Prospective students who are trying to determine if they are too old for medical school occasionally ask, “What are my chances for getting in? ” I will address the ideal candidate, but first I want to consider some factors that have become problematic for some older applicants.
Financial Implications of Attending Medical School
There are significant financial sacrifices involved in going to medical school as an older student.
You will be giving up your current salary and possibly funds toward retirement. If your parents or spouse can support you, you’ll have a much easier time, but that’s not always possible. As tuition generally continues to climb at medical schools, the debt at the end of the four years will, on average, be much higher than it is today.
One of my dear friends went to medical school after some years of working as a high school teacher. She wanted to stay in New York City near her family. Her living expenses were significant, her tuition was high and the loans to accomplish her dream were many.
She looked at the state of her financial affairs and told me she would never be able to pay off her student loans by the time she retired. That had affected her ability to travel for years, despite a lifetime of working.
More recently, she is trying to find debt forgiveness or reduction. Up until this possibility, she pondered if she might have traveled more and been happier as a teacher with summer vacations. It is hopeful that debt relief can continue past the next election, but politics are tricky.
[READ: How to Pay for Medical School]
Three siblings I know decided to go into medicine as second careers. One became a doctor, another a nurse practitioner and the third a physician assistant. Each made different decisions about where to live and how many years to spend studying before earning a salary again. They made decisions about budgeting and how many loans to take out while in school.
All are married and trying to balance the needs of their families and their student loans, some of which are larger than others. Not that it matters, but the physician assistant and her physician assistant husband own the nicest home in arguably the best neighborhood with great schools. The other two siblings have struggled financially and one is still hoping for debt reduction.
In the end, I cannot tell you which of the siblings is happiest, but I can tell you that the longer you stay in school, the more money you will owe to a funding agency.
Impact of Medical School on Relationships and Marriage
When considering if you are too old for medical school, be sure to also think about how your personal relationships may be affected.
I know several people who went to medical school after they were married. Many of these marriages lasted, but others did not. In the ones that did not, there seemed to be a lack of understanding as to the time demands of being a medical student and future physician.
Medical students have a shortage of free time, and they often may have to pass on attending family and social events. There are many lonely spouses of medical trainees. Partner resentment is common and may grow when those few free hours get absorbed by your need to study for exams, which can also lead to guilt on your part.
If you have children, you may feel even guiltier that you are spending so much time with your books and not with your children.
Money can also be a contentious issue, with arguments over expenses when only one or perhaps neither is working. This is not that unusual. Funding child care and college tuition for older children present almost insurmountable hurdles for some couples.
Geography is yet another issue. Relationships have fallen apart because a partner couldn’t find a job where the student was accepted for medical school or residency. Sometimes couples are able to navigate these issues early, only to have emotional wounds erupt again during residency training.
A partner who more accurately anticipates the necessary sacrifices, shares the dream with their spouse and perceives medical school as a joint decision will have a better shot at a lasting marriage than one who is uninformed or misinformed. Occasionally, that partner of the spouse decides to go to medical school, too, after the first is far enough along to pay the rent.
This presents a challenge as to how long to wait to have children. It’s not insurmountable but certainly has to be considered.
If you are single, when you apply to medical school you’ll have different dating considerations. Avoid jumping into a committed relationship too quickly, and consider finding a partner who has interests to keep themselves busy when you are in class or at the hospital.
Remember: The time issue will only get worse during residency, when you will be spending 80 hours a week at the hospital.
[READ: How to Manage Significant-Other Relationships During Medical School.]
The Older Student Experience in Medical School
There are clear benefits to being an older student in medical school. For example, older students bring life experiences and maturity to the classroom. Younger students, however, often have fewer responsibilities to juggle and can better tolerate sleep deprivation.
Being an older student can prove frustrating at times. Some older students feel they can’t relate to someone who is 22 and fresh out of college, and they can feel resentful when younger students seem less serious about joint projects.
Likewise, younger students can feel frustrated when older students do not catch on quickly to more recent technology or knowledge.
Nonetheless, all students must work together as a team just as they will when they are physicians working in a hospital.
Ideal Characteristics for Med School Applicants Over the Age of 30
You can still be an ideal candidate over the age of 30 if you’ve done the following:
— Taken the required science courses, preferably within the last three years.
— Earned a solid recent MCAT score.
— Planned ahead for a disruption in your financial status.
— Continued to volunteer despite your additional responsibilities.
— Shadowed a variety of physicians.
— Stayed young, both mentally and physically, so that you can tolerate an 80-hour work week.
[READ: The Medical School Admissions Cycle.]
Optimally, you will have a supportive family who can pitch in if you need help. Plus, you should not be responsible for caring for ill or aging family members during your training, as this kind of responsibility can become overwhelming for any student. Although a family crisis could happen to students of any age, caregiving expectations are greater for older students.
Admissions committees prefer older applicants who have thought about a medical career for a long time, but put it off for personal or financial reasons. If you are suddenly changing careers, or have gone through a series of careers, expect a lot of questions about the reason you have come to medicine.
The long time commitment and sacrifice to apply to medical school generally means the person will not give up when the going gets tough.
I particularly remember one applicant who had several children. He and his wife were both over 30. He had a second job to save money for medical school. Because the second construction job was farther from his home, he had to sleep in his truck to avoid spending money for a hotel. The whole family supported his decision, and they did not fall apart during his time in medical school or residency.
Against the odds, he went from a construction worker to becoming a great neurosurgeon.
Medicine is a noble career, but pursuing it takes more sacrifice from some than others. If you are over 30, take a hard look at the personal and financial cost of applying to and enrolling in medical school, as well as the satisfaction of pursuing a career in medicine. In most cases, the cost will be higher for those over 30, when considering salary or retirement funds loss, than for younger students.
If you believe you have examined all the challenges and know you have the fortitude to push through, go for it. There’s tremendous personal satisfaction in helping others each and every day.
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Are You Too Old for Medical School? originally appeared on usnews.com
