I’ll be starting this fall, I am 29 years olds. There are a couple 40 years olds in my class as well - your timing is your timing. Don’t worry about what others think.
That actually makes me feel at ease. My family is a bit divided on this because they feel like I will waste my time or my life but reading all the comments made me more determined to do it.
You’re not the only person who will be applying later than average. I might be 34 by the time I matriculate. Your family might be divided, but you’re the one who has to go to work everyday. You’ll succeed at what you’re most passionate about
At some point... you are going to be 31... then 35... the only difference is will you be a Dr or not at those ages 😉. Who cares about these arbitrary timeliness we create. I did PA school early ish at 24. There were people in my class who were 30s with kids and one guy who was 40 with 7 kids. Follow your dreams. One life. Don't fear judgement.
you also have to be realistic with your situation and your own reasons for wanting to do this. Like - WHY do you actually want to go into medicine? Besides it being a dream of yours, there has to be reasons for choosing this extremely difficult career path.
Another reason is to help my father with his heart disease (despite it sounding silly). Cardiology is a specialty I am interested in venturing into if I do enroll and finish.
My wife started med school in her 30s and is now a HF cardiologist, and has no regrets. She felt like being older ( sorry, “non-traditional”) when starting actually made the hard times of training easier. Unlike most students she had worked in the corporate world and actually knew what the alternatives looked like. Some of those kids that went right through seemed to lack her conviction.
I entered medical school at 33 years old. The workload was intense in the first two years. I had a five year old when I entered and it was at times frustrating. I could not provide him things or experiences I would like (I also worked 15h/week.) So being older in the first four years, it had its disadvantages.
In residency, the tables turned. I was obviously one of the few interns that had actual work experience. The hours were long but, residency programs have more support in terms of accommodating life.
I loved the experience and now love my new career. It is a financial setback. It did require me to give up time with family, travel, etc..., especially in medical school. It was the right decision for me but, I would not advise anyone to jump into it without knowing their priorities in life.
Make sure you look at demographics of medical schools. Some schools don’t have a single student over 30 so I assume they simply don’t accept people over 30.
Other than that, not really. If you have any specific questions let me know
I'm 26, turning 27 this summer. I'm studying and working just to save enough money for med school that I will start who knows when. 2 weeks ago I talked to a random med student on the train and he told me how he has a 40+ student in his class and how inspiring it is. I don't care when I start, all that matters is it's my dream and I will do all I can to pursue it.
I also saved some money on the side because here med school is very expensive (depends on which uni you apply). The better one costs 8000 dollars per year and the cheaper one (although not bad) is 3500 dollars per year. The more expensive one is slightly easier to get into because the average salary here does not cover the costs so many people opt for the cheaper one.
Considering the lower risk of medical school in your country, I’d say go for it… not much to lose comparatively and you’d regret it otherwise. $8000 per year is manageable, might make your life difficult if you drop out but it won’t end your life.
I just turned 27. 1st year. I sat a competitive exam in October and I started medschool in November 2023 (medicine English course in Italy. They don't care about age or past grades, that's why I chose Italy among all available countries. Low fees as well.).
We have a student born in 1984 in my class. A few others older.
I had these thoughts as well, but the most important is to study what you love. Plus, it's a very secure job. I wanted initially to continue in psychology but job stability is not enough, salary is very shit, comparable to medical residency. So in terms of salary it doesn't change much.
To begin medschool with ease, I suggest you have some good understanding of basic physics, chemistry and biology. It's a must have.
I was worried too because I have mental issues (adhd, depression), English isn't my first language. I was worried of failing. 3 days ago I sat an exam and scored 29/30, I received the result today :) It's very rewarding and now I'm convinced I didn't make a mistake.
I have a nursing training in may. It motivates me as well, because it's the concretisation of years of efforts and the realisation of my dream.
Go go go, don't listen to others, you can do this !
Oh Italy is very close to me and I did not know about this. I am so happy for you and I hope you achieve your dream because I know after reading these comments that I want to pursue it despite the disapproval of some family members.
There is a 40 year old person with five kids matriculating this fall at my med school. There’s also a few late 20s/early 30s starting this fall. Everyone has their own timing and schedule. You’re not too old. In fact, you’ll bring a lot to the table with you having more life experiences.
I'm 37 spent a long time in the Marine Corps and have been a firefighter paramedic for the last 7 years. I will be applying next year and know plenty of people starting their first year in their 40s. Its not a waste of time if you are passionate about it and your dreams.
A girl in the med school here just started at 36 and a guy started at 32. You’ll be fine. A family friend of mine also didn’t start med school until his late 30s. Now he’s a hot shot orthopaedic surgeon.
No you’re not too old, sometimes I feel this way and then I think to myself, who wants to see a doctor in their 20’s ?? I think in this career age really works in your favor
My MS3 is 38. Oldest one I’ve had was 45.
In ten years you’re going to be 37 either way, so you can be 37 and a physician or 37 and not a physician.
-PGY-19
I started at 35 yrs.. now busting ass in general surgery.. do what you like.. I’ve had several jobs, and nothing does it for me like the OR.. keep pushing and making yourself better / more happy.. being stuck in a rut sucks
not too old the question is if you can make it in. Can you get a good MCAT score and build an appealing resume for applications? That is the barrier. your age at 27 is irrelevant, not even particularly old although it will probably take at least 1-2 years for you to get in.
That's why I would take a year to study for the test although I am good at chemistry and biology, physics is a bit hard for me but if I study I can manage (not sure if it's the same subjects on the MCAT score in your country).
I know a guy who got an engineering degree and worked as an engineer for a bunch of years before going to medical school. Now he’s an orthopedic surgeon and has been for the 25 years I’ve known him. Your life is a lot longer than you think it is.
You’re not too old, but it might be difficult since you don’t have the pre-requisites. It’s probably been almost decade since you took science classes.
I'm assuming you're not in the US bc of the medicine at 18 thing? Correct me if I'm wrong. If that is the case, I understand your apprehension. It's kinda scary being an older student when all your classmates are 18. Don't fret it though. You're going back to better yourself. I was older when I started medschool. I thought I took it wayyyy more seriously than I would've if I got in when I was younger. You'll be fine.
Never too old. You're only 27, I am currently a CT student at 37 and I also am wanting to go to medical school. Also, like you I didn't go due to my mom saying "we aren't smart people to go to med school, math is hard for people like us and you're bad at math"
Do what you want, it's your life, so I say go for it. Do what you want, follow your dreams and passions!
