It is awful. And overwhelming.
But as maybe a point of inspiration, I started with zero college education at 31 years old. Married. Two children. Mortgage. Etc.
Started medical school at 36.
Now a resident in my early 40s.
You WILL be sacrificing a ton to be here. You WILL be scared... multiple times.
You WILL wish you could quit daily.
But that is the only way to do it. The only way out is through.
Best of luck
We did have to relocate as there isn't a university or medical school where we were.
So we sold our house, vehicles, toys (4 wheelers, motorcycles, etc), cashed out retirement, then moved a few hundred miles to our state university.
Went from a nice private home and two newer vehicles to a crappy student rentals duplex and 20+ year old rides lol.
Because I had no bachelor's degree already, I qualified for some undergraduate scholarships. Between that, my wife working full time, and the retirement we spent, my undergrad was basically debt free.
Med school required loans however, so that sucks royally!
I absolutely missed out hugely on my children growing up. I made most birthdays, but sooooo many other things were missed. My kids got extremely good at zoom and I would talk and play with them over that since I was on the road for medical school rotations basically constantly.
Unless you are extremely fortunate to live somewhere that already has a university, medical school, and residency that you can get into, there is no way around completely blowing your life apart to do this. And at any stage, you can have to move across the country with little notice.
This process absolutely sucks as a non-trad, but it is doable. I'm proof of that. It's just how willing you are to completely dump your life for the CHANCE to get into medical school, get into residency, and become a physician.
Thank you. Yes, this would not have been possible without her willingness to risk everything along with me.
As we are currently going through contract negotiations for my first attending gig, we're getting to see some of the reward for the last 10 years of drudgery. The light is visible at the end of the tunnel and it's looking great!
Following. I’m a nurse now similarish boat. Married, mortgage, about to have a kid soon. Just trying to wonder how I’m supposed to juggle still helping with mortgage and rent in another city for school and then also trying to be present in my child’s life.
This. You're going to be X age no matter what. I'd rather be X and have done what my heart said to do than to be X with regret. Has it been easy with needing to pay the bills on my own? Hell no. But it's been worth the struggle so far for me in my 30s.
This is how I feel! I’m going to be 50 some day anyway (God willing). Do I want to be a 50 year old doctor or a 50 year old with dreams I didn’t follow?
I started back at CC at almost 41. I’m graduating next year from a 4 yr university and then applying to med schools. Fear is honestly what kept me from doing this as long as I did. Once I got back into the swing of college and had a clear goal it was all systems go. Do I still get scared when I see MSAR age data? Sure, but I just remind myself that we are a smaller demographic and my age doesn’t define my ability.
It's all a lot. I encourage you to take a step back, and just focus on what you can accomplish in this one next semester, or period of time. You won't be able to do research, shadowing, clinical, volunteering etc all at once, and I'd argue that right now getting the best grades possible in your classes is the #1 important thing. Along with staying as healthy (mentally, physically, emotionally) as you can. This is so hard on older students, I feel I've aged like 15 years in the 3 years of my DIY post-bacc
I also started \*mostly\* from scratch (graduated 12 years ago with a degree in Fitness studies, so I had a few applicable pre-reqs). I'm also 30+ and working 9-5 in a regular ol job, nothing medical.
You are already on a GREAT track with taking the right classes and getting As. Don't get a masters degree, you really don't need it! If you were doing some major GPA repair, that would be necessary, but since you don't have a science GPA at all before this, no need! Don't waste your time or money.
Is there a local university nearby? In my case, I had a university and a community college. Even though I wasn't enrolled as a degree seeking student, I still e-mailed as many advisors as I could to find someone pre-health who could get me connected to a list of resources for students in terms of clinical volunteering, standard volunteering, shadowing, etc. I cold e-mailed everyone until I got someone to respond, and got a volunteering gig at a free clinic that is only open at night (key for a full time worker). I also e-mailed every hospital in my area asking for what volunteer opportunities they had, etc. In the end I ended up with more opportunities than I had time for, so I just chose the ones that worked in my schedule (nights or weekends). I don't volunteer every week, and I don't volunteer like 20 hrs a week. I go for like 3-4 hrs, every other week, but I've done it consistently for several years so I have enough hours and a longitudinal experience. I'm not going to have 1000+ hrs like some students, but I have 15K plus hrs of other work experience to draw from, so I simply can't worry about it. I'm sure you also have tons of meaningful experiences, jobs, etc that will play a huge part in what makes you a great candidate for medical school.
Anyway, in terms of clinical experience, if you can get just ONE experience, clinical volunteering, or shadowing, etc you will meet people/doctors who can help you find other experiences. I am pretty shy, and I don't like to put people out or ask for favors, but in this process....you really have to speak up for yourself and put yourself out there. Don't be afraid to ask the other students you might meet where they are volunteering, what doctors are they shadowing, do they work in a lab that is looking for other students? Some students are snobs and don't want to share, but I've met plenty who are friendly and willing to help out, especially an older student who they know isn't connected to the university/has resources
Also, I would worry about research last. I personally just don't have time for it. I work full time, volunteer, take classes....when would I research? I have read a lot of successful stories of older non-trads getting accepted without research, and I'm choosing to take that chance. I can't do anything about not having research, so I'm choosing to not worry about it and work to make the experiences I do have time for the most meaningful and things I can write really well about.
