Women entering med school at 27/28--thoughts?

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Also, I wanted to add that I talked to my grandma last spring as I was getting ready to take the MCAT and she was soo sweet (she's in her late 80's)! She was a nurse, and got her RN later in life (she was in her 40s). She told me that she always wanted to be a doctor, but back then, it was hard for a non-trad woman to get into med school. She told me that I had to follow through with this, and never settle for anything less than my goal. If she had it to do over again, she said she would have gone to med school even if it meant that she didn't start practicing until she was in her 60s!

So, now I have to do it!

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I have three kids, the youngest is 4 months old, and the more that I think about it, the more determined I am to get into med school and make them proud of me!

I feel the same way. I know my nine year old will always ask how I do on a test and if I get an A, he gets all proud and congratulates me. (This is most likely bc I am always telling him how proud I am of him.) He's very excited for me to become a doctor and we relate with each other really well bc we're both in school. Oh, and probably because I love to watch Nick Jr, especially Drake and Josh, with him and am really just a little kid anyways.

I do really think it is important to have a mutually strong relationship with your kids where they see you achieve your goals and where you help them achieve theirs. Kids are so great and understanding if you raise them to be. And I think showing them that you are accomplishing something will only make them want to be more successful in their own lives.
 
Also, I wanted to add that I talked to my grandma last spring as I was getting ready to take the MCAT and she was soo sweet (she's in her late 80's)! She was a nurse, and got her RN later in life (she was in her 40s). She told me that she always wanted to be a doctor, but back then, it was hard for a non-trad woman to get into med school. She told me that I had to follow through with this, and never settle for anything less than my goal. If she had it to do over again, she said she would have gone to med school even if it meant that she didn't start practicing until she was in her 60s!

So, now I have to do it!

That's a really good story. :luck:
 
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WE CAN DO IT, ladies! Don't fall into the trap of thinking it's too hard. And big big props to all you moms in med school!!!

Your post kind of reminds me of my UCSF interview- I met so many med student moms when I was interviewing there, and it made me feel really happy and comfortable. It was relieving to know that their students feel that they can go on with the rest of their lives while they are students there- and to know that the school was willing to be completely flexible in terms of taking time off if they needed it.

I think it's really hard not to worry about all of these things. A good friend of mine (a patent lawyer) recently got worried enough that she froze a bunch of eggs, just in case.

Personally, I'm really hoping for UCSF- I would love to live in the city, and it would make keeping the relationship going easier:p. Davis would be great as well (1.5 hours isn't that far, when we've already done 1 hour apart for much of our relationship), and those are the two schools that have interviewed me and I haven't heard from yet. My bf has known since we started dating (I think I told him on our second date) that I want to go to med school. He's incredibly supportive (though he told me yesterday that I'm officially not allowed to worry to him about UCSF until a letter of some variety comes from them), which is nice. But it's still hard, because of all of the 'unknowns.' What if I don't get in? What will I do then? If I reapply, will it be much broader? What if??? (you get the picture:)) Or maybe I just obsess a lot.
 
I think starting something like medical school is better if you are older. I am 24, and I must say that I am changing so much now. My whole attitude is very different now than when I was 20. My views have changed, my emotions have changed, my whole situation in life has changed. I have a 4 yr old and a 4 mo. old at home and a fiance. He claims that he is with me all the way. We'll see. I hope he is, but I will do this with or without him.

I am sooooo glad that I am not alone, and OP, I hope you realize that there is no right or wrong way to go about this. You simply take one step at a time and don't rush it.

One of the greatest things my dad said was " You're in such a hurry to get things done, but when you finish, you realize you were only racing against yourself." Great man.
 
I feel the same way. I know my nine year old will always ask how I do on a test and if I get an A, he gets all proud and congratulates me. (This is most likely bc I am always telling him how proud I am of him.) He's very excited for me to become a doctor and we relate with each other really well bc we're both in school. Oh, and probably because I love to watch Nick Jr, especially Drake and Josh, with him and am really just a little kid anyways.

I do really think it is important to have a mutually strong relationship with your kids where they see you achieve your goals and where you help them achieve theirs. Kids are so great and understanding if you raise them to be. And I think showing them that you are accomplishing something will only make them want to be more successful in their own lives.

I love Drake and Josh. My oldest is only 5, so he dosn't get most of the show, but when there are no cartoons on he likes me to watch that one with him.
 
