Older and Wiser? Med School after 30

Pre-Med & Medical School
1

<p>I just advised someone in a post above mine to not give up on the dream of med school. Well here I am needing to follow the same advice. I'm over 35 but less than 39 and taking pre-reqs to be an RN via accelerated RN programs (hoping to be a CRNA). I recently, at the advice of many started to consider applying to med school. I used to be pre-med...over a decade ago. I have a BSc in a biological science (includes OrChem I, II, BioChem I, II, Phys I, II, Micro, Calc, Vir) and an MA in Comm. Undergrad GPA was low... 2.66. Grad 3.8. Prereq GPA thus far 3.8 (A&P I, Soc, Psych). I've worked in the science field (got published even) and in Communications (with TV credits). I've had at least 4 practicing doctors all tell me to just apply and go. PAs say do not become a PA, go for nursing. But as I sat in the AP II lab looking through the microscope, feeling out of place and mad at myself for tossing my science career away for the shiny lights of hollywood, I wondered, what is the consensus really regarding older med students? I have not been in the loop save for searching internet forums and a few conversations from older or same age health professionals and I wanted to know what everyone else's real opinion was. Especially the younger people. </p>

<p>Fine if it's negative. Not that it would stop me from trying. My perception is a lot of people applying in 2012 who are 21-28 will think they're hot stuff and laugh at the "old-fogie" (sp?)...even though I look about 27. Or I will get this constant air of exasperation, not being able to relate on some things socially. I don't know...but let me know your thoughts.</p>

2

<p>Can’t believe this got 183 views and not a single comment. We are all anonymous. Just looking for some feedback. Even if it’s not all positive. Honest opinions are appreciated.</p>

3

<p>I am a junior high school student who is planning of going into a medical field: a doctor. My favourite subjects are math and science especially biology. This is one of the reasons why I want to be a doctor. But my senior friends are scaring me saying that this is the hardest field to get in to. Are MCATS that hard?</p>

4

<p>“I recently, at the advice of many started to consider applying to med school.”</p>

<p>But do you still want to pursue medical school?</p>

<p>“I have a BSc in a biological science (includes OrChem I, II, BioChem I, II, Phys I, II, Micro, Calc, Vir) and an MA in Comm. Undergrad GPA was low… 2.66. Grad 3.8. Prereq GPA thus far 3.8 (A&P I, Soc, Psych).”</p>

<p>What is your cumulative GPA? Most medical schools will factor in undergrad GPA with post-bacc work, but it won’t erase a poor undergrad GPA completely.</p>

<p>“I’ve had at least 4 practicing doctors all tell me to just apply and go. PAs say do not become a PA, go for nursing.”</p>

<p>It all depends on your personal feelings. If you can’t realistically picture busting your ass to get your GPA up to where it needs to be, cramming for/passing the MCAT, 4 years of overwhelming information punctuated by brutal USMLE/COMLEX tests, ~4 years of poorly paid work and horrible hours in residency, all with a crippling amount of debt looming over you, then go nursing. If you have factored in all of the above and you’re still game, go for it and do whatever it takes to get there.</p>

<p>“But as I sat in the AP II lab looking through the microscope, feeling out of place and mad at myself for tossing my science career away for the shiny lights of hollywood, I wondered, what is the consensus really regarding older med students? I have not been in the loop save for searching internet forums and a few conversations from older or same age health professionals and I wanted to know what everyone else’s real opinion was. Especially the younger people.”</p>

<p>My opinion as a “younger” person is to go for it. I’m 25 and also considered non-traditional. You will get some crap from younger, cookie-cutter applicants (3.8GPA, standard EC’s, 21/22yo) but it shouldn’t dampen your resolve. I know of applicants who are in their late 40’s.</p>

<p>“My perception is a lot of people applying in 2012 who are 21-28 will think they’re hot stuff and laugh at the “old-fogie” (sp?)…even though I look about 27. Or I will get this constant air of exasperation, not being able to relate on some things socially. I don’t know…but let me know your thoughts.”</p>

<p>I’m 25 and I know I’m hot stuff, LoL. However I don’t relate on a majority of things that are socially normal for my age group.</p>

<p>Go for it.</p>

5

<p>I went to med school at age 25. In my class, we had a few students who were second-career folks who were a good bit older than the rest of us. One was in her early 40’s, if I recall correctly, and had just finished college, along with her son. She’d dropped out of undergrad to put her husband through college and med school and went back when her son went to college. A couple were in their 30’s–a nurse, a dietician, a lab scientist of some kind, a guy who’d been pursuing the priesthood. I don’t remember how old they were, just that they were a bit older than I was.</p>

<p>As a group, I think the older students were a bit more serious and focused. They weren’t all top students but many of them did very well. We had quite a few people who’d taken off a year or two, or five, before going on to med school as well as the handful of truly “OLDER” people I mentioned. The fresh-out-of-college crew probably did more partying and socializing, but it’s not like no one talked to the older students. Many of them/us were married. The party scene wasn’t of interest. But we found study groups, folks to hang out with, etc. You spend a lot of time in labs and on wards and whatnot. It’s very equalizing. People talked to the folks they were working with. No one really cared how old you were. </p>

<p>I think that some of the demands of the clinical years and internship/residency are taxing for older students. In my residency, we had some second-careerists who were doing a second residency. Taking call was physically hard and they also had more complicated family demands than those of us who hadn’t started families yet.</p>

<p>Granted, I’m an old lady who graduated from medical school over 20 years ago, but I don’t think you should let concerns about what your classmates will think of you keep you from pursuing what interests you.</p>