Are There Trinity Alumni Who Started as Career Changers and Are Now Practicing Doctors?

Many Trinity School of Medicine alumni began their path to medicine after building careers in other healthcare roles, while others came to medicine from fields outside of healthcare entirely.  Today, they are practicing physicians and resident doctors across a range of specialties, showing career changers that pursuing their dream of earning an MD is possible with the right support. In fact, for students who come to medicine later in life, previous personal and career experiences are often major assets.

Meet Trinity Alumni Who Successfully Changed Careers to Become Physicians

Trinity alumni have taken many different paths to becoming physicians. 

• Dr. Heather Dill went from working as a paramedic to becoming a family medicine obstetrician. 
• Dr. Diane Hindman started her career as a pharmacist before becoming a pediatrician. 
• Dr. Kade Yaschuk brought his nursing background into medicine and is now an anesthesiologist at UMass Chan–Baystate. 
• Dr. Adele Harrison worked as a medical assistant and scribe before becoming an emergency medicine resident at Wellstar Kennestone. 
• Dr. Lareb Altaf worked as an EMT before entering emergency medicine residency at Bayhealth Medical Center. 
• Dr. Cole Ettingoff also started as an EMT and went on to become an emergency medicine resident.

Dr. Heather Dill: From Paramedic to Family Medicine Obstetrician

Dr. Heather Dill came to Trinity after 17 years in emergency services, moving from first responder to paramedic supervisor before making the leap to medical school. At Trinity, she found a supportive community, smaller class sizes, and faculty who were accessible when the demands of medical school, family, and life became challenging. Today, Dr. Dill works as a Family Medicine Obstetrician with surgical privileges, handling deliveries, C-sections, and more while preparing to open her own practice in Georgia.

“Passion doesn’t come with an expiration date, and no one should let fear, whether of starting over or starting from the bottom, hold them back” - Dr. Heather Dill

The Journey and Reason for Switching Careers - Dr. Heather Dill

Dr. Kade Yaschuk: From Nurse to Anesthesiology Resident

Dr. Kade Yaschuk came to medicine with a strong foundation in patient care, first earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and working as a registered nurse in the emergency department before pursuing medical school. After facing setbacks in the Canadian admissions process, he found a path forward at Trinity, where smaller class sizes, close faculty relationships, and structured clinical training helped him continue toward his goal of becoming a physician. Today, Dr. Yaschuk is an anesthesiology resident at UMass Chan Medical School-Baystate after matching into one of the most competitive specialties in medicine. 

“You have to take the leap and trust yourself. Trinity does a great job at giving you all the resources and putting everything in place for you to be successful” - Dr. Kade Yaschuk

How Trinity School of Medicine Supports Career Changers

Trinity recognizes the value of what career changers, like Dr. Dill and Dr. Yaschuk, have already achieved. Through a holistic admissions process, Trinity looks beyond a perfect academic record to consider the life experience, patient care background, resilience, and motivation applicants bring with them. Once students arrive, small class sizes and accessible faculty help create a more personal learning environment, where students can ask questions, get support early, and stay on track through the demands of medical school.

Hear From Trinity Alumni Who Took the Next Step

If you are considering a career change to medicine, hearing from someone who has already made that transition can help you better understand what the path looks like. Explore Trinity School of Medicine’s full alumni spotlight library to read more graduate stories. If you would like to speak directly with a career-changer alum whose background is similar to yours, reach out to our admissions team today to set up a connection.