Did you ever know anyone who STARTED med school in their 40's?

Answer 1

yes, and you can not start any younger than you are today

Answer 2

I really appreciate Dr. Davids answer. For so many people who wonder, it CAN be done. I work with 2 doctors who did. The male began medical school at 46 and is an internal med doctor today. He has much the same thoughts as Dr. David. It is difficult and there is considerable debt to take on, but if you can study, love learning and appreciate helping people who can use your knowledge, then it is a wonderful choice. The female I work with did her medical school at 42 with 4 kids and she is the best family medicine doctor in our clinic. She has a wonderful attitude and a supportive family. Every one of her patients benefits from her sticking through to get to her goal.

Bottom line is, you can to. Love what you do, realize this is not likely the road to lots of free time in the course and there will be some debt. If you really want it, plan to do it.

Good Luck!

Answer 3

Well, I was a doctor in my country but once in Europe I have to present a very hard exam over the entire medical school in order to follow some years at the university and obtain again my degree. I understand that is difficult because I can compare how different it was studying being younger, less realistic in many ways and moreover single, no kids, almost no more worries than studying and making some money once in a while.
Sharing so much time with very young students is not the most pleasant activity you might find at least at the beginning, but if you show enthusiasm and some talent you will certainly get the respect from your student mates and also from your professors.
If that is what you really want to do, do not set a limit yourself, just go for it.
Medicine is a beautiful career that rewards doctors with much more than money.

Answer 4

Yes, I started medical school at age 47, and turned 48 during my first year. I had a hard time not (I don't think) because of my age, but due to not having had a study habit for the last couple of decades, and much more so due to the fact that I'd never (nor has anyone else(except those who've been to med school)) experienced the severity of the mental strain and memory demands that are imposed by medical school. As one example, one of my fellow students made a comment to me about how worried he was about the upcoming Anatomy examination. I asked him if he was kidding, as he had spent the last 5 years TEACHING anatomy to nurses in a nearby Registered Nurse program. He said he most definitely was not kidding, as the amount of detail he taught to future RN's was but a minute fraction of what they were expecting us to know for the upcoming Anatomy exam! I once calculated out that there were as many as 6,000 parts of anatomy we were supposed to know for that one test. We had to take 5 or 6 such tests during the course of first year medical school. Many of my fellow students flunked at least one of them, and only passed the course overall, because they did better on others. There were similarly outrageous expectations as to the amount of material it was possible for human beings to learn, remember and spew back on tests for other courses, such as: Physiology, NeuroAnatomy, Pathology etc. It was a very hard grind, but I felt it as a true calling, and although if I knew how much work it was going to be when I started, I might have been discouraged from starting, now that it's over (as is my internship & residency), I am very glad I followed through with my passion. I am still broke despite being a doctor, as, between a new house loan, and huge medical school bills, I am almost half a million in debt. This is one of the reasons doctors have to earn so much, to make up for how much they've lost. (I also lost 10 working years by quitting a job at "middle age" and going back to school, every year of which I probably would have gotten a raise, and I was earning as much when I quit work, as I later got for my years of residency.)
Bottom line: It can be done with a great deal of determination, and a lot of "hanging in there" for a long amount of years. And if you're truly driven to do it, GO FOR IT! With all the moron doctors there are out there, you've got to be smarter than at least a few of them ! ! !

Answer 5

People do it all the time. My advice, having just finished my first year of medical school after being out of college for 7 years:

1. Love learning
2. Get ready to spend a lot of time with people in their early 20s who think they are much smarter than they are.
3. Love learning.

Answer 6

Yes but it is a long hard road. see drdavid's answer.

My daughter started med school at 21 and has 1 year of residency to go. She works harder than anyone I know and gets very little sleep!

Answer 7

My mother started Nursing school at 42. While taking care of 2 kids , and a husband and a house to take care of. Plus she worked full time! It took a little longer than expected but she loves her job now!

Answer 8

Oh yes I have.
Wish that I wouldnt have let age make me not got to nursing school. I thought I was to old at 40 . My aunt at 43 got hers and is now makeing good money; Now she is 57 and still working and really doing good. I could have been right with her...see its never to late.

Answer 9

It's never too late while you are still blessed with being alive.
If this is your true calling, answer it.

Answer 10

if you can afford to go to school and work and have a family [i suppose],than yes you can do it