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By Scott Colton, APR
Director of Medical Communications
Coffin, Kretchmar, and Potter, who willingly relinquished lucrative
careers in their mid-40s and 50s to begin the long and laborious
journey toward osteopathic fulfillment.
Pursuing a Longstanding Ambition
In the case of Dr. Coffin, who spent over 25 years working as
an assistant inspector, supervisory special agent, and acting unit
chief for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), an unsuccessful
attempt to attend medical school while he was pursuing his Master
of Science in Biochemistry from Ball State University in Muncie,
Indiana, only served to significantly delay—but not derail—his
medical school aspirations. After earning his master’s degree, Dr.
Coffin spent several years working as a research biochemist at Riley
Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.
Interestingly, it was during his years with the FBI that his interest
in pursuing a medical career was rekindled. “I joined the FBI as an
agent and worked mostly violent crime and organized crime cases,”
he explained. “Later, because of my science background, I was
he old adage that age is just a number has never been
truer than it is today. In a society where 70 is considered
the new 50 and TV icon Betty White is as scorchingly hot
as ever at the frisky young age of 90, is it any wonder that educa-
tional choices that once were almost exclusively the domain of the
under-30 set are now being pursued by distinguished professionals
nearly twice that age?
Take for instance OMS-II Elizabeth Potter, Ph.D., M.B.A., who
will be 59 when she graduates in 2015. Or Robert Coffin, D.O.,
M.S., who at a similar age just earned his Doctor of Osteopathic
Medicine degree from NSU-COM. Or OMS-III Joshua Kretchmar,
Ph.D., the baby of the bunch, who will be approaching 50 when he
graduates in 2014.
Making a career transition later in life is certainly not a new
phenomenon, especially in recent years due to the prolonged
economic downturn that has forced millions of people to reevaluate
their lives—and professional futures—as a result of losing their jobs.
However, the aforementioned scenario was not the case for Drs.
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COM Outlook . Summer 2012
Defying Tradition:
Senior Students Make Their
Latent Dreams Come True
T