How old is too old to go to or consider medical school? Is there an issue with being in your 40’s and considering starting a pre med program? Should I just watch House reruns and dream wistfully?
There are people on this site starting post baccs/med school/residencies in their 50s. Just be prepared to discuss the “Why now?” and the “How have your experiences motivated/prepared you for med school?” type interview questions.
Nothing wrong with watching House while pursuing med school. I prefer Scrubs myself…
Yes, there is ageism in the admissions process, however many folks on this website have overcome it!
In your forties? Just a spring chicken!
“Too old” is a subjective issue. I know of 20 somethings who consider themselves too old to start med school. At 28 my boss told me I was way too old. I’m now 42 & will Lord-willing apply when I’m 45. So “too old” is up to each person to decide. Ultimately it’s between you and the school, some care more than others but you only learn that once you apply and see. I will say this, it’s never an issue of being “too old” to apply to medical school but more of an issue of being “too scared” to apply.
Besides med school and all of medicine is no different than the rest of the working world…it’s full of all the isms. Some places the doctors and nurses behave as though they are part of the cast of “Mean Girls”… For that I’m “too old.” I ain’t got time to be getting into high school or even worse grade school playground fights but that is what goes on at many a hospital. That is what we should all be too old to deal with.
Sorry about that last bit just needed to get it off my chest. My wife works admin for the sx dept and the tantrums of the docs, nurses, and administrators are ridiculous. I am awed at how childish they all are yet literally hold peoples lives in their hands. Nurses, interns, residents, attendings…who excuse their misbehavior under the catchall of “my biggest concern is for the patient…”
So being too old is a good thing because Lord-willing we are all too old to continue adding to this pot of kray-kray.