Too Old to Pursue Med School?

Mike writes: I am 30 years old and have a concern about if indeed I am too old to be a doctor. My current job is paramedic … and I have just completed a 16-week police academy course to try and be a police/medic. However, I still have would like to full fill my ultimate goal of becoming a doctor. I would have to take the required pre-med classes and sit for the MCAT. I am looking at approx 6-7 years.

What do you think? Thank you for your time.

The Career Doctor responds: Mike, I have to borrow the answer from an esteemed advice columnist to respond to your question. The simple answer to your question is in asking you how old will you be in six or seven years if you do NOT go to medical school?

I am a big believer in finding and achieving your life’s calling. If you have determined your true calling is to be a doctor — and you can find a way financially and emotionally to achieve that goal — then you should go at it full steam. You’re 30? That’s nothing; you are still young — and you’ll have more maturity than the traditionally aged medical students.

I would suggest talking with an admissions counselor at a few medical schools and get the straight information on your potential based on your undergraduate record, your work experience, and a realistic goal for the MCAT. If you get a positive response, you can then set about developing a detailed plan for the next several years covering the pre-med courses you need to take, studying and taking the MCAT, and applying and (hopefully) attending medical school.

Finally, one other interesting Website that may help you in your decision-making about medical school: The Student Doctor Network.