My bf has known since we started dating (I think I told him on our second date) that I want to go to med school. He's incredibly supportive (though he told me yesterday that I'm officially not allowed to worry to him about UCSF until a letter of some variety comes from them), which is nice.

I'm in the same boat as you here. My boyfriend knew from day one that I was switching careers and trying for med school, and I am constantly floored by how supportive he is. Now that I've been accepted at schools far from L.A. (which is home for us), we've got a ton to discuss, but I'm pretty much avoiding the conversation. He seems to be too. I celebrate the acceptances every day and then I feel sad because we will be apart. He can't move because of the nature of his work. I know we have to talk about it soon. Anyone have some words of encouragement? I sure can use it!
 
:D This makes me laugh b/c my DH says, "but you're my retirement check" when I try to scare him with stories of how busy and cranky I'm going to be once I start school! Hopefully the boyfriends have slightly better motives for their attitude (ie, momma raised 'em right), though DH's heart is in the right place, he just shares my sense of humor.....

I would have happily been a latch key kid or eaten pb and j for dinner if it meant my mom could have been an MD, or even finished college. Instead, she's helping w/ my son so I can (and she's finishing college -go mom!). I know SO many parents in their 40s with infants, they are tired, but so was I at 25.

Agree with above poster about maturity. I could not have tolerated the hierarchy and hoop jumping of medical education at age 22. No way. I'm barely there now, that "screw the man!" voice still lurks....


I'm in the same boat as you here. My boyfriend knew from day one that I was switching careers and trying for med school, and I am constantly floored by how supportive he is. Now that I've been accepted at schools far from L.A. (which is home for us), we've got a ton to discuss, but I'm pretty much avoiding the conversation. He seems to be too. I celebrate the acceptances every day and then I feel sad because we will be apart. He can't move because of the nature of his work. I know we have to talk about it soon. Anyone have some words of encouragement? I sure can use it!
 
Look, women are having children on average later and later in life now. It may not be ideal to have your first child at 38 instead of 28 but it happens all the time. In the 1970's the percentage of first children born to women over 35 was 1% and now just thirty years later that percentage is almost 9%. That means almost 1 out of every 10 women are now over 35 when the have their first child, and I bet if you look only at women over a certain education or income level, that proportion would be much higher. You wouldn't be alone if you had to wait until school/residency were done.

My mother started med school at 33 and had my younger brother during MS-II and my baby sister during residency, at the age of 40. She is now 48 and we're all one big happy family.

It can be done! I think the odds of meeting someone in med school and/or residency are excellent, but it really depend on how much effort you make in terms of getting out there and meeting people. If you want to have kids in school/residency it can be done, and if you want to wait until you're done who says you can't have a family at 38, 40 or even 42?

A few things to think about... as a doctor your income level will most likely afford you the opportunity to pursue every fertility aid available (should it come to that!) in your late 30's or early 40's. And there's always adoption, even single parenthood adoption. And there are specialties you can choose where the demands of residency, hours-wise, are more family friendy. Maybe you'll have to make a trade-off between practicing surgery or family medicine, but that option will be there. If you search FRIEDA you will see that average weekly hours vary considerably between specialties. Not all residencies are killers.
 
Sheesh, it sounds to me.. if you're single, in your mid 20's and looking for a relationship with someone with similiar interests and goals.. Medical school may be the place to go.

It also seems that the amount of non-traditional students beginning to fill medical school classes makes for a pretty good support group of people. Honestly, I'm going to involve my wife and family in whatever social situations that medical school creates. I currently hang out with 20-22 year olds because they are at the same points in their education.. They're great people, smart, energetic, and friendly.. They don't look at me as old..they look at me as a peer. I'll be 31 when this whole thing kicks off, and I feel like I'm 21.

This application process and career change has taught me a couple things about medicine. First.. the path to an MD and healing is different for all of us. We each bring our own stories to this decision to enter medical school, and I think that is an amazing strength to draw upon while in medical school and after. The second is patience. Anyone lacking in patience in life might consider business or day trading. Becoming a physician is a 7-10 year journey after you get in, but extends for the rest of your life. I say cherish it.. sit back and enjoy the ride.. becuase the ER is a 24/7/365 circus that is better than an airport for people watchin.

