Paying off student loans before retirement is one challenge of second-career medical school students. Medical school can put emotional and financial stress on marriages for older applicants. On occasion I am approached by an older candidate who asks, "What are my chances of getting into medical school?" Assuming the student meets the general application requirements, I take a moment to discuss on a few quality-of-life factors that may not have been considered. • Finances: There are financial sacrifices involved in going to medical school. One of my dear friends went to medical school after some years of working as a high school teacher. She wanted to stay in New York City near her family. Her living expenses were significant, her tuition was high, and the loans to accomplish her dream were many. Now she looks at the state of her financial affairs and tells me she will never be able to pay off her student loans by the time she retires, which will affed her ability to travel after a lifetime of working. Would her happiness factor be different had she remained a teacher, made less money, and had no night or weekend call? Who is to say? But it is clear that going to medical school cost her a great deal, in many ways. Three siblings I know decided to go into medicine as second careers. The first became a physician, the second a nurse practitioner, and the third a physician assistant. Each made different decisions about where to live and how many years to spend studying before earning a salary again. They made decisions about budgeting and how many loans to take out while in school. The physician decided to apply to the National Health Service Corps and work with the underserved after residency to help with loan repayment. The other two started working after fewer years of school. All are married and trying to balance the needs of their family with their student loans, some larger than others. In the end, I cannot tell you which of the siblings is happiest, but I can tell you that the longer you stay in school, the more money you will owe to a funding agency. • Relationships and marriage: I know several people who went to medical school after they were married. Some of these marriages lasted; others did not. In the ones that did not, there seemed to be a lack of understanding as to the time demands of being a medical student. Medical students have a shortage of free time, and they often may have to pass on attending family and social events. Money can be a contentious issue. Arguments over expenses when only one – or perhaps neither – is working is not unusual. Funding childcare needs and college tuition for older children present insurmountable hurdles for some couples. Geography is yet another issue. Relationships have fallen apart because a partner couldn't find a job where the student was accepted for medical school or residency. Sometimes couples are able to navigate these issues early only to have emotional wounds erupt again during residency training. A partner who more accurately anticipates the necessary sacrifices, shares the dream with their spouse and perceives medical school as a joint decision will have a better shot at a lasting marriage than one who is uninformed or misinformed. • The older student experience: There are clear benefits to being an older student. For example, older students bring life experiences and maturity to the classroom. Younger students, however, often have fewer responsibilities to juggle and can better tolerate sleep deprivation. Being an older student can prove frustrating at times. Some older students feel they can't relate to someone who is 22 and fresh out of college, and they can feel resentful when younger students seem less serious about joint projects. Likewise, younger students can feel frustrated when older students do not "catch on" quickly to more recent technology or knowledge. Nonetheless, all students must work together as a team just as they will when they are physicians working in a hospital. While it is admirable that older students are willing to make significant sacrifices for a second career, I caution you to carefully weigh the risks and benefits, with your eyes wide open, to the years ahead before making the leap to medical school. Source
I am 60yo. In 4 days I will complete the didactic years of medical school. In 2 months I will take boards. Adn in 2 years (at 62yo) I will graduate as a doctor. It is not for the faint of heart, but that is true if you are 25 or 60. The next question is can I finda residency that will take a 62yo. I know I was rejected by at least one SOM because they didn’t think so. If I don’t get a residency .... it will still have been worth every minute of it. The world needs more doctors. The non-traditional student is a resource waiting to be tapped.