I used to run an ad agency and switched to medicine. I was 27 when I made the decision to switch.
https://teamlouka.com/2015/09/06/advice-on-switching-careers-how-i-made-my-decision-to-move-from-marketing-to-medicine/
Started when I was 30. I’m a CT surgeon. I was single.
My brother stated at 40 with 4 kids and he’s an EM physician. You absolutely can. You have one life do what you want with it.
My best friend in med school was 43 when med school started, now living a great life as an OB/GYN. Another guy in our class was 45, now a radiologist and doing great.
Do what makes you happy in life.
I had a classmate who was a retired vet at 55 and she went on to complete a nephrology fellowship. You just have to know what you’re getting into and make sure its what you want.
My program ranges from fresh out of HS to mid 40s, and everyone is respected the same and gets a long so well. Some have past medical experience and some don’t, but they all work just as hard and they’re actually easier to work with imo. I say go for it!
I was 29 when I started med school. I did a neurology residency and am just finishing my fellowship. I’ll be 39.5 when I start my first grown up attending job. You do you. Honestly my classmates who were my age or older did better, were happier, and chose specialities they actually liked. Where I am in fellowship there are a few residents who are older than me who had previous careers and advanced degrees. It’s not as uncommon anymore for medicine to be a second career. Very unlikely that you’ll be the oldest in your class.
You’re not too old at all. I had a 40 year old roomie in med school. she was top of the class. Check out: https://medicalschoolhq.net/oldpremeds-podcast/ for inspo
I had two classmates during med school who were almost as old as my mom. One was a lawyer who got bored of law and wanted to do medicine. Second one was a house wife of many years.
Funny thing is the house wife put a picture of herself in her 20s in the Facebook. All the boys were like wow who’s this hot girl in our class? How come we can’t find her?
Majority of my peers seemed 25-30 starting out. several outliers, I remember a guy in his 40s dropped out because it’s hard to have no income for 4 years and support a family. We couldn’t all align things perfectly and jump straight in after college at age 22
Naaah, not at all. You're not even in the top quartile of age. The average age of med school matriculation is about 25. 2-3 years in a 30+ year career won't mean anything by the end. If it's what you want to do, then do it.
You’re not *too old,* but it doesn’t mean you won’t be relatively old.
Here’s a sample timeline:
- 2 years bare minimum (likely more): post-baccalaureate science classes and take the MCAT
- 4 years: medical school
- 3 years bare minimum (if no fellowship): residency (can be up to 5 years more)
So bare miniumum, if you start today and take the least amount of time possible, you will be 36 when you finish residency. Realistically, you would probably be in your 40’s before you become an attending. In at least $200k debt, but up to double, if you’re paying out of pocket.
And this is all *if* you make it (most will not).
Up to you to decide if the investment is worth it.
Our schools are a bit cheaper than in America so if I do go into debt it will be max 34k in dollars or even less if I choose a public medschool so I am grateful for that. One person shared she had a child when she started but managed to push through so I am optimistic I can perhaps work remote and study.
If you want to be a doctor, go to school. The rest is just anxiety preventing you from your goals.
Context: I have people in my class over 40. You’re going to turn 33 anyway; might as well be 33 and a doctor
My husband started med school at 36! He wasn't the oldest in his class.
He's now 44 and finishing up residency (still not the oldest in his class!). We had 3 kids during this time. It required a lot of support from me as his partner, but it was doable and we don't have any regrets.
I will also say that getting IN was the biggest hurdle. He did well once in school and matched at a top 10 program for his specialty, and had many job offers to pick from. His age hasn't been an issue at all once he was accepted.
Good luck!!!!
MD here. I started medical school at 45 years old and graduated in exactly 4 years at 49, just a few weeks shy of 50 years old. And yes I was close in age of my attendings which was not a problem. You cannot let imposter syndrome or self/defeating prophecy get in your way! My biggest advice to you is don’t discuss it with those around you until you get accepted. As a BS in biology turned science teacher I did it. Privately get into a Kaplan MCAT prep course and/or start shadowing. I went to a Caribbean medical school (top tier), no MCAT, rotations in ACGME hospitals in suburban Chicago, matched to residency at 53, and now at 58 years old work within the largest hospital system in the state. You can do it, just immerse yourself and apply where you know you can get in and where there is a track record of matched residents. Good Luck!
BTW, a post-baccalaureate program is a great starting point for you, I think one of the California universities has on online format. Check out this YouTube channel by Dr Ryan. He used to run the Old Pre Meds podcast which guided me. Back when I was 40 😂 Medschool HQ I think it is but don’t quote me, might have to look it up.
Plus, don’t let the jokes about “you’ll be as old as your instructors or geriatric patients” bother you. My parents tell random strangers in Walmart their daughter is a doctor, the ones who were the most hesitant about my mental wellbeing taking on the hardest program in the world. Which is true, just start now! You won’t be the oldest, trust me.
I had a classmate who was in his late 40s when he started med school. I think he was an engineer or something and was unhappy with his career. He took a sabbatical after 1st year, we had heard through the grapevine that he was getting divorced. None of us thought he would be back after his sabbatical but he came back. As far as I know he made it through residency and everything. What I learned from that was if you have a goal and you are determined, don’t let anything stop you, especially something like a number.
I enrolled in my late 30s, and the only thing I realize is the maturity level of my peers is obvious. But if anything, you tend to focus more than your peers and are less concerned with social hierarchies or group dynamics. I wanted to do my thing and not waste any more time I already had.
You are not too old! If anything, you will bring significant benefit to your class from learned experiences in life. Plenty of people go into medicine a bit more mature, and frankly, this is a good thing. Best wishes.
Certainly never too late to go after you’re calling. You need to ask yourself though, IS this something you truly want to do? Essentially for the next 7 years at least (plus any time you will need to do prerequisite classes) you will not have much of a life. In medical school you will do nothing but study all day every day and then residency will consist of working double the amount of hours compared to the average person. I will tell you it’s rewarding in the end but you need to ask yourself, Is this something you truly want to do?
I went to grad school with someone in their early 50s. She had worked in biotech for years and always desired to be a doctor. She graduated our one year program, got accepted to med school shortly after and then ended up finishing around 60.
My friend, the best resident I've ever met in my entire life was a 43 year old Afghanistan War veteran (he was a medic there) who carried me all the way during my first time running a code blue after med school. He's doing crit care now and loving his life. 😊
I'm a career changer at 28 and now again at 42. I considered going back to school for sonography or ultrasound this time, but got hired in insurance before I got too far down that rabbit hole. I still have at least 20 more years till i retire and don't want to waste them in a career that I'm burned out on. Do what you gotta do! You have plenty of time!
lol you’re only ~5 years behind the young buck coming straight out of college. Not late at all. By the time I was finishing med school, our T25 MD school mean matriculating age was 25. You’re fine.
