So how old are you?

[TripleDegree]

Just out of curiosity....

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[hysteriaweb]

LOL, good question I don't know if certain genders will want to answer that!

 

[T-W]

Why is there no -23 alternative?

 

[btms2]

It can't be that bad... can it?

 

[flighterdoc]

Why is there no -23 alternative?

Because you aren't a non-trad?

 

[NYCmed]

I picked the 26-28 category...hopefully 27 to be exact. 26 only if I get into a linkage program. Glad to see I'm not the only one.

 

[QofQuimica]

I picked the 26-28 category...hopefully 27 to be exact. 26 only if I get into a linkage program. Glad to see I'm not the only one.

Heh heh, you're younger than my kid sister, so I can't think of you as being "old". I'll be in my thirties, and there are even a few people here in their forties.

 

[NYCmed]

Heh heh, you're younger than my kid sister, so I can't think of you as being "old". I'll be in my thirties, and there are even a few people here in their forties.

Heh, yep, I guess I'm one of the younger "old" premeds out there. It makes me feel old to see my friends already halfway through med school, though. They keep asking, "Aren't you done with that postbac thing yet?" At least it will be worth all the ribbing when I get my degree.

 

[drlisa0318]

LOL....well, so far, I'm the only one who answered in the 50+ category! I'm 48 now, and it looks like I'll be at least 51 before I can start med school. I can't speak for anyone else, but I am sooooooooo pumped about all of this. Classes I would have avoided at all costs in high school or my first college career (which would have been any class that had to do with math or science) I'm now excited about taking. Amazing how much we can change and grow over the years.

 

[TripleDegree]

LOL....well, so far, I'm the only one who answered in the 50+ category! I'm 48 now, and it looks like I'll be at least 51 before I can start med school. I can't speak for anyone else, but I am sooooooooo pumped about all of this. Classes I would have avoided at all costs in high school or my first college career (which would have been any class that had to do with math or science) I'm now excited about taking. Amazing how much we can change and grow over the years.

Hi there - hats off to ya! Its amazing, despite all our age differences here ,we're all pretty much the same in terms of enthusiasm and energy level for this new chosen profession!

All the best for you

 

[QofQuimica]

LOL....well, so far, I'm the only one who answered in the 50+ category! I'm 48 now, and it looks like I'll be at least 51 before I can start med school. I can't speak for anyone else, but I am sooooooooo pumped about all of this. Classes I would have avoided at all costs in high school or my first college career (which would have been any class that had to do with math or science) I'm now excited about taking. Amazing how much we can change and grow over the years.

I agree; I really admire you. Best of luck with everything and let us know when you get in.

 

[DubZteR]

LOL....well, so far, I'm the only one who answered in the 50+ category! I'm 48 now, and it looks like I'll be at least 51 before I can start med school. I can't speak for anyone else, but I am sooooooooo pumped about all of this. Classes I would have avoided at all costs in high school or my first college career (which would have been any class that had to do with math or science) I'm now excited about taking. Amazing how much we can change and grow over the years.

 

[muttmommy]

LOL....well, so far, I'm the only one who answered in the 50+ category! I'm 48 now, and it looks like I'll be at least 51 before I can start med school. I can't speak for anyone else, but I am sooooooooo pumped about all of this. Classes I would have avoided at all costs in high school or my first college career (which would have been any class that had to do with math or science) I'm now excited about taking. Amazing how much we can change and grow over the years.

LOL - so there IS hope after all!! Hi - I'm usually over on the Veterinary forum, but saw this and was curious. Your story sounds exactly like mine - I too would've avoided all the classes that we would need at ALL costs in high school and did - but nowadays, well, it's not such a big issue any more. The big issue is just convincing everyone that I actually WANT to and CAN do it!! My reputation precedes me, I guess!! Good on you for believing in yourself - you've lifted my spirits about this whole thing considerably!! Thanks!

 

[cfdavid]

LOL....well, so far, I'm the only one who answered in the 50+ category! I'm 48 now, and it looks like I'll be at least 51 before I can start med school. I can't speak for anyone else, but I am sooooooooo pumped about all of this. Classes I would have avoided at all costs in high school or my first college career (which would have been any class that had to do with math or science) I'm now excited about taking. Amazing how much we can change and grow over the years.

