41 man told to go into nursing because...

[ThatPoshGirl]

he was too old for medical school! A man in my precalculus class heard this from someone on the admissions committee at a nearby medical school. He was told they would never admit someone his age. Mind you, he is only two years away from his BS, which means he would be out of medical school before he was even 50. I don't even know if this is legal.

[ADPIE10]

Your story is consistent with what I have heard...

There are some individuals that are accepted after 40, but they usually bring other kinds of experience or success to the profession. Scholastic excellence alone is usually not a sole criteria that can win a person a slot when competing with a younger person.

On the other hand... many doctors burn out at the age of 50 and they still do not fulfill the ROI that many medical schools had originally anticipated.

Go figure :-)

[Faeriewand, ASN, RN]

He might want to consider a European med school. I think University of Karakow in Poland is only $10,000/yr and all instruction is in English as far as I know.

[Megsd, BSN, RN]

My grandma's boyfriend (man that sounds weird to me) is a podiatrist. He went to med school in his late 40s or early 50s after he retired from the military. He wound up in podiatry because, according to him, it was the only program that would accept someone that old. He's in his 70s now.

[RFWB]

I'm 29 and I'm finishing my LPN in three months. I'll just barely have my license before I hit 30 - about a month to spare if it all times out right. :)

I have my bachelors from a good private school and am halfway to my master's as well (both in music, so fat lot of good it's done me in nursing!!!) - but I've gotta say that one of the prime reasons I choose nursing school instead of med school is because I REALLY didn't see the appeal of starting med school at 30. I have too much that I want to do that would be back-burnered and delayed too much if I went that route...PA, NP, or CRNA is a much more realistic thing for me. I was also a little discouraged by some old college classmates who went straight to med school, who told me pretty bluntly that I'd be a less attractive candidate because I was older than the typical applicant - at 29!!!!!!! What Bull!!!

I think it's disgusting that someone would be kept from enrolling at a more "advanced" age though, if they had the desire. Frankly - i think the older you are, the more seriously you are liable to take your education - and consequently, probably your subsequent career. I know I'm ALOT more serious about school now than I was ten years ago at typical "college" age - too bad age is seen as a detriment rather than being valued for it's perspective.

[justme1972]

How many years does it take to pay off the massive student loans if a person does not start earning until their late 40's or later?

My brother said his Caribbean med school tuition was $50K a year.

Of course schools should not discriminate about age.

I would hope a person considering med school would have a sound financial plan whatever their age.

It's alot easier when you are making close to $200K a year.

Most physicians pay off their student loans in an average of five years.