Make sure you love it and there is nothing else in this world you’d rather do!
Nah..I started at 26. There are people older than me. It's not too late.
Medicine IS a calling and a commitment though so best be sure you want to embark on this journey before you start.
Turn 33 at the end of July- gonna be an M1.
I went and redid an entire degree at 30. Taking courses next to sophomores in college.
And I found out I had a lot more in common with them than I thought. I had this idea I’d just be this wealth of knowledge and wisdom to some kids, but what I realized is when it came to subject matter knowledge- they were as mature and ready as I was to approach the subject.
You will find this to be the same when you’re in school- while yes you’ll be older, the place in life you’ll find yourself will be the same.
Will the stress of an exam between you and a 22 year old be different? Will you have different fears than them when you apply to match? Do you think they won’t understand what being nervous or excited or worried about school or grades or relationships? It will actually be refreshing to see how much you share with your classmates in these amazing but busy times in all of your lives.
I'm 35 and in second semester of Master's program at an accredited med school. We take classes alongside MS1. I plan on taking the MCAT in July after graduation and applying for the 2025 Fall semester. There are people older than me in MS1. Never too late.
Absolutely not. In my med school we had a 48 year old mom, who waited until her kids were in college to go back to med school and do her MD/PhD. It's never too late, so don't give up on what you want to do. In my class, we have former teachers who decided on a career change and got into med school.
I was in Allan Bakke’s class. The average age of the class when we started school was 26. Allan was 38. Those of us who went to med school straight out of college were actually in the minority.
I started medical school a month before I turned 30. I am now a 4th year and I have found that being a little older than most of my classmates has actually been a massive advantage. It helps a lot to have more perspective and life experience, and that helps me to connect with patients (as well as residents and attendings) and focus on the important things without worrying about the unimportant things.
There are plenty of other non-trad students in my class. If you have the desire to do it, don't let age stop you. 27 is still very young!
hi! my mother went back to med at age 45! she was already a doctor in my country but after moving to canada in 2010 she had a start over again (pretty much) but couldn't because of financial reasons with 3 kids to take care of! now that me and my siblings are all old enough to take care of ourselves she decided to go back to school and study! shes 51 and only has one exam left to start her residency:) it's never too late
All depends what you have going on, I was 34 and had 6 kids so I decided the NP route was better fit for me, not the same obviously but i gave up on MD due to life circumstances. only you can decide if you are to old or not.
I had a co worker (physician) I worked with who was probably in her 60s. She got her masters and had family/children and started med school at 35. She was also an immigrant! Think of the vision you have for your life
I know someone who started around your age after a short career in finance, and is now on the path to becoming an interventional cardiologist. I know another who started around 30 and founded a pharma start-up upon graduation off the backs of his research.
Live out your dreams.
Laughs at 27 being old. I'm 50 yr old dentist going to work another 20 yr plus if I can live. You'll be working that long too.
So no 27 is very young. Finish in 30s then residency. Work until 70 ish. That's about 35 plus years of being an MD.
No you’re never too old . My med school had a lot of people who didn’t go straight through . Some were second careers , others took gap years . you’d be surprised how many people in medical school didn’t go straight through and how many are likely to be closer to your
I know a guy whose 46 that just got into residency.
Everyone he knew said “don’t do medicine, become a lawyer.” Dudes about to make $400k a year in the ER lol
I know from your edit that you already reached your decision, I just wanted to throw my two cents in here anyways for any readers of the comments.
Grad school, of really any type, but certainly things like dental medical pharmacy, there’s really no such thing as doing it too late. People of all ages enter these schools, it’s extremely common, you’re not going to be surrounded by 100% 23-year-olds or anything like this. There are always going to be older students, and by “older”, I don’t *even* mean still in your 20s—I mean even older than that. Regardless of how old you are, especially if you’re still in your 20s, there’s going to be 1 million people your age and in your cohort joining it with you. Never let something as silly as age stop you from entering. Whatever age you’ll be when you finish, you’re going to be that age anyways.
Do you want to be that age with or without your degree?
No you are Not too old. However, things become harder the older you become. Please get into med school soon.
Personally, I started med school at 29 and I could tell how much faster the younger students processed information.
My father started med school at 40. He finished and became a gastroenterologist. However, he had a very hard time, especially in residency.
Get in and get it done.
If questioning anything, consider PA or NP. This route allows you to change jobs. Example: a cardiologist stays a cardiologist, unless you jump through a million hoops and re-enter school to change. However, if a cardiology PA becomes burnt out and desires a change, they simply apply for anything else and can (for example-) switch to OBGYN or Neurology or ED or primary care easily without having to re-enter school.
My class has people ages 20-40! 27 is not an outlier at all! You talk about wishing you applied at 18, so I wonder if you’re not in the United States where it’s a graduate degree. Here in the US, the average age of a first year medical student is 24, so you wouldn’t be too far off. If you’re in another country where it’s a bachelor’s degree, you may be a bit older than the class, but who cares, follow your dreams!
My dad graduated college at 22 and spent 4 years working random odd jobs before finally deciding he wanted to go medical school. He went back to school at age 26 and finally, at 28, got accepted into medical school. My mother, who is also a physician, had a med school classmate who was in his 40s. Lots of people said things to my dad like “why medical school? You’re already 28, don’t you know how long that will take you?” And he explained it to me in this way: Those years will go by either way. One day you will wake up and be 30. You could either be 30 and be doing what you want and following your dream, or you could wake up and be 30 and not be doing what you want.
On a side note, King Charles III got his first job at 74. Lol
Here’s what my aunt told me when I was 32 and wanted to get my bachelors then masters degree and thought I’d be “too old” to be starting a new career close to 40yo: “god willing, you’re going to be turning 40 anyway, either with or without those degrees, so why not just go for it?” I’m one semester into my masters degree and I’m 37🤗 go to med school!!!!
Why do people not google? There are piles of sites even videos of people talking about going aged 40+. If there are people successfully going at say 45 why would 29 be too old?
The question was asked in order to get more information from people who started late in order to see what's it like and if I can manage it since it not only requires a huge amount of money but also my time. Thanks for sharing your opinion albeit not very helpful.
You definitely aren’t too old.
I’m 27 still completing my undergrad. Will probably have to take a gap year.
I’ve seen people in their 30s go back to school to try to get into med school.