That's really cool that you're doing that. The way I look at it is that medicine is truly a profession that you can practice for as long as you're mentally fit. You could have up to 15 plus years in practice. That's a very healthy career. You don't see too many other people in the workplace beyond 60 still working (that have a choice that is). But you see older docs all the time. Many in family medicine. You could even do it just part time as the time goes by. How cool is that, you know!

 

[cfdavid]

Hey people. Keep up the good work, and the positive attitudes. Attitude is the biggest asset you could ever have.

It's very important to recognize the value that YOU will bring to the profession. Each of your unique experiences, totally different career and educational paths.

One of the best true stories I've heard was told to me by my grandpa. There's a doc where he goes that was a factory floor guy back in his day. One day he decided that he just wanted more out of life, and in his 30's decided to pursue medicine. He's considered the best doc in his office. I guess this guy (family med) makes people feel really good, and gives them a lot of personal attention, and takes the time to explain things, in lay terms, to his patients.

Those are the subtleties that make an impression on people.

Also remember that most of medicine is not "curing cancer" or "rocket science". Of course it's important to have a really good science understanding and to be adept at identifying early symptoms of more serious diseases. But, not many docs are using the Henderson-Hasselbach equation in practice. Nor are they using the Nerst equation to identify transmembrane potential. The point is that much of what you will be going through in pre-med and medical school is very good information, and it does help mold you into the professional that you will be one day. But, ask any engineer if he/she uses differential equations in their everyday life. You will get a resounding no.

Is this stuff meant to be easy? Not really. If you find a subject particularly hard, does it mean you're not cut out to be a doc? No way. Just get through it, and keep an eye on the ball. It's an endurance game.

Our Army Special Forces guys go through a selection process that is almost exclusively based on whether they will quit or not. In the movies, we see "green berets" and Navy SEALS as muscle bound guys that are built like pro football players.

The reality is that many of these guys (particullarly Army Spec. Ops) are not the strapping stallions that is so often portrayed. But, they don't quit. The Army figures that it's more important than raw athletic ability. So, you often see these wiry looking guys, not even very big. But, they will NOT quit. Then, the Army trains them to know what they need to know. The Army knows that the best soldiers are not the ones that have the most raw potential. That means very little if the soldier does not have what it takes in terms of attitude and inner strength.

Just don't give up, and you'll be o.k.

Good luck.

 

[QofQuimica]

Hey people. Keep up the good work, and the positive attitudes. Attitude is the biggest asset you could ever have.

One of the best true stories I've heard was told to me by my grandpa. There's a doc where he goes that was a factory floor guy back in his day. One day he decided that he just wanted more out of life, and in his 30's decided to pursue medicine. He's considered the best doc in his office. I guess this guy (family med) makes people feel really good, and gives them a lot of personal attention, and takes the time to explain things, in lay terms, to his patients.

Also remember that most of medicine is not "curing cancer" or "rocket science". Of course it's important to have a really good science understanding and to be adept at identifying early symptoms of more serious diseases. But, not many docs are using the Henderson-Hasselbach equation in practice. Nor are they using the Nerst equation to identify transmembrane potential. The point is that much of what you will be going through in pre-med and medical school is very good information, and it does help mold you into the professional that you will be one day. But, ask any engineer if he/she uses differential equations in their everyday life. You will get a resounding no.

Hi cfdavid and welcome to the forum. I think you are right about attitude, and also that patients want their doctor to be able to relate to them. My dad is a GP who grew up working-class (in Detroit ), went to college, and then med school. His patients love him because he can relate to them so well. When the movie "Patch Adams" came out, everyone told him that it reminded them of him (although he has never, to my knowledge, actually dressed up as a clown!)

But go easy on the non-Henderson-Hasselbach-using, non-cancer-curing hype; some of us do use that equation and do want to "cure cancer".

 

[cfdavid]

Hi cfdavid and welcome to the forum. I think you are right about attitude, and also that patients want their doctor to be able to relate to them. My dad is a GP who grew up working-class (in Detroit ), went to college, and then med school. His patients love him because he can relate to them so well. When the movie "Patch Adams" came out, everyone told him that it reminded them of him (although he has never, to my knowledge, actually dressed up as a clown!)

But go easy on the non-Henderson-Hasselbach-using, non-cancer-curing hype; some of us do use that equation and do want to "cure cancer".

