Wow! I am so happy I found this site. I cannot begin to explain the amount of fear and trepidation I’ve been facing since deciding to embark on this journey to become a doctor.
Well, here’s a little about me. I’m currently 25, single, no kids. I live in Little Rock, AR. I will graduate from a 2-year technical college in July. In August, I will begin a 4-year college. So, I’ll be somewhere between 27 - 30 when I finally begin medical school. Everyone seems to have the need to remind me of this fact when I tell them what I want to do. But, I must remain steadfast. It’s amazing that just as I was about to give in to the naysayers, I found this forum and these 2 headlines:
Man, 67, to Graduate From Police Academy
90-Year-Old Florida Woman Earns GED
Hi there,
Glad to have you on board! If you can dream it, you can do it. Just set your mind to achieving little day-to-day goals and soon you will realize your biggest goal. If you hang out here long enough, you will figure out that I graduated from medical school at age 49 and then turned 50. I started my general surgery residency (under the old unlimited hour system) at age 50 and I have never looked back. I am about to start my PGY-3 year at Cleveland Clinic Health systems. If you believe in yourself that you can make it, you will or in other words “Fake it until you make it”. It’s your dream and your life and you don’t need anyone’s permission to live it the way that you want.
Remember that the quest to become a physician is a marathon and not a sprint. Take your time and do well in your coursework. Everything is preparation for medicine and no one thing with instantly make you a good physician. Take each course as it comes and enjoy learning for the sake of mastery rather than what grade you expect to receive. Medicine is a life-long learning experience. I can’t tell you how much I have to read and review each day.
Post from time to time and let us know how you are doing. I scarcely remember my life before surgery and I have only been at this for two years. The time goes by so quickly. Again, Welcome!
Natalie 
Hi and welcome to OPM
I wish you well on your journey towards medical school. Don’t get discouraged. It is a long road with many a bump. Just keep going.
Again, welcome
Welcome!
Welcome Ganell! Glad you’re here. It’s short notice, but if you can make it, our annual convention is coming in Denver: 6/10-6/13. You will find a lot of inspiration and support there and nothing compares to meeting fellow OPMs face to face. 
Love,
Stacy
Welcome Ganell, I lived in Little Rock for tweleve years before moving to Bentonville, even spent some time at UALR (and U of A, and NWACC… 
)
Whhhhoooooooooooooooooooooo PIG Soooooiiiieeeeeee!!! I am lovin the proliferation of Arkansans in OPM! I am a native of NLR myself (that’s NORTH Little Rock for the uneducated) - graduated from NLR Ole Main HS in 1984; so I am a wee bit more aged than you folks. However, I will in NLR at the end of this month for my 20th HS reunion!
Like Nat wisely points out, if you want badly enough, are willing to make the sacrifices & driven to do the work - you can create your opportunity to become a physician. These forums are filled with anecdotal evidence supporting the conclusion that it can be done. It will not be easy…and it shouldn’t be. But, it is do-able.
If I may suggest, invest some time in reading some of the remarkable accomplishments of our members. Not only are there tales of becoming a physician to inspire you; but theses people have essentially laid out roadmaps on how they achieved success. No, their routes cannot guarantee your own success, but they can certainly help you construct the framework for you individual plan.
Again, welcome to OPM where all, even Arkansans, are welcome!
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So, I’ll be somewhere between 27 - 30 when I finally begin medical school. Everyone seems to have the need to remind me of this fact when I tell them what I want to do.
There’s a story out there (may be apocryphal, but that’s okay) that someone once wrote to Ann Landers, saying, “I’ll be 45 when I graduate from medical school.” Her sage reply: “How old will you be if you DON’T graduate from medical school?”
The time goes on regardless… What you do with it is the key.
Quote:
There’s a story out there (may be apocryphal, but that’s okay) that someone once wrote to Ann Landers, saying, “I’ll be 45 when I graduate from medical school.” Her sage reply: “How old will you be if you DON’T graduate from medical school?”
Mary -
Thank you SO much for posting that anecdote. As I have been thinking about how I want to approach my personal statement, I had been unable to pinpoint the moment that I decided to pursue a medical degree. It finally came to me while reading your post.
At the school where I taught we were having one of those “staff bonding” workshops where we had to answer questions about ourselves and share the responses. One of the questions was “If there was one thing that you could do in life, what would it be?” My answer was “Go to medical school.” At the time, it was an off the cuff comment that I didn’t think was possible. However, it got me thinking about how to make it possible. As I was debating how old I would be by the time I got done, that Ann Landers column appeared. The timing of its appearance seemed to be a sign from above that if medical school was what I wanted, I should do it.
Strange but true . . .
Amy
I want to take a minute to thank you all so much. I feel so welcomed here! This only reiterates how happy I am to have found this place. I’m in the process of reading through some of the experiences here, and all I can say is that you all are amazing!
Welcome!!
Just wanted to take a second to thank everyone around here.
Welcome! Mary graduated med school at 48! Gives us all some encouragement.
Hi There - I’m almost 25 (two more weeks)…and I will graduate from university at the age of 27th… that means I won’t start medical school (in the best case) until I’m 28/ 29…well…I thought the same way…I’m too old…before I found this forum and got all the support I need from my hubby…
Welcome and good luck on your way to becoming MD