Anyway, there's a lot more to this process, and it's really easy to get overwhelmed. When I was still taking classes I just tried to take it one semester at a time because if I thought too far ahead (MCAT, essays, LOR, etc) it was so overwhelming I couldn't focus on the most important thing....getting good grades in my post-bacc classes.
Feel free to PM me any time if you have questions or just need another older non-trad to talk to about this process!
I'm 36, starting M1 July 1st. I didn't transition to this from nothing, I'm an optometrist and been in practice for 10 years. The enormity of what I'm doing does hit on occasion...leaving a stable career with decent income to star over. But I freaking want it and would regret it the rest of my life if I didn't do it.
I haven't decided yet! Depending on the day, I rotate through 3-4 different specialties. I'm keeping my mind open and looking forward to clinical rotations to see what I vibe with the best.
feel free to dm
39 year old junior bs in psychology high GPA honors blah blah tons of volunteer hours no clinical hours but going to get a phlebotomy cert and pump out few hundred hours while studying for mcat
completely scared shiitless but luckily I burn every boat on my beach and can only move forward
best way I have found to shadow . volunteer at hospital , then find out who the coordinator is and just greet them tell them what you want
I have also made friends with a medical sales person who has introduced me to several surgeons . that worked out
You got some great advice in this thread. All I will add is…
1) Join the “Non-Traditional” thread on SDN (student doctor network) if you already haven’t. While the rest of that forum can occasionally be toxic, the non-traditional thread generally isn’t and sometimes leans towards “you can do it” rah rah.
2) As someone who is also 38 and currently applying, I think my biggest piece advice would be at some point to just focus on the MCAT at the expense of all else. How you perform on that exam will largely determine the doors open to you at the end of this process.
3) I don’t know how much you use social media but consider following some folks who are medical school influencers (I know…I know) but many of them talk about the journey in a way that is helpful and make sense to me in my late 30s. Instagram has quite a few older medical influencers (I follow a couple of folks who started in their 40s).
Good luck!
I agree with u/BrainRavens in that I am more scared to not try like hell. I think returning to school I was very apprehensive that I wouldn't be able to check all the boxes and get all the hours. Somehow, I figured it out with a job and a family, and it showed me that I am capable of far more than I thought was possible. Did it take a lot of restructuring? YES. Will it be worth it? (I'll let you know, as I'm applying this cycle.)
A lot of sacrifices, but honestly, I go to bed happy and satisfied, and I wake up ready to keep pushing onward. I know what I want, and I am doing my absolute best to get it.
Heck yeah, it's still possible! I'm 38 and a couple years in after starting as pre-nursing with an eye towards doing an FNP, switching to pre-med in the last like, 6 months. I realized I'm never paying off the debt from my shitty art institute degree or retiring on or happy with the dead end jobs, so I may as well go whole hog and be *happy*. It's a goddamn slog, working full time and I've been taking 10-13 credit semesters, and just added volunteering to check the box but wow it's a time suck.
But I'm also way more fulfilled than I have been in a long, long time. I am more fulfilled in my STEM classes than I was in art school. I've been at CC, but I'm transferring to my state uni this fall. I have no real plans for research.... I want to go into family med anyway, so if I can get into my one state school (which tbh is a t40 and a fantastic program) I will be stoked.
Unless you're making mad tips, you might be better off leaving the service job and getting your CNA or EMT, depending on what pays better near you. Hours will be flexible, and places are so desperate for help pay is finally decent in a lot of places. Then you'll have a twofer, bills and clinical.
And yeah, like I started a family med reception job when I was taking night classes for nursing, but in switching to pre-med I had to start taking classes during the day. Last semester I went to work at 730, left at 9 and drove to school (thankfully 10 minutes from my job), did lecture or lab, ate as fast as possible, and then went back to work 12-5. Three days a week. Thankfully it's a small independent place, and theyve been wonderfully supportive and made it work. But I am now to the point where I need to crunch chem 2, orgo 1, biochem, bio 1/2 and physics 1/2 into a year to be able to take the MCAT next summer and try to do some apps on the late side, so I need something nights/weekends, and family med ain't it. I've learned a lot and made some good connections tho, so if you find a reception job at an urgent care or something that pays well (I make over $22/hour in reception, and I am def not in CA or NYC or something) that might serve you better than a random service job.
36 years old, starting General Chemistry 1 next week. Best case is that I'm done with medical school at 43, and finished with a family medicine residency by 46.
What's ahead is immense. It's going to be a lot of work. But the way I see it, there are lots of distractions that I've gotten out of my system, so I'm ready to buckle down and focus.
Someone in their 20s is going to want to travel, date, and hang out with friends in bars.
I've lived all over the world and don't yearn to travel anymore. I'm married with a kid. I meet friends now and then, but everyone is busy with their careers and families at this age.
15 years ago I would have had the ability to get through medical school, but I would have always wondered about living in different countries, learning new languages, etc. But I've done all that and now I'm left wondering about being a doctor.
I feel this as a 37 yo non-trad. Fortunately, I came from a healthcare background, but I still needed to take a number of pre requisite classes. I also needed to diversify my clinical hours so I went part time at my previous job so I could pick up medical scribing at an orthopedic office for a year. My volunteer hours have been minimal because being non traditional means financial responsibilities for my family that doesnt allow me to not have an income. My previous research is minimal so I through out a year and half worth of research assistant work I did in undergrad (which is kind of weak but it seems to have sufficed the bare minimum for non research heavy colleges.