QofQuimica, I understand. I also know the relevance of H-H to our bodies buffer system, and the relevance of other equations such as Nerst to neurologists (but, even still more likely neurobiologists). But not every doctor will really need to use that stuff. In fact, most would not. The point is that it's a very large field out there, and very diverse. I believe there's room for many kinds of varying attributes of potential applicants. As I know you do as well.

Personally, I love science, and have excelled in the heavy math and science stuff. I respect science and the scientific basis of medicine etc. (I read physiology in my spare time!) However, most non-trads are more likely to pursue some type of general practice. That being the case, they will need a very different skill set than someone wanting to go to Harvard for an MD/PhD in oncology, and looking to teach or do clinical or basic research. (I'm not knocking it AT ALL, but I suspect that most 35 year old mothers of 3 kids are looking for something more generalized). Yet these people, that may have more interpersonal skills, or are better communicators, are often compared, and too often compare themselves, to others on the basis of other peoples strengths etc., and not their own.

The result is that they may get intimidated or discouraged from pursuing a field that they may be extremely well suited for.

That's cool about your dad, by the way, and I'm sure you'll make a great oncologist (you said you want to cure cancer).

 

[QofQuimica]

I understand what you are saying completely, and I can tell you that I have great respect for GPs because I've seen how hard my dad works, and I just don't think that I could do what he does. So for those of you who are choosing primary care, my hat's off to you.

Actually, I'm finishing my PhD in chemistry, which is why I said what I did about Henderson-Hasselbach. And I'm interested in neuropathic pain management, which would certainly be applicable to oncology, although it wouldn't be a cure so much as a palliative. I'm looking to go into anesthesiology and I definitely want to do research. Basically I want to do something that makes use of my chemistry background, and anesthesiology seems to be a good specialty for that. So does neurology, actually, but I don't have any experience with it yet.

How about you? What are you looking to do?

 

[cfdavid]

How about you? What are you looking to do?[/QUOTE]

That's awesome about your PhD. That explains your insight into the electronegativity correlation with solubility in the other post. I agree that anesthesiology would be a great transition given your background. But, I'd think that you could apply your chem experience almost anywhere (radiology etc.)

I love to solve problems. The thought of working as a general internist or something would be really cool. I'd love to look at someones vitals and test results and then think of the potential problems and what steps could be taken to correct them. To be honest, I also think urology would offer a ton of opportunities to help people as well, but I don't think I'll be pursuing a long residency career (i.e. the surgical aspect of urology).

But, I also think that family medicine would be cool since you'd see a great variety of illness. It would offer opportunities for challenging diagnosis as well given that many serious illness's start out as lesser symptoms. So, to make that leap, and to critically analyze someone's problems would be really rewarding.

I'm taking the MCAT in April. What about you? When do you think you'll be applying? I'm shooting to get in somewhere the summer of 06, but it may be 07 in reality. Not too sure. We'll see what happens.

 

[QofQuimica]

That's awesome about your PhD. That explains your insight into the electronegativity correlation with solubility in the other post.

To be honest, I also think urology would offer a ton of opportunities to help people as well, but I don't think I'll be pursuing a long residency career (i.e. the surgical aspect of urology).

I'm taking the MCAT in April. What about you? When do you think you'll be applying? I'm shooting to get in somewhere the summer of 06, but it may be 07 in reality. Not too sure. We'll see what happens.

(nods) Yup, I'm a geek.

I was pre-med in college, and I did the usual shadowing thing that undergrads do. One of the docs was a urologist. One day with him was enough for me; I knew even then that I don't want to spend my whole life working with guys with ED or VD and girls with UTI or kidney stones!!! He told me not too many women go into urology, and I can understand why! (To be fair, gynecology doesn't really thrill me either. I'm glad someone wants to do these specialties, though!)

I took the MCAT this past August and I'm looking to apply for 2006. I decided to take it early rather than wait and take it this April, when I'd be scrambling to finish my dissertation work. Somehow, studying for the MCAT at the same time seemed like a bad plan. My prof said I could apply for this year (2005) and come back to defend, but I didn't want to let the degrees overlap; too much stress. I think it was a good decision overall, although it's kind of hard to get your MCAT back and everyone else is applying (I teach pre-meds so I'm totally steeped in this stuff all the time; I even took the test in the same room with several of my former students!) and have to wait to apply yourself.

