I think how old is too old depends on what you have going on in your life in a lot of ways. Having said that, I think 50 would too old for me to enter med school.
PS- I also plan to enter in my early 40’s
Hi All,
I’ll be finished with all my pre-med core courses at the end of this year. MCAT will be in '08.
I am 51. My retort about my age is to roll my age back by 20 years! I tell friends, family and co-workers that 50 is the new 30 and then I get a Good for You laugh and that is truly how I feel. like I’m 20 years younger.
I started on this journey 7 years ago.
I am an RN with a BSN. I graduated nursing school in '85. I have no regrets what so ever about being a nurse, a surgical nurse at that but life and the Operating Room changed me and my aspirations and I wondered, perhaps like so many of us “Is this all there is ?” I was 43 and a far off dream from when I was 16 started to nag at me.
I wanted to be a doctor from the time I was 16 but the thought of extreme math and science deterred me. I came from a family that was not formally educated. We lived in a very small town 40 miles from the Mexican border in Arizona. My high school offered 1 chemistry class and 1 physics class, there were no AP classes and no extra money in my family for tutors. I steered away from math and science classes that were not a requirement to graduate.
After hs, it was 4 years in the Navy and somehow I made it into the HositalCorps program and was a US Navy Corpsman and loved it. I was so fired up about health care and my ability to make a difference and having acquired a new found confidence in myself, that I enrolled in nursing school (after I was discharged-Honorably) and made it through.
At 43 I was at a crossroads with my life or most likely having a mid-life crisis, lol!!
I knew what I wanted to do, shoot for med school and I had the full support of my husband and family, I was lucky in that respect.
But I had to get real honest with myself and my math/science abilities. How could I go back in time 30 years and learn all the basics in math and science? Without that foundation, I knew I could never keep up with today’s college kids, compounded by the fact that I had never even turned on a computer!
The answer came to me in the mail of all places. I received a class catalog from a local 2yr. technical school. I was about to throw it out and then I said what the hell and began flipping through it’s pages. The last few pages listed classes for Adult High School!!! Algebra 1 & 2, Chemistry 1 & 2, geometry, biology 1 & 2, no physics but I figured if I took the other classes, I could do physics. At 43, I went back to high school, I had so much fun and there were people in these classes of all ages and I got all A’s!!!
The younger students and the instructors showed me how to work with a computer, I had so many episodes where I would just cry, cry with tears of joy because I was learning the math and science that for so many years I was afraid of attempting. And the computer was like a magical tool. Man, the days of WhiteOut were gone!!!I cried over that too!! lol!! I did my first paper on Word for my hs Chem class, the last time I did a paper it was on an old Selectric typewriter!
Fast forward to now, I’m 51, I’ve just finished Organic Chem 1st semester with a B. I’ve gotten 2 A’s for Physics 1 and 2, did engineering calc 1 when I was 49! I’ve completed my Biology pre-reqs and I hope to be a student researcher this fall.
All of you in your late 20’s, in your 30’s and 40’s and beyond, if medicine is your passion, a life long dream. don’t let anything or anyone stop you. You’re NOT too old, your life is just starting!!!
And one more example of not being too old to become a doc. . . a good friend of my, who is also a member of OPM, just started med school at Saba. She is 51. She was very excited to start med school but felt like she would be a novelty because of her age, then she found out from her prof’s that at the med school on the island of Nevis, they had just graduated a 75 year old!!! She e-mailed me this little tidbit and I almost fell out of my chair laughing and said RIGHT ON!!!
My thoughts are why not try? I am 43 and planning on re-doing the science pre-reqs and taking my MCAT, while working as a physical therapist at the same time. I graduated PT in 1987. One of the people here said I have nothing to lose in trying. The worst that could have happen is I get a refresher in my sciences. The best thing that could happen is I get into med school. The heck with anyone who thinks I am nuts.
You are only too old when you think you cannot do this.
YOU ROCK!!! I’m right there with you. I’m 51, too, and I have Org I/II and Physics II left of my prereqs. Take the MCAT and apply in '08 for matriculation in '09. Fall '08 and spring '09 will be upper division sciences courses. I got here by way of a different path than you. Was a voice major/piano minor the first time round. Been in accounting for 25 years (not a CPA). I’ve never been so pumped, so excited about my life, as I have since I made the decision to become a doctor.
- coolmore1112 Said:
Hi All,
I'll be finished with all my pre-med core courses at the end of this year. MCAT will be in '08.
