From Pharmacist to Pediatrician: Dr. Diane Hindman

After spending 25 years as a pharmacist, Dr. Hindman made the remarkable decision to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a physician at the age of 52. Although she built a successful career in pharmacy, she always felt drawn to the deeper patient relationships and clinical responsibilities that medicine offered. Having initially been steered away from medical school as a young woman in Canada, Dr. Hindman never lost sight of her childhood aspiration to become a physician. Today, she serves as a pediatrician in Lake Havasu, Arizona, which is the same community where she once began her pharmacy career. Dr. Hindman’s story is one of resilience and an unwavering commitment to following her true calling, no matter the stage of life.

1. What was your professional background before pursuing medicine, and how long were you in it before switching?

I was a pharmacist for 25 years before pursuing medicine with Trinity at 52 years old.

2. What led you to switch careers and pursue medicine?

I never really wanted to be a pharmacist. By the time I was 12, I already knew I wanted to be a doctor, specifically a pediatrician. I was the oldest in my family and the first to go to college. My parents sought consultation with both an MD and a guidance counselor. They both discouraged me from heading into medicine because I was a woman, and I also wanted to get married and have children. I did very well in science and math, and was going to end up in a career in the sciences as a result, so they basically said, "Why not pharmacy?" Their thinking was that it would be more conducive to my marrying and having children.

At that point, pharmacy school was structured in such a way that you could apply right out of high school, so I applied and was accepted. Even though it wasn't my dream, it was still exciting and a proud moment. At that point, pharmacy was already a difficult profession to get into in Canada. There was only one school of pharmacy in most provinces, and only eight in the whole country.

I worked as a pharmacist for 25 years. I interacted with wonderful people, had tremendous experiences, and learned a lot, but I was never quite where I envisioned being. I desired more direct patient contact and responsibility for the provision of their care.

To wrap up a long story, basically at 52 years old, divorced and having been a single mother for more than two decades, while fulfilling the role as director of pharmacy at a health care enterprise in Arizona, I realized that I couldn't see myself working in that field for another 15-20 years. It was time to pursue my original dream.

3. Looking back, what are some things you wish you had known back then to make the switch sooner?

The biggest thing was that I was a single parent from the time my youngest was not quite two years old. It would’ve been nice to have the finances and availability to make that career change sooner. As a single parent, it was really hard to think about changing careers.

As a pharmacist, I was doing well financially and professionally, but I was still not fully satisfied. I went back and did my PharmD, hoping that might at least give me more direct patient interaction and the ability to do research, but it wasn’t the same. There always seemed to be a glass ceiling over my head because I was ‘just a pharmacist.’ I knew that if I wanted to get more involved clinically and conduct research, I would be in a much better position if I were a physician.  

4. How was the transition from your previous career to becoming a med student?

The biggest challenge was moving, because I was going from Canada to the Caribbean. Luckily, because my kids were grown up and pretty much on their own, that wasn’t such a big deal. One graduated while I was in med school, and the other was finishing up his college training. Going from making money as a pharmacist to being a med student was also a transition, but it was okay, because I wanted to make that transition, and I was happy to have been in a position where I was able to do so.  

5. Was Trinity a good choice to make that career switch?

For me, Trinity was a great place. Would it have been easier to stay in Canada? Yes. But I was 52 when I applied to medical schools in Canada, and admissions never really took me seriously. I don’t think they believed that I would ever make the switch or even be successful with it. I had friends who were physicians in Canada who talked to some of the programs, and that was the feedback that they received, which was very discouraging.

While working as the director of pharmacy in Arizona, I got accepted into med school at the University of Arizona in Tucson; however, when it came down to the paperwork, I hadn’t gotten my green card, so they couldn’t take me because it was a state school, and I wasn’t a citizen. They advised me to apply the following year once I had a green card, but I decided at my age that I didn’t want to wait another year. It was then that I started looking at international medical schools.

In my search for other medical school options, I found some that were too far or too big until I found Trinity. Trinity seemed like a small, more intimate school where you would get to know people from different walks of life on a safe and friendly island; that was when I decided to attend Trinity.

6. Where did you match, how was your residency experience, and what are you doing now?

I matched in Pediatrics at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. My residency experience overall was good. The biggest challenge was that I was about 20 years older than virtually all of my attendings, and I believe some were threatened by the fact that I had been in the pharmacy world for as long as I had. However, my classmates found my background useful, and they’d always ask me questions regarding what medications to give patients.

After my pediatric residency, I pursued a medical toxicology fellowship at Emory University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). I worked in the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), which is a federal public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. After I graduated, I went into a full-time physician role in pediatrics and toxicology at Phoenix Children’s Hospital and the University of Arizona Drug and Poison Center.

Currently, I’m working in the small community of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, which, interestingly, is the first community where I worked in the U.S. as a pharmacist. I used to be the Director of Pharmacy at Havasu Regional Medical Center, and now I’m a Pediatrician here. Havasu is considered a city, but it is actually a small town, which I love. I got tired of the Phoenix traffic and all the chaos there. Coming back here, I mostly do primary care Pediatrics, but we also look after the newborn nursery, go to all C-sections, see pediatric patients in the ED, and care for them when they need to be admitted to the hospital. Because it’s about a four-and-a-half-hour drive from here to the major academic center, providing inpatient hospitalist care improves what is available for the community. If we don’t have to send everyone to Phoenix, it is better for many of the kids and families in the area. Overall, I got a great opportunity and have a supportive administration to make improvements and try to evolve where pediatrics can go in the community. We’re currently working with the University of Arizona and Phoenix Children’s Hospital to try to pursue rural training as well.        

7. In what ways do you feel your previous career skills benefit you now as a physician?

I spent a long time in healthcare, I mean, 25 years is pretty significant. I had worked in all areas of pharmacy. I had done a hospital pharmacy residency, so I worked in the hospital, in administration, in retail, in long-term care consulting, and in the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, which is the Ontario government’s health program. I also worked for Ontario’s primary care division. Overall, I had a great, varied background in pharmacy and medicine, and had lots of exposure to all aspects of medicine in the various places that I worked. I think understanding some of that, and also the bureaucracy and how things get funded, was helpful, but even being able to prescribe medicine and knowing what’s appropriate and how dangerous medications can be if not used appropriately, I think all of that was a big benefit.      

8. What advice would you give to professionals wanting to switch careers later in life?

You have to be prepared to do what it takes if you want to be successful. You have to look at your finances and your family's situation and know whether changing careers is the right decision. Going to medical school, then residency, and then going into practice takes a lot of sacrifice and dedication. If you’re not prepared for it ahead of time, you're probably going to get frustrated and be ready to throw in the towel. You have to do your homework and know what you're getting into. Also, when you become a med student, you need to know that you aren’t going to be handed a silver spoon and be told exactly what to do. Students have the responsibility to meet deadlines, prepare for exams, and apply themselves well to be able to attain residency.  

If you’re interested in learning how Trinity can support your dream of becoming a doctor, we invite you to reach out to our admissions team today! Contact us here.