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.

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.

Medical Faculty Novi Sad - Requirements, Studies in English and Costs

The Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad is a well-known med school in Eastern Europe that provides a special course in English for foreign students. Along with the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade it is one of the most prestigious schools of its kind on the Balkan peninsula. The faculty provides three courses for foreigners: medicine, pharmacy and dentistry. 

All of the courses are in English and they only accept 20 people per course each year. Thus, this means that getting in is a challenge, but it is well worth the effort. Just think about it - wouldn't it be awesome to be working in a group of 20 people? The professors will be able to fully dedicate themselves to your development and as such you will certainly get your money worth.

We will now go over the following questions:

1. Where is Novi Sad? What is it like?
2. What are the requirements to study in Novi Sad as a foreign student?
3. What are the tuition fees? The living costs?
4. General tips and advice

Why Study Medicine in Novi Sad?

The city of Novi Sad is located in the northern region of Serbia and it is the largest city in this region. However, it may seem rather small for someone from the US as it only has a population of roughly 230,000. If you have ever been to Italy or Austria then the architecture of the town will likely seem very familiar. It is a beautiful city with a long history and tradition which features people of various nationalities, religions and cultures. 

The Town Square is very beautiful and the people are quite friendly

Just about everyone in Novi Sad (and in Serbia) knows how to speak English as their second language and a lot of people may be able to talk in French or German. As a result you will find it very easy to navigate the city and meet new people, colleagues and friends. Aside from this the city is well-known for its restaurants and nightclubs and there are a lot of tourists from Europe throughout the year.

That's all well and fine. But why study med school here? Well, there are various reasons, but here a few that we can single out as bullet points:

• Three unique courses are available depending on your interests 
• You will work in a small group which means that the quality of your lessons will be better than in most places
• Tuition costs are very low and the costs of living aren't very high either
• You will get a chance to see real procedures and assist real doctors in medical clinics. A lot of other faculties offer this, but they execute it very late.
• The school itself is a part of a large complex which includes the town's medical center and hospital.