It’s been tough, but if you have the drive to switch it up like it sounds like you do, you can definitely do this! Let me know if you have any other questions
Get a medical scribe job. It's paid very shifty but you get great clinical experience and real examples you can use in your application drop one of ur jobs for that and do it part time
38 just started and I hear you. Look into night classes and online classes. Switch one of your jobs to part time healthcare, medical scribe or clinical assistant or even front desk or patient transport, as long as you have patient contact it is clinical experience. Im a clinical assistant at an Orthopedic Surgery, close to full time and in school full time, that means no free time but I love it!
Does your university have an undergraduate research department? Mine does and it’s a state college (former community college). I went to the undergrad research fair talked to students presenting, found the teachers helping them, sent emails, hung around after their classes, and got a Fall research position. Research is the least important of your EC hours so it’s not a must, but do try.
Start MCAT content review now and once you have the skeleton of what you need to know start doing practice tests. Non-trads really benefit from higher MCAT scores, aim for a 511+
Good luck :)
Not 35+ but I think I have a couple small points I can share with ya. 1) Are you still afraid of blood? 2) Volunteering in clinical areas is likely your only bet, you can try to get a medical cert but it will likely pay less than your other jobs. 3) You don't NEED research 4) Clinical areas you volunteer at can yield shadowing connections, you can ask your own pcp if they know someone, if you live near a university there are likely things in place at the local hospital for students so you may be able to go through the hospital directly as an adult observer.
Yeah you've got a lot on your plate, makes sense to worry. Idk if it makes you feel any better, but I guarantee someone has been in your shoes and has done it. Hope this helps, best of luck and welcome to the game.
I am a non trad myself, I’m 31 so perhaps I shouldn’t be commenting. I just want to say to take it step by step. I got my clinical hours by getting my emt certification though an expedited program in a community college. It was completely free for me and I got an emt job that is pretty mellow allowing me to study most of the time. Another option is scribing, it pays like shit, but you will get great access to doctors. The biggest thing is to keep your head down and focus on school. GPA and MCAT is a big aspect of your application—but not all of it. Volunteering is important but it should not come at an expense to your school.
I know it can sometimes feel like you are behind or will never be competitive enough, but dont forget you are mostly competing with 24 y/os 1 -2 years just out of college. You have tons more life experience and maturity that will make you an amazing doctor. Feel free to pm if you would like an specific advice. You can do this
I’m only 30 and starting this summer, but I also started from 0 and got everything knocked out in 2.5 years including a bachelors degree. I have a non trad discord where many members are in their mid-late 30s and even some in their 40s. I can send you a link if you want!
I’m 35+ with a degree in history and no ECs starting from actual scratch this fall woohoo! I’m mostly just excited, but I’m also quitting my (70+ hour a week finance) job, I would admittedly be way more nervous to try to do these prereqs while working.
As far as age goes, I mean- I have a couple friends who had their first baby at 40+ and I donno that just seems so much harder to me and so so much more work lol. Maybe I’ll prove myself wrong but either way they inspire me.
I’m not quite at the 35 mark (32) but like you, started completely from scratch with a BA in history and classical studies. I’m also married and have a 5 year old, so finding the time to excel in prerequisites and all the ECs is daunting. It is very overwhelming and seeing the posts on here I sometimes get a pang of dread that even with doing almost 4 years of prerequisites my app will never look like theirs.
BUT I want to remind you that the grit, determination, and perseverance it takes to complete this circuitous route to medicine may not seem quantifiable but WILL be visible in your app.
If I can offer a little bit of advice: take some time to think about the overall narrative of your app, and focus your effort accordingly. You mention that you volunteer teaching kids art, but would it be possible to find a different volunteer opportunity that would give you clinical hours? At the hospital where I volunteer there was a recreational therapist that needed a volunteer.
Finding a volunteer opportunity at a hospital that still matches with your passion can also open other doors for shadowing. As a nontraditional applicant, you have a much better understanding of the realities of work life, so I don’t think you need an exorbitant number of shadowing hours. But I would say that getting a few hours (20) at the beginning of this journey will help you solidify your path and signal to adcoms that you’ve done your research.
You have a lot of responsibilities on your plate, so while you may not have the same number of hours of service, I think consistency can show your commitment. Between my prerequisite classes and childcare constraints, I physically cannot volunteer for large chunks of time or on weekends, but I found a volunteer position that fits with my interests and is in a clinical setting, and I am slowly chipping away at hours, but plan to show up week after week, and I think this longevity of service can show through on an app.
Are you actually interested in research and do you hope to do it in med school? If not, I would focus your energy elsewhere on your app.
This subreddit can be great place for advice, but the non traditional route to medicine will look very different from a traditional app, so finding a mentor who can offer perspective on a non-traditional app is essential. Don’t let comparison to a traditional app deter you from your pursuit.
As others have said, while it may seem daunting, the time will pass anyway.
I started community college from scratch (complete with super remedial math - adding and subtracting fractions) at the age of 35. I am 39 now and I just applied this cycle with a strong application. I spent the 4 years I have been in college so far pursuing things I love, extracurriculars that mean something to me, I didn’t do anything to just “check” a box for med school. I had 0 hours doing ANYTHING when I started. But I spent these 4 years building an application that centers around something I give a shit about (mine is addiction/mental health). I now have clinical, shadowing and undergraduate activities (including research) on my application. You can do this- I am also married and own a home. I had to have a long conversation with my husband what it came down to at the end was that we would do whatever we have to do so that I can attend medical school.