I am 51. My retort about my age is to roll my age back by 20 years! I tell friends, family and co-workers that 50 is the new 30 and then I get a Good for You laugh and that is truly how I feel. like I'm 20 years younger.
I started on this journey 7 years ago.
I am an RN with a BSN. I graduated nursing school in '85. I have no regrets what so ever about being a nurse, a surgical nurse at that but life and the Operating Room changed me and my aspirations and I wondered, perhaps like so many of us "Is this all there is ?" I was 43 and a far off dream from when I was 16 started to nag at me.
I wanted to be a doctor from the time I was 16 but the thought of extreme math and science deterred me. I came from a family that was not formally educated. We lived in a very small town 40 miles from the Mexican border in Arizona. My high school offered 1 chemistry class and 1 physics class, there were no AP classes and no extra money in my family for tutors. I steered away from math and science classes that were not a requirement to graduate.
After hs, it was 4 years in the Navy and somehow I made it into the HositalCorps program and was a US Navy Corpsman and loved it. I was so fired up about health care and my ability to make a difference and having acquired a new found confidence in myself, that I enrolled in nursing school (after I was discharged-Honorably) and made it through.
At 43 I was at a crossroads with my life or most likely having a mid-life crisis, lol!!
I knew what I wanted to do, shoot for med school and I had the full support of my husband and family, I was lucky in that respect.
But I had to get real honest with myself and my math/science abilities. How could I go back in time 30 years and learn all the basics in math and science? Without that foundation, I knew I could never keep up with today's college kids, compounded by the fact that I had never even turned on a computer!
The answer came to me in the mail of all places. I received a class catalog from a local 2yr. technical school. I was about to throw it out and then I said what the hell and began flipping through it's pages. The last few pages listed classes for Adult High School!!!!!! Algebra 1 & 2, Chemistry 1 & 2, geometry, biology 1 & 2, no physics but I figured if I took the other classes, I could do physics. At 43, I went back to high school, I had so much fun and there were people in these classes of all ages and I got all A's!!!
The younger students and the instructors showed me how to work with a computer, I had so many episodes where I would just cry, cry with tears of joy because I was learning the math and science that for so many years I was afraid of attempting. And the computer was like a magical tool. Man, the days of WhiteOut were gone!!!I cried over that too!! lol!! I did my first paper on Word for my hs Chem class, the last time I did a paper it was on an old Selectric typewriter!
Fast forward to now, I'm 51, I've just finished Organic Chem 1st semester with a B. I've gotten 2 A's for Physics 1 and 2, did engineering calc 1 when I was 49! I've completed my Biology pre-reqs and I hope to be a student researcher this fall.
All of you in your late 20's, in your 30's and 40's and beyond, if medicine is your passion, a life long dream. don't let anything or anyone stop you. You're NOT too old, your life is just starting!!!!!!
And one more example of not being too old to become a doc. . . a good friend of my, who is also a member of OPM, just started med school at Saba. She is 51. She was very excited to start med school but felt like she would be a novelty because of her age, then she found out from her prof's that at the med school on the island of Nevis, they had just graduated a 75 year old!!!!!! She e-mailed me this little tidbit and I almost fell out of my chair laughing and said RIGHT ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'll be finished with all my pre-med core courses at the end of this year. MCAT will be in '08.
I am 51. My retort about my age is to roll my age back by 20 years! I tell friends, family and co-workers that 50 is the new 30 and then I get a Good for You laugh and that is truly how I feel. like I'm 20 years younger.
I started on this journey 7 years ago.
I am an RN with a BSN. I graduated nursing school in '85. I have no regrets what so ever about being a nurse, a surgical nurse at that but life and the Operating Room changed me and my aspirations and I wondered, perhaps like so many of us "Is this all there is ?" I was 43 and a far off dream from when I was 16 started to nag at me.
I wanted to be a doctor from the time I was 16 but the thought of extreme math and science deterred me. I came from a family that was not formally educated. We lived in a very small town 40 miles from the Mexican border in Arizona. My high school offered 1 chemistry class and 1 physics class, there were no AP classes and no extra money in my family for tutors. I steered away from math and science classes that were not a requirement to graduate.
After hs, it was 4 years in the Navy and somehow I made it into the HositalCorps program and was a US Navy Corpsman and loved it. I was so fired up about health care and my ability to make a difference and having acquired a new found confidence in myself, that I enrolled in nursing school (after I was discharged-Honorably) and made it through.
At 43 I was at a crossroads with my life or most likely having a mid-life crisis, lol!!
