AllHealthcare

Don't worry - you can do it! Are you going to school full time or part-time? Have you considered taking classes online? Because medical assisting is usually an hourly job, it is very likely that you will be able to work and go to school at the same time. This way you won't have to sacrifice your job and you will gain experience at the same time.

Hi, I just turned 47 and earned a BS last year. I had an AA and an AS, but thought it was holding me back in my career. I started out taking 2 classes at a time, but near the end I took 3. I did most of it online, which is GREAT! I thought I was too old, but then I thought in 5 years from now I would have my degree and the 5 years is going to pass whether I do it or not. I highly recommend online classes. My husband, a RN, is going for his masters online now and he's 49.

You can do it! I just went back to school this Fall I am pursuing my Masters Degree and I am 44. Before you know it you will be finished with your classes and you will be so glad you did it.

Hey, no matter what age you are when you make the decision, you will only regret it if you don't.  More than half of test performance is how stressed you are when you take it, so when you go to take the SAT test just take what you've learned, forget how freaked out you are about going back and rock the house.  Then go home and get some sleep because worrying about it afterward won't help either.  . . .   I particularly agree with the statement made earlier in the thread about time passing no matter what you do with it.  I just finaly got myself into the hospital based side of healthcare after futzing around for the last ten years deliberately trying to avoid my gut instinct to try to go to med school.  For that matter, I'm still futzing around, because my next goal is to earn enough money and go to PA school after which I will be attempting to obtain a position as a Radiology PA.  . . .  But, if the position is not one that I can find easily, or if I find it, and still don't feel satisfied with the amount of information, care, and comfort I can give to my patients with that much position, then I will be left with only one option once again which is med school. . . . .   Why don't I just go now?  I don't know. . .  because I feel that if I can obtain what I want with two years extra schooling then why sign up for 8-10 years extra now.  But if in 2 years I'm not totaly satisfied, then another 8-10 won't look half as bad since I'll have most of the coursework for it memorized already, and I'll be kickin' those little kids buts on the tests. . . . (more likely I'll just do fine since that whole brain cell/ youth thing works in the other direction)...  but I will certainly be able to compete for the hi-middle if not the top.   .. .. ..  Trust in yourself.  you know what you want now, and therefore are going to be focused.  Age is not a problem, and time would be a problem no matter what your age, so it will just be something you learn to manage. .. .. ..  Keep it up.

Hi, I hope I can encourage you.  I am 56 years old.  I never went to college because all I wanted was to have a family and I was fortunate to be able to be a stay-at-home mom until my youngest was 5 years old.  That was in 1985, and I started working as a medical transcriptionist.  My boss handed me a huge medical book, and told me to start learning the terms.  I also had never even heard of a "word processor", which back then was the new technology.  I have been a medical transcriptionist for 23 years.  I now work in a physical medicine department of a hospital.  I decided I could not sit 8 hours a day at a computer and type for another 15 years, or I would go crazy!  I decided I wanted to be an occupational therapy assistant, and hopefully get with a contract company and travel.  So I checked into it and found out it was a 2 year program, but I needed to have my basics out of the way first.  Then I found out I had to take an ACT test before I could enter college.  Mind you, I had not been in a school since 1970!  But I took the ACT, made 23, which isn't too bad, and now I am in my first year in OTA school.  I work full time, raise two grandchildren, and have kept a 4.0 grade average.  All this being said, I could not have done any of it without my husband, who is so proud of me and has taken over most of my "household" duties, including cooking!  I don't know if you are married, but if you're not, get with a good friend or close relative and get a good support system for yourself.  It makes a lot of difference.  I have worked with a girl who is now 38 and talked her into doing this with me.  She also has family, work, etc., and her husband is not quite as supportive as he could be, but she still maintained a 4.0.  She and I study together and help each other out as much as possible.  And like the post before, time will pass anyway, so you might as well not waste your time as I did and do it  now!  Good luck to you, and if I can encourage you in any way I will. 

Hi there, Almost 40,  I'll be 60 in December!!! 

After working 14 years for the same people, moving to accommodate my work and save on gas (they did not help with driving expenses), getting fired the next week, getting my new place broken into the next week, getting my identity stolen and my monies depleted the next week - what else could possibly happen? - It rained. I cried.  Then I enrolled in a Medical Assisting program.  What the heck?  I've been blessed to still be around, I have 40 years on the oldest person in my class and we keep each other challenged, positive and alive.   There will always be someone sick; there will always be someone needing care; there will always be doctors who need to be around real people, like us, who need to be needed too but are training to help out the right way.  Age is another number society has thrown at us.   The world is a truly wonderfully big yet ever so small place.  We can all have a piece of joy in this magnificent place!!  Stay encouraged,  Almost 40.  Stay up!!

Let's do this!! 

You can make it through school.  My experience is, though, after 40 jobs start drying up.  You can often find work as a home health care provider...for minimum wage.  It is very hard.  I made it almost all the way through the RN program.  My marriage didn't survive nursing school...I was in my late forties by that time and couldn't find a job, couldn't afford tuition, couldn't finish.  My next job was at minimum wage as a homecare person.  I was badly injured on the job, got retrained to be a phlebotomist.  Now, after thirty plus years of experience and continuing medical education, this University graduate, who has kept up with the changing times in medicine, has a state phlebotomy license (for over two years) is still unemployed.  I'm bright, attractive, articulate, almost sixty with no retirement funding -- maybe not so bright, and can't find work.  The older I get the more I see my job prospects evaporating before my eyes.  I'm terrified!  So at almost forty, buckle down and do it!  If I didn't enjoy keeping my mind active and learning more and more about medicine, the body human is fascinating and miraculous, I give up and find an ice floe to take a hike on...  Now is always the best time to take that first step.  Good luck to you!

Wow - you ladies are a great encouragement !!!!       I - too - am 56, and just think about going back to school and getting

further education in my XRay field.    I am a Radiologic Tech, which I got at age 33, single mom.     It was the hardest 2 years

of my life.     Now, my kids, (mine and stepchildren) are all grown, and I know I will be working for at least 10 more yrs and

would like to further my career, and of course, my $$$.     I have checked on Radiation, Ultra Sound, CT, MRI, there are no

schools close by, (Small town, central USA) and I feel kind of stuck)

We should all further ourselves and I highly recommend the Medical Fields, there will always be jobs !!!!!

Good Luck to all and WE CAN DO IT !!!!!!!        Does anyone know of Radiation Therapy schools (that are affordable, and

that I could keep my day job????)

I am not sure of radiologic schools.  You probably just have to start contacting schools and see what they are offering.  I am glad that you are continuing education.  It is real important these days--no matter what age.

I'm 54 and felt the need to drop my MA's license due to the fact that I can't do phlebotomy.  They won't let you in a nursing home unless you're an NA.  I like people, helping them, and realize that my resume has to change with the times.  There used to be a time when all you had to do is list your work duties.  I've been in retail for over 10 years, 8 years as a National Certified Medical Assistant, and am looking for another job because my husband was fired from his job and fears that the one he gets will be less per hour than the one he used to work for.