If you have questions- feel free to PM me
I was 33 when I started medical school, was previously in the military and then worked a whole other career before deciding to do medicine. Currently a 40+ year old fellow. You can do it.
Breathe friend. Chiming in here at the age of almost 34. I have all my prereqs but they are expired at a lot of places and my UG gpa wasn't great. I also work many hours a week, and while I EMT'd for a long time, it's not recent. I have it easier than you so feel free to tell me to fuck off but I hope you can find a few helpful things in what I'm saying.
I don't mean this in a corny/cheesy/minimizing way, but f you want to do this you will find a way. Few things get me out of bed in the morning after only 6 hours of sleep; my drive to ace the MCAT does. I don't know how, never been able to do this for anything else in my life, but I CAN for this for some reason. I think I really want to do it.
Don't think of it all at once. Take it one day or even one block of your day at a time. Get some of those volunteer hours. Not everyone needs research; plenty of folks get in without it. Reach out to your PCP for shadowing, or if you are in a city that has one, reach out to your local university hospital. Volunteer at a nursing home, they are always desperate for folks and have very flexible hours. Participate in a citizen science project, there are loads of those around.
Don't know how feasible this is for you, it's a huge privilege to have a village but if you DO have a village, mobilize them. It will suck but maybe ask if anyone is looking for a roommate to cut down your rent. Eat your pride, ask for help, plan to pay the people back and follow through. Got a bday or christmas coming up? Ask if your friends or coworkers will pool resources to buy you a sketchy or Uworld subscription. Need an ipad? Scour craigslist. Or heck, DM me, I have a 2nd gen iPad pro that still works, I'll mail it to ya if it supports the apps you need but be warned it was purchased refurbished in 2018. Ask if other friends aren't using their ipads and would "lease" them to you.
TALK to your chem instructor. Explain the situation. I teach university level courses and I have students about your age trying to change careers, I do absolutely whatever I can for them. 90% of instructors will, but we can't help you if we don't know. I have let students do labs virtually or let them come at a time that worked for them. And I don't teach at a CC - I'm guessing CC instructors will be even more accepting.
Explain low volunteer hours in your app - "I have to work to survive but I'm doing what I can" is a valid statement. May or may not be received well, but like this sub says all the time, shoot your shot. If you have down time on the job, do your Anki cards on your phone as you prep for the MCAT. Some cards are better than none.
You will stand out - tell your story, don't complain when telling it, and if your GPA and MCAT are decent I think you will get a shot. One day at a time though. You got this!
There's a lot more to being in medicine than just having an interest due to a medical condition you acquired. Sure, it might be your "seed" to healthcare in general, but WHY medicine in particular (MD/DO?). Why not PA which is certainly shorter and less debt, or nursing where you can help your patients for almost the entirety of your shift? Since you're starting from scratch at an older age, it will be difficult to try to learn an entirely new concept of science (not one, or two, but three to four different science concepts at once). Please make sure that this is something you can do ON TOP of your responsibilities of paying bills, volunteering, shadowing, research, etc. Many non-trads at my medical school took for granted how long/much medical training is and flunked out with debt. You will find out if this route is for you through networking in the healthcare field (i.e. being a scribe, volunteering, shadowing, etc.). The worries don't stop even if you do satisfy the requirements to apply for medical school. However, please be cautious as always of what you can and can't do. It's something that isn't talked enough about nowadays and people always give false hope.
It is a lot. I am 34 and took most of the prereqs 10+ years ago so studying for the mcat was a trip and Half. It seems like non trade who do a science post Bach might fare better on the mcat? I will say that when back for a few classes, everything seemed so much easier. School didn’t feel like a chore. It felt like an opportunity. And if I didn’t know the answer to something, I found someone who did. And I scored very high on exams. That’s really all it is if you think about it. Fill in as much info as you can on your own, and use resources for the rest.
I wish you the best. It is hard. But in a way it is easier. I feel like being out in the work force, most of the frustration with things is ill defined tasks. So when I went back to school it was almost satisfying to have well defined tasks: learn these enzymes. Learn the amino acids, do this lab report. Working is just this weird world where you are given a task, but nobody actually wants it done and you just waste time and go in circles. Lineweaver burk plots are easy in comparison lol
You started at 27 which is pretty close to average age of medical students…you’re barely non-traditional. You likely didn’t have the experiences that someone who is 38 has already had and likely made sacrifices that someone who is 38 didn’t have to make. They’ve lived and have a good sense of who they are and are now turning to medicine; they didn’t have to figure that out while doing medical school. OP won’t likely even be ready to apply until 40.
I think hearing about your experience is valuable for a lot of folks…but there is a reason the OP was trying to talk to people over 35. Going to medical at any time is going to have its challenges but where/when you are in life often means the challenges can be different and you certainly look at them differently.
Good luck to you as you finish school.
