I’ve been mulling this over in my head for a while now, and I need opinions and advice from people with experience.
By August of next year, I will have a B.S. in Biological Sciences. I’m currently working at a forensic lab, and have the opportunity to stay on once I graduate. (Without getting in to too much detail, it’s not one of the terribly interesting forensic sciences) With a B.S. I can become a Forensic Scientist in my field. While I enjoy the people I work with, this isn’t exactly what I want to do with my life; honestly the idea of testifying terrifies me. There is also a good chance that once the owner retires, we will lose the majority of our business (he’s very well-known in the community as a great expert witness), and I won’t even be able to be hired on, leaving me stuck in my current hated receptionist position.
For a while now, I’ve thought about going to medical school, with the intent of becoming a pathologist. Knowing the little that I know, I don’t want to jump into this without giving it extensive thought. I worked at a lab about 8 years ago as a histology technician and had a good relationship with the pathologists there, so I have a brief overview of what they do.
The dilemma comes in here: I am 34 years old, I am the breadwinner of my family, and we have 2 kids and a mortgage. I talked to my husband about this and told him he would have to man up (for lack of a better term) because I would probably not be able to work and go to medical school at the same time.
Understanding that you don’t know me, is medical school feasible with my situation? Any advice from those who have started medical school later in life, or maybe any pathologists on the board?
Before I spent tons of money on medical school, I’d wait a bit and see how the health care situation shakes out. Doctors are already having a hard time with medicare reimbursements, depending on what happens with the national health issues, it may become even harder to make money in a medical field.
If it were me, I’d go to vet school. Harder to get into, but less regulation. No worry about insurance companies telling you how much you can charge. Little malpractice.
But I’m not a doctor or a vet. Hopefully someone with experience will come along and set me straight.
I think that is an excellent suggestion. I know several vets, they are always busy and love the work. You can choose to specialize with pets or with large animals if you live in a farming area.
While the patients never complain, their owners do. Of course, it does help if you like animals.
Otherwise, you might think about medical research as well as pathology if you prefer laboratory work and don’t want to deal with patients.
My college room entered medical school in her late 30’s. She is now a successful rural doctor in Wisconsin, doing everything from ordinary physicals to minor surgery to catching babies when necessary.
My oldest surviving sister entered medical school when she was 46. She is now a physician specializing in geriatrics and the assistant director of a hospice in New York state.
Yes, Lady DeathKraft, you can still enter medical school.
You’re also correct in that it will nigh impossible for you to work AND go to medical school. The debt load is significant (my former roommate paid hers off via a program involving government service, which may not be practical for someone with family and children, and my sister and her husband were able to manage the debt, but it’s not a trivial thing). It is hard. You will be going to school with people in their 20’s with more energy and stamina, and frequently a lack of worldly experience that you will have.
Nonetheless, both the women I mentioned are glad they did it. I suggest you research it carefully (sounds like you are) and be sure you want to do this before making the leap, but yes, it is certainly possible for you to do it.
A friend of mine recently entered medical school. She’s been waitlisted several times, but now she is in. I am unsure of her exact age, but she is in her mid 30s.
Though she is single, which makes cost of living a bit easier to handle
IANAD, but I know a little bit about the educational process from friends who’ve been through it. I agree that you should be concerned that the current flux in the health care system (and beware the current economic downturn in general), but I think you should explore medical school if that’s what you really want to do. You can reduce med school costs by attending a state university. Also, unlike many students, with a working spouse, you won’t have to borrow money for living expenses or childcare. It will probably help your application that you are a parent and would probably be somewhat older than the average entering student (these are positive diversity factors).
In terms of practical family issues, are you targeting only med school(s) within driving distance of your current home, or are you considering moving? Just a rhetorical question (I don’t expect you to answer it here) - how old are your children and how well will they be able to adapt to a new schedule, especially the time demands of residency and internship? Do you have family or friends nearby who might be able to pitch in if needed, for example, if your husband is working and you have to study for an exam?
Have you researched the admission standards of the med schools to which you would like to apply, and made up a timeline for steps to getting admitted (e.g., taking the MCAT)? Assuming that med schools still require personal interviews as part of the process, you should leave yourself time to prepare for questions about current topics in the medical field, like health care reform, managed care and prescription drug issues. Your M.D. contacts from your former lab would probably be good resources for you during the admissions process. Good luck.
Thanks for all of the information! It’s nice to know there’s hope at my age.
I’ve been looking locally. While I would really appreciate a change, my husband prefers to keep things the way they are. He’s been … challenging during this whole mess. My 6 year-old has had the most problem with my new schedule, but she’s been adjusting pretty well.
I know I would have to take a few classes that aren’t required for my major before I could even start the application process.
I hadn’t even thought about the vet option, but they’re being hit pretty hard by the recession in my area. People are reluctant to spend money on their animals as much as they are on themselves. It’s definitely an option!
