Advice

This is a great site filled with terrific people.
I'm looking for advice as to what my timeline would be if I want to become a doctor. I'd be starting at a late age (I'm 39).
A little bit about me.
39 years old. Live in NY/NJ
SUNY Albany undergrad GPA is 3.2 ('86). MBA from NYU GPA 3.6 ('92). I been a trader for over 10 years and won't be doing it for much longer. Loved science as a kid but then sidetracked. Recently took my wife to the emergency room (turned out to be nothing serious) and wanted to be one of the doctors there. Really wanted to be a part of what was going on around me. I don't have any of the science requirements so assume I'd have to do a post-bacc program.
There's also the issue of marital stress as I don't have much in the way of financial resourses (bad money management) and this would be a great emotional burden on both of us.
Would i be too old to do residency? What type of careerpath could I expect at my age?
thanks,
David

Hi David,
I started medical school at the age of 46 and applied at age 45 so don’t let the “age thing” distract you from seeking your goal. There are some sacrifices that non-traditional applicants and medical students have to face. The income limitation and being out of the workforce for four years are two of them. If you should get into medical school and do well, any career is possible. General Surgery is typically touted as a career for “younger medical grads” but here I am in my second year of residency at age 51, loving every second of what I do.
Shoot for the stars and hit the moon! It’s your arrow anyway! You can expect to take about two years to finish your pre-med sciences. Go slow enough to do well!
Good luck!
Natalie cool.gif

David, from the time you start your first class to the time you step in the door on your first day of medical school is almost certainly three years. I do know people who sliced a year off it … but if your intention is to take classes while continuing to be employed, that’s hard to do.
I was 41-42 when I took general chemistry and intro biology, 42-43 during the year I did o-chem, physics and the MCAT, and 44 on my first day of medical school. My feeling is that age is the LEAST of the concerns we have. As you have already discerned, it’s all the other stuff - the money, the kids, the job, the spouse, the mortgage, the money, the money, the money…
If your exposure to medicine is limited to your personal experience (e.g. recent trip to ER with your wife), you’ll also need to figure out a way to get some relevant clinical experience - search for posts with “volunteer” in them and you’ll find tons of stories about different ways people have done this.
It is absolutely possible.