I knew what I wanted to do, shoot for med school and I had the full support of my husband and family, I was lucky in that respect.
But I had to get real honest with myself and my math/science abilities. How could I go back in time 30 years and learn all the basics in math and science? Without that foundation, I knew I could never keep up with today's college kids, compounded by the fact that I had never even turned on a computer!
The answer came to me in the mail of all places. I received a class catalog from a local 2yr. technical school. I was about to throw it out and then I said what the hell and began flipping through it's pages. The last few pages listed classes for Adult High School!!!!!! Algebra 1 & 2, Chemistry 1 & 2, geometry, biology 1 & 2, no physics but I figured if I took the other classes, I could do physics. At 43, I went back to high school, I had so much fun and there were people in these classes of all ages and I got all A's!!!
The younger students and the instructors showed me how to work with a computer, I had so many episodes where I would just cry, cry with tears of joy because I was learning the math and science that for so many years I was afraid of attempting. And the computer was like a magical tool. Man, the days of WhiteOut were gone!!!I cried over that too!! lol!! I did my first paper on Word for my hs Chem class, the last time I did a paper it was on an old Selectric typewriter!
Fast forward to now, I'm 51, I've just finished Organic Chem 1st semester with a B. I've gotten 2 A's for Physics 1 and 2, did engineering calc 1 when I was 49! I've completed my Biology pre-reqs and I hope to be a student researcher this fall.
All of you in your late 20's, in your 30's and 40's and beyond, if medicine is your passion, a life long dream. don't let anything or anyone stop you. You're NOT too old, your life is just starting!!!!!!
And one more example of not being too old to become a doc. . . a good friend of my, who is also a member of OPM, just started med school at Saba. She is 51. She was very excited to start med school but felt like she would be a novelty because of her age, then she found out from her prof's that at the med school on the island of Nevis, they had just graduated a 75 year old!!!!!! She e-mailed me this little tidbit and I almost fell out of my chair laughing and said RIGHT ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hello everybody, this site has really encouraged me to follow my dreams of becoming a physician. I went through the application process about 4 years ago and I talked myself out of going to medical school. I’ve tried graduate school, and the one thing I’ve learned is that I still dream of becoming a physician. I’m 27, and I’m studying for the MCAT again. I was originally telling my wife that I felt I may be too old to go to medical school
Yeah, I said that when I was 29. Now I’m 43 and IN MED SCHOOL.
I noticed today riding home with friends after a classmate’s wedding that the songs I knew in my 20’s are oldies now, and MY CLASSMATES ALL KNOW THE WORDS. Med school is great. Stressful, but great. Can you rush up to Chicago for our conference to hear about it?
My son is graduating Highschool this Wed! OMG I feel old LOL
Hi…
Just a quick note to tell you that I found your post extremely inspirational and motivating. I am currently 47 and just beginning a track at UNR that will ultimately have me graduating from med school at 54 years old. “Friends” have said I’m absolutely nuts for doing this at this stage of my life. However, the idea is really nothing new. It was planted decades ago and I, as it were, made choices in my life that didn’t really involve my own dreams or desires. Now, with the miraculous support of my family and an experienced excitement that didn’t exist when I was in my 20’s, I’ve left a career I was never happy with an pursuing a dream I feel is only unattainable if I allow it to be.
So, 54 years old and possibly 58 if I choose psychiatry as a specialty. I’d really be interested in your thoughts about this. Thanks! 
I think it will be interesting to see how you still feel about psychiatry after year 3 or 4 of medical school. So much can happen between now and then! I have a big crush on emergency medicine, but she may be completely out of my league… or she might just dislike the way I leave the cap off the toothpaste toob. =P
Assuming I can jump in starting in 2009, I’ll be 43 going in and around 50 coming out (depending on relativity and the whims of residency). I have been told I am insane too (sounds more serious coming from actual psychiatrists!) for harboring such apparently foolish designs. If I hadn’t met many of the folks that I have run into here on OPM, I’d be seriously doubtful too. As it is, my only doubts are in my own ability and reserves (which I am working diligently to resolve), NOT at all about my age.
Best wishes & welcome to OPM!
Tim
I gotta throw my two cents in…
Medical School Graduation is May 2008, about 3 months before my 46th birthday!
Richard
I can only imagine how excited you are, Richard, as you are coming so near graduation.
For me, it is May 2009. . . .and I will be 58 years and 5 months of age! Still young enough to try new things!
You go, Linda! Hope you are enjoying your Thanksgiving!
Kris