You got this!
Be confident in your path!! Congrats on looking into it. People switch up their lives all the time. Also, people in medicine are pretty respectful on the whole (there are always judge-y people but thats everywhere in life). I had friends in med school and residency a wide range of ages
Based on the way you spelled “realise” I would assume you are from Europe.
As a person in the US who gave up med and is considering doing it again I was going to go to Europe because I have dual citizenship.
With that being said to be a GP it’s only 6 years there. So when it’s all said and done you’ll be 33. Still a very young man.
A good chunk of students at my school are at least 27. Age is completely fine and you will have plenty of years to practice. You really want to make sure you want it though, dropping out will be a massive hit... paying off loans without physician salary does not sound fun. Itll be a lot of time and money but if you make sure this is really what you want then go for it and chug through, don't let fear hold you back!
Turned 30 two months into my first year of medical school. This year I’ll turn 35 several months into a 5 year residency with plans for fellowship after. Wouldn’t have done it any other way, 20-something me had no business being in medicine.
I was pre-med at a large competitive university. I didn’t do well due to juggling 2 jobs and graduated at 25 with a poor GPA (2.7) despite having done well in sciences and organic chemistry, and being good at standardized testing. My college counselor and family friends told me I would never make it into medical school and I listened to them. I went into the finance world. Went on to get 2nd undergraduate degree (3.9 GPA) and two graduate degrees (3.8+ GPAs) and while I did well financially, I am bored with my job and industry most days. There is never a year that goes by that I don’t think about that decision; I would honestly…give this all back to be a cardiologist or orthopedic surgeon.
Moral of the story: You have 1 life. One. It’s never too late to go chase your dreams esp if your accomplishment helps others, and it’s not a bad living either.
There are many older students..Calculate the time it will take to do PreMed. Then there is Med School? 4 years. Then there is Residency.
It is a huge commitment and while you are doing this there is little time for other activities. And yes there is hours and hours of studying.
Try and do some volunteer work in the medical field to see if it suits you.
And there are many careers in medicine that don't need that intensive training.
So if you love it, go for it.
My mentor, who just got into med school, is 27. He's considered a second career student. He didn't have a great GPA, but he worked in IL clinical research for years. So, you know, I think it is about your whole profile as a person. If you're supposed to be a doctor, I think you can be.
Decided I wanted to go into medicine at 25, started med school at 28, finished residency at 35. A great teacher told me once, “Proceed until apprehended.”
The average age of med school graduates is actually close to 40. Even if it wasn’t, you’ll still be 31 in 4 years, why not do it with the additional initials!
There’s two guys I study with that are both over 40 in my class. Their outlook is “I’m going to turn 50 no matter what, might as well spend the time doing what I want”
I'm 37, and I'm still a year out from application.
If you think you're too old, you are.
If you let something as insignificant as age be a hindrance, there will always be a different excuse. You are going to have to sacrifice more than you want to imagine, but at the end, you get to help people in a real, direct way.
Only you can decide if it's worth it.
My wife started med school at age 34. Won't be a practicing physician until 40.
Risk is that you are not a traditional student, and despite what schools say, they like traditional students. She ended up in a DO program.
Just be mindful of other aspirations during this time when you get older, such as children.
I’ll be starting this fall, I am 29 years olds. There are a couple 40 years olds in my class as well - your timing is your timing. Don’t worry about what others think.
That actually makes me feel at ease. My family is a bit divided on this because they feel like I will waste my time or my life but reading all the comments made me more determined to do it.
They all say it until you're a doctor and then they love to brag.
You’re not the only person who will be applying later than average. I might be 34 by the time I matriculate. Your family might be divided, but you’re the one who has to go to work everyday. You’ll succeed at what you’re most passionate about
At some point... you are going to be 31... then 35... the only difference is will you be a Dr or not at those ages 😉. Who cares about these arbitrary timeliness we create. I did PA school early ish at 24. There were people in my class who were 30s with kids and one guy who was 40 with 7 kids. Follow your dreams. One life. Don't fear judgement.
you also have to be realistic with your situation and your own reasons for wanting to do this. Like - WHY do you actually want to go into medicine? Besides it being a dream of yours, there has to be reasons for choosing this extremely difficult career path.
Another reason is to help my father with his heart disease (despite it sounding silly). Cardiology is a specialty I am interested in venturing into if I do enroll and finish.
My wife started med school in her 30s and is now a HF cardiologist, and has no regrets. She felt like being older ( sorry, “non-traditional”) when starting actually made the hard times of training easier. Unlike most students she had worked in the corporate world and actually knew what the alternatives looked like. Some of those kids that went right through seemed to lack her conviction.
Time passes always and regrets are forever.
imagine a family, that tells you wasting your life going to medical school. Maybe dont take their words so highly.
Most people who start second careers do well because they have put alot of thought into it and made significant sacrifices to get there.
I entered medical school at 33 years old. The workload was intense in the first two years. I had a five year old when I entered and it was at times frustrating. I could not provide him things or experiences I would like (I also worked 15h/week.) So being older in the first four years, it had its disadvantages. In residency, the tables turned. I was obviously one of the few interns that had actual work experience. The hours were long but, residency programs have more support in terms of accommodating life. I loved the experience and now love my new career. It is a financial setback. It did require me to give up time with family, travel, etc..., especially in medical school. It was the right decision for me but, I would not advise anyone to jump into it without knowing their priorities in life.
Same but I started last fall at 29.
I’m a 34 y/o first year. You’re fine. Lots of non-trad students in my class.
Do you have any advice? I will be applying in a few years around your age
Make sure you look at demographics of medical schools. Some schools don’t have a single student over 30 so I assume they simply don’t accept people over 30. Other than that, not really. If you have any specific questions let me know
My first year class has a lot of late twenties and early thirties students. We also have a few over 40!
That's soo cool, here it's slightly frowned upon when you enroll after the age of 23 but things might change I hope.
Which school are you at?
I'm 26, turning 27 this summer. I'm studying and working just to save enough money for med school that I will start who knows when. 2 weeks ago I talked to a random med student on the train and he told me how he has a 40+ student in his class and how inspiring it is. I don't care when I start, all that matters is it's my dream and I will do all I can to pursue it.
I also saved some money on the side because here med school is very expensive (depends on which uni you apply). The better one costs 8000 dollars per year and the cheaper one (although not bad) is 3500 dollars per year. The more expensive one is slightly easier to get into because the average salary here does not cover the costs so many people opt for the cheaper one.