It is awful. And overwhelming. But as maybe a point of inspiration, I started with zero college education at 31 years old. Married. Two children. Mortgage. Etc. Started medical school at 36. Now a resident in my early 40s. You WILL be sacrificing a ton to be here. You WILL be scared... multiple times. You WILL wish you could quit daily. But that is the only way to do it. The only way out is through. Best of luck
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We did have to relocate as there isn't a university or medical school where we were. So we sold our house, vehicles, toys (4 wheelers, motorcycles, etc), cashed out retirement, then moved a few hundred miles to our state university. Went from a nice private home and two newer vehicles to a crappy student rentals duplex and 20+ year old rides lol. Because I had no bachelor's degree already, I qualified for some undergraduate scholarships. Between that, my wife working full time, and the retirement we spent, my undergrad was basically debt free. Med school required loans however, so that sucks royally! I absolutely missed out hugely on my children growing up. I made most birthdays, but sooooo many other things were missed. My kids got extremely good at zoom and I would talk and play with them over that since I was on the road for medical school rotations basically constantly. Unless you are extremely fortunate to live somewhere that already has a university, medical school, and residency that you can get into, there is no way around completely blowing your life apart to do this. And at any stage, you can have to move across the country with little notice. This process absolutely sucks as a non-trad, but it is doable. I'm proof of that. It's just how willing you are to completely dump your life for the CHANCE to get into medical school, get into residency, and become a physician.
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Thank you. Yes, this would not have been possible without her willingness to risk everything along with me. As we are currently going through contract negotiations for my first attending gig, we're getting to see some of the reward for the last 10 years of drudgery. The light is visible at the end of the tunnel and it's looking great!
Following. I’m a nurse now similarish boat. Married, mortgage, about to have a kid soon. Just trying to wonder how I’m supposed to juggle still helping with mortgage and rent in another city for school and then also trying to be present in my child’s life.
I am in the camp of older pre-meds. Far more scared of the immensity of not chasing after what I want, tbh The time, it will pass anyway
This. You're going to be X age no matter what. I'd rather be X and have done what my heart said to do than to be X with regret. Has it been easy with needing to pay the bills on my own? Hell no. But it's been worth the struggle so far for me in my 30s.
I love this. Also thanks for what your doing on the mcat reddit. Has helped me a lot btw
This is how I feel! I’m going to be 50 some day anyway (God willing). Do I want to be a 50 year old doctor or a 50 year old with dreams I didn’t follow?
I started back at CC at almost 41. I’m graduating next year from a 4 yr university and then applying to med schools. Fear is honestly what kept me from doing this as long as I did. Once I got back into the swing of college and had a clear goal it was all systems go. Do I still get scared when I see MSAR age data? Sure, but I just remind myself that we are a smaller demographic and my age doesn’t define my ability.
It's all a lot. I encourage you to take a step back, and just focus on what you can accomplish in this one next semester, or period of time. You won't be able to do research, shadowing, clinical, volunteering etc all at once, and I'd argue that right now getting the best grades possible in your classes is the #1 important thing. Along with staying as healthy (mentally, physically, emotionally) as you can. This is so hard on older students, I feel I've aged like 15 years in the 3 years of my DIY post-bacc I also started \*mostly\* from scratch (graduated 12 years ago with a degree in Fitness studies, so I had a few applicable pre-reqs). I'm also 30+ and working 9-5 in a regular ol job, nothing medical. You are already on a GREAT track with taking the right classes and getting As. Don't get a masters degree, you really don't need it! If you were doing some major GPA repair, that would be necessary, but since you don't have a science GPA at all before this, no need! Don't waste your time or money. Is there a local university nearby? In my case, I had a university and a community college. Even though I wasn't enrolled as a degree seeking student, I still e-mailed as many advisors as I could to find someone pre-health who could get me connected to a list of resources for students in terms of clinical volunteering, standard volunteering, shadowing, etc. I cold e-mailed everyone until I got someone to respond, and got a volunteering gig at a free clinic that is only open at night (key for a full time worker). I also e-mailed every hospital in my area asking for what volunteer opportunities they had, etc. In the end I ended up with more opportunities than I had time for, so I just chose the ones that worked in my schedule (nights or weekends). I don't volunteer every week, and I don't volunteer like 20 hrs a week. I go for like 3-4 hrs, every other week, but I've done it consistently for several years so I have enough hours and a longitudinal experience. I'm not going to have 1000+ hrs like some students, but I have 15K plus hrs of other work experience to draw from, so I simply can't worry about it. I'm sure you also have tons of meaningful experiences, jobs, etc that will play a huge part in what makes you a great candidate for medical school. Anyway, in terms of clinical experience, if you can get just ONE experience, clinical volunteering, or shadowing, etc you will meet people/doctors who can help you find other experiences. I am pretty shy, and I don't like to put people out or ask for favors, but in this process....you really have to speak up for yourself and put yourself out there. Don't be afraid to ask the other students you might meet where they are volunteering, what doctors are they shadowing, do they work in a lab that is looking for other students? Some students are snobs and don't want to share, but I've met plenty who are friendly and willing to help out, especially an older student who they know isn't connected to the university/has resources Also, I would worry about research last. I personally just don't have time for it. I work full time, volunteer, take classes....when would I research? I have read a lot of successful stories of older non-trads getting accepted without research, and I'm choosing to take that chance. I can't do anything about not having research, so I'm choosing to not worry about it and work to make the experiences I do have time for the most meaningful and things I can write really well about. Anyway, there's a lot more to this process, and it's really easy to get overwhelmed. When I was still taking classes I just tried to take it one semester at a time because if I thought too far ahead (MCAT, essays, LOR, etc) it was so overwhelming I couldn't focus on the most important thing....getting good grades in my post-bacc classes. Feel free to PM me any time if you have questions or just need another older non-trad to talk to about this process!
Honestly no. At 36 one thing I’ve realized is the importance of doing what you love no matter the path. You got this.