Hope your studying goes well; make sure to take several practice tests before the real thing.

 

[1Path]

However, most non-trads are more likely to pursue some type of general practice. That being the case, they will need a very different skill set than someone wanting to go to Harvard for an MD/PhD in oncology, and looking to teach or do clinical or basic research. (I'm not knocking it AT ALL, but I suspect that most 35 year old mothers of 3 kids are looking for something more generalized).

Count me in the group as a 38 year-old mother of 2 hoping to pursue the MD/PhD! Generalized medicine just doesn't work for me personally besides I imagine it would be VERY difficult to combine a career in research with that of a general practioner.

And your also wrong about the Harvard MD/PhD seeker too! I'm hoping to stay at Hopkins to fulfill my MD/PhD in Pathology aspirations!!

 

[QofQuimica]

Count me in the group as a 38 year-old mother of 2 hoping to pursue the MD/PhD! Generalized medicine just doesn't work for me personally besides I imagine it would be VERY difficult to combine a career in research with that of a general practioner.

And your also wrong about the Harvard MD/PhD seeker too! I'm hoping to stay at Hopkins to fulfill my MD/PhD in Pathology aspirations!!

That's really great; you inspire me too! Where are you in the application process now? Hope that everything goes well w/ Hopkins.

 

[1Path]

That's really great; you inspire me too! Where are you in the application process now? Hope that everything goes well w/ Hopkins.

Former a former chemist to another, thanks!!!

This is copied from another thread, but applies here too!

I'm working part-time on my PhD in Pathology and I'm also in a full-time research fellowship in Surgical Pathology/Urologic Oncology.

Next years plans? Not sure yet. I'm retaking the MCAT to be competitive for top pathology programs.

Plan A) I've got one 1st author paper down and if I can get the research done for what will be a second paper before my fellowship ends next August, I'll stick with the PhD and apply to med school in about 3 years when I expect to be wrapping up my dissertation. The school I currently attend will be my first choice since I would have already completed a few courses in the medical school curriculum.

Plan B) Matriculate in PhD program full-time Fall 2005, and apply to MD/PhD program for 2006.

Plan C) Rearrange my goals depending on what life throws at me!

So right now, I'm in the "trying to get an MCAT over 30" boat !!!

 

[OrthoFixation]

How old? Where did I put that abacus or slide rule? . . . just turned 38 and will be starting this summer.

It took me two app cycles and three years from the decision to the eventual start date. Attitude and experience can overcome less than stellar stat's. Once you make the decision to succeed, nothing can stop you. Good luck to all

 

[8744]

How old? Where did I put that abacus or slide rule? . . . just turned 38 and will be starting this summer.

It took me two app cycles and three years from the decision to the eventual start date. Attitude and experience can overcome less than stellar stat's. Once you make the decision to succeed, nothing can stop you. Good luck to all

Abacus? Slide Rule? Hey, the first program I ever wrote was in FORTRAN and on punch cards. I kid you not.

 

[Dr Sum Day]

36 y/o and don't feel like it

 

[njbmd]

Abacus? Slide Rule? Hey, the first program I ever wrote was in FORTRAN and on punch cards. I kid you not.

Hey there,
I can use a slide rule and I also programmed in Fortran on punch cards for my Physics class. Brought back some old memories of slogging though pages and pages of Nuclear Physics equations back in the seventies. I was among the first of my colleagues to write my own programs for running experiments in Physical Chemistry too. (used Pascal)
njbmd

 

[cfdavid]

This is so cool! I'm glad to be exposed to such winners. Really.

Keep up the good work everyone. And I agree that it's all about attitude and perserverance. Plus, it's fun as hell.

Sincerely, good luck to everyone here.

 

[OrthoFixation]

Abacus? Slide Rule? Hey, the first program I ever wrote was in FORTRAN and on punch cards. I kid you not.

As an ex-programming major . . . I also wrote FORTRAN on punch cards. They ran decks every hour and if you made a mistake, then you could run it again the next hour! You gotta love those extra significant digits though.

 

[8744]

As an ex-programming major . . . I also wrote FORTRAN on punch cards. They ran decks every hour and if you made a mistake, then you could run it again the next hour! You gotta love those extra significant digits though.