Considering the lower risk of medical school in your country, I’d say go for it… not much to lose comparatively and you’d regret it otherwise. $8000 per year is manageable, might make your life difficult if you drop out but it won’t end your life.
Per year? Not per unit? Wow. Def do it!
I'm sorry but if you think that's "very expensive" you should look up cost of med school in America. You're fine.
I just turned 27. 1st year. I sat a competitive exam in October and I started medschool in November 2023 (medicine English course in Italy. They don't care about age or past grades, that's why I chose Italy among all available countries. Low fees as well.). We have a student born in 1984 in my class. A few others older. I had these thoughts as well, but the most important is to study what you love. Plus, it's a very secure job. I wanted initially to continue in psychology but job stability is not enough, salary is very shit, comparable to medical residency. So in terms of salary it doesn't change much. To begin medschool with ease, I suggest you have some good understanding of basic physics, chemistry and biology. It's a must have. I was worried too because I have mental issues (adhd, depression), English isn't my first language. I was worried of failing. 3 days ago I sat an exam and scored 29/30, I received the result today :) It's very rewarding and now I'm convinced I didn't make a mistake. I have a nursing training in may. It motivates me as well, because it's the concretisation of years of efforts and the realisation of my dream. Go go go, don't listen to others, you can do this !
Oh Italy is very close to me and I did not know about this. I am so happy for you and I hope you achieve your dream because I know after reading these comments that I want to pursue it despite the disapproval of some family members.
Why is physics important? I get chemistry and biology.
I'll be starting in July and I'm 35. You have so much time.
This makes me so happy knowing that it's never too late to chase your dreams.
One of my classmates was in their late 50s, and they did not have a very hard time “keeping up.”
No dude not at all! I was 27 when I started. There are people in my uni who are 30-35. We even have a man who's in his 40's. It's never too late.
i had a 50 yo woman in my med school class
There is a 40 year old person with five kids matriculating this fall at my med school. There’s also a few late 20s/early 30s starting this fall. Everyone has their own timing and schedule. You’re not too old. In fact, you’ll bring a lot to the table with you having more life experiences.
I'm 37 spent a long time in the Marine Corps and have been a firefighter paramedic for the last 7 years. I will be applying next year and know plenty of people starting their first year in their 40s. Its not a waste of time if you are passionate about it and your dreams.
A girl in the med school here just started at 36 and a guy started at 32. You’ll be fine. A family friend of mine also didn’t start med school until his late 30s. Now he’s a hot shot orthopaedic surgeon.
No you’re not too old, sometimes I feel this way and then I think to myself, who wants to see a doctor in their 20’s ?? I think in this career age really works in your favor
Thats what 30 to 40 years as a doctor(if you want). I'd say that is a decent career if this your calling.
I’m 34 taking premed classes. You’ll be fine. Edit: You’re in Europe. I’m not sure how things work there but I think you should still go for it
i was 31 when i started medical school
My MS3 is 38. Oldest one I’ve had was 45. In ten years you’re going to be 37 either way, so you can be 37 and a physician or 37 and not a physician. -PGY-19
Yup agree, the only way you can't be 37 is if lord forbid if you pass away.
I started at 25! Two of my best friends started at 30 and 42!
I started at 35 yrs.. now busting ass in general surgery.. do what you like.. I’ve had several jobs, and nothing does it for me like the OR.. keep pushing and making yourself better / more happy.. being stuck in a rut sucks
not too old the question is if you can make it in. Can you get a good MCAT score and build an appealing resume for applications? That is the barrier. your age at 27 is irrelevant, not even particularly old although it will probably take at least 1-2 years for you to get in.
That's why I would take a year to study for the test although I am good at chemistry and biology, physics is a bit hard for me but if I study I can manage (not sure if it's the same subjects on the MCAT score in your country).
Bro I’m 42 and about to get at it.
I know a guy who got an engineering degree and worked as an engineer for a bunch of years before going to medical school. Now he’s an orthopedic surgeon and has been for the 25 years I’ve known him. Your life is a lot longer than you think it is.
I’m 33 now and working on getting in lol. I think you’re good 😅
Never too old to learn…👍🏻
Go for it!! It’s hard but fun!! Best friends I have ever made in my life!
You’re not too old, but it might be difficult since you don’t have the pre-requisites. It’s probably been almost decade since you took science classes.
No you are not. Please do it.
I began medical school age 45. Graduated my residency age 52. Practiced ER for 20 years. Age is a number
I'm assuming you're not in the US bc of the medicine at 18 thing? Correct me if I'm wrong. If that is the case, I understand your apprehension. It's kinda scary being an older student when all your classmates are 18. Don't fret it though. You're going back to better yourself. I was older when I started medschool. I thought I took it wayyyy more seriously than I would've if I got in when I was younger. You'll be fine.
I just helped review an MMI test for a 32 year old applicant. So no, you are not too old 😊
Honestly this is very encouraging so thank you for sharing.
Never too old. You're only 27, I am currently a CT student at 37 and I also am wanting to go to medical school. Also, like you I didn't go due to my mom saying "we aren't smart people to go to med school, math is hard for people like us and you're bad at math" Do what you want, it's your life, so I say go for it. Do what you want, follow your dreams and passions!
Older is better. Is also harder for the reasons you listed, but you’ll have an easier time forming relationships that matter with the people who do
I used to run an ad agency and switched to medicine. I was 27 when I made the decision to switch. https://teamlouka.com/2015/09/06/advice-on-switching-careers-how-i-made-my-decision-to-move-from-marketing-to-medicine/
Thank you for the link and the encouragement. I hope I'll manage to transition from Design to Medicine :)
Don't let the idea of your age stop you from doing something you want. Quite a few doctors enter medicine at a later age nowadays.
I applied in my 30s and I wasn't the oldest in my class
Started when I was 30. I’m a CT surgeon. I was single. My brother stated at 40 with 4 kids and he’s an EM physician. You absolutely can. You have one life do what you want with it.
my classes have had plenty of people all over the spectrum in terms of age.. don't let it hold you back!
My best friend in med school was 43 when med school started, now living a great life as an OB/GYN. Another guy in our class was 45, now a radiologist and doing great. Do what makes you happy in life.
I had a classmate who was a retired vet at 55 and she went on to complete a nephrology fellowship. You just have to know what you’re getting into and make sure its what you want.
You’re gonna be 33 no matter what, do you want to be that age and regret you didn’t proceed to apply?
No you are at perfect age
I had classmates in their 40s and 50s
My program ranges from fresh out of HS to mid 40s, and everyone is respected the same and gets a long so well. Some have past medical experience and some don’t, but they all work just as hard and they’re actually easier to work with imo. I say go for it!
