I’ve recently started giving this more thought especially since one of my currents profs made a crass comment about training new Residents in their 50’s.
And that’s pretty much the ONLY “negative” thought I’ve had about it recently. Every other thought I have is just a recognition of how all my work, educational, and personal experiences will make me a FAR better Doctor than I would have been had I become one in my 20s or 30s. 
I can see arguments both ways. We have a looming PCP shortage in the US and a bottleneck in the pipeline at the residency position. From a purely numerical standpoint, training someone who’s 30 makes a lot more sense than training someone who’s 50 in serving community healthcare needs.
But that’s not a fair comparison because it ignores so many other considerations. As you said, you’d make a better doctor today than you would have in your younger years. I’m sure that’s true for many of us. I’m almost aghast at how far I’ve grown since I started undergraduate. I lived with my parents for a few months last Spring to bridge academic programs. I actually realized as my dad gave me a ride to the airport last August that it was almost 10 years to the day (within 1 week) of moving into my undergraduate university. I can’t say a lot of positive things about that experience. But it was rather shocking to realize how far I’ve come as well. There was a point in time I was low on my prospects of getting through undergrad. Get accepted to a PhD program? Pssh.
Ultimately, I think that it’s like you said- everyone’s ready at different points in time. Accepting applicants who aren’t ready isn’t fair to the system or the candidate, now matter how much potential that applicant may have. And accepting lesser talented candidates because they’re younger doesn’t serve anyone. Rather, I’d say it screws patients because now there will be someone with lesser talent in the system for more years. Perhaps it makes sense to turn down applicants who for some reason are likely to end their practice after a very short vocational life, but I don’t think that’s relevant to the debate. You can turn down such a candidate purely on their career ambitions which ignores age (a 25 year old applicant who plans to stop practicing at 35 has the same issue), and the sheer level of debt incurred in pursuit of a medical eduction is probably sufficient to deter such candidates anyway.
Now if age is a proxy for some other issue- say, someone is old enough they simply don’t have the physical stamina to make it through residency, that’s one thing. But age isn’t what you’re judging the person on. Their ability to fulfill the role of the position is, and I think that’s entirely fair. Age itself isn’t the issue.
You may have come across this website already, but I found the information to be extremely useful and inspirational, especially the part about not allowing age to dictate whether or not you should pursue medical school.
http://www.nontraditionalmedicalstud ent.com/
With the increase in life expectancy these days (along with, unfortunately, economic downturns), people can expect to work well beyond the traditional retirement age of 65. So a medical student in their 50s can still contribute quite a number of years to the profession! Don’t let others’ negativity make you lose track of your goals. You can do it!
Depends on how much of a knuckle-head these 50+ residents are…just like a 20 y/o knucklehead. The thing is with the younger residents they have time to learn from their mistakes…
Don’t be a knuckle-head and you’ll be fine. 
Hey Crooz, I don’t know if I agree with your last statement about younger Residents having more time to learn from their mistakes.
In my experience, learning from one’s mistakes is more related to being open minded to a differencing opinion. Young folks in my opinion often “suffer” from hubris, and seem more likely to not listen than older folks who usually learn this valuable lesson through life lessons.
Back to the thread topic, I’ve been discouraged throughout my entire academic career against attending medical school. Now in my late 40’s, I have an empty nest and quite frankly the confidence to say to hell with that. I feel free to do whatever the hell I want, including applying to and matriculating in medical school in my 50s.
@PathDr2B
You have one life and I suggest you LIVE it! To hell with the naysayers… People will always talk about what cant be done, until someone does it. People will always say how hard it is but will never speak about how they didn’t do what was required to make it easier. There will ALWAYS be someone with something negative to say but who cares… My son pediatrician when to medical school at 44. He was the BEST pediatrician in our town, so much so that hospital ended up building him his own office and adding 4 other pediatricians to his practice with him being the lead. His appointments stay booked, his numbers are phenomenal and he is the best. His age offered him to ability to go through life, have children, lose loved one and understand hardship. He celebrates with the parents and empathizes in a way that is not forced or fake. People connect with him hence he has a waiting list for new patients. I say all of this to simply say… being 50 doesn’t make you hard to work with at all. If someone is intimidated by your age, they have a whole other set of issues to resolve. Your age is a benefit not a set back. So keep pushing and make it happen!
Good for you, PathDr2B. You’ve set your sights on a long-term goal, and going for it no matter what others say.