Well vet school is still several years off before you get the degree and all, but yes, it’s certainly possible to be in your 30s and enter medical school. My current class has several people in the mid30’s who are in medical school and doing just at keeping up with the work. Though it IS a lot of work, and it will be a heavy debt as well- but if you’re sure about the choice, and feel you want to do it, you should certainly try and apply- your age/family is not something that should hold you back. One of the brightest students in our class is a 42 yo mother of 3 teenage to middle school age children, who commutes daily 45 mins to get to class, but she’s also one of the best at managing her time and all- she’s said she makes flash cards and reviews them at her son’s sporting events, she re-listens to recorded lectures during her commute, and its a lot of late nights w/ studying after the kids go to bed.
It does help to have a supportive family though, as it IS a very rough time with a lot of stress and work and commitment. But you should also look around at the medical schools- there are some that cater to the “non-traditional” students, and others that have additional resources such as recorded lectures, online recordings, etc that can help you as well. It’s something to consider when you shop around.
Or if you’re in a populous-enough area to support such a practice, specialize in “exotics”. As in, pets other than cats or dogs. We take our guinea pigs to such a place (that also does birds and reptiles and small mammals of several varieties) and maybe it’s just me but they sure seem expensive - i.e. profitable.
The biggest logistical thing that might be insurmountable would be the location of the vet school (or medical school if you go that route) - either you’d have to go on your own, or uproot the whole family, unless there happens to be one within commuting distance.
Also, other thoughts, you could consider DO schools in the area if any, and you could (though not so much if you had your heart set on Pathology- but if you just really want to work with patients, and clinical medicine) you could consider PA school or becoming a Nurse Practitioner- both are patient friendly, very hands on/clinical, and also take less time than Medschool (3 years or so for the degree vs. the 4 +Residency for med school), and by working under a Doctor you can also worry a little bit less about the insurance issues and such as I believe (i may be wrong) that they’re covered by the Physician’s Malpractice insurances and stuff.
You’ve a great username if you are going into pathology. OB/Gyn or Peds? Not so much.
Licensed physicians will always find jobs somewhere. Usually with enough pay to repay their student debt and make a nice living.
But it will take at least 7 years out of your life (4 of med school, at least 3 of residency) before you can hang out your shingle with a reasonable expectation of security and success.
If I had to do it over, knowing what I know now, I’d still go into medicine. But I think I’d have gone into psychiatry, or perhaps gastroenterology, instead of primary care. Probing minds or probing digestive tracts…
Qadgop - Gastroenterology? That wouldn’t be sort of icky to you? I know, doctors are professionals and everything. But still, there are parts of the body that are less disgusting than other parts. I think podiatry would be a good specialization. Few emergencies, a regular schedule, and feet, while not attractive, aren’t actively gross.
GI Over Dermatology or Podiatry anyway in my book actually…
GI you get to play with lots of cool tools, and all.
And Psychiatry, QtM? That’s a very unappreciated field. Kudos for considering it. =) I like the idea of it, but don’t want to do it myself. I’m leaning towards Internal/Hospitalist Med or Emergency right now… But we’ll see.
GI would be nice: Focus on the liver, and when that gets slow, go scoping for dollars! Code Brown is not fun, true. But bodies are messy, that’s all there is to it.
Psych plus addiction medicine. Double boards, much in demand these days, minimal overhead.
But I’ll stick with my Family Medicine at this point, tho I sure don’t do much peds or OB/Gyn anymore!
I’m basically seeing internal medicine with a whole lot of office ortho thrown in, plus fun with abscesses and scalpels. Oh, and detox. Wide a side helping of dialysis.
You, sir, have not seen what diabetes and neglected injury can do to feet (as just one example). Not just “actively” gross, but “invasion of Normandy” level of gross. Thank Og I’ve only seen pictures - I’m told the smell is equally hostile.
My wife is currently in her 3rd year of medical school - she’s 31 and we had our first child 18 months ago, when she was in her second year.
It’s hard work - trying to revise for medical exams with broken sleep caused by teething toddlers etc isn’t easy - but it’s certainly manageable.
The major struggle is financial - we’re in the UK, so course fees are paid for by the Govt, but we still have to pay full-time childcare and a mortgage on a single income. Plus the long hours on the course mean I have to collect our daughter from nursery each day, which does mean leaving the office earlier than a lot of my colleagues (and thus might impact my career for a bit).
But it’s worth it - you’ll still have 20-30 yrs as a doctor if you started now, which is loads of time - and if it’s what you want to do you should give your other half a kick and tell him to sort himself out.
Take the DVM seriously. I work in a biotech company with a number of veterinary pathologists. Most got a PhD (a sort of mini PhD, admittedly) while in school and now are pretty happy, and always well paid.
The additional 7 years (probably a little more to take care of additional undergrad classes I may need) is definitely daunting.
Way back in 1993, when I first started college, I was pre-nursing but my sub-par chemistry grades kept me from getting into the school I wanted (Helene Fuld at the time) and I more or less gave up at that point. My father (who used to be a paramedic until he busted his pelvis) would love for me to be a nurse.
I know a bunch of former (under dispute) druggies who got into nursing because OMGz! I liek to help peeplz! Not sure if this is an AZ thing, or common in the nursing community. It’s enough to make me want to stay far far away from nursing.
The immediate gratification is tempting, though.
I also don’t think I have the patience (ha!) to be a nurse. The limited patient contact is what draws me to pathology. I may look into DVM. I would not mind doing veterinary pathology one little bit.