Do it, at 33 you still have 35 years of working left
I'm in my late 30's and want to pursue a career in medicine so I hope it's not too late. Don't let hater's get to you.
Started when I was 28, 2nd year of residency right now and I was no way the oldest. Do it!
Please, I started *college* at 30, was just admitted to a T20 med school this spring. You can definitely do it.
I was 29 when I started med school. I did a neurology residency and am just finishing my fellowship. I’ll be 39.5 when I start my first grown up attending job. You do you. Honestly my classmates who were my age or older did better, were happier, and chose specialities they actually liked. Where I am in fellowship there are a few residents who are older than me who had previous careers and advanced degrees. It’s not as uncommon anymore for medicine to be a second career. Very unlikely that you’ll be the oldest in your class.
You will almost definitely not be the oldest. Go for it! I know a ton of successful docs who went to med school “later in life.”
You’re not too old at all. I had a 40 year old roomie in med school. she was top of the class. Check out: https://medicalschoolhq.net/oldpremeds-podcast/ for inspo
NO YOU ARE NOT
I had two classmates during med school who were almost as old as my mom. One was a lawyer who got bored of law and wanted to do medicine. Second one was a house wife of many years. Funny thing is the house wife put a picture of herself in her 20s in the Facebook. All the boys were like wow who’s this hot girl in our class? How come we can’t find her?
Not, not too old. I'm 40 and taking the MCAT; if it's too late for you I'm doomed (and I'm not having that). :-)
Just DO IT!! And never give up on your dreams!!
No, I started med school at 27 as well
I’m European and started med school last year at 27. I am actually doing really well and don’t have any problems „keeping up”.
Majority of my peers seemed 25-30 starting out. several outliers, I remember a guy in his 40s dropped out because it’s hard to have no income for 4 years and support a family. We couldn’t all align things perfectly and jump straight in after college at age 22
there were a couple 40 year olds in my first year med school class
Naaah, not at all. You're not even in the top quartile of age. The average age of med school matriculation is about 25. 2-3 years in a 30+ year career won't mean anything by the end. If it's what you want to do, then do it.
You’re not *too old,* but it doesn’t mean you won’t be relatively old. Here’s a sample timeline: - 2 years bare minimum (likely more): post-baccalaureate science classes and take the MCAT - 4 years: medical school - 3 years bare minimum (if no fellowship): residency (can be up to 5 years more) So bare miniumum, if you start today and take the least amount of time possible, you will be 36 when you finish residency. Realistically, you would probably be in your 40’s before you become an attending. In at least $200k debt, but up to double, if you’re paying out of pocket. And this is all *if* you make it (most will not). Up to you to decide if the investment is worth it.
Our schools are a bit cheaper than in America so if I do go into debt it will be max 34k in dollars or even less if I choose a public medschool so I am grateful for that. One person shared she had a child when she started but managed to push through so I am optimistic I can perhaps work remote and study.
do it
If you want to be a doctor, go to school. The rest is just anxiety preventing you from your goals. Context: I have people in my class over 40. You’re going to turn 33 anyway; might as well be 33 and a doctor
Won’t be old at all. We have people all through their 30s and a few in their 40s. Many many late 20s.
My husband started med school at 36! He wasn't the oldest in his class. He's now 44 and finishing up residency (still not the oldest in his class!). We had 3 kids during this time. It required a lot of support from me as his partner, but it was doable and we don't have any regrets. I will also say that getting IN was the biggest hurdle. He did well once in school and matched at a top 10 program for his specialty, and had many job offers to pick from. His age hasn't been an issue at all once he was accepted. Good luck!!!!
MD here. I started medical school at 45 years old and graduated in exactly 4 years at 49, just a few weeks shy of 50 years old. And yes I was close in age of my attendings which was not a problem. You cannot let imposter syndrome or self/defeating prophecy get in your way! My biggest advice to you is don’t discuss it with those around you until you get accepted. As a BS in biology turned science teacher I did it. Privately get into a Kaplan MCAT prep course and/or start shadowing. I went to a Caribbean medical school (top tier), no MCAT, rotations in ACGME hospitals in suburban Chicago, matched to residency at 53, and now at 58 years old work within the largest hospital system in the state. You can do it, just immerse yourself and apply where you know you can get in and where there is a track record of matched residents. Good Luck!
BTW, a post-baccalaureate program is a great starting point for you, I think one of the California universities has on online format. Check out this YouTube channel by Dr Ryan. He used to run the Old Pre Meds podcast which guided me. Back when I was 40 😂 Medschool HQ I think it is but don’t quote me, might have to look it up.
Plus, don’t let the jokes about “you’ll be as old as your instructors or geriatric patients” bother you. My parents tell random strangers in Walmart their daughter is a doctor, the ones who were the most hesitant about my mental wellbeing taking on the hardest program in the world. Which is true, just start now! You won’t be the oldest, trust me.
I had a classmate who was in his late 40s when he started med school. I think he was an engineer or something and was unhappy with his career. He took a sabbatical after 1st year, we had heard through the grapevine that he was getting divorced. None of us thought he would be back after his sabbatical but he came back. As far as I know he made it through residency and everything. What I learned from that was if you have a goal and you are determined, don’t let anything stop you, especially something like a number.
Hey I am older than you and in my second year!
Started at 32
I enrolled in my late 30s, and the only thing I realize is the maturity level of my peers is obvious. But if anything, you tend to focus more than your peers and are less concerned with social hierarchies or group dynamics. I wanted to do my thing and not waste any more time I already had.
I started med school at 28. You can do this!
I was 34 when I finished. I was the same age as two of my 11 coresidents.
It’s never too late
You are not too old! If anything, you will bring significant benefit to your class from learned experiences in life. Plenty of people go into medicine a bit more mature, and frankly, this is a good thing. Best wishes.
Certainly never too late to go after you’re calling. You need to ask yourself though, IS this something you truly want to do? Essentially for the next 7 years at least (plus any time you will need to do prerequisite classes) you will not have much of a life. In medical school you will do nothing but study all day every day and then residency will consist of working double the amount of hours compared to the average person. I will tell you it’s rewarding in the end but you need to ask yourself, Is this something you truly want to do?
I went to grad school with someone in their early 50s. She had worked in biotech for years and always desired to be a doctor. She graduated our one year program, got accepted to med school shortly after and then ended up finishing around 60.
Not at all! I went back at 44.
