Is it worth going for MBBS at age 36?

[bhadarpal]

Friends,

I am 36 yrs old women interested in medicine. I am getting admission in a medical college in Punjab under NRI quota. Now I am suddenly getting cold feet. I will have to sit in the class with 18yr olds. I did my premeds in US but there were many other older students. I just finished with my cancer treatment and my parents are scared that medical school will be too stressful for me.

Please help me to make up my mind.

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[bhadarpal]

Common members.............post your opinion.

 

[schandan13]

Common members.............post your opinion.

If you are driven enough. I'd say do it.
But remember in India, things never run smoothly for everybody. NRIs are constantly discriminated against during practicals, they are most often the ones who fail a class. Secondly, socially, you will have to adjust BIG TIME. People in India, stare, ridicule and target you at every step. So if you can cope up with all that being away from family, go ahead.

 

[jhonny depp]

Common members.............post your opinion.

I dont think its worth it. By the time yu finish a specialist course you will be around 44. Then by the time you will gain experience you will be around 48.
That's the age to relax and not work hard.

 

[bhadarpal]

Dear schandan13 and jhonny depp,

I really appretiate your responses.

I am motivated i think, I take anatomy book with me for my chemo sessions. I have worked in IT for 10yrs and I am so bored. I tried business but could not keep focus. I am alone in US. My whole family is in India. They are surprised with my decision. But I feel I am not interested in anything except medicine. Probably the glamour is what attracts me.

My treatment finishes in march so hopefully I will be able to join next aug session. And also my family is half and hour away from the college I want to goto.

I am scared that I might find it difficult down the road and I am scared of failing in subjects.

All the uncertainity is causing lot of anxiety.

Bhadarpal

 

[dggopal]

seems to me you are misinformed about the medical practitioners life... It isn't glamourous at all.... really hard work and not much compensation... seeing as how you have just finished or are finishing your treatment I know really know your health condition...

But if you want to spend close to 60 lakhs just for a medical seat( forget about the money you will lose by quiting your job and the cost of living during your education), the following is what you have to look forward to:

1) unsympathetic teachers that WILL discriminate against you( ie: if you do miss class due to your health.... no one will care... and they will penalise you for it and you will be looked down upon for it)
2) Long and boring school hours from 8 in the morning till 4 in the afternoon... during clinical rotations which start in second year you are expected to stand and not sit at all.... these are from 9 till 12 everyday.... and during class you sit on benches that are far from confortable....
3) After your final year of schooling you will have a year of internship which is mandatory... during this year you practically work your tail off and live at the college....
4) after u finish the internship and are awarded ur degree... you are a "doctor" but really this means nothing unless you do your post graduate... and for this either you compete for a seat... or cough up moreeee money to the tune of 1 crore for peadiatrics( dunno about other specialties)

In my personal opinion I don't doubt your drive to be a doc... you may be a bit misguided in terms of the "glamour" because there is no glamour... but what I do doubt... is your health... and suppose you do end up quiting for whatever reason... there goes 60 lakhs for the seat...

Maybe somewhere you dont have to pay everything up front might be a better idea...

 

[schandan13]

and you would be much better off staying where you are and pursuing medicine there than coming to India. NRIs are also literally looted here, not just in terms of tuition, but also in terms of hidden costs in the form of "administrative fees", "NRI accomodation fees" et al. You could be looking at spending close to 125-150K $ for just an MBBS degree. And that in itself is pretty useless since most patients don't visit simple MBBS holders. Unless you do your MD or maybe even DM, there is no real money/success involved. Now with a year of rural posting being made close to mandatory, duration of MBBS is about 6 years.

Trust me, that "drive" to become a doctor is beaten out of you in India. I am not contradicting myself. I myself am on my way to pursue medicine inspite of having graduated with a degree in dental surgery. So, again, if you are motivated enough, go ahead. But maybe India isn't the place to do it.

We (i am taking dentists in this too) are over educated, under paid and surely under appreciated !

 

[vimsacin]

It is nice to hear your decision. If you are really intersted you can move on otherwise no. Hardworking and determination is the main key to complete the course.

 

[$!n!$+er]

Now that's interesting. Medicine is not something you do because you are bored of something else. There are lot of frustrated people who end up doing medicine as a result of parental pressure, inability to do the maths, false allure of money and glamour.
To compound the matters you are already past the 'age' to be a medical student here. I wouldn't dare imagining doing it. The ostracization, ridicule and general random cruelty from a 17 something teenager would be just too much to submit yourself to. With your medical history it'll be tougher on you physically as well. If you ask me, then just don't do it.

 

[parasiteatwork]

Just check out the age limit in india first....

 

[Addison0]

In short. NO

 

[simply_me]

I don't know if this thread is active anymore, but I want to say something. Bhadarpal, I think you should go ahead with your decision. Yes it is true that you will have to face discrimination, ridicules and cruelty from other younger students and maybe teachers too in India, but personally I think you are very brave to make such decision. Maybe you can set a new example for younger generation. If you got the passion for something, you can surely do it. Now India is the country where you WILL be degraded by many people throughout the medical school regarding your age/health, but seriously, since you are brave enough to make such decision, I m sure you will succeed. You have gone through so much in life (health problems, away from family), those problems in India will be nothing for you. If you want to pursue medical career and are really passionate about it, go for it. I don't know why but hearing such decisions from people like you (cancer patient) to become a doctor and moving on in life makes me really happy. Now another example is Schandan13. I believe he has done dental surgery but now wants to pursue medical career. I think that it's a very brave decision. We need such people to show the world (and younger generation) that nothing is impossible if you have the passion.

And Bhadarpal, India is not that bad place actually. I am an Indian by origin as well. Yes, there are people there who will look down upon you but trust me you will learn a LOT more than medicine in India. So I would say go for it and all the very best

 

[NYCRES]

no offense but become a pa. you finished mostly everythiong for it. it will be much faster for you than MBBS in india and then to go and try and practice in america.

 

[relapse]

absolutely worth it if you have the work ethic.

 

[vik3001]

HI Bhadarpal,

Did you end up pursuing your MBBS? If you did, can you please share your experiences....I am in a similar situation and was wondering, what your experience was?

Vik

 

[vik3001]

HI Bhadarpal,

Did you end up pursuing your MBBS? If you did, can you please share your experiences....I am in a similar situation and was wondering, what your experience was?

Vik

 

[Ruby claire]

It depends upon you ! If its your dream and you enjoy being an Doctor then go for it ... And remember there is no age bar to learn new things !

 

[Nephroexp]

R U looking at starteing clinical practice at a minimum 46 - 50 years of age depending on fellowship. With obamacare in full force - you will probably spend rest of your life paying off the student debt.

If you are passionate about medicine and cant think of anything else - do it - dont do it as a means of employment.

 

[type12]

You're ready if you think you're ready; you're only incapable of succeeding if you think you can't.

 

[GuruShisya]

Hi bhadarpal

I hope you joined MBBS. You are such an inspiration.
I am now 34 and attempting medical entrance. I have one more attempt next year and hopefully can make it.
Even I was jittery about this decision. It haunts me if I am doing right. Am I sacrificing everything etc.

I had MBBS seat decades ago. But my thought process then was different.
Now after a baby, my thought process is towards MBBS.

I know there will be lots of WHY .. but I know the answer.
There are thousand reasons why. It may actually sound SELFISH.

I think I better sit and study now

 

[redplanet0077]

Hi Bhadarpal,

Did you finish your course ?