One of the issues I was worried about, but has turned out to be a non-issue, was the age gap between me and other members of my class.
At 38 I know I am not the oldest pre-med out there but I still think I am in the upper end of the age range amongst full time college students.
As it turns out this has been a complete non-issue. I have never even noticed the age gap. For anyone reading who is worried about it, in my experience it was more of a problem in my mind than in reality. I even had a 17 year old lab partner for my Gen Bio class and we were able to collaborate successfully. In fact she was far better to work with than some of the people closer to my own age.
It did make me do a double take when one of my class mates was talking about his girlfriend still being in high-school though. Then I remebered he was in high-school himself last year 
I’m 40 and in the same generation as my professors. My chem lab partner is an 18 y/o but he’s very mature and focused. It’s hit & miss with people so I’m glad he chose me.
Day two of being on campus and the age thing is like you said, all in our heads. I spoke to the chem prof. yesterday and mentioned it and she said you won’t even notice the age thing in a few weeks. They’re here getting an education just like you are. Her response was funny because I was talking about “the kids” noticing the “old fart.”
I’ve noticed that my attitude is definitely different already. I’m usually introverted and if you ask me a closed-ended question you will get a one word answer as I walk away however the past two days I’ve gone to lengths to help other students find their way…and I don’t even know where I’m going but I get them to someone who does.
BTW I am a college professor and in my classes I often have older students. Each semester I have quite a number of 45+, even in their 50s, looking to enter into healthcare (med, nurse, PA, Physical Therapy, Nutrition, Pharmacy).
The age has never been an issue. Students work together really well and I always enjoy the diversity. I am even surprised I have never noticed the “age gap” myself.
I tend to teach night and week-end classes where students fit a “responsibility” profile. So I get a lot of those. I do love working with the diverse body, older students especially because they always have some experiences to share.
Agree with all of this.
At 42, I seem to be able to relate more to the professors than to some of the students. Professors seem more willing to share their time with me because they know that I am focused and not here to party and screw around. Some treat me like a peer rather than a student. I’ve had professors open up to me about their frustrations with students - which can be a little awkward. My chem prof said to me recently “Would you stop calling me sir and professor. You’re 5 years older than me!” To which I respond by saying, Listen, you are a professor here and a Ph.D. I very much respect your title, your accomplishments, and your position and you deserve to be treated as such.
This also comes in handy for those times when I end up with an 89.3 or .4 in the class. It always turns into an A. Not that this doesn’t happen for the younger students, it’s just that I have much less convincing to do. Perfect attendance and proven focus always work in my favor.
The students also readily accept me into their groups. I am routinely invited to study sessions and I am treated like one of them even though I am in the same generation as many of their parents. It’s actually pretty cool.
I’m enjoying every minute of this.
Heck I am 29 and the thought of the age gap has come to mind a few times.
Then again, in my previous degree I had a lot of people a few years younger and a lot in their 40’s and above too.
I suspect the cliche animalhouse and party animals will be laregly in non-med courses, but then again sometimes those partyanimals can be the fun ones too… 
I’ll be 49 in one month. Before I got my graying hair, most people could not believe that I was old enough to be their father. Perhaps because I looked young (and still sound young), I was easily accepted into just about every cohort in school during my second bachelor’s program. But it has closed some doors on me as some of the programs in which I am interested have age limits (e.g. Uniformed Health Services, Public Health Corps have age limits that I have already exceeded).
Now that I have some gray hair, my age is more noticeable. Although I get many more questions regarding age from young people I know and from admissions committee members, it has not hindered my involvement in groups and work. To allay the AdComms concerns about my age, I tend to link my age to the length of my current and past health care experiences (22+ years), and that tends to explain and mitigate the age issue.
- Sisyphus Said:
Then again, in my previous degree I had a lot of people a few years younger and a lot in their 40's and above too.
I suspect the cliche animalhouse and party animals will be laregly in non-med courses, but then again sometimes those partyanimals can be the fun ones too............