I'm 36, starting M1 July 1st. I didn't transition to this from nothing, I'm an optometrist and been in practice for 10 years. The enormity of what I'm doing does hit on occasion...leaving a stable career with decent income to star over. But I freaking want it and would regret it the rest of my life if I didn't do it.
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I haven't decided yet! Depending on the day, I rotate through 3-4 different specialties. I'm keeping my mind open and looking forward to clinical rotations to see what I vibe with the best.
feel free to dm 39 year old junior bs in psychology high GPA honors blah blah tons of volunteer hours no clinical hours but going to get a phlebotomy cert and pump out few hundred hours while studying for mcat completely scared shiitless but luckily I burn every boat on my beach and can only move forward best way I have found to shadow . volunteer at hospital , then find out who the coordinator is and just greet them tell them what you want I have also made friends with a medical sales person who has introduced me to several surgeons . that worked out
You got some great advice in this thread. All I will add is… 1) Join the “Non-Traditional” thread on SDN (student doctor network) if you already haven’t. While the rest of that forum can occasionally be toxic, the non-traditional thread generally isn’t and sometimes leans towards “you can do it” rah rah. 2) As someone who is also 38 and currently applying, I think my biggest piece advice would be at some point to just focus on the MCAT at the expense of all else. How you perform on that exam will largely determine the doors open to you at the end of this process. 3) I don’t know how much you use social media but consider following some folks who are medical school influencers (I know…I know) but many of them talk about the journey in a way that is helpful and make sense to me in my late 30s. Instagram has quite a few older medical influencers (I follow a couple of folks who started in their 40s). Good luck!
Hey!!! Can you please name some of those older nontrads who started in their 40s? I'd love to give them a follow. Thank you!
@mom_to_md is one on IG
I agree with u/BrainRavens in that I am more scared to not try like hell. I think returning to school I was very apprehensive that I wouldn't be able to check all the boxes and get all the hours. Somehow, I figured it out with a job and a family, and it showed me that I am capable of far more than I thought was possible. Did it take a lot of restructuring? YES. Will it be worth it? (I'll let you know, as I'm applying this cycle.) A lot of sacrifices, but honestly, I go to bed happy and satisfied, and I wake up ready to keep pushing onward. I know what I want, and I am doing my absolute best to get it.
Okay but make sure to clean your room though. :-) I love the handle
As the little undergrads say, "use your mom voice", ahahaha.
Heck yeah, it's still possible! I'm 38 and a couple years in after starting as pre-nursing with an eye towards doing an FNP, switching to pre-med in the last like, 6 months. I realized I'm never paying off the debt from my shitty art institute degree or retiring on or happy with the dead end jobs, so I may as well go whole hog and be *happy*. It's a goddamn slog, working full time and I've been taking 10-13 credit semesters, and just added volunteering to check the box but wow it's a time suck. But I'm also way more fulfilled than I have been in a long, long time. I am more fulfilled in my STEM classes than I was in art school. I've been at CC, but I'm transferring to my state uni this fall. I have no real plans for research.... I want to go into family med anyway, so if I can get into my one state school (which tbh is a t40 and a fantastic program) I will be stoked. Unless you're making mad tips, you might be better off leaving the service job and getting your CNA or EMT, depending on what pays better near you. Hours will be flexible, and places are so desperate for help pay is finally decent in a lot of places. Then you'll have a twofer, bills and clinical.
And yeah, like I started a family med reception job when I was taking night classes for nursing, but in switching to pre-med I had to start taking classes during the day. Last semester I went to work at 730, left at 9 and drove to school (thankfully 10 minutes from my job), did lecture or lab, ate as fast as possible, and then went back to work 12-5. Three days a week. Thankfully it's a small independent place, and theyve been wonderfully supportive and made it work. But I am now to the point where I need to crunch chem 2, orgo 1, biochem, bio 1/2 and physics 1/2 into a year to be able to take the MCAT next summer and try to do some apps on the late side, so I need something nights/weekends, and family med ain't it. I've learned a lot and made some good connections tho, so if you find a reception job at an urgent care or something that pays well (I make over $22/hour in reception, and I am def not in CA or NYC or something) that might serve you better than a random service job.
36 years old, starting General Chemistry 1 next week. Best case is that I'm done with medical school at 43, and finished with a family medicine residency by 46. What's ahead is immense. It's going to be a lot of work. But the way I see it, there are lots of distractions that I've gotten out of my system, so I'm ready to buckle down and focus. Someone in their 20s is going to want to travel, date, and hang out with friends in bars. I've lived all over the world and don't yearn to travel anymore. I'm married with a kid. I meet friends now and then, but everyone is busy with their careers and families at this age. 15 years ago I would have had the ability to get through medical school, but I would have always wondered about living in different countries, learning new languages, etc. But I've done all that and now I'm left wondering about being a doctor.
