Hi!

Has anyone here studied medicine in a language other than their native language or English?

I’d love to hear about your experience, particularly how difficult you found the language barrier and medical terminology.

Hi everyone,

I’m 32 and currently work in marketing for a major fashion brand in France. By most objective measures, I’m in a pretty good position for my age: I earn good money, have a stable job, and have decent career prospects. I don’t have any major financial or professional problems, so I know I’m fortunate.

The issue is that I’m increasingly struggling to see myself doing this for the next 30 years.

I’ve become quite disillusioned with corporate marketing. A lot of my work revolves around selling products, brand strategies, corporate politics, presentations, and discussions about things that ultimately don’t feel particularly important to me. I don’t feel especially motivated by the idea of climbing the corporate ladder or eventually becoming a marketing director.

At the same time, I know I could continue on this path, make even more money, and probably build a very comfortable life. Walking away from that would mean giving up a lot of what I’ve already worked to achieve.

For some time now, I’ve been seriously considering going back to university to study medicine.

What attracts me is the idea of doing intellectually challenging work that has a tangible impact on people’s lives. I like the thought of solving real problems, developing genuine expertise, helping patients, and doing something that feels useful to society. I’m also drawn to the idea of having a profession with a clearer purpose than what I currently do.

Another appeal is the potential for long-term professional stability and the ability to work in different parts of the country, rather than having to live in a major city to access good career opportunities.

My biggest concern is the opportunity cost. If I started medical school now in France, I could be around 40 or older by the time I finished my training, depending on the path I took. I would have to deal with years of reduced income, give up my current professional momentum, and start over while many of my peers were reaching senior positions and earning much more.

On the other hand, I could still have 25–30 years of working life ahead of me. Is it really sensible to stay in a career I’m not passionate about simply because I’m already doing well financially?

I’d particularly appreciate honest perspectives from doctors, medical students, and people who have made major career changes later in life.

A few questions I’d love to hear your thoughts on:

• Is starting medical school at 32 a reasonable decision, especially when you already have a comfortable career?
• How difficult is it to manage the financial, academic, and personal realities of medical training as a mature student?
• For those working in medicine, does the reality of the profession match what you imagined before entering it?
• Is it possible to build a sustainable medical career while protecting time for hobbies, relationships, and travel?
• If you were in my position, would you seriously consider this change, or would you try to find a more meaningful career without starting from scratch?

I’m not looking for reassurance that it’s never too late to change careers. I’d genuinely appreciate arguments against this decision, including reasons why medicine might not be the answer I’m hoping it will be.

Thanks for reading, and I appreciate any honest advice.