Guy,
Anyone going into medicine at age 48 would have to be crazy. Even more crazy if they are doing it
for the money.
It was hard enough when I started medical school at age 21. It was literally torture, working 90+
hour weeks, only to go into a residency and work 100 hour weeks.
The flip side is that the 56% of doctors over 50 years old, when asked if they would do it all over
again and choose go to medical school, said they would choose NOT to go into medicine.
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2000/07/24/prl20724.htm
Similar findings in the UK.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/208046.stm
"A 1999 survey by Merritt, Hawkins & Associates, an Irving, Texas-based recruiting firm, indicates
that 10% of physicians age 50 or older say they plan to seek jobs in nonclinical settings during the
next three years."
In 2003, "a survey of 436 physicians ages 50 to 65 from across the country, 8 percent said they
would retire within three years, 10 percent said they would seek nonclinical work, 6 percent planned
to work on a temporary basis, 17 percent planned to close their practices and 7 percent said they
would seek other careers. "
As far as medical schools in the US, they vary in their MCAT and GPA requirements. Basically they
set a floor for applicant GPA and MCAT scores, and interview everyone above that minimum level. The
interviews and more careful readings of the personal recommendations weed out many of the
miscreants.
My advice:
If your primary reason for going to medical school is the money, don't do it. Find something else.
The best qualities to have are a true love for working with people, and the ability to communicate.
The best docs view themselves as educators, not dictators.
It does help to have great grades and MCAT scores, but the numbers of applicants to medical schools
are near an all-time low.
Total applicants, and change from prior year:
Applicants Change 1993 42,806 14.4% 1994 45,360 6.0% 1995 46,586 2.7% 1996 46,965 0.8%
1997 43,016 -8.4% 1998 40,996 -4.7% 1999 38,443 -6.2% 2000 37,089 -3.5% 2001 34,860 -
6.0% 2002 33,625 -3.5% 2003 34,785 3.4%
Source: AAMC Data Warehouse: Applicant Matriculant File as of Oct. 30
There are 17,000 medical school spots per year, thus half of all applicants get in now.
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2002/09/23/prsc0923.htm "Getting into medical school easier when
fewer compete"
Some food for thought.....
William C Biggs, MD
"Guy" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> I used to provide part time employment for college students.I had a few Premeds The admission
> standards for medical school were very high and the ones that expected to apply had to have a near
> 4.0 grade record.
>
> I believe in that concept and do not like any social or other factors entering the process.
>
> A person near me decided to make some real money and become a doctor. The problem is he was 48
> years old. No use wasting the great cost on a person that old So he did not make it in the US. He
> went to a foreign country and became a doc.
>
> When we come to life or death, the highest standards should be preserved. That is one
> justification for a higher compensation rate for docs.
>
> According to a friend, in the early fifties it was easy to be dropped from medical school in the
> later part of the program. NO morons or nuts wanted.
>
> Don't know about now. Guy
