“The best time to plant trees is 20 years ago, but the next best time is TODAY!”
Older students arrive with disparate inspiration, challenges, and merits than those of traditional medical students. There is no doubt that older residents bring a lot to the table; their experiences are invaluable, and grit and determination are intense.
“When you have gotten more life experiences than your younger colleagues, it helps you make connections with the patient schnap! When you are a young resident with just limited experiences in life, your vision is limited; it is hard to connect with patients. It is not impossible, but it is hard.” said Dr. Luis Espina (former mechanical engineer, who began his medical journey at the ripe age of 37, and residency in Family medicine in his early 40s) in his interview with Dr. Mikhail Varshavski
“No law in the US determines the upper limit in terms of the age of a person applying for residency.”
Are you an older applicant thinking about getting into medical school? Are you worried?
Don’t worry; we got you covered! Let’s kick off with the advantages you bring to the table-
Counterpoising young colleagues: You bring value, add new insights, and have the scope to inspire younger program participants.
You’ll have a diverse skill-set: You have seen the world, differing yourself from traditional medical students and residents. You have worked in various jobs, learned how to deal with multiple personalities, and absorbed a melange of skills, making interacting with patients and co-workers a breeze!
Resilience to BURNOUT: Younger physicians are 200 times more predisposed to experience burnout than physicians of older ages – according to a study published by the AMA (American Medical Association). This competence to maintain composure and serenity despite the job pressures every day gets infused in your work ethic over time.
Applying at your age conveys that you are eager to learn, are tenacious and hard-working, and have the determination of a dung beetle.
Past a certain age, you have seen the world enough, and have your priorities straight, and are most likely dedicated to your work in health care within the premises.
On the other hand, here are some aspects that older applicants will have to keep in mind-
DO THOROUGH GROUNDWORK! You have some diligent choices to make, like what medical specialties to apply. For instance, it is good advice to steer clear from departments like surgery, which give preferences to fresh, recent graduates.
Don’t underestimate the vastness of important exams like MCAT and USMLE. It can be challenging to get back into textbooks, and there will be significant studying to do, but hey! Nothing is impossible. It isn’t worth it if it comes easy, right?
The stakes will be higher and finance tighter. At an older age, you probably have a family to tend to. Your financial planning will have to be extremely thorough and regulated. Suppose you already have a medical degree and are into residency. In that case, you will be relatively relaxed as residency offers some salary.
You will have to match up! You will have to work a little extra to match the quick learners that the traditional students are.
Balancing your personal and professional life with a complete family gets tough, especially till you gain some steadiness. Empathy, Good communication, and respect will be requisite to maintaining a worthy relationship with those around you.
Postbaccalaureate programs are for students who are working toward a second bachelor’s degree.
In an article published in the New York Times, Dr. Darrell G. Kirch, who heads the A.A.M.C, says that – “post-bac programs fill a critical role in the medical field. In the absence of these programs, several people who would be great doctors would give up,”
In conclusion, medical school admission committees won’t decline you because of your age. Even if programs gauge you for your senility, it will not be an obstacle to your dream. It definitely won’t hold you back. In the end, there is only one thing medical schools are primarily looking at, applicants who will make great Physicians.
“It is never too late to officially wrap a stethoscope around your neck”
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Telehealth: Well, we all know that this field has been expanding rapidly for a couple of months due to Covid-19. For all those who are unaware of this term, telehealth in a nutshell: Telehealth is the delivery of healthcare, education, and health information services via remote technologies. Remote learning is the best opportunity for all those who want to gain valuable clinical experience amidst pandemic. The best thing about remote learning is you can learn from anywhere across this world. Virtual rotations are proven to be the glimmers of hope. If you are amongst the ones waiting for U.S. residency, you must participate in these programs. If you are unsure about this, look at the advantages that tele rotations provide you. We all know that learning never goes to waste.
Have you enrolled yourself yet? Are you still deciding? These tips will help you clear your misconceptions.
Perks of choosing Telehealth / Virtual rotations
Tele rotation: Access to healthcare, anytime, anywhere
It is convenient
Remote learning is relatively more convenient and safer, as you don’t have to go physically and still you can gain something fruitful. Making people’s lives a priority, tele rotations are a better opportunity to learn.
It is cost-effective
Again the best part of remote learning is that you can learn from the comfort of the home too. You won’t have to for visas, air tickets, living expenses, and much more. There are almost no traveling barriers. Ultimately, tele rotations are providing you the opportunity to rotate from your home. Participating in a virtual rotation will help you save your expenses.
Ease of access
Medical students or graduates who are remotely located or homebound can easily access these rotations. You just need to have an internet connection and you can easily participate in any of the programs. You can access tele rotations from any of the digital devices. Not only the devices, but you can also access virtual/ telerotations from anywhere in your home or other locations.
It’s available from any country
Many of you might be planning for USA residency but delayed due to COVID. But, don’t worry telehealth or virtual rotations are something that you can also access from where you are right now. Whether you are in India, Russia, or any other country, you need not worry about transportation. Virtual rotation makes the task easy for you.
Saves time
Tele rotations are done within a given period or according to the US. time zones. Meanwhile, you can complete your other works or spend time on something that you want to do. Virtual rotations don’t take your whole time and hence you can make the most of your remaining time.
Now that you know the benefits listed above, you must work harder to make your virtual rotations count. But just listing the benefits are not enough right? The important part is how can you make the most after enrolling in a tele rotation program. I recommend you to follow these tips to have a successful rotation experience. Make your tele rotation experience a memorable and fruitful one, so that it helps you in the future. Check out these tips.
Be a vibrant participant
To receive a stronger Letter of Recommendation (LoR), you must pay attention to every week’s lectures. Show interest in the specialty you choose. Also, before choosing a specialty, research well, and make the right decision for your future. Make sure that you are an active participant and understand everything well. LoR’s are generally based upon merit. Hence, being an active participant will lead you to a stronger LoR.
Limit interruptions
While remote learning, distractions are likely to arise more. But during the time of sessions, focus on what your preceptor teaches you. They will be sharing with you valuable information. You will have to limit your distractions and pay your full attention to the on-going rotation. Refrain from doing other activities while your tele rotations are going.
Make sure you have a strong internet connection
An Internet connection can be a big barrier to your tele rotations. Cross-check the connectivity requirements before you get started. Ensure that you have a proper connection when your rotations are going on.
Ask out your questions
Don’t shy from asking questions to your guide/preceptor. Ask out every single doubt that arises in your mind. Whether your query might be silly or important, clear all your queries. When you are paying for something, don’t let that time and money go waste. Hence, it’s always better to ask questions.
Interact with your preceptor more
As you all know that you may have to interact with other medical students too. Take this opportunity as a good chance and try to interact more with your preceptor as well as other students. You will get to know other people as well.
Are you interested in a tele rotation program? View our offered programs and apply today!