I would have happily been a latch key kid or eaten pb and j for dinner if it meant my mom could have been an MD, or even finished college. Instead, she's helping w/ my son so I can (and she's finishing college -go mom!). I know SO many parents in their 40s with infants, they are tired, but so was I at 25.
I never thought about it from this angle.. but holy crap.. i would have too, and my mom is a retired teacher taking care of my dad on 100% VA disability. They are making this possible by watching my 3 year old (someone has to get them outta bed in the morning and who better to do it than a rambunxious 3 year old) and letting my 9 year old go to school 5 minutes from their house on a variance. I think my kids will look at me and see an example of never giving up on what is true in your heart.. especially if it's hard, time consuming and requires sacrifice, for the rewards on the other end may be timeless.
 
My mom is 38 y/o and she just started med school. She didn't want to be a P.A for the rest of her life. She left behind her 3 year old daughter and my dad, who works full time but allowed her to go.

Talk about sacrifice...
 
You inspire me. I am 21 and am scared that after I finish my BA there won't be enough time for me to continue on in the medical field...I will be about 23 when I "re-start" pre med. And I currently have a 2 year old....I look at it like this... I could stop and live my life with a BA, but for me that's not enough. I can do better than that and I will regret it the rest of my life if I don't just go for it...and I think you will regret it too!
 
Glad to see all these great replies. I'm 32 and still trying to figure out when I might have kids if I start school in the fall. In some ways I feel I've got it easy since I likely won't have a baby for at least two years, so that's two years of managing my own schedule. Still, I feel awful for asking my boyfriend to go through that for me. That is, to be supportive and help me with kids (if it comes to that) while I'm in school. Isn't that a lot to ask of someone?

I'm so heartened by the stories here, and I know that one way or another it'll all work out. I just wish I had a few more of the pieces in place!
 
Glad to see all these great replies. I'm 32 and still trying to figure out when I might have kids if I start school in the fall. In some ways I feel I've got it easy since I likely won't have a baby for at least two years, so that's two years of managing my own schedule. Still, I feel awful for asking my boyfriend to go through that for me. That is, to be supportive and help me with kids (if it comes to that) while I'm in school. Isn't that a lot to ask of someone?

Truthfully, it is a lot to ask of someone. Absolutely. But at the same time, when that person is your lifelong partner and you're both committed to each other 100%, it becomes less of you asking them to support you and more of them wanting to support you.

My husband has known since we started dating that medical school might be a possibility for me. Some years my desire was stronger than others. Regardless, he accepted all of me -- my wishes and desires included -- when he vowed to love and cherish and support me for eternity. My husband wants me to go to medical school because he knows it will make me happy. He is willing to sacrifice a lot to see that happen because he loves me and wants me to fulfill my dreams.

Now, that doesn't mean there won't be rough spots or times when we question our commitment or wonder if our sacrifices are worth it. I fully expect there to be many of these moments over the course of my schooling. In fact, I fully expect many of these moments regardless of my career choice. After all, a lifetime with someone always brings the unexpected, both joys and tragedies.

So my husband is supportive of me for medical school. Yes, it'll be a long hard road over the next 7-10 years. But when you're talking about being with someone until death, what's 10 years out of the next 50? I'm sure at some point, he'll need my support and sacrifices and I'll have a chance to repay the favor. A relationship is all about give and take; I might be "taking" now but I'm fully prepared to "give" too.
 
I'm 38 and finishing up my BA and considering a post bac in a couple of years. I was only on my third child at the age of 27.

You need to consider what is important. I have a husband who is enjoying the ride with me. If I get accepted into a post bacc at 40, he said he'll fasten his seatbelt for the ride and somehow we will work out life with seven kids left and me getting the degrees. (We are done procreating.)

If this is your priority, find someone who shares your vision. You will need an man who is comfortable with you growing, not someone who is happy with you settling for something less. You will have to prefer loneliness to the company of some weasel who wants your time and attention to affirm his self worth. (Same for men!)

I am taking a lit class in Women of the Yukon. Not settling down is nothing new and I am finding out that what we think is The Road Less Traveled has already been paved by women with a harder, steeper climb than we'll ever face.

This took me a while to understand, but now, after a failed marriage, I realize this was the problem. The sad thing is, his dad had warned me of this five years before when he knew of my career plan. Some people are not cut out to be the significant others of those in medicine, just as some are not cut out for medicine. Hopefully, you will figure that out before making the leap.
 
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