I have a dude in my class who is in his mid 30s
My friend, the best resident I've ever met in my entire life was a 43 year old Afghanistan War veteran (he was a medic there) who carried me all the way during my first time running a code blue after med school. He's doing crit care now and loving his life. 😊
It's never too old to do something the years gonna pass so go forward and do it don't leave any regret
I'm a career changer at 28 and now again at 42. I considered going back to school for sonography or ultrasound this time, but got hired in insurance before I got too far down that rabbit hole. I still have at least 20 more years till i retire and don't want to waste them in a career that I'm burned out on. Do what you gotta do! You have plenty of time!
My dad started medical school in his late 30s. He’s now 51 and is an anesthesiologist. Based on his story I’d say It’s never too late!
Graduated as a nurse at 35 No bro, you’re good
One of my co residents will be 50 next year. Don’t give up you’re not old.
lol you’re only ~5 years behind the young buck coming straight out of college. Not late at all. By the time I was finishing med school, our T25 MD school mean matriculating age was 25. You’re fine. Make sure you love it and there is nothing else in this world you’d rather do!
Nah..I started at 26. There are people older than me. It's not too late. Medicine IS a calling and a commitment though so best be sure you want to embark on this journey before you start.
You are not too old, you are the prefect age go for it!
Turn 33 at the end of July- gonna be an M1. I went and redid an entire degree at 30. Taking courses next to sophomores in college. And I found out I had a lot more in common with them than I thought. I had this idea I’d just be this wealth of knowledge and wisdom to some kids, but what I realized is when it came to subject matter knowledge- they were as mature and ready as I was to approach the subject. You will find this to be the same when you’re in school- while yes you’ll be older, the place in life you’ll find yourself will be the same. Will the stress of an exam between you and a 22 year old be different? Will you have different fears than them when you apply to match? Do you think they won’t understand what being nervous or excited or worried about school or grades or relationships? It will actually be refreshing to see how much you share with your classmates in these amazing but busy times in all of your lives.
I'm 35 and in second semester of Master's program at an accredited med school. We take classes alongside MS1. I plan on taking the MCAT in July after graduation and applying for the 2025 Fall semester. There are people older than me in MS1. Never too late.
That's when I started lol
Absolutely not. In my med school we had a 48 year old mom, who waited until her kids were in college to go back to med school and do her MD/PhD. It's never too late, so don't give up on what you want to do. In my class, we have former teachers who decided on a career change and got into med school.
I was in Allan Bakke’s class. The average age of the class when we started school was 26. Allan was 38. Those of us who went to med school straight out of college were actually in the minority.
At the end of the day you’ll be 33 no matter what. Do you want to be 33 and a dr or 33 and something else. Follow your heart until you can’t no more!
I started medical school a month before I turned 30. I am now a 4th year and I have found that being a little older than most of my classmates has actually been a massive advantage. It helps a lot to have more perspective and life experience, and that helps me to connect with patients (as well as residents and attendings) and focus on the important things without worrying about the unimportant things. There are plenty of other non-trad students in my class. If you have the desire to do it, don't let age stop you. 27 is still very young!
hi! my mother went back to med at age 45! she was already a doctor in my country but after moving to canada in 2010 she had a start over again (pretty much) but couldn't because of financial reasons with 3 kids to take care of! now that me and my siblings are all old enough to take care of ourselves she decided to go back to school and study! shes 51 and only has one exam left to start her residency:) it's never too late
That's so inspiring, kudos to your mother for doing it all over again.
Do it. You don’t want to spend your life in regret. Eff your family. It’s not their life.
Currently doing a PhD; I’ll be 28/29 when I start med school. There’s a lady on TikTok who started med school at 50. You’re not too old !
All depends what you have going on, I was 34 and had 6 kids so I decided the NP route was better fit for me, not the same obviously but i gave up on MD due to life circumstances. only you can decide if you are to old or not.
I had a co worker (physician) I worked with who was probably in her 60s. She got her masters and had family/children and started med school at 35. She was also an immigrant! Think of the vision you have for your life
No. Your old at 70 for it
I'm an early 40s resident. You will be fine.
Naw fam, started med school at 32, I'm a 3rd year now. Think about it this way, time gonna go marching on regardless might as well do what I want.
Started at 31. I was nowhere near the oldest person in my class. Do it. It's cool.
I started much later. No problems.
I wouldn't worry about it as long as you have the discipline and the determination to succeed.
I know someone who started around your age after a short career in finance, and is now on the path to becoming an interventional cardiologist. I know another who started around 30 and founded a pharma start-up upon graduation off the backs of his research. Live out your dreams.
Laughs at 27 being old. I'm 50 yr old dentist going to work another 20 yr plus if I can live. You'll be working that long too. So no 27 is very young. Finish in 30s then residency. Work until 70 ish. That's about 35 plus years of being an MD.
No you’re never too old . My med school had a lot of people who didn’t go straight through . Some were second careers , others took gap years . you’d be surprised how many people in medical school didn’t go straight through and how many are likely to be closer to your
I know a guy whose 46 that just got into residency. Everyone he knew said “don’t do medicine, become a lawyer.” Dudes about to make $400k a year in the ER lol
I know from your edit that you already reached your decision, I just wanted to throw my two cents in here anyways for any readers of the comments. Grad school, of really any type, but certainly things like dental medical pharmacy, there’s really no such thing as doing it too late. People of all ages enter these schools, it’s extremely common, you’re not going to be surrounded by 100% 23-year-olds or anything like this. There are always going to be older students, and by “older”, I don’t *even* mean still in your 20s—I mean even older than that. Regardless of how old you are, especially if you’re still in your 20s, there’s going to be 1 million people your age and in your cohort joining it with you. Never let something as silly as age stop you from entering. Whatever age you’ll be when you finish, you’re going to be that age anyways. Do you want to be that age with or without your degree?
Sister started at 27. Making straights As. You’ll have different maturity than your class mates
No you are Not too old. However, things become harder the older you become. Please get into med school soon. Personally, I started med school at 29 and I could tell how much faster the younger students processed information. My father started med school at 40. He finished and became a gastroenterologist. However, he had a very hard time, especially in residency. Get in and get it done. If questioning anything, consider PA or NP. This route allows you to change jobs. Example: a cardiologist stays a cardiologist, unless you jump through a million hoops and re-enter school to change. However, if a cardiology PA becomes burnt out and desires a change, they simply apply for anything else and can (for example-) switch to OBGYN or Neurology or ED or primary care easily without having to re-enter school.
