Hello,
I am curious about how many people around 40 [that you know] got into med school this year so far.
When I apply for 2005 I will be 41; so I am anxious to know about mature people getting admission offers and their background too.
It will inspire me a lot.
thanks
best
I’m 43 and will start med school in August.
It’s doable! We’ve got members here that are in their 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s who will begin medical school this year. I keep meeting and hearing of people who came to medicine after doing something else first…take home message: it’s unusual, but not THAT unusual anymore. There are other threads about this if you search the forums.
I’ve forgotten where you are (academically, geographically, etc.), so if you want to fill us in about that, that’s good. Married? Children? (I’ll move my family, household, dog, et al. at the end of this month to re-settle ourselves in another state to go to medical school. And if I can do it, you probably can too).
Good luck with this sometimes nutty process! 
Let us know how it goes…
Hi there,
I didn't apply this year but I applied in 1997 at age 45. I was 49 when I graduated and turned 50 two weeks later. I went 6 out of 6 for acceptances. Had an undegraduate GPA that was competitive (two bachelors degrees) and a graduate degree in Biochemistry. My MCAT scores were above 30 with a writing score of S. None of my interviewers commented on my age but plenty commented on my energy level. While I didn't have damage control to take care of, I did feel that I had to sell myself to many of my interviewers. On most of my interviews, I was the oldest person in the room but I turned out to be the second oldest person in my class.
A word or two of caution though: applications from non-traditional students have greatly increased in the past few years so you want to make yourself stand out from the crowd of non-trads. This was a recurring theme at this year's convention and will be more relevant next year as the total number of applications to medical school increases and is likely to continue to increase.
I was pleasantly surprised at the number of non-traditional students among the medical students who are rotating through my services on General Surgery. They are awesome and bring a richness to the student body. I have yet to see any negatives so be encouraged. UVa is a state school with a very large medical student body.
Good luck and make your age an asset! Your experiences provide wisdom so let your qualities shine through!
Natalie
Hey fonzy.
I am 43 as of about a week ago, and will be starting school this fall. This is my second year of applying. Last year I applied at 9 schools, got 1 interview, no acceptances. I retook the MCAT, got work in health care, and applied to 15 schools this year.
7 interviews, 5 acceptances. It can be done!
Best of luck. 
I may be the prime example of how not to let your age dissuade you from striving to achieve your goal. I am 52, applied last year, 3 interviews, 1 waitlist, no acceptances. However, this year I spread a much broader net, interviewed at WVSOM in September and was accepted. Also interviewed at KCOM and Univ. of Missouri - Columbia, was waitlisted at both, removed my name from their waitlists because I really love and feel very comfortable at WVSOM, and cancelled interviews and withdrew my application from all the other schools.
Was it hard? You bet it was! Would I do it again? Absolutely!
So don't let anyone tell you that 40-something is too old! Go after what you want, and do it with all your might, mind, and heart!
Good luck!!
A question from one old guy to another…
For those of you that were out for a while, and your MCATs were old or you never took them, and had to, what did you do to refresh for them?
Did you take or retake the college courses again, or did you take a Kaplan test? or did you just not take them and apply off shore?
Quite the conundrum. I look forward to the help. 
JK
jeffk,
I went to college at the usual age, then went to grad school right after that. Only one earth science course in ugrad, plus a couple of photographic chemistry and sensitometric courses in grad school. And I had no college math up to that point. Fast forward 14 years…w/my advisor, I designed a post-bacc. Took all the required BCMP courses, tutored chem, and did a clinical research project. To cover all my bases, I also took biochem, micro, and genetics. Just for yucks, I also took a jazz dancing class and a philosophy of science course…both were well worth the time and energy! Knowing that most schools also want to see a year of college level math, I took those courses too.
Applied and took the August MCAT last summer for the first time. No Kaplan prep…they're too far from here and finances were a real consideration. I was interviewed in January and accepted the same week.