I was a computer science major back in the early eighties and distinctly remember writing an assembler for the PDP-11 for a class on assembly language.

Good Lord. Has it been that long? My first personal computer was an IBM PS-2 circa 1990 which ran Windows 3.1 and boasted a whopping 5 (count 'em) megabyte hard drive. I thought it was the damndest thing because when I was kicked out of college in the the early eighties the nearest thing to a PC I had seen was the PDP-11. We mostly used DEC mainframes and something called a VAX.

 

[OldManDave]

Wow! This is great! Glad to see SDN begin to embrace we old farts. I have been around SDN a loooooooong time & frequently felt like the odd-man out due to my "age". I am a 38 y/o PGY2/CA1 resident in anesthesiology at Dartmouth. Let me tell you - there are loads of us geezers out there. It was so wonderful to learn I was not alone as a nontrad premed!

During the process of seeking valid & pertinent information for nontrads seeking to enter med school, I founded, more or less by accident, an organization that focuses it efforts to the benefit of nontrads like ourselves to succeed as pre-meds, med students, residents & beyond. Our formal name is The National Society for Nontraditional Premedical & Medical Students, Inc., which is obviously quite a mouthfull. So, we adopted the d/b/a of OldPreMeds. If this Society sounds like it might be of interest to you, I officially invite you to drop by our website and meet us. We are like a large electronic community of people just like yourselves. Our web address is www.OldPreMeds.org Please understand that our website is currently undergoing a complete overhaul - we've essentially outgrown it.

From 9 ~ 12 June of 2005, OldPreMeds will have its 2005 Conference & Workshops in Washington DC at the Sheraton Crystal City. We will have 2 full days of presentations by a variety of speakers including the President of the Med Soc of DC, Deans of WVSOM & KCOM, Georgetown professors & staff physicians from Dartmouth. If you would like more information, feel free to drop me an e-mail or go to the website - or simply do both. My personal e-mail is [email protected]

Thanks for reading this post.

 

[cfdavid]

So right now, I'm in the "trying to get an MCAT over 30" boat !!! [/QUOTE]

Good luck to you. I found a thread on the MCAT discussions board that was very inspirational w/r/t the over 30 thing.

Do a search and you'll find the thread. I think it was something like "MCAT over 30". The bottom line was that we can control our performance on the MCAT. We just need to work hard, which we can control.

 

[QofQuimica]

Good luck to you. I found a thread on the MCAT discussions board that was very inspirational w/r/t the over 30 thing.

Do a search and you'll find the thread. I think it was something like "MCAT over 30". The bottom line was that we can control our performance on the MCAT. We just need to work hard, which we can control.

You guys have the best attitude. Don't listen to any of the naysayers who tell you that older students don't score as well as the college kids; we can! My wish for all of you non-trads taking the MCAT this April score is that you score off the charts.

 

[N-toxicologist]

One more thing to CFCDAVID:

Most of the older applicants I know are actually not interested in general practice so much as they want to be a surgeon of some sort.

One lady wanted to be a general surgeon, another 30 yr old wanted to be a cardiothoracic surgeon, and a 39 yr old just accepted wanted to be a trauma surgeon.

So don't make assumptions.

I wanna be a brain surgeon. 31, single mother of three.

 

[cfdavid]

One more thing to CFCDAVID:

Most of the older applicants I know are actually not interested in general practice so much as they want to be a surgeon of some sort.

One lady wanted to be a general surgeon, another 30 yr old wanted to be a cardiothoracic surgeon, and a 39 yr old just accepted wanted to be a trauma surgeon.

So don't make assumptions.[/QUOTE]

The more power to em. That's cool.

 

[jjmcentee@hotma]

Will be 36 when I enter LECOM in the fall. That saying from shawshank has always resonated in my head whenever my insecurities would pop up. "get busy livin or get busy dyin.." It's a paradigm. Throughout the years I have found that we live within the struggle, it's where we push and strive, and stretch ourselves. We fight tooth and nail and we make it, then we look back and who know's who we have inspired. Somewhere without knowing it we learn true courage, wisdom and even leadership. It's who we are. We have become doers, and not just watchers.
God bless all of you and I'll see you at the top of the mountain.

 

[theplastickid]

i am 17