30-year-old mum wants to study medicine

With the greatest of respect, if you want to sell nursing, sell it because it is a different, but vital role - not because the candidate might not be able to do medicine. It shows very little respect to both your medical and nursing colleagues.

And pray tell, what happens when she has to do nursing placements? Isn't it the same arguments why she shouldn't do nursing either? If every possible problem has to first be overcome, nobody would ever get round to doing anything.

Am I mad?

Hi, am a newbie and would be very grateful for some advice.

As the title: 30-year-old with a 3-year-old and I want to be a doctor!

I have tried to forget about this 'pipedream' but I just can't get it out of my head.

During my GCSE's I wanted to do it but had zero support. My parents then took me abroad against my wishes so I missed out one year of my GCSEs.

Still managed to scrape 5 Bs (in the important subjects) and 2 Cs (derisory in my opinion).

Picked A Levels - Maths, physics, chem and further maths.

My mum saw my timetable and made me drop one as she didn't want me to do four subjects (she needed me at home).

I decided to drop chem as I was finding it a bit boring and the tutor wasn't very good.

That is when I had to drop the idea. Mum got pregnant in second year of A levels so again, scraped Physics (C), Maths (A), Further maths (D) - mum went into labour day before final exams for this.

Didn't go to uni - parents weren't supportive.

So there we are! Spent the next 12 years working, the last 6 in the voluntary sector but cuts are starting to bite and I may be redundant on sept.

I don't mean to ramble but needed to give background. Also don't mean to paint my folks as complete ogres - they do love me but have problems of their own, depression etc. They now do the childcare for free while I'm at work so not all bad.

So, my concerns if I follow this 'mad' path at this age - sorry - stage!

School run, time with child etc I have no idea what the timetable is like.

costs, esp now that tuition fees are up. partner and I are both on low income and he will be the main breadwinner but may also have to do school run etc meaning he may have to limit his hours too. How will I pay travel fees, and tuition fees especially?

I would only be able to study at Leeds - I know that really limits my options but I have no flexibility to travel further. They have an access course that I am enquiring about.

Lack of medical work exp.

Why do I want to be a doctor? Well, primarily, I love to have a go at solving problems and I like to advise and help others. My mother-in-law suffered from bowel cancer and I went with her to appointments to try and 'interpret' what the doctor was saying (not because of language - she speaks good English) but because the doctor was speaking gobbledegook as far as she was concerned and she was scared etc.

I was drawing diagrams of bowel etc to try and explain to wider family.

My sis just had some probs with blighted ovum and related gynae stuff. Again drew a diagram to explain to others who didn't understand.

I have loads of books of family medicine, etc.

The human bodys - its reactions etc- fascinate me and I want to harness this interest and use it with my other interest - helping people - so that I can make a difference.

Phew!

I would do an intensive A level course and get top marks in these.

Then apply.

Do Chem, Bio, and 2 other a levels you haven't done before.

Do a transfer course maybe? But I would do A levels though- I do the acess course near Leeds as well

Would you not recommend the Bradford, clinical science course- foundation year ?

Not in her case- she hasn't done the Science levels recently.

Well would you? I haven't done Foundation year.

How come the neg?! I wasn't aware of selection of medical applicants being made on age, insurance or tax costs?!

Wasn't me I don't think, if it was it was made in error - I most probably meant to neg rep the other guy.

Either way, sorry

Absolutely go for it! My friend's mother had no science qualifications, but at the age of fifty something she did the A Levels, got into medical school, and has just qualified as a doctor. You go girl

Thanks for the replies. Some of them have been most helpful esp the ones about older applicants on other people's courses - made me feel much better!

I've asked for info from Leeds about their next open day in June - hopefully that will give me some more insight. Can anyone give me some pointers on the best dept to contact for more info; is it the medical dept direct?

I realise that I am severely limiting myself but I can't uproot my family and Leeds is the easiest place to get to from the rural-ish place I live in - still half-hour train ride away on rickety half-hourly trains!

Not sure if Bradford do it too but that will be reachable by car only and don't think my budget can cope with the petrol and parking plus driving hassle.

So thanks again for taking the time to help me (those that have added something constructive that is, I noticed there were a few nutty posts that have been deleted- made me laugh though!)

I think that training a 50 year old is a complete waste of money. Neg me down, but why spend £300K on somebody who will work for just 10ish years?

As opposed to people who will take a medical degree and do other things? I know people now who already have a back door after full registration planned, and with increasingly incompetent government meddling, who can blame them?

I think that training a 50 year old is a complete waste of money. Neg me down, but why spend £300K on somebody who will work for just 10ish years?

sorry to burst your bubble, but people are neg repping you becos YOU ARE WRONG.

sorry to burst your bubble, but people are neg repping you becos YOU ARE WRONG.

yes you could control them.

you could, for instance, take on only people who are over 40.

Pretty much all of them would work in medicnie for the next 20 years, and not drop out like a fair chunk of those who joined as school leaver.

all you've done here is prove yourself wrong. Some advice, dont pretend you have knowledge about people/matters of whom you have no knowledge of whatsoever at this stage in your life.