That's just one experience, so please keep in mind that there are many ways into med school once you've covered the basics that they require. Check the most up-to-date MSAR for the requirements of the schools you want tot apply to. Some schools are starting to drop the second semester of o-chem and replace it with either biochem, genetics, or some such.
You haven't mentioned patient contact, so somewhere in the next two years make the time to fit in volunteering of some sort. That could be direct patient contact, such as hospice work, EMT certification, working in a community health clinic, et al. Civic volunteering also shows your connection and responsibility to your community…check out www.volunteermatch.org. Or, think what you'd like to do. What work would you love to do so much that you'd do it for free?! Brainstorm this and then get the phone…I've never had any group or individual refuse free help and have met some wonderful people this way too.
You don't mention where you are, but please join us in Denver a year from now if you can!
Good luck…
Mary:
I forgot… I was a respiratory therapist, got AAS then went to Cornell’s PA program and have been doing surgery for the last 13 years. I conveniently forgot that little tidbit of info
Am also FF/EMT, a real civic minded guy.
I graduated from Cornell w/ honors but I really screwed up in undergrad 20 yrs ago. I have a 2.9 through my AAS and have a lot of the prereqs out of the way.
I think offshore is my best bet unless I get like a 44 on the MCATS…
Thanks for the replies, and keep 'em coming
JK
My friend was a paramedic/ski patroller for 15 years and was accepted to DO school at 38. (Well, close to 40!) I’m 32 and trying for 2004! 
I think that following your heart is worth putting your gluteus maximus on the line to see what happens.
I’d say that you have a decent shot at getting accepted to med school- you have a great history of working in healthcare, and you have chosen jobs with increasing complexity.
If offshore would work for you, great- and you could consider DO schools as well. But don’t sell yourself short- look at many schools, allopathic and osteopathic, and find ones which suit you.
JeffK, I’m going to leave to others the more philosophical question of going offshore vs. trying for a US school slot.
But even in my post-call brain-fogged state I can throw out a few specific things.
First of all, med schools want MCATs that are no more than 3 years old. Folks who’ve been out of school for awhile can prepare for them in many different ways, depending on what they have under their belts already. (I’ve known lots of people like this, and it seems they’ve each approached the task somewhat differently.) Like Mary B-B, I didn’t have the prerequisite sciences, and so my post-bacc curriculum of doing prerequisite courses was also a significant part of my MCAT prep.
It’s not clear to me how old your prereqs are. Some schools want them to be less than some random number of years old. I’ve heard 7 and 10 as cut-offs. Note that many schools do not specify this.
Note also that if you have not been in school recently, you’re going to need to do some schooling anyway, to show that you “have what it takes” to go back to school. AdComs have a lot of positive impressions of OPMs, but one reservation they have is, “can they still do the academic work?”
you are also going to need to think through your response to the inevitable question about changing your career. A lot of physicians view the PA’s job with some degree of envy, frankly. Why are you ditching job security and good pay for the medical degree? You don’t have to answer here - just be thinking about it, because I guarantee you it will come up.
Good luck!
| QUOTE (Mary Renard @ Jun 4 2003, 02:38 PM) |
| JeffK, I'm going to leave to others the more philosophical question of going offshore vs. trying for a US school slot. |
Philosophical questions aside, what are the practical implications of going to and graduating from a school like, say, St. George's vs. a US DO or MD school? Are there extra sets of hoops to jump through for a residency? Extra tests to take? Are residencies available to FMGs?
| QUOTE (Boeing @ Jun 8 2003, 11:09 PM) | ||
Philosophical questions aside, what are the practical implications of going to and graduating from a school like, say, St. George's vs. a US DO or MD school? Are there extra sets of hoops to jump through for a residency? Extra tests to take? Are residencies available to FMGs? |
Hi there,
Residencies in the United States are open to FMGs but many programs will not accept an FMG into their residency programs. (My residency program will not offer a categorical surgery slot to a FMG even if the person is an American citizen.) Often there are extra fees to be paid and greater costs for license examinations for FMGs. Currently FMGs must take a clinical skills assessment exam (offered only in Philadelphia currently). While US grads will be required to take this exam starting with the class of 2005, the fee for this exam is much higher for FMGs. (My medical school required a clinical skills exam at no cost to us.) Many visiting clerkships will charge fees for FMGs and medical students from offshore medical schools.
