted engineering like Civil or Mechanical. The educational investment is only four years (probably less for most of you as you have most of the first year pre-requisites), there is no residency, and while the starting salaries are nowhere near what even a family practice physicians makes, if you put as much effort into a career in engineering as you are going to put into medicine you will do pretty well in the long run.

 

[lrobin15]

I am a 30-year-old, married, non-trad potential re-applicant to med school. A brief background: I have a law degree, did a post-bacc 2 years ago (did great in my coursework--took all my pre-med pre-reqs for the first time), worked full-time in an OR after my post-bacc was done, volunteered in hospitals, etc., took the MCAT and applied, but did not get any interviews. [As a side note, I only applied to schools with higher acceptance rates and non-trad friendly schools]. I was extremely crushed by not getting any interviews after working so hard at my post-bacc, working in the field, and being so excited about becoming a doctor. After getting no acceptances, I re-took the MCAT again but it was hardly better than my first attempt (25 and 26, respectively). I decided not to reapply at that time, since I realized that an MCAT of 26 was not going to do anything for my application.

Anyhow, I got discouraged about all this, because I felt that I could not do any better on the MCAT (I took a review course both times) and decided to give up my dreams of medicine. For the last few years I tried some other careers (I didn't want to practice law) and did not find anything that was a good fit. In fact, I was pretty much miserable in every career/job I tried, including law.

This past year I've done a lot of soul-searching. I realized that at 30, I'm really not where I thought I'd be career-wise. For all practical purposes, I haven't had a career at all (at least any that have been a good fit for me). At the same time, I feel this enormous pressure to hurry up and choose a career--whether that be medicine or another career--because I've been dilly dallying and soul-searching for a long time without making any progress. My husband and I recently moved to a new city. I temped and worked with career counselors and really tried to figure out what I wanted and where I could see myself. My thoughts are now turning to starting a family, and I'm feeling far removed from my pre-med post-bacc days, even though that was really only 3 years ago. The problem, though, is that medicine is still the only career I can see myself in. I think about how much I want to be a doctor nearly every day. The only job I've ever held that I loved was my year working in the operating room at a major hospital. But I'm starting to wonder whether or not I should just forget about medicine and focus on a career that requires a lot less committment.

I'm having a really hard time trying to decide whether to dust off the old MCAT books and study for the MCAT a third time and apply this June for fall '08. Turning 30 has been a very soul-searching time, but I haven't really emerged any clearer about whether or not I should re-apply to med schools. I love many things about medicine, but at the same time I am very clear about its many negatives. The biggest negative, in my mind, is that I'm not sure I want to spend my 30's studying that hard and working that hard while at the same time starting a family.

I have been actively exploring other healthcare careers, because the one thing I did discover in all this soul-searching is that healthcare is my passion and that I for sure want to have a healthcare-related career. Other careers I'm currently exploring include a PhD in clinical psychology, a master's in marriage and family therapy, physical therapy, speech pathology, and dentistry. I'm currently working in medical research as well, because I thought it would be helpful to get back into the field as I prepare to make my next career decision (which will be my third career change). Besides knowing that I for sure want a career in healthcare, I am also looking for a career with good job stability, that's in demand, and that pays well. I am very interested in clinical psychology and counseling/therapy careers, but the fact that they are not as much in demand as, say, dentists or doctors, and the fact that the field pays so poorly, bothers me. Although many people on this board feel otherwise, salary is a very important consideration when you're investing more years and money in school, especially when you already have loans from your first grad program plus your spouse's loans to pay off.

I wondered if anyone who is turning 30 or around that age has also experienced this kind of intense soul-searching and doubt, and what decision they ultimately made. I feel very out-of-the-loop from my pre-med post-bacc days. I am really torn about whether or not to re-apply to med school (though without re-taking the MCAT I probably wouldn't get any interviews again)--or whether or not I should just give up my dreams of medicine. My family urges me to be a housewife and give up my dreams of having a career; they feel like at this age I should be focusing on starting a family and homemaking--not on starting on a rigourous career path from scratch at age 30. I don't agree with their views whatsoever, but besides my husband, I don't have any support system in making this decision.