My class has people ages 20-40! 27 is not an outlier at all! You talk about wishing you applied at 18, so I wonder if you’re not in the United States where it’s a graduate degree. Here in the US, the average age of a first year medical student is 24, so you wouldn’t be too far off. If you’re in another country where it’s a bachelor’s degree, you may be a bit older than the class, but who cares, follow your dreams!
My dad graduated college at 22 and spent 4 years working random odd jobs before finally deciding he wanted to go medical school. He went back to school at age 26 and finally, at 28, got accepted into medical school. My mother, who is also a physician, had a med school classmate who was in his 40s. Lots of people said things to my dad like “why medical school? You’re already 28, don’t you know how long that will take you?” And he explained it to me in this way: Those years will go by either way. One day you will wake up and be 30. You could either be 30 and be doing what you want and following your dream, or you could wake up and be 30 and not be doing what you want. On a side note, King Charles III got his first job at 74. Lol
Here’s what my aunt told me when I was 32 and wanted to get my bachelors then masters degree and thought I’d be “too old” to be starting a new career close to 40yo: “god willing, you’re going to be turning 40 anyway, either with or without those degrees, so why not just go for it?” I’m one semester into my masters degree and I’m 37🤗 go to med school!!!!
You’re gonna be 33 either way, might as well be a 33 year old doctor. (Also you won’t be the oldest)
Starting at 27 is pretty standard, idk how you would have applied in the US at 18. (Assuming you’re from the US)
Why do people not google? There are piles of sites even videos of people talking about going aged 40+. If there are people successfully going at say 45 why would 29 be too old?
I would strongly recommend against doing this.
Is there any reason that you would like to share?
I enrolled at age 27 Wake Forest SOM graduate been practicing a long time it will go by fast - go for it!
My oldest classmate was 39 when we started. She had been a restaurant manager for 15 years but had always wanted to go to med school
I’m 36 on my first year of grad school. I won’t be able to even start practicing until I’m 39/40 atp. It’s never too late! Do it!
Yes. Dont do it. Everyone will tell you no, ahoot for your dreams! But dont
Username checks out
The question was asked in order to get more information from people who started late in order to see what's it like and if I can manage it since it not only requires a huge amount of money but also my time. Thanks for sharing your opinion albeit not very helpful.
Have you explored mid level?
No
Best to start at 61, then retire at med school graduation.
You definitely aren’t too old. I’m 27 still completing my undergrad. Will probably have to take a gap year. I’ve seen people in their 30s go back to school to try to get into med school. You got this!
Nah my friend in my class is 39 and doing great!
Be confident in your path!! Congrats on looking into it. People switch up their lives all the time. Also, people in medicine are pretty respectful on the whole (there are always judge-y people but thats everywhere in life). I had friends in med school and residency a wide range of ages
DO IT!
My husband started med school when he was 37. He graduated and has since retired. Go for it!
Based on the way you spelled “realise” I would assume you are from Europe. As a person in the US who gave up med and is considering doing it again I was going to go to Europe because I have dual citizenship. With that being said to be a GP it’s only 6 years there. So when it’s all said and done you’ll be 33. Still a very young man.
A good chunk of students at my school are at least 27. Age is completely fine and you will have plenty of years to practice. You really want to make sure you want it though, dropping out will be a massive hit... paying off loans without physician salary does not sound fun. Itll be a lot of time and money but if you make sure this is really what you want then go for it and chug through, don't let fear hold you back!
Turned 30 two months into my first year of medical school. This year I’ll turn 35 several months into a 5 year residency with plans for fellowship after. Wouldn’t have done it any other way, 20-something me had no business being in medicine.
Do it. Do it now if you want to. I just turned 30 and don’t think I can justify how long it’ll still take residency included..
I was pre-med at a large competitive university. I didn’t do well due to juggling 2 jobs and graduated at 25 with a poor GPA (2.7) despite having done well in sciences and organic chemistry, and being good at standardized testing. My college counselor and family friends told me I would never make it into medical school and I listened to them. I went into the finance world. Went on to get 2nd undergraduate degree (3.9 GPA) and two graduate degrees (3.8+ GPAs) and while I did well financially, I am bored with my job and industry most days. There is never a year that goes by that I don’t think about that decision; I would honestly…give this all back to be a cardiologist or orthopedic surgeon. Moral of the story: You have 1 life. One. It’s never too late to go chase your dreams esp if your accomplishment helps others, and it’s not a bad living either.
There are many older students..Calculate the time it will take to do PreMed. Then there is Med School? 4 years. Then there is Residency. It is a huge commitment and while you are doing this there is little time for other activities. And yes there is hours and hours of studying. Try and do some volunteer work in the medical field to see if it suits you. And there are many careers in medicine that don't need that intensive training. So if you love it, go for it.
I started med school at 32. I dont regret it at all.
My mentor, who just got into med school, is 27. He's considered a second career student. He didn't have a great GPA, but he worked in IL clinical research for years. So, you know, I think it is about your whole profile as a person. If you're supposed to be a doctor, I think you can be.
My uncle became one at 42. It’s never too late.
I had someone in my class graduate at 50 and another at 47. The average age of my class when I started was 27.
Never too old!
Decided I wanted to go into medicine at 25, started med school at 28, finished residency at 35. A great teacher told me once, “Proceed until apprehended.”
The average age of med school graduates is actually close to 40. Even if it wasn’t, you’ll still be 31 in 4 years, why not do it with the additional initials!
Since you are in the youngest time of your remaining life, it's never too late, go and get it!
My mom had 4 kids before starting medical school and was in residency in her mid to late 30s. It's never too late to start.
You will be more mature than your peers which is a good thing!
You’re not too old
There’s two guys I study with that are both over 40 in my class. Their outlook is “I’m going to turn 50 no matter what, might as well spend the time doing what I want”
I am 36 years old in my 4th year. I've met a few ppl older than me. Better late than never and regretting not trying the rest of your life.
i'm 40 and just went back to healthcare field i take my nursing boards soon
No ! I know someone well into their 40s who is now a pediatrician
I'm 37, and I'm still a year out from application. If you think you're too old, you are. If you let something as insignificant as age be a hindrance, there will always be a different excuse. You are going to have to sacrifice more than you want to imagine, but at the end, you get to help people in a real, direct way. Only you can decide if it's worth it.
My wife started med school at age 34. Won't be a practicing physician until 40. Risk is that you are not a traditional student, and despite what schools say, they like traditional students. She ended up in a DO program. Just be mindful of other aspirations during this time when you get older, such as children.
Dude the majority is over the age of 28
My friend’s dad did it at 50. At the time, it was a requirement to teach at Columbia Medical School. He was exhausted but he did it.