How old is too old?

**kylelowe1990** · 14-11-2011, 02:46 AM

Hi guys, just a thread for discussion on ages and planned medicine entry ages, and if anybody knows the cut off point (if there is one) that universities have.

**dotvicky** · 14-11-2011, 02:58 AM

They aren't allowed to refuse to take you at any age. My (completely unsubstatiated) feeling though is that, up to 25 it's not an issue at all, in fact, it could be a positive benefit. Between 25 and 30, you should be fine. The wrong side of 30, you'll need to work a little harder to justify your place. The wrong side of 40, it can still be done and has been - Frank's mum is one on here - but I imagine you have to be quite exceptional.

I also think (also completely unsubstantiated) that some universities are more... "traditional" than others. For example, in my year on my course, we have a 35-year-old (me! - I'm the granny!), a 31-year-old, a 30-year-old, three or four 25-30 year-olds and everyone else is under 25. This is in a year of 250 people.

Cheers
Vicky

**kylelowe1990** · 14-11-2011, 03:16 AM

I had a feeling that couldnt turn away for age but i assumed that it would be harder as we get older! im lookin at entry when im 26-27, giving me enough time to find some money and get some more experience. How are you finding it being around people 10 years younger? and how do you cope with other commitments?!

**dotvicky** · 14-11-2011, 03:43 AM

I confess that I don't socialise too much with the 18-year-olds as they, for very good reasons, are partly at university to get drunk, meet people and discover themselves - all things that are in the past for me. However, I get on perfectly well with them - generally, medical students are the most empathetic, mature and intelligent students you are likely to find.

As for my other commitments, yes, it's very demanding but I am absolutely loving the course and while I work very very hard to keep both 'lives' going - my life as a student and my life as a mum - I wouldn't change it for the world.

On a practical level, I know my working style, I'm very motivated and I am *very* organised and efficient with my time. It also helps that I have a lot of support around me - especially a wonderful husband.

Cheers
Vicky

**kylelowe1990** · 14-11-2011, 03:51 AM

Sounds like your doing brilliant and you have 10 times the personal distractions that i do! do you mind me asking if you live on campus and which entry route you took to get into medicine? Also what past experience you have? thanks again!

**dotvicky** · 14-11-2011, 01:00 PM

Bristol is a city university and as such, I live at home with my family.

As for my entry route, I suppose it was pretty traditional - I did some A levels, some volunteering and work experience, applied for the medical school for the 5 year, did an interview and got a place. The A levels were in addition to those that I had already. I had Maths (A), Further Maths (B), Physics (B), Music AS (B) and Computing AS (B). I did Chemistry (A) and Human Biology AS (A) to top them up - I wonder if I was actually lucky not to have done the required ones first time around as I may not have gotten the grades. I also have a Physics degree (2:1).

I was already volunteering before I even considered medicine so had several years of that built up. As for work experience, technically I only had a week but I have lots of experience as both myself and my kids have spent far too much time in hospitals.

Ultimately, if you're looking for a foolproof list of things that will get you into medical school, there isn't one. Many of my other mature friends have had a completely different backgrounds and entry routes. You need to have your own story and express it as well as you can in the 4000 characters you have. There is also the very uncomfortable truth that it all seems to be to do with an element of luck as well. You can do everything you can to improve your chances by ticking as many boxes as possible but you may still get rejected for no other reason than it just wasn't your day... hence why people should apply to multiple universities and over several years if necessary.

Good luck and shout if you want me to look over your PS.

Cheers
Vicky

**Martigan** · 14-11-2011, 07:52 PM

I'm 39 (at least for a few days more) but I'm not the oldest on my course. There are at least two dozen 3 plus here in my year. The bulk are clustered around 28-30 though.

**dotvicky** · 14-11-2011, 08:31 PM

Heya Martigan,

Great to hear from you! Hope it's all going well.

Yes, Martigan's post shows how different schools seem to take different age makeups of students. Even Bristol's GEP programme (which only has 20 people on it) has mostly under 25-year-olds.

Obviously, I don't know what the makeup of the final intake was but I found the Barts GEP application process/interview far more geared towards the more mature applicant than the Bristol one.

Cheers
Vicky

**minnako** · 14-11-2011, 11:32 PM

Apparently the average age of our (Bart's) GEPs is late 20s could be a little older, meaning that for every more-or-less-straight-from-uni grad there are those with reasonably more experience. I think it fair to agree that they do gear that course in particular to those a bit older, though I know people in their early/mid 20s on it as well.

I know there are a few people in their 40s on the undergrad course, more in their 30s, and lots in the late 20s.

There's no set cut-off point (I suppose being just under retirement age would be one- reasonably you would have to work for the NHS for a few years to pay it all off (after all, the government is still subsidising our education, it costs £££ to train doctors. If you're in, say your mid 50s, by the time you graduate you may not spend that long in the NHS before you retire. Putting aside physical ability at different ages, the main argument seems to be financial, I guess.I think I remember some universities saying it would be very unlikely past 50, but I can't remember where I read it, so I wouldn't take that to heart.

(Happy birthday in advance, Martigan! hehe)

**minnako** · 14-11-2011, 11:33 PM

Apparently the average age of our (Bart's) GEPs is late 20s could be a little older, meaning that for every more-or-less-straight-from-uni grad there are those with reasonably more experience. I think it fair to agree that they do gear that course in particular to those a bit older, though I know people in their early/mid 20s on it as well.

I know there are a few people in their 40s on the undergrad course, more in their 30s, and lots in the late 20s.

There's no set cut-off point (I suppose being just under retirement age would be one- reasonably you would have to work for the NHS for a few years to pay it all off (after all, the government is still subsidising our education, it costs £££ to train doctors. If you're in, say your mid 50s, by the time you graduate you may not spend that long in the NHS before you retire. Putting aside physical ability at different ages, the main argument seems to be financial, I guess.I think I remember some universities saying it would be very unlikely past 50, but I can't remember where I read it, so I wouldn't take that to heart.

(Happy birthday in advance, Martigan! hehe)