Dad Had Success as a Mechanic, But Wanted More — So He Went Back to School and Became a Doctor at 51 (Exclusive)
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09/15/2024 09:15 AM
"I like being the guy who's there to help them pick up the pieces, to help put life back together," Dr. Carl Allamby tells PEOPLE
Family and Cleveland Clinic Photography
Carl Allamby MD portraitDr. Carl Allamby, 53, is an emergency medicine doctor at the Cleveland Clinic, which is especially inspiring once you learn that he only became an doctor when he was 51.
For 25 years, Allamby worked as an automotive technician and a small business owner, a career he tells PEOPLE began out of "desperation," but led to a lot of success.
Still, even after building two additional locations and creating other related business, including a towing service and a used car company, Allamby realized he was searching for a more fulfilling career.
"I had always wanted to go into medicine as a child, it's just that where I grew up, there were a lot of things that were missing for people who want to become doctors," he tells PEOPLE. "There just wasn't a lot of money around, we grew up in a really poor neighborhood."
Family and Cleveland Clinic Photography
Carl Allamby service photoInitially heading to college to get a business degree, Allamby tells PEOPLE that a science class he took towards the end of his program changed everything.
"After I graduated, I decided that I did want to do something in the medical field," he says, adding that one of his professors "really encouraged me to go into medicine."
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In 2015, thanks to the money he was able to save, coupled with the support of his family and friendships with those already in the medical field, Allamby finally decided to make the leap and enroll in medical school.
"She was fantastic," he says of his wife. "She was a supporter of mine from day one…she was right by my side from day one, never a word of doubt."
And once he began medical school, Allamby says that it was time "to leave the automotive business behind."
Family and Cleveland Clinic Photography
Carl Allamby in garageAlthough it was hard, Allamby says that once he found a method of studying that worked for him, he knew that becoming a doctor was the path "for me."
As for his decision to practice emergency medicine, Allamby says he likes "being the guy who's there to help pick up the pieces, to put life back together."
Family and Cleveland Clinic Photography
Carl Allamby MD and family at commencementAnd even though his previous career doesn't have a lot to do with medicine on the surface, Allamby says it did prepare him for the road ahead.
"My whole life in my automotive career, my training of diagnostics, of repair, of doing complex procedures, of using information, highly advanced electronics," he says, "all of those things prepared me for medicine."
Related: Woman Endures 6 Brain Surgeries While Studying to Become Doctor: 'Life Can Be Beautiful Again'
Family and Cleveland Clinic Photography
Carl Allamby MD with patientIn 2019, when he was 47, Allamby graduated from medical school, which felt "fantastic."
"To finally see the culmination of all that work that I had put into and all of those relationships that I had formed...was one of the most memorable times of my life," he adds.
Family and Cleveland Clinic Photography
Carl Allamby MD at commencementAlthough he has an extremely busy schedule these days, Allamby tells PEOPLE that his secret to work/life balance is taking things "one day at a time" and keeping "a positive mindset."
And no matter what, the father of four and grandfather of one says he makes time for the things that matter, like ballroom dance lessons with his wife.
Family and Cleveland Clinic Photography
Carl Allamby MD and familyRelated: Micro-Preemie Was Born Weighing Less Than 2 Lbs. Soon She'll Be a Nurse at NICU That Saved Her Life
He also shares some sage advice to those who want to follow in his footsteps and go after their dreams later in life.
"You have to find some way to manage the present while working towards a different future," Allamby says. "When you have that kinda hope and those kinds of dreams, and you mesh that together with really good planning and surround yourself with really good people, almost anything can happen."
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