To ask in your very honest opinion what age do you think it's too late to retrain as a doctor?

[VladmirsPoutine]

Considering you'd then need time to specialise and become a consultant?

Please be as frank as you can because I just want to know. I'm considering this path and I'm early 30s. I'd have to start from scratch basically. Though I have 3 degrees none of them are science related and I've mainly always worked in communications/writing/advertising and that sort of thing.

I'm also baffled by this thread. I know older med grads, but they started with an AHP background (with additional masters in biochemistry in one instance).
I think it's great to have dreams and aspirations, but if you don't like / understand science, then you clearly haven't really thought about what is involved about becoming a psychiatrist, apart from that you'll be working in mental health (and on a healthy salary?). And having a part time job during training? Hahahahaha!!!
Sorry OP, I don't mean to be mean, honestly. There are many other roles within mental health that are far more obtainable (and aren't science based ). Go do your research, and find something else that will work for you.

Is it still correct that anyone can set themselves up as a psychotherapist? No training or qualification needed.
I was told this some years ago by a qualified and experienced doctor. I really hope it's not true!

Op I don't think you are too old, but I would seriously caution anyone thinking of pursuing medicine as a career at the moment, at least in the UK.

Working conditions are terrible, and frankly unsafe. Pay is terrible (but apparently we aren't allowed to talk about that). Support is non-existant. There is an extremely high suicide rate amongst doctors.

Foundation years are gruelling with long hours, poor senior support, unsafe staffing, bullying... I could go on.

There is also the moving around constantly. It's a national application process, and many are forced to move far from friends and family and where they want to be. Plus, even when you are allocated to a deanery, they can be pretty large, with long distances between placements.

I have a friend who has just qualified and is now doing her F1 junior doctor year. She is 42, and started on this path in her mid 30s having previously had a degree in Physics.

I don't think age is at all a barrier to you retraining to a new career - go for it. But I am not convinced that consultant psychiatry or psychology is actually the right path for you given your statements so far on this thread.

Most university careers departments remain an available resource for alumni, and many these days have computerised tests that can help you to identify career options that may not have occurred to you. Talking to the careers service of your previous university would be my advice.

Agree with those highlighting that clinical psychology is very competitive. Stats here - www.leeds.ac.uk/chpccp/numbers.html Not to say it wouldn't be doable but certainly not easy. Needs GBR and a good amount of experience, AP posts are paid at band 4 and can be even more competitive than the doctorate. Other routes to therapy include IAPT High intensity training, although this is very CBT focused.

One of my best friends is a consultant psychiatrist (and one of her colleagues I knew through a mutual friend as a teenager), both EXCELLENT at what they do but taken them 20 years to get to where they are.

but I want to stay in london

but I want to be a consultant psychiatrist

Yeah, no.

You have no interest or understanding of science. You have no understanding of what is involved to be a consultant psychiatrist.

You would be unlikely to secure a consultant psychiatry job without having strong research background and have published some papers. Adding yet more time onto the perceived time to role.

It is also a relatively underfunded area (although most doctors will tell you their specialities are underfunded).

Clinical psychology is similarly (maybe even harder) to archive and involves taking whichever job and whichever degree place wherever in the country you are lucky enough to secure.

If you want to work in MH field there are other ways to do this, without being a consultant psychiatrist.

It’s great to have dreams, but I’d say this is just that. An unrealistic pipe dream.

I agree that your problem isn't your age. Your problem is your lack of science, maths and work experience, and the presumption that you will be able to work through the degree to self fund.

I read medicine as a mature student (late 20s, one child). I have a strong science and maths background and didn't need to work to fund myself. I left - the further I got into the degree, the more apparent it became that I would have to sacrifice my family life, marriage, and possibly my mental health, and experience poor working conditions, high responsibility and risk and relatively low pay in return (and this despite loving the science, the degree, the people, the practical side). Almost everyone above me at all levels were unhappy to some degree and had regrets. Most counselled me to choose another path. Some were trapped, some were looking for escape plans, some were leaving or emigrating.

It's hard enough to study and work under those conditions when you love the subject matter, but I can't imagine how you'd push yourself through decades of studying and working with a subject you don't understand/like in order for a less than guaranteed chance of accessing a role you think you might enjoy. It seems a big gamble.

Some in-depth research is advisable, perhaps looking into what medicine really entails and what alternatives might be available in your field of interest.