You still have never answered the question about whether or not you applied to Osteopathic medical schools. Did you? I doubt it. They would probably accept you with open arms. You should find one (a DO) and shadow so that you can dismiss any so called negative feelings you have about this route to become a physician. If you really want to practice medicine, Osteopathic medicine will probably be your only chance!

 

[8744]

But what if medicine doesn't turn out to be as wonderful as one thinks as a pre-med? That's a big concern of mine. I mean, the prospect of worrying about being sued is a major negative about medicine for me. Huge. I'm concerned that the stress of worrying about this (especially if one wants to go into a higher-risk specialty) will negate the other great things about medicine. Of course, there are many other negatives about medicine and being a practicing physician besides just being sued. I felt that my year working full-time in the hospital really helped me see all the negatives about medicine.

Is anyone else concerned that they're putting medicine up on too high of a pedestal, when another career in healthcare might offer similar pros (or fewer pros) but also fewer cons? For me, medicine has a lot of great pros--more so than any other career, but the cons are huge--more so than any other career. I'm struggling with that. What do you do when there are so many great reasons for pursuing medicine as a career--but so many huge negatives to it as well?

That is so what is not going to suck about the first seven to twelve years of your medical career where by the end of your residency, you will be looking forward to at last making enough money where somebody thinks its worthwhile to sue you.

The difference between the negatives in medicine and the negatives in most other careers is that those in medicine, while structural, have nothing to do with your actual job of taking care of patients. Being a Marine, for example, had its drawbacks (risk of death or injury, deployment, living in the mud, following orders, carrying a big, heavy pack up and down mountains, etc.) but that was just part of the job and something you expected. Paperwork, abuse, and sleep deprivation which will be your lot as a resident seemingly should have nothing to do with medicine but there they are, part and parcel of the whole experience, and if you discount these things you are a fool. It's not just "seven to twelve years." That's a major chunk of your life in which you could be desperately unhappy.

 

[Tiki]

It is really hard for me to relate to your situation, because I have never doubted whether medicine is right for me. Yes, I was frustrated because I could not apply right after college, and when I did not get the MCAT score I wanted the first time I took the test. These, however, were all practical issues. Like someone else here, I also told myself that with my 30th birthday rapidly approaching, it is either now or never and I did my best to gain an acceptance the first (and only) time I applied. Fortunately, I got into a med school and I could not be more excited about it. You say medicine is your passion, but everything else you say contradicts this statement. How is it possible? It is kind of like saying to someone "I love you to death, but you are an ugly incompetent slob." There is an inherent contradiction in your texts and I don't quite buy the passion part of it. I am sorry.

Instead of thinking "WHAT IF I have to give everything up" try to think "WHAT IF I get into a great med school and succeed in being a doctor AND a parent." There is too much of a negative dialog going on in your head.
I am amazed at all the things you are scared of. Is there anything in your life that you are sure of? Anything at all? Is this how you approach all difficult decisions: laying out the negatives (which may or may not be true) without considering the positives?

Also, life being quite unfair as it is, what is your plan B? I knew that if I did not have a chance to be a doctor, I'd use my PhD to work for a company. I was painfully aware that things may not work in my favor. However, this thought only pushed me to work harder for my goals. The best advice you can get (and someone here already said it) is to give it all, knowing that you did your best, and see what happens. Sometimes life is smarter than any dicision we ever make. I honestly believe that whatever happens is for the best.

I completely agree with this post. I don't mean to be mean, but the OP doesn't really seem to have a commitment to medicine at this point. She is using too many "what ifs..." Nobody can read the future, sometimes you have to take a leap of faith.

