Shall I train as a doctor at 48?

[OldieMama]

What would you do with this opportunity? There is an opportunity for me to do a medical degree for 6 years to become a medical doctor (I already have the title of Dr via my PhD, but in a different discipline). Should I leave it and focus on what I have already achieved or go the medical route? Think I'm too old to go for a completely different career. I am 48 years old. Advice much appreciated. My husband trained as a doctor but took a different career path. He's not in favour.

@PermanentTemporary

Gorgeous... I've no doubt your new career is intense and draining. So's mine, and I'm applying for a Masters aged 52, with the ultimate aim being a PhD. But medical training starting at 48, with kids still at school, is an entirely different proposition. I'm normally a big cheerleader for retraining. Anyway ill butt out.

I agree that having young kids makes it more complex.

But I don’t think it is an age thing... if she was 22 with a young kid it would be difficult too.

I love growing more experienced. I fee age is no barrier, in fact an asset in every challenge I take on. Wasn’t there some 75+ Japanese woman who climbed Mount Everest?

Yes I don't think it's your age per se that would make this difficult but more the fact that you have young children. I imagine sorting childcare would be very difficult and stressful and the overall pace of life exhausting and stressful unless you outsourced a lot. This wouldn't be just your issue to solve though obviously it's for your husband to sort as well so I don't mean to say that it would all be on you as it shouldn't be. Its just not the kind of lifestyle I'd want. I can say this with some confidence as my DH is in his twenties, recently qualified as a Physician Associate and was offered an opportunity to study medicine too. He turned it down because we have a toddler (and another baby on the way) and I will also be doing a few years of a gruelling study/training course in a couple of years and there's only so much we can balance, our family life and work life balance are very important to us. My DF went to med school at 40 and the only way he managed was because my DM worked very PT and did all the childcare. He massively struggled when it came to his FY1 year though mostly emotionally as he was used to being a senior academic and like another PP said about her nursing experience, he couldn't handle the rude attitudes a lot of the senior staff had to him as a junior even though he was about their age oftentimes. Also he struggled with exhaustion whilst working nights because it was hard to sleep when you have three young kids at home - of course that's true of any job that involves night working but I'd wager as an academic that isn't something you currently have to do.

There is a half way option you live once why not change career in later life? Go into medical just not a full Dr, what about 3 or 4 year degree and do medical research or nursing? I plan for a bug change in about your age I'm 39 now. Going to drink from the cooperate year make my money then retrain will earn less but I don't mind it's something I always wanted to do.

You may be more able to put in boundaries and to experience work-life balance because you do know a life pre-medicine

The person who wrote this has clearly never bren a junior doctor.

I am the 45 year old planning my retirement. I get an enormous amount out of my job. Also am well paid, the pension kicks ass, my patients rely on me and the state has invested a huge amount in training me for this job which I do to the best of my abilities.

So thanks for the suggestion (of retaining) but I think I'll stick with it and refine those plans of sailing round the med on my final salary pension.

My son is one year into training as an ODP
He absolutely loves it
He’s gone from nvq level 2 in computers, 12 years as a security monitor operator, 6 months as a carer and a year doing access to nursing in which he got distinctions
He’s 40 shortly
He will be 42 when he graduates

Would this appeal to you?
He has the full time support of his partner who is a sahm
So none of the house / children responsibility

It was a big step at 39 but being a single dad in his early 20s he just had to take what was on offer to put food on the table but he knew that he was capable of so much more.
You would be able to swerve the years access to nursing, so three years would see you fully qualified

Could you be a Physician's Associate? Two year course, very practical, could have a highly skilled clinical job in primary or secondary care.

What about dentistry?

5 years. Another doing vocational training (supervised dentistry)
Or do the dental therapist course. 3 year degree course. Simple fillings extraction lots of hygienist type work
They Usually work in a community dental practice hospital or nhs practice

No

@Quorafun what a great post, well done.

I really hope I can do something like this in a few years time. I am home with my youngest now and to me it's important to be a SAHM as my DH is out working long hours. I already had a few different careers and had success working up from the bottom. I hope once DC2 is in school I will relaunch again. I'll be starting something new age 45, I don't see why not.

Quorafun I love your post

No - would not recommend. It is physically very tough, with lots of additional pressures - not much time to do everything you want, not always the support - as people are busy/wards understaffed. There is the day job then at home extra studying for post grad exams, plus get all the assessments ticked off. No choice in christmases for a few years at junior level.

What do you like about medicine? Is it the helping people part? Is your phd a science field? Could some of the lab or allied health professions be good - nuclear medicine, radiographer, clinical scientist? Or public health, clinical informatics, data analyst for a health board? Speech and language therapist, physio. Each of these specialities can go very far and often they can be more experienced in their specific area than doctors who have to study many systems, but may not specialise until Several years after graduation.

Gosh, no. Madness.