What age is too old to become a doctor?
Is it 28, 30, 32?
Well, here is what we found on the AAMC website.
The Rev. Suzanne Watson
Undergraduate: UC San Diego, 1985 Major: Biology, minor in economics Graduate school: Master of divinity, Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley Medical school: Wake Forest School of Medicine, 2017 Specialty: Psychiatry (most likely)
What makes your story unique?
At 48, I began studying for the MCAT exam, even reviewing physics flash cards between services at St. David’s Episcopal Church in San Diego, where I was the priest in charge. I did well enough to apply and eventually be accepted at Wake Forest School of Medicine.
I see medicine as an evolution of my call to ministry and trust that the two are going to be combined in some way in the future. Life is short. I felt I owed it to myself and my creator to be a good steward of all the gifts that I’ve been given, and to pursue my dreams. This endeavor has made me feel more alive and happier than I’ve felt in a long time.
What advice do you have for applicants considering a career in medicine?
You’re never too old to live your dreams. Take a risk and try.
I've found in my ministry and in my own life it is the things that we don't try for that we regret the most, not the thing we pursue and fail at. Getting up every day knowing you are pursuing what makes your heart sing equips you for whatever challenges that might await.