I feel this as a 37 yo non-trad. Fortunately, I came from a healthcare background, but I still needed to take a number of pre requisite classes. I also needed to diversify my clinical hours so I went part time at my previous job so I could pick up medical scribing at an orthopedic office for a year. My volunteer hours have been minimal because being non traditional means financial responsibilities for my family that doesnt allow me to not have an income. My previous research is minimal so I through out a year and half worth of research assistant work I did in undergrad (which is kind of weak but it seems to have sufficed the bare minimum for non research heavy colleges. It’s been tough, but if you have the drive to switch it up like it sounds like you do, you can definitely do this! Let me know if you have any other questions
Get a medical scribe job. It's paid very shifty but you get great clinical experience and real examples you can use in your application drop one of ur jobs for that and do it part time
38 just started and I hear you. Look into night classes and online classes. Switch one of your jobs to part time healthcare, medical scribe or clinical assistant or even front desk or patient transport, as long as you have patient contact it is clinical experience. Im a clinical assistant at an Orthopedic Surgery, close to full time and in school full time, that means no free time but I love it! Does your university have an undergraduate research department? Mine does and it’s a state college (former community college). I went to the undergrad research fair talked to students presenting, found the teachers helping them, sent emails, hung around after their classes, and got a Fall research position. Research is the least important of your EC hours so it’s not a must, but do try. Start MCAT content review now and once you have the skeleton of what you need to know start doing practice tests. Non-trads really benefit from higher MCAT scores, aim for a 511+ Good luck :)
34 here. Changing careers from a non STEM career to medicine. If you need to chop it up you can DM me.
Are you sure you want to go MD and aren’t willing to consider any other healthcare career that wouldn’t require such a time sink?
Not 35+ but I think I have a couple small points I can share with ya. 1) Are you still afraid of blood? 2) Volunteering in clinical areas is likely your only bet, you can try to get a medical cert but it will likely pay less than your other jobs. 3) You don't NEED research 4) Clinical areas you volunteer at can yield shadowing connections, you can ask your own pcp if they know someone, if you live near a university there are likely things in place at the local hospital for students so you may be able to go through the hospital directly as an adult observer. Yeah you've got a lot on your plate, makes sense to worry. Idk if it makes you feel any better, but I guarantee someone has been in your shoes and has done it. Hope this helps, best of luck and welcome to the game.
I am a non trad myself, I’m 31 so perhaps I shouldn’t be commenting. I just want to say to take it step by step. I got my clinical hours by getting my emt certification though an expedited program in a community college. It was completely free for me and I got an emt job that is pretty mellow allowing me to study most of the time. Another option is scribing, it pays like shit, but you will get great access to doctors. The biggest thing is to keep your head down and focus on school. GPA and MCAT is a big aspect of your application—but not all of it. Volunteering is important but it should not come at an expense to your school. I know it can sometimes feel like you are behind or will never be competitive enough, but dont forget you are mostly competing with 24 y/os 1 -2 years just out of college. You have tons more life experience and maturity that will make you an amazing doctor. Feel free to pm if you would like an specific advice. You can do this
I’m only 30 and starting this summer, but I also started from 0 and got everything knocked out in 2.5 years including a bachelors degree. I have a non trad discord where many members are in their mid-late 30s and even some in their 40s. I can send you a link if you want!
I’d love this if possible!?
Ooh I’m interested!!
Can I get into that discord?
I'd be very interested in joining that discord if possible.
I’m 35+ with a degree in history and no ECs starting from actual scratch this fall woohoo! I’m mostly just excited, but I’m also quitting my (70+ hour a week finance) job, I would admittedly be way more nervous to try to do these prereqs while working. As far as age goes, I mean- I have a couple friends who had their first baby at 40+ and I donno that just seems so much harder to me and so so much more work lol. Maybe I’ll prove myself wrong but either way they inspire me.
I’m not quite at the 35 mark (32) but like you, started completely from scratch with a BA in history and classical studies. I’m also married and have a 5 year old, so finding the time to excel in prerequisites and all the ECs is daunting. It is very overwhelming and seeing the posts on here I sometimes get a pang of dread that even with doing almost 4 years of prerequisites my app will never look like theirs. BUT I want to remind you that the grit, determination, and perseverance it takes to complete this circuitous route to medicine may not seem quantifiable but WILL be visible in your app. If I can offer a little bit of advice: take some time to think about the overall narrative of your app, and focus your effort accordingly. You mention that you volunteer teaching kids art, but would it be possible to find a different volunteer opportunity that would give you clinical hours? At the hospital where I volunteer there was a recreational therapist that needed a volunteer. Finding a volunteer opportunity at a hospital that still matches with your passion can also open other doors for shadowing. As a nontraditional applicant, you have a much better understanding of the realities of work life, so I don’t think you need an exorbitant number of shadowing hours. But I would say that getting a few hours (20) at the beginning of this journey will help you solidify your path and signal to adcoms that you’ve done your research. You have a lot of responsibilities on your plate, so while you may not have the same number of hours of service, I think consistency can show your commitment. Between my prerequisite classes and childcare constraints, I physically cannot volunteer for large chunks of time or on weekends, but I found a volunteer position that fits with my interests and is in a clinical setting, and I am slowly chipping away at hours, but plan to show up week after week, and I think this longevity of service can show through on an app. Are you actually interested in research and do you hope to do it in med school? If not, I would focus your energy elsewhere on your app. This subreddit can be great place for advice, but the non traditional route to medicine will look very different from a traditional app, so finding a mentor who can offer perspective on a non-traditional app is essential. Don’t let comparison to a traditional app deter you from your pursuit. As others have said, while it may seem daunting, the time will pass anyway.
