Older Student Returns

[CTR67]

I am 60 + years old and dreamed of being a PA. Know there are some limitations ,but I have worked as a teacher with a masters degree , currently a certified Nurse assistant in a major urban hospital, enrolled in a community college Pre physician program. I have finished my life sciences and now 4 chemistry classes are ahead. Should I go for it? What Schools would be good for me to look at ? There is hard work ahead.

CTR67

 

[thinkertdm]

Yes.  The only limitation is yourself, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

[SoCal_PA]

Yes, go for it! The beauty of the PA profession is that it is full of people from various backgrounds

[Joelseff]

https://goo.gl/images/pAZokp

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[UGoLong]

As far as getting into school, I started PA school at 58 and found no real age discrimination in getting accepted. The average student is a 24 year-old woman so us older guys may have an edge as most programs seem to value diversity.

 

I started working as a PA when I was 60 and worked full-time until I was about 69. At first, I was working about 10 hours a day 5 days a week. Later, I switched to 4 ten hour days. By 69, I was ready for a change. I started teaching half-time for a PA program in Columbus, one day a week with my same cardiology practice, and then two days each month riding with my old EMS unit (up to now, I've kept my paramedic card). Fridays, I mostly hang out with our 4-year-old granddaughter (we have a total of 7).

 

I still enjoy the PA gig, though I am now exclusively in hospitals. My Tuesdays can go 14 hours, but at least I don't do that two days in a row. Teaching has become a blast; I run their SimLab (which lets me combine my engineering and medical skills), as well as do most of their cardiology lectures and other topics here and there. Being with young, enthusiastic students has kept me reasonably young; I'll be 73 in June.

 

Getting older has tempered me a bit, I guess. I still believe that becoming a PA was the right thing for me, even at 60. I've gotten to make contributions that I could never have made and I'm still working, which I could not imagine doing if I had not changed professions. (At 55 and a management consultant, I wondered how I could work until I turned 66.)

 

At the same time, I have become increasingly aware that I won't be here forever. In the last two years, my wife I and I have both gotten serious diagnoses that so far we've beaten. We're both doing fine now, but these have been clarifying experiences. When I got sick, I realized that all I really still wanted in life is grow old with my wife (we've been married for 50 years) and see what happens in our grandchildrens' lives. 

 

Now I just tell my various employers when we'll be on vacation and I work because that's what I want to do. When I was home recovering from surgery, I realized that I was mostly home alone as my retired wife had all kinds of activities and friends she likes to be with during most days. So I might as well do what I enjoy, which is meaningful work and frequent short trips.

 

I think that, if I got a job at 60, there is a good chance you could even later. I suppose it depends on how long you intend to work and how much investment an employer would need to make to train you. 

 

Unknown to me at the time I was first hired, my boss had told another PA in the office that he was reluctant to hire someone my age because I probably wouldn't work very long. She told the doc that I must be serious about wanting to work if I quit a perfectly good job and went through the expense and trials of PA school. I was hired and now I am the longest-tenured employee in the practice (besides the doc).

 

I wish you the best. If I had the last 20 years to do over, I would do just what I did. Now it's up to you to decide if it's for you. Please let me know if I can be of any help.

[ohiovolffemtp]

Similar to but slightly younger than UGoLong:  got my license at 55, now have done 6 years of EM.  Still love it, but just switched my primary hospital to a lower volume critical access hospital - though the switch was to work for a much better smaller company.  Still run a bit as a medic too.  I did have 1 question that was "sort of" asked during my interview for my 1st job: "Will you be willing to work nights and weekends?"  with the ED director - 2 years older than me who only works days - then he added "at your age".  We both smiled because we knew you can't actually phrase it like that.  I found my life experience very helpful in dealing with patients.  Your experience will do that same for you.  You'll also have a good handle on what sick looks like - something the 20 year old's learned along the wall.  

Short version: if it's something you want to do and the finances work: go for it!!

[brooks23]

A long time ago I shadowed a gentleman who graduated at 72. He was a pharmacist by trade and followed his dream to practice medicine. Don't let your age deter you from following your passions! Good luck!

[sas5814]

I wish I could remember his name but there was a 2 or 3 star general who served in the Army at the same time I did who retired from the Army and went to PA school. He was not spring chicken and he was a bit of a legend.