I am 33y/o I have 80 credits but no degree (my entrepreneurial side got the best of me). I always had a passion for medicine but got discouraged when my advisor at the time told me I wouldn’t make it into medical school because of some Fs I got in Spanish and Lit (I just didn’t show up to class). I received As in GEN BIO I&2 and CHEM back when I was 18-19. Fast forward to now I want to change careers I know nursing would be the logical thing to do for my age but I always wanted to be a physician. For financial reasons I am enrolled at a community college in an ADN program and am retaking my sciences. I plan to transfer to a university after I get my ADN.
I’ve listened to podcasts about how the courses do not hold as much weight as compared to a 4 years school and also not pursuing science major and being stuck with a degree that wont hold any weight if not accepted to medical school. My situation feels so unique that any advice to steer me in the right direction or validate what I am doing would help…thank you!
If you really want to be a doctor, you should go for that goal! Having clinical experience is a plus. the key is to ask yourself “why medicine?” and find ways to answer that question with your experiences (clinical, life, etc). I’m in my early 30’s and in a post-bacc program, as my undergrad degree is in English with a psych minor.
I’m currently a 33 year old senior software engineer, and a junior in college, before a couple years ago, I had very few classes under my belt (25 credits mostly for professional work). I’m preparing to take the MCAT this year. Believe me, I feel you. I’ve had some good conversations with ADCOM folks, physicians, NPs, etc about why I want to switch careers and how my previous job experience could help in medicine, and I’ve gotten nothing but encouragement.
If you want to be a physician start getting your prerequisites together and start showing that you’re going to be able to take the course load. Your age is not an issue. If you work hard and go for it your chances of success are far greater than zero, and you may find out lots more about yourself. If you don’t even try your chances are zero and you may have regrets later.
The first thing I did before I even started, was tail a doctor around for a few shifts.