If you cannot get into a school in the United States, graduating from an offshore school is better than not having an MD/DO at all but do realize that even if you are a US citizen, graduating from an offshore school will put you at a distinct disadvantage in some residency programs. These are the practical implications of attending an offshore school.
Natalie
I’m hoping to add my name to the list soon . I would recommend a semester of biochemistry. It helped me do well on the biology part of the MCAT.
Q1. Does anyone know a good way to remind the admissions committees that before grade inflation, C+ was a good grade at some schools?
Q2. How did/will you decide which schools to apply to?
Hello All…I am new to this forum. I am 38, soon to be 39 and will be starting Med School this August. My stats are pretty bad: overall GPA < 3.0, post -bac 3.9, MCAT 29. I had been out of school for nearly 20 years before I decided to do the pre-med thing and two short years later, I’m actually starting Medical School. I was fortunate that my state university system had a “link” program with the local medical schools, so I didn’t have to wait the “swing” year. (The year in between taking the MCATS and applications)
I’m terribly excited and still in a bit of shock. Don’t give up and don’t be to try. I almost talked myself out of trying because of my old undergrad grades. Good luck to all us “oldpremeds”!!
I don't know how much sense I am making today but you all rock.
I agree totally…
You guys are so inspirational.
Keep t up… we elderly folk need all the inspiration we can get.
JK
Let us hear from more people about their experience and acceptances…
PS I posted the same update today but it seems it disappeared somehow.
Hmmm…interesting, it looks like Linda is the only one who is my senior.
I’m 48 and will be attending somewhere this fall. So far, three acceptances, one alternate, waiting for results from another interview, with yet another interview scheduled (which I may cancel).
I was out of school for over 20 years, and I never had any of the pre-reqs, except physics. I quit my job and took two years to get the courses under my belt. I took a kaplan course, but wish I did not - I think they psych you out too much. I did not do great on the MCAT, but then again, I still had two critical classes left when I took the beast. However, I did pretty well on my post-bac work, and I have good strong application otherwise.
I echo all else - yes it can be done.
I’m 33yrs old and was accepted into an off-shore medical school. I delayed my entrance into medical school until I graduate which will be next may. I was supposed to graduate this year in Dec. However, I dropped some classes and that set me back.
As far as residencies are concerned, I’m interested in integrative medicine so I’m looking to do Internal Medicine. Although I was interested in Endocrinology-Diabetes/Metabolism, I decided not to do this route because of my growing interest in Naturopathic Medicine.
Another point I like to point out is that yes residency will prove difficult for me more so than anyone else because of my past, but as my avatar suggests, I’ll keep pushing that rock up that hill and when it rolls back down, I’ll go after it and do it again until I succeed. Plus, my tuition and fees are only $35,000 for 4yrs of medical school. If I never get licensed, I’ll still be an MD and I’ll just have to find another career that I can use my MD without doing medicine. However, I will not give up so easily. I will fight until all my resources have been exhausted. I will not be defeated. I may have to practice medicine in some far off land where the population is only like 10, but I will prevail. I will show the people of this law making society that just because we do wrong does not mean that we cannot do right ever again. Time heals all things, judge me not for what I did in my past but for what I do in the present moment.
I’ll be 36 when I start med school this August and I’ll have a 9 month old baby (my first)! I found out I was admitted on the same day I went to the hospital to have her. I’m excited and terrified in equal parts, wondering how it will all work out.