OP, you should not apply to medical school unless you know you are in it for the long haul and will stick it out, regardless of how hard or stressful it gets. By the way your posts sounds, you don't seem like you know if you are capable of doing so at this point. It seems like you want us to tell you whether or not medical school is worth it, but sorry to say, we cannot do that for you, only you can make the choice for yourself.

 

[stillapplying]

There is an inherent contradiction in your texts and I don't quite buy the passion part of it. I am sorry.

Thanks for that. To me, at this point, the OP is just taking the piss and for some reason enjoys stringing this thread out. MY feeling is get over yourself, grow up, and make a decision. How long do you really need? Every time someone says something it is countered with, "well I'm just not sure." I have patience but this person is just taking advantage of the good nature of the posters here.

I wanted to write this earlier but love the supportive nature of this site. That's why I'm a little upset that someone is taking advantage and wasting people's time.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Pizzabutt, I can see where you're coming from because I know when you get burned in one career choice, it makes you more cautious about jumping into anything else. However, I agree with the others that now probably isn't the time for medical school -- you have so many doubts, and it sounds like you really want a less demanding career for now. My thought is start your family and find something else that you'll enjoy. Then, if you feel like you still want medicine, you can go after it.

My other thought is no one needs to be a doctor or do anything else to be happy. There are other jobs out there that are intellectually stimulating, pay well and are enjoyable. With this, I'm going against the bulk of SDN advice where people should only go to medical school if they can't imagine themselves doing anything. IMO, it just shows a lack of creativity and adaptability to not imagine yourself doing something else.

 

[christian15213]

Also, to help my application further, I can take even more post-bacc classes (like more advanced bio) to further improve my GPA, but my GPA is already a 3.75.

Pizzabooty... can you tell us you're entire stats I feel like we are missing something, or atleast I was from your stats.

a 26 really isn't that low of an MCAT and a 3.75 is excelletn for postbac... BUTTTT.... and that is one big BUTTTTTT, how was your undergrad?

Furthermore, you're seeming to suggest that you didn't take any advanced bio in undergrad... I would like you to spell out your undergrad years, what you took and what you overall got in terms of GPA...

Then what have you done in your post bac years...

I believe we will be able to give you a much more complete answer.

 

[Dustbunny]

The way I see it you've got two, possibly three options. In order of preference, if I were in your shoes:

1) STFU and apply to an osteopathic med school. You considered Carribean? F that. Do the DO route. You're still an f'n doc, and I bet they'd welcome you with open arms. COMs love non-trads. There was a 55-yo guy I met this past week at UNECOM. That got a big WTF out of me, but it can be done.

2) Go into medical malpractice as a defense attorney. That would stand out in a HUGE way if persist in not removing your head from your rectum and applying to DO school. You would probably find this quite satisfying, too.

3) Go into pharmacy or PA school or NP school.

In the final analysis, when you're on your deathbed, will it have been worth it to have regrets like "Gee I should have been a doctor" ? Because THAT one is the only question that matters.

Stop whining on a discussion board and grab the bull by the balls, FFS. How much time have you wasted posting on this board that might have been better used doing something else? Like studying for the MCAT?

Lest you think I'm being unfair to you, I speak from experience about wasting my time posting on discussion boards like these. I've posted more threads like these (whiny, "oh woah is me what should I do" BS) than I can count on a half dozen people's fingers and toes. I have wasted countless months of my life (in clock time) on bulletin boards. (And what do I have to show for it? A post count of > 20,000, whoopty-****) The real solution to my problems was to just shut the hell up and DO IT. It's really not rocket science or statistical probability, here. There's no magic. Either you want it or you don't. As soon as you make a decision, the uncertainty goes away.

I actively resisted being a doctor for years. But now that I've made my decision, all the cons don't seem so significant anymore. In the meantime, all you're doing is wasting more time: procrastinating, and in the meantime, you're only getting older.

Cheers.