Surviving Med School

A site dedicated to providing the best tips and advice on how to get into med school and how to organize yourself in order to graduate with honors.

Saturday 18 January 2014

Med School with 30 Years Old - Is It Even Possible?

Starting med school with 30 years of age - can it be done? A lot of people wonder if they are just simply too old for med school as it may seem like a bad idea at first. But why? Why is perusing your goals and gaining a better education a bad idea? For most people the answer is simple - I am just too old for med school. This isn't because people think that they won't be able to learn and graduate, but because it takes a lot of time to finish med school in the first place. 

You are not too old! :)
In fact, if we assume you've finished collage, it will take a minimum of 7 years to become a doctor. However, you would be surprised as to how many people actually enroll into med school with 30. While it is not the most common demographic, it is also not unusual to see people how are a lot older than that. You should have no prejudice about your age and I assure you that nobody will think less of you. The only thing that you really need to ask yourself is this - can I actually find the time to finish med school?

If you already have a job and family (especially kids) then finishing med school will be a very hard task. The task of successfully finishing med school within 7 to 8 years is already hard enough without the extra commitments hovering over your shoulder. Aside from the matter of time, I am sure that you know that med school is very expensive in the US.

Finishing a Medical School Abroad

The Caribbean is known for being full of offshore med schools that are full of people from North America. In fact, Wikipedia states that only 5% of the students here are from the local population and that the average students is from USA or Canada and their age is between 27 and 32. Sounds pretty good doesn't it? If you've been looking for information about medical school with 30 in the past then you've probably heard of these schools already.

offshore foreign medschool

But the problem is that these types of med schools are more suited towards people who already have a job in the industry (nurses for example) so that they can achieve better knowledge and education in order to improve their career. There is also a running opinion that offshore med schools are looked down upon once you start seeking a job. You can read more about offshore med schools on the link above, but for now let us talk about a different alternative: finishing medical school abroad in Europe.

Europe? Yeah, sounds like it is a bit too far away from home, especially for someone trying to go to med school with 30. But trust me when I say that is worth it! Not just for the skills and knowledge that you will gain, but also in a financial way. We recently talked about the Faculty of Medicine of Novi Sad in Serbia where tuition costs only ~4.800 dollars for a whole year! Mind you, this is a very good med school and we often hire their surgeons to come to the USA and work for us. But you might be wondering why is it so affordable then?

med school in novi sad
Med School in Novi Sad

There are several reasons. One of them is that most people in Serbia cannot afford prices like this. As a result, the government gives universities most of their funding and the costs for local and foreign students are significantly reduced. Another advantage of studying here are the low living costs and the special English class that you will attend once you enroll there.

This means that you will be a part of a small group of 20 people and as such you will have a higher quality of education as the faculty staff will have more time to dedicate themselves to your development. I strongly encourage you to view the link above for more information about this little gem that is attracting a lot of foreign students from North America and Western Europe each year.

Med School With 30 - an Alternative Idea

If you cannot support yourself through med school due to a lack of money or time this doesn't mean you have to give up on being a part of the medical industry. There are many similar careers that you can pursue in this field and they won't take so much of your time. An obvious example is that you can choose to become a Physician Assistant instead. Most of these programs are completed within 2 to 3 years and as such they may be a wiser choice. 

Most of your duties as a physician assistant will include counseling and treating patients. If you gain enough experience and work on your education via seminars and courses, you will be able to take part in the process of diagnosing illnesses as well as assisting during surgery. In most States you will also be able to prescribe certain medication.

For someone who is thinking of getting into med school at 30 this is a very good alternative. The job itself later on will provide you with a nice salary as well as with options to advanced your career. Along with this you will have a lot more free time for your social life or other projects unlike those who become doctors and surgeons.

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