Hace+ time+ que

[Oldman]

thanks. I think I concluded hace+ que+ no+ preterite makes no sense and I don't need to worry about it, not only because of what you and Rusty are saying, but in my example below, there is no meaningful answer to the question even though the data points are all seemingly supplied to answer the question.

" ¿Cuánto tiempo hace que no estudiaste medicina?

Let's assume that you began not studying at time M (M could be the day you were born). Let's assume that you stopped not studying at time N (meaning that you began to study) and let's assume that today is time. P

Are you thinking the question is asking what N -M is, or what P-N is?"