Marco911 Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 I'm not sure if this is the best place to inquire so if so my apologies. I was kicked out of school when I was 20 from a community college. The next week, my parents kicked me out because of it and I started working at a bank almost immediately as a teller. The next 3 years I worked my way up and had a variety of positions. At the age of 23, I enrolled in Canadian based financial planning courses and while a struggle, I had a few designations and was a Financial Planner at 25. About 6 months later, I took a position within a mutual fund company planning for larger accounts. Shortly after I left to begin working for a trust company, and then began trading stocks and options where I've been financially successful. I have grown up a lot and understand that during high school and University, I was an idiot who didn't care about learning. At 28, I realize now that I want a job that has meaning, purpose and something I am passionate about. I could go on and on but after much deliberation, I know I want to go into medicine as a doctor and perhaps surgeon thereafter. I would have to take all my high school sciences (I am guessing also math and English) and then apply for online classes once completed for University. It has been my understanding that many of the Chem and Bio classes are not offered online simply because of the lab component. I would likely be working a full time career while going to school as well. I do not doubt my intellectual ability nor my drive to do this but am I being realistic? If I was, and plan to be, a machine, I would apply at the old age of 32 to med school. Is it too late? Please be candid as any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youngdad Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 I dont think your that old. If you want a heck of a ride, give it a shot dude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest soaring_eagle Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 I know a med school student who got into med school when she was 32. She's doing really well at it and loves it. So, no, I would not say that your age is a negative factor. You probably have the maturity that younger applicants may lack. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marco911 Posted February 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 Thanks for your kind words. I would make the assumption that upon acceptance to said medical program, I would not work as it would require my undivided attention and that's fine since my passion would lie with that anyways. My only concern is trying to do a crash course of 3 years of University science while working full time. I know that my life would be work and school and I am prepared for that. I also need to make sure I achieve good grades! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garance Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 If it is what you want, I'd encourage you to give it a try... I would guess that while it isn't the norm, most schools have at least 2-3 students in the 30+ age range. However, working full-time while pursuing your undergraduate degree and achieving excellent marks as well as volunteering in the community is a very tall order. Could you work another year, live very frugally, bank all the cash you can and go to university the next year w/o working? (Then, based on your great marks get scholarships for funding) When you do apply... with your stellar marks, MCAT, ECs, and life experience behind you, cast a wide net... apply everywhere to increase your chances of success. It is doable and you likely won't be alone in your age bracket. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToHellInAHandbasket Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 You are definitely not "too old". You are never too old to fulfill your dreams. Hey, look at Hugh Hefner! It WILL be hard to initially return to school and upgrade high school chem, bio, etc. There is a good chance that you will doubt yourself at first and feel overwhelmed. Having a lab partner in your first year chem course that is 18 and talks about the Jonas Brothers will be awkward too. But for those who REALLY want to go into a medicine as a second career, you just suck it up and hammer down. Remember, you can always head for a beer (legally) at the local watering hole on campus after class. For those of you whose province's legal age is 19 and you started uni at 18, you will understand the significance. Anyway, on a serious note, PLEASE go for it. You'll never know unless you try. And life is too short to live with regret. There are many non-trads out there. I am also an older pre-med student just a bit younger than you. I always thought I'd be *done* med school by now, but sometimes life has different plans. For you, you needed to find yourself. And 28 is not that late (apparently I'm a poet). Just a word of caution, I would avoid online programs of any sort when you are looking at applying to med school. If you want to do well, you don't want to waste time. Take your upgrading part time (evenings, weekends) at a local adult education centre where you can complete your labs and ask questions. You want to enter university with a strong foundation. Also, most traditional schools do not accept online courses (I.e. from Athabasca) for transfer credit, so don't take Psych 101 online hoping to get advanced standing in a traditional pre-med program or in the hopes that you can use it for med school. You'll have to figure out if you can get any funding or other sources of income so you can attend a 'traditional' school. My 2 cents. Good luck! P.S. If you want to be competitive for med school, your undergrad program will likely be very challenging. Your grades must be stellar (or at least good). Not many people can be a successful pre-med and work full time. Not saying that it's impossible, but it would be VERY, VERY hard. And again, online courses (as far as I know) will generally not be accepted or welcomed by any Canadian medical school, so that means that you will have to be on campus for when those courses are offered. You may be able to take one or two of your elective courses online through your bricks and mortar school, but it is unlikely that any reputable university will offer biochem from the comfort of your living room. If you want medicine, where there's a will, there's a way. And those are the ones that get there. So if you have the desire, your next step is to figure out how you're going to pull this off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rach Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 Having a lab partner in your first year chem course that is 18 and talks about the Jonas Brothers will be awkward too. lol, so true! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a41 Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 Haha you're not old. There's a dude in my class with 2 kids and greying hair. I can think of at least one more person who has 2 kids (even more with only 1) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 Haha you're not old. There's a dude in my class with 2 kids and greying hair. I can think of at least one more person who has 2 kids (even more with only 1) On the med school app process makes people less than 45 fell this old Seriously age is really irrelevant. In X years you can either be X years older and a doctor or X years older doing something else - which would you prefer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 Seriously age is really irrelevant. In X years you can either be X years older and a doctor or X years older doing something else - which would you prefer So true. You only live once. Plus, as an old-pre med, my years of work experience have been excellent prep'. And, yeah, it's weird being the old one in the labs (been there), but it's fun at the same time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOC_Ma Posted March 8, 2009 Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 Not doubting your intellectual ability or anything, but it will be extremely hard to do well in school while working full time, I know many pple that have done it but not with good grades (usually in the 50 to 60% range which is no where near for med). You might wanna consider school full time only; Having said all this, however if you decide you are a machine to do it then go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayP Posted March 8, 2009 Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 Oldest guy in my class is now 43, I hardly think 32 is old. Just make sure you know what you want, medicine is a difficult career and if you are looking to do surgery and you don't yet have an undergrad, then you have 13 long years ahead of you. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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