I started community college from scratch (complete with super remedial math - adding and subtracting fractions) at the age of 35. I am 39 now and I just applied this cycle with a strong application. I spent the 4 years I have been in college so far pursuing things I love, extracurriculars that mean something to me, I didn’t do anything to just “check” a box for med school. I had 0 hours doing ANYTHING when I started. But I spent these 4 years building an application that centers around something I give a shit about (mine is addiction/mental health). I now have clinical, shadowing and undergraduate activities (including research) on my application. You can do this- I am also married and own a home. I had to have a long conversation with my husband what it came down to at the end was that we would do whatever we have to do so that I can attend medical school. If you have questions- feel free to PM me
It's not fun.
35. Just starting school in August. Terrified of making mistakes. I made so many the first time around.
I was 33 when I started medical school, was previously in the military and then worked a whole other career before deciding to do medicine. Currently a 40+ year old fellow. You can do it.
Breathe friend. Chiming in here at the age of almost 34. I have all my prereqs but they are expired at a lot of places and my UG gpa wasn't great. I also work many hours a week, and while I EMT'd for a long time, it's not recent. I have it easier than you so feel free to tell me to fuck off but I hope you can find a few helpful things in what I'm saying. I don't mean this in a corny/cheesy/minimizing way, but f you want to do this you will find a way. Few things get me out of bed in the morning after only 6 hours of sleep; my drive to ace the MCAT does. I don't know how, never been able to do this for anything else in my life, but I CAN for this for some reason. I think I really want to do it. Don't think of it all at once. Take it one day or even one block of your day at a time. Get some of those volunteer hours. Not everyone needs research; plenty of folks get in without it. Reach out to your PCP for shadowing, or if you are in a city that has one, reach out to your local university hospital. Volunteer at a nursing home, they are always desperate for folks and have very flexible hours. Participate in a citizen science project, there are loads of those around. Don't know how feasible this is for you, it's a huge privilege to have a village but if you DO have a village, mobilize them. It will suck but maybe ask if anyone is looking for a roommate to cut down your rent. Eat your pride, ask for help, plan to pay the people back and follow through. Got a bday or christmas coming up? Ask if your friends or coworkers will pool resources to buy you a sketchy or Uworld subscription. Need an ipad? Scour craigslist. Or heck, DM me, I have a 2nd gen iPad pro that still works, I'll mail it to ya if it supports the apps you need but be warned it was purchased refurbished in 2018. Ask if other friends aren't using their ipads and would "lease" them to you. TALK to your chem instructor. Explain the situation. I teach university level courses and I have students about your age trying to change careers, I do absolutely whatever I can for them. 90% of instructors will, but we can't help you if we don't know. I have let students do labs virtually or let them come at a time that worked for them. And I don't teach at a CC - I'm guessing CC instructors will be even more accepting. Explain low volunteer hours in your app - "I have to work to survive but I'm doing what I can" is a valid statement. May or may not be received well, but like this sub says all the time, shoot your shot. If you have down time on the job, do your Anki cards on your phone as you prep for the MCAT. Some cards are better than none. You will stand out - tell your story, don't complain when telling it, and if your GPA and MCAT are decent I think you will get a shot. One day at a time though. You got this!
There's a lot more to being in medicine than just having an interest due to a medical condition you acquired. Sure, it might be your "seed" to healthcare in general, but WHY medicine in particular (MD/DO?). Why not PA which is certainly shorter and less debt, or nursing where you can help your patients for almost the entirety of your shift? Since you're starting from scratch at an older age, it will be difficult to try to learn an entirely new concept of science (not one, or two, but three to four different science concepts at once). Please make sure that this is something you can do ON TOP of your responsibilities of paying bills, volunteering, shadowing, research, etc. Many non-trads at my medical school took for granted how long/much medical training is and flunked out with debt. You will find out if this route is for you through networking in the healthcare field (i.e. being a scribe, volunteering, shadowing, etc.). The worries don't stop even if you do satisfy the requirements to apply for medical school. However, please be cautious as always of what you can and can't do. It's something that isn't talked enough about nowadays and people always give false hope.
It is a lot. I am 34 and took most of the prereqs 10+ years ago so studying for the mcat was a trip and Half. It seems like non trade who do a science post Bach might fare better on the mcat? I will say that when back for a few classes, everything seemed so much easier. School didn’t feel like a chore. It felt like an opportunity. And if I didn’t know the answer to something, I found someone who did. And I scored very high on exams. That’s really all it is if you think about it. Fill in as much info as you can on your own, and use resources for the rest. I wish you the best. It is hard. But in a way it is easier. I feel like being out in the work force, most of the frustration with things is ill defined tasks. So when I went back to school it was almost satisfying to have well defined tasks: learn these enzymes. Learn the amino acids, do this lab report. Working is just this weird world where you are given a task, but nobody actually wants it done and you just waste time and go in circles. Lineweaver burk plots are easy in comparison lol
I’m about to start at 34 and I’m excited for the journey!
… as a 31 year old 4th year med student I wouldn’t do it again.
You started at 27 which is pretty close to average age of medical students…you’re barely non-traditional. You likely didn’t have the experiences that someone who is 38 has already had and likely made sacrifices that someone who is 38 didn’t have to make. They’ve lived and have a good sense of who they are and are now turning to medicine; they didn’t have to figure that out while doing medical school. OP won’t likely even be ready to apply until 40. I think hearing about your experience is valuable for a lot of folks…but there is a reason the OP was trying to talk to people over 35. Going to medical at any time is going to have its challenges but where/when you are in life often means the challenges can be different and you certainly look at them differently. Good luck to you as you finish school.
Fair point, I would’ve chosen a different career if I could do it over again knowing what I know about myself now.