PathDr2B: Can you elaborate more on what your professor said that was so rude or insensitive?
path,
You’re limiting the young residents to that moment in time. How much wiser will that 20 something resident be in 20 years once they’ve had the benefit of bad experiences to learn from? That is the time I’m talking about. I think too many times we nontrads compare apples to oranges. We compare the hubris of a 20 y/o with the wisdom of a 40 y/o because they are both residents. Simply because they are both at the same level of training at the same time they are going through it at very different stages of life.
I know this isn’t an “us vs them” thing but we alienate our younger colleagues when we speak like this. Besides hubris is not limited to nor predominantly a youthful trait. We’ve all met plenty of people full of hubris at any age…now I will say that the trait seems to have more to do with ones socio-economic class, gender, & race…but that’s for another discussion.
I’m excited to be a 40+ y/o in medical school. I believe all us old fogies bring awesome experiences to the table that one just cannot get in 22 years. I’m not worried about being older than the professors and eventually attendings. The one thing my mentor got a kick out of was once they began to go into the hospital it’s us’s with grey hair who the patients always defer to. I don’t know of too many fields where people want the professional to have grey and look seasoned…yet we’re clueless as a 3rd year. 
it’s always hard to ignore the naysayers, but there is a quote that I love that fits this:
“What other people think of your business, is none of your business!”
Will being a 50 y/o med student be normal? Absolutely not.
Will you be different than most of the other residents? Absolutely.
Who want’s to be normal though? The fact that you are starting your career later already makes a statement that you are trying to do something extraordinary.
Keep on your path! (and enjoy it!)
- croooz Said:
I know this isn't an "us vs them" thing but we alienate our younger colleagues when we speak like this.
Just for clarification, my "beef" isn't with young folks at all. I like the same music they like (plus the real stuff of previous generations), I wear some of the same clothes they do (gotta love a nice pair of skinny jeans, and NOT the yeast infection causing ones, ROTFL!!), and I generally get along great with people of all ages.
'
My "beef" is with the adcoms that think that it's a waste of a spot to admit a person after a certain age.
- datsa Said:
PathDr2B: Can you elaborate more on what your professor said that was so rude or insensitive?
Someone asked about older folks attending med school (not me) and his response was that we don't want to be training folks for Residency in their 50s.
- pathdr2b Said:
- croooz Said:
I know this isn't an "us vs them" thing but we alienate our younger colleagues when we speak like this.
Just for clarification, my "beef" isn't with young folks at all. I like the same music they like (plus the real stuff of previous generations), I wear some of the same clothes they do (gotta love a nice pair of skinny jeans, and NOT the yeast infection causing ones, ROTFL!!), and I generally get along great with people of all ages.
'
My "beef" is with the adcoms that think that it's a waste of a spot to admit a person after a certain age.
That same argument? It's not going anywhere. Adcoms think I would never see myself going thru med school at 40+ much less residency at 50. That's just nuts! No way! Then they turn around and use that bias to determine who gets in. One of Cicero's mistakes of man, thinking that something isn't possible because you can't/won't do it.
I've got one better for you. At 24 a MD I worked for told me I was too old at that point. He applied to work at a med school after leaving the Navy and thankfully they didn't hire him. There are plenty of elitist in medicine and I would dare say they are our age...how's that for irony. People our own age and yet they turn around and claim they want diversity in medicine. Sometimes I think that "diversity" means......for another thread....
Kate is a wonderful example of someone in her fifties who is a successful medical student. She is always so encouraging and helpful to others as well. PathDr.'s professor may change his inclination if he met terrific med students (and soon to be Resident) like Kate!
Aw shucks
Kate
Thanks for the kind words!
Hi, I actually agree. I myself am going to a school in the Caribbean in May. Atlantic University School of Medicine. 3.0 PM and no MCAT. Besides at my age, I just want to be the kind of doc I new when I was growing up. Would love to chat with others in the same boat…Great Forum!
- silent pioneer Said:
PathDr.'s professor may change his inclination if he met terrific med students (and soon to be Resident) like Kate!
My prof is with the med school too, so I'm looking forward to re-introducing myself to him as an MSI in 2016.
And many thanks to everyone for the words of encouragement!
Age is just a number. Cliche, but true! If you really want to become a physician and you have the opportunity to do it—go for it~!
Then he’ll have yet another wonderful example of a nontraditional aged medical student!
- silent pioneer Said:
Then he'll have yet another wonderful example of a nontraditional aged medical student!
Ironically, this prof (of the previously crass comment) is now one of my biggest cheerleaders. And all it took was one really great shadowing experience with him to show him that age is just a number! Having an "A" in his class doesn't hurt either.
And in the biggest irony of all, his wife (also a Physician) is now on my research committee!
Which brings up an important point for super nontrads, having supportive mentors is key!