The Mature Medical Student

Medical School: The Final Frontier

It is difficult to say just exactly what motivates someone to make a career change, but I will try to give a rundown of the events and circumstances. I am now a graduate of the University of Kansas School of Medicine . The past few years have taken me well beyond the age of forty, added a number of grey hairs to my head, and given me intimate appreciation of the complaints of elderly patients. Even still, it has been one of the most enjoyable challenges of my life. I have attempted report on my progress, though I have not done well in keeping these pages up to date.

The desire to become a physician came early to me. As a child, I was fascinated with medicine, doctors, and hospitals. Although I was not an avid reader, much of what I did manage to read centered on stories about medical discoveries, epidemiology, or other related items. A sure way to induce me to pick up a magazine or newspaper was to leave it open to a medically related article.

What happened to my interest in medicine? It became derailed with youth and a love of music, which led to my "former" life as a musician. Anyone who has become involved in high school music programs (either one's self, or with children) knows that it is all-encompassing. Music permeates almost every activity. There is marching band, then orchestra, music lessons, youth symphony, music contest, musicals, recital performances.... The list is nearly endless. It doesn't take much imagination to see why someone would consider a career in music. I must admit that it is a pleasant way to spend one's high school years, but it became difficult for me to see how one could do anything else. In any case, graduation from high school came in June, 1970 and the circuitous journey toward medical school began.