Hello, new to the board…
I am currently 41 and have been looking into applying to med school for the past several weeks. It’s something I’ve always considered and actually dreamed of as a teenager and later, but the costs and accrued debt always intimidated me. Now that I’m older I’ve come to realize that debt as a temporary thing is no big deal if you can later make the payments and the final outcome is worth the trouble.
That said, if I were to take the MCAT by the end of September this year (2009), the school I am interested in would accept the score for an application for 2010 when I would be just about 42 at matriculation. However, the MCAT samples I have seen have several questions related to organic chemistry which I have never studied.
My undergraduate is a B.S. in nuclear engineering so the physics, inorganic chemistry, etc. is no problem, but the organic stuff will throw me. Eight credit hours of organic including two lab hours are required prerequisites, so I will need to study it anyway at a local college before enrollment if I am accepted.
Here’s the issue. If I take the MCAT in September I can apply for 2010 but I may not get such a great score. If I wait to take the MCAT until after taking an organic chemistry class or two I will probably get a much better score, but because my school will accept an MCAT score for a 2010 application in September at the latest, that will mean I can apply for 2011 at the earliest which means I will be almost 43 at matriculation.
Would it be wise to wait another year before taking the MCAT to get a decent score, or take it in September and hope for the best so that I can start school at 42 instead of 43?
If I start at 43 I will graduate at 47, followed by several years of Residency. After Residency I will be 50 or older. Will anyone want to hire a 50-year-old physician fresh out of school with no experience so I can pay back $200K in loans in a reasonable amount of time? I guess that’s the crux of my question.
Thanks for any and all advice…
Hucko
Hi Hucko,
First, you need to get out of the mentality of trying to beat the clock…I really think you set yourself up for failure.
Second, are you talking about taking the MCAT before taking organic chemistry? If you are not going to apply (and you shouldn’t until you have all of your prereqs done) until 2010 for 2011 start, why are you thinking of taking the MCAT in September? The MCAT isn’t a test you really want to have to take more than once…for one thing it is expensive, for another, every MCAT score (unless voided) will be available for view, and you want to be the most prepared that you can. If you wait until next Spring (April), you’ll be almost done with organic chemistry if you start this fall, and you’ll get your score back early in the application season.
I’m 44 now, I’ll be 45 next year if I decide to apply and 46 (almost 47) when I would matriculate, assuming I get in during the first round. Whatever…in a couple of years, I’ll still God willing be 46…as long as I move forward, that is fine for me.
I know it is hard not to think of your age when you apply since you will be competing with those old enough to be your kids…but try not to focus so much on it.
I sincerely believe that once you are finished with your residency, you should be fine for finding work. The only one that will really put the obstacle of age into the equation, will be you.
Best of luck and welcome!
I do not see a significant difference in 42 vesus 43 yrs; however, there might be a significant difference in your MCAT score if you take it in September 09 vesus taking it in April 2010 after you complete organic chemistry. From the information i have gathered MCAT score is a major factor in your chance for acceptance into med school.Please give yourself the best chance.
- Idalyn Said:
Well said and straight to the point!!!
Absolutely Concur with Idalyn and Krisss17,
Is your goal to get into medical school or to get into medical school QUICKLY? Many people fail on this because they suffer from what I call “premature application.” A well thought out, strong application is more likely to get an acceptance in medical school than a rushed attempt.