Dear Jane:

As a career counselor, I know that it is vocationally significant when a client tells me they have a specific interest in a field, like your interest in endocrinology, rather than just telling me they want to be a doctor.

Even so, I have to give bad news: I don't think medical schools would consider anyone your age. That's because med schools want people young enough to have a long career and justify all the expensive, intensive training they provide. You could try to convince them that you will work until you are ninety, but they wouldn't believe you. So, what can you do that uses your interest in medicine, especially Endocrinology?

You can use your MBA, business experience and interest in Endocrinology to get into the medical field in a number of ways. I advise you to research which pharmaceutical companies specialize in drugs that treat endocrine disorders. Drug companies hire lots of MBA's to handle their business dealings, and this would get you closer to your field of interest.

Similarly, which medical centers in your area are best known for their Endocrinology Departments? Would you want to use your MBA to work at one of these? You might also try to work for a foundation that gives money for medical research. Your analytical and business skills might complement those with greater medical knowledge.

* The study of the endocrine system, hormones and receptors. Endocrinologists work with diseases like diabetes, and may deal with some aspects of areas such as fertility or weight.

The Career Doctor