Opinion: ‘They all think I’m insane’: What it’s like to start medical residency at 72

Every time Dawn Zuidgeest-Craft intended to apply to medical school, life got in the way. But after 45 years as a neonatal nurse practitioner, she finally did it, beginning medical school at the age of 69 in 2022.

The pivotal moment came after her husband had a health scare. As she told me on this episode of the “First Opinion Podcast,” she sat him down and said, “‘Well, honey, you know, this is crazy. You literally almost died. And life is too dang short. What’s on your bucket list?’ And he said, ‘I really want to travel the world.’ And I said, ‘Well, I still want to go to med school.’”

She hadn’t originally intended to practice after graduating, but soon, a week before she turns 73, she’ll begin her residency in family medicine. “I know what I’m getting into. I think a lot of young wannabes don’t have a clue, but I have a big clue,” she said.

Starting residency at her age comes with some surprising challenges: For instance, how does her employer handle a resident who is also on Medicare?

We discussed her journey to and through medical school, the public response to her story, and how long she hopes to practice. You can also read the First Opinion essay she wrote on her experience .

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