What is the oldest you have ever heard of anyone going through med school? - Healthcare Professionals Message Board

AngelaA · 05-23-2004, 06:06 PM

I'm 35 and finally decided what I want to do in life. Am I too old to go through med school and actually have time to pay off school loans before retiring? I really want to be an endocrinologist.

BabyCatcher · 05-23-2004, 10:04 PM

At what age are you planning to retire? Many physicians don't retire until their 70s anyway...some work their entire lives.
35 years old and deciding to go to med school? It's been done. Go for it!

There is a doctor in my OB's practice that was a nurse for 15 years, and at age 37 decided to go to med school. She's 49 now, and a partner in the practice....considering her lifestyle, I don't think her loans are of much concern.

AngelaA · 05-23-2004, 11:03 PM

Hey Babycatcher I really love your name! I never heard of many drs working till 70's or longer before retiring. Seems like these days drs want to retire earlier or is it just my imagination. Maybe depends on the part of the country? I'm not sure how long I can work truthfully. I have multiple illnesses which may include Lupus. (Diagnosis is still iffy) I also have latex allergy and have sort of been sticking it out waiting for the medical community to switch to latex-free everything. I apparently got the allergy from working in a factory with pure liquid latex. I'm not sure what is a safe if there is any specialty in medicine to study. I also want a career that is recession or economy proof. Looking at a possible layoff where I am at right now and freaking out. Have thought maybe I should just take a certificate program for something like medical billing and coding. At least that is fairly latex-free I would imagine and surely has job security. How much demand and money is there in coding do you have any idea? I need a good job to pay for my medications for asthma & allergies! At the same time I really want to be a doctor or something where I can make a positive contribution in people's lives.

cth · 06-11-2004, 06:05 PM

Hi Angela, You would think nursing would be fool proof when it came to lay offs. They just layed off 4 nurses where I work.

Also there is laytex everywhere in the medical profession especially if you are highly allergic and react if you are in the same room as laytex. cth

konfrstcz · 06-13-2004, 07:09 PM

people in their forties. There was a woman who was 42 when we started and is now an ob/gyn and there was a man who was 44 and I think he's family practice now.

I think the biggest factor for them was that they were both single (I actually think both divorced) and had no kids, so they didn't have the pressure to support a family and could handle the long hours away from home without disrupting life for anyone else. Although, there were other "younger" classmates with kids and families, so that's obviously not a critical issue.

If you want to do it, do it. I think I read in Dear Abby or somewhere like that, you'll be four years older four years from now, you might as well have a medical degree at the end of your name then.

Christine