The optimum time for language learning and acquisition is between birth and about 7 years old. This is because brain plasticity is at its highest, and most of what we learn is language-based. Once children become school-aged, they start to accumulate more knowledge, especially of things that are “fact-based” and problem-solving rather than language, such as math, history, biology, etc. There is evidence of early language learning and aptitude as a predictor of reading ability as well. Children that learn two or more languages at a young age are at an advantage simply because they are little “sponges” of language.
Of course it takes an adult longer - the brain already has a certain filled capacity (depending on the person!) and there is a lot of competeing simuli to be stored. There is no evidence that a college student can learn a foreing language faster than someone out of college (older than the typical college student.) Even the other examples of dance and sports are of children vs. adults. Age does take it’s toll on the body, no doubt, but there are many physicians over the age of 30 who somehow still manage to make good decisions every day.
I make no excuses for the non-trads, but I commend any of them who take on the responsibility to go back to school, do well, and get into medical school and do well from there on out. It’s fine to be realistic about it, but to spout out claims that the younger applicants are “better” because of their learning style is a load of B.S. to me.
There are a lot of different ways to pose a statement so you don’t look like you are coming down on OPMers.
If you look at your typical pre-med group in an undergrad biology I course, how many of them aren’t quick enough or smart enough to get in? Probably more than half!
I’m going to let the adcoms decide for me whether or not I’m good enough and forget about posting any more to fees this guys ego.
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That doesn’t give me the right to bear a grudge against other people who got their act together earlier.
Sure, but the argument is basically can older pre-meds cut it vs. younger pre-meds.
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We can’t ask for anything else, right? What’s the alternative, a more generous yardstick?..Shy or brusque or bitchy or talky or friendly-- whatever your personality type, you can either choose to do your o-chem problem sets all night long or not. In the end, it’s really all up to us-- we have to be ready to compete with anyone, of any age, on the same turf. In my twenties, I had a lot of personal problems, with my sexuality, with my moods, that precluded me from pursuing a career path as serious as this. That doesn’t give me the right to bear a grudge against other people who got their act together earlier.
Beautifully stated Matt!
Guys I do not think that anyone is saying that non-trads or older folks cannot learn that is not how I perceived any of this…what I do believe and this is from my own experience and by observing other non-trads is that “generally” it does take someone in their 40-50’s a little more time to assimilate the same amount of material that someone in their 20’s. Sure this is highly dependable on capabilities but I am just speaking in broad terms. I have no idea why this might be…and I know for sure that when I was in my early 20’s I could memorize the whole periodic table in much less time than I could now…again not saying that those older are NOT capable. Someone mentioned all those physicians that are older and brilliant but they have been doing this for decades! what we are speaking of is learning and absorbing something new never ever seen before then is where it might become an issue as far as time to absorb/learn…new things not something you have been doing for decades and are quite proficient in. So this is NO way is to minimize anyone just stating some obvious facts from my perspective. This is one reason why younger kids/adults are encouraged to go to school and learn earlier in life if not we could start elementary and go through college starting in our 30’s… 
Efex,
I think you have a good point, and I agree-- I have found that straight, short term memorization of new material is not as good as when I was in my 20s. However, on the bright side I have found that I understand better, and I believe I retain things longer now. Maybe that is better study techniques, I don’t know. All I know is that as an undergrad at the traditional age I could skate by with Bs without too much effort, but lacked the discipline needed to really excel, and to conquer things that were difficult for me. As a non-traditional medical student I’ve done well, and have not had an academic difficulty keeping up with my younger colleagues, and based on what they report as amount of time studying, I don’t feel I’ve had to do more studying than they to achieve the same results. Again, that may be that I finally learned the best way to study (for me).
Interestingly enough, I just got an email from an interviewer at a residency who commented that my life experiences have “matured my thoughts”, and it shows on paper and in person. And I guess that is really the difference between traditional and non traditional-- we must all do the same academic work, but our approaches might be a little different to getting that work done, because time has changed the way we think and work. Not necessarily better. Not worse. Just different.
BTW, I enjoyed having a med school class with a mix of people in it, and hope to find a residency with a nice mix. Made things more interesting, and without a doubt I learned a lot from my younger classmates. I hope they learned from me, too.
Well, off to enjoy the sunshine.
Epidoc
I agree that being older and hence more mature (although this might be debatable in some folk he he) does give us much more insight and we might excel in putting things into perspective. I am absolutely sure that being non-trad is a huge asset…at least it was for me not only to get into medical school but beyond (patient interaction, interaction with faculty, etc…)
I have never been a good memorizer, but lately, I have found it easier to memorize something that I don’t already know something about, and as I get older, there is less and less that I don’t know something about. I have to take a bit longer to translate and process, but then things are more efficient. Haven’t we all seen students of all ages memorize things perfectly for the multiple choice test and then have that deer-in-the-headlights stare during a lab. I always win hands down in a lab, and I’m getting better and better each year. I am not very confident that I will get into med school, but well-schooled young friends who know the pre-med community say I will get in for sure and there is no comparison. Since most of my premed classmates in both prereqs and the MCAT have been OPM’s, I didn’t believe him till I sat for the MCAT (UCSB) and couldn’t believe the competition! Why were they there?? They brought in beepers, cheated, and didn’t seem to care much what they were doing, whether they arrived on time, etc. If they got in and I didn’t, yes, I’d be mad too.
I do remember reading an article a while ago in the Journal of Higher Education about how “mature” students (as they called them) were better at using successful strategies for studying and retaining information. Maybe this is from experience, or that the kids think they can learn the same as they did in high school, I’m not sure. I just remember the basic point was the strategic way mature students learn.