I am not in medical school. However, I am about the same age as you and I am taking my prereq classes and everyone is sweet and nice. I don't think people realize that I am 7 -9 years older than them.
- healthe Said:
- Sisyphus Said:
Then again, in my previous degree I had a lot of people a few years younger and a lot in their 40's and above too.
I suspect the cliche animalhouse and party animals will be laregly in non-med courses, but then again sometimes those partyanimals can be the fun ones too............
I am not in medical school. However, I am about the same age as you and I am taking my prereq classes and everyone is sweet and nice. I don't think people realize that I am 7 -9 years older than them.
depends on how old you look. I have seen women who are almost 40 and look 19, I have also seen the other extreme........
When working as a phys substitute, I didn’t realize how old my patient was… but then realized I was fooled by his bald head; you can’t notice gray hairs on a bald head, and the eyebrows have a lower profile, while taking longer to show anyway.
Since it was the “in” thing in martial arts at the time, and just “in” amongst the kids at the time anyway, I stopped fighting the receding hairline battle and never looked back.
I’ve had numerous comments about “you’re really that old?” and etc,…but I don’t mind since I don’t act my age, anyway.
I encourage all the males, over 35, and etc, to give it up and go the Michael Jordan route…you won’t regret it and you won’t go back. For u wimins, bald and a wig, but I know y’all got it down to a science already starting at 28 y/o…
I had, and still do have, a problem with the age gap, or more accurately, the maturity gap. I found that, coming from the military, naive students can be very disrespectful. Especially students that are intentionally disrespectful because they do not want to be taking the course they are in. I know I could easily overcome the issue by changing my attitude, but it is very difficult to do, especially considering I was once one of those disrespectful young’ns not too far in the past; thankfully the military beat that out of me, and frankly many of the kids I see around here could use the same.
- eirikr1 Said:
To which I reply: yes. #1, I can legally order a beer with my dinner, which is nice. #2, I was out seeing many lands, many oceans, and many peoples while you were trying to figure out how to fit in with the cool kids in the high school cafeteria.
Wow that came out snotty. A bit uncharacteristic of OPM, but I suffer from generational degradation syndrome, i.e. "what's wrong with kids these days?" syndrome. I'm sure many have said the same thing about me, on that note...
I’ve found myself telling a few of them that actually, “I like you, Mark. You remind me of me, back when I was young and stupid, too…”
- eirikr1 Said:
Yes, Pulleezze GIVE UP the "comb overs", ROTFL!!!!!
Bald headed men are so darn sexy!
Adding on to this discussion from a med school admission standpoint. In the interview process be prepared for the question: “So when you’re an intern you’ll be taking orders from people who are quite a bit younger than you. How do you feel about that?” This is a way to bring up your age without actually asking how old you are…
Cheers,
Liza
- lizat Said:
Cheers,
Liza
Care to share any tips on how to respond? Or does anyone else have a good response to this question?
- pathdr2b Said:
- lizat Said:
Cheers,
Liza
Care to share any tips on how to respond? Or does anyone else have a good response to this question?
"Quite a bit younger? I'm surprised. How old do you presume me to be? I don't have a problem with the age of my colleagues and I won't hold their youth against them. Just as I expect them not to hold my grey hairs against me. In the end it's all about providing the best patient care and the age of who gives the orders or who receives them is inconsequential...besides I've been married for a couple of decades and been taking orders from people much younger than I at home for years now so I'm pretty used it by now."
- croooz Said:
Most people can't look at me and tell that I'm staring the big 50 in the face in a couple years, but just in case I get this question, I'm going to borrow this line!
Thanks Crooz!
Did someone say “the big 50”??? PULEEEEEZE!!! Shoot, I got great tutoring, because students knew that coming over to my place to tutor usually included home cooking and baked goods… as to the Ad Comm question - “I do not apply the concept of ageism to intelligence or wisdom. I have learned much from those who have less years on this earth than me…but were greater scientific minds or more experienced than I. Things I need to know and learn can come from anywhere…the age of the person it comes from is a non-issue…” Even if y’all do say “the big 50”!!! 