Carl Allamby, MD
Emergency Medicine Physician
Emergency Flight Physician
Cleveland Clinic Hospital
Saturday October 24, 2026,
12pm-1:30pm PST
Workshop Description:
If you have ever wondered whether you are too old, too far behind, or too different from the traditional premed student, this workshop is for you. Community college and university premedical students will hear a powerful reminder that there is no single timeline, background, or starting point required to become a physician. Carl Allamby, MD, Emergency Medicine Physician and Emergency Flight Physician at Cleveland Clinic Hospital, will share his remarkable journey from working as a car mechanic to entering medical school at age 47 and building a career in emergency medicine. Students will hear about career change, perseverance, academic preparation, medical school admissions, overcoming doubt, and continuing forward when the traditional path does not fit. Come, ask your questions, and get answers from someone who has lived this journey firsthand. Hear directly from the source instead of relying on second hand information, bad advice, or people who have no clue about the admissions process. Whether you are 18, 28, 38, 48, or beyond, your timeline does not disqualify your dream. Medicine needs people with life experience, resilience, purpose, and perspective. Your path may look different, but different does not mean impossible. Your white coat dream still has time.
About the Speaker:
Dr. Carl Allamby is an Emergency Medicine Physician in Cleveland Ohio who is associate staff at Cleveland Clinic Hospital and is an Emergency Flight Physician at Metro Health Hospital. He specializes in life saving techniques and the prevention of illness and injury progression. However, this was not always his job. He used to be a business owner and professional automotive technician for 25 years but gave up this career to pursue a lifelong dream. His story of career change has been featured in many newspapers, TV news outlets locally and nationally, appearing on CBS Evening News with Steve Hartman, NPR’s Morning Edition with Scott Simon and The Kelly Clarkson Show. Additionally, other prominent internet mediums such as Reader’s Digest, AARP and many other local and national programs have featured his incredible life journey. He has been on radio stations in Cleveland, Toronto and Cincinnati to highlight his story and as an advocate for perseverance and progression. Medscape awarded Dr. Allamby with the distinguished title of one of the best physicians of 2019.
As a medical student and graduate from Northeast Ohio Medical University, Dr. Allamby was appointed to the Board of Trustees by Governor John Kasick and was also a member of the Admissions Committee. As part of the Presidential Search Committee, Carl participated in selecting the most recent University President. Additionally, he was a Community Advisory Board Member for Cleveland State University and a mentor for many Health Science students. As the President of NEOMED’s local chapter of Student National Medical Association in 2017 and 2018, Carl helped to promote the ongoing legacy of diversity and inclusion of minority professionals in the field of medicine.
Additionally, he obtained two bachelor’s degrees from Cleveland State University and Ursuline College, graduating summa cum laude from both institutions. He is a member of Alpha Sigma Lambda, Phi Theta Kappa and Golden Key Honor Societies. Somehow, Dr. Allamby accomplished all of the aforementioned as a second career while raising a family of four with his wife Kim.
In his former career as a business owner and automotive technician, Carl was an ASE Certified Master Technician and Engine Performance Specialist. The two locations of auto repair and used car sales facilities employed many people from the local community and served the local population for 25 years. As mentioned above, Dr. Allamby traded in his toolbox for a stethoscope to begin a new career as a medical professional.
Carl began the business at the age of 19, mostly because there were very few jobs and opportunities in the neighborhood where he grew up. He was always savvy with mechanics and electronics but attended two years of automotive classes at the local community college at night to enhance his skills and proficiency in auto repair and became a Master Technician in his early twenties. The business continually grew over the years as he hired more employees and serviced more vehicles. After numerous years in business, Carl decided to pursue a formal business degree. It was during this time that he rediscovered his childhood passion of becoming a doctor and decided to give up a career of a quarter century for the opportunity to further serve humanity as a medical professional.
Dr. Allamby’s goal in medicine is not only to decrease mortality and prevent illness, he is also passionate about influencing people from all walks of life to pursue greatness and success by following their dreams and desires. This is especially true for people from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds. Dr. Allamby wants people to know that their current situation in life can be improved through education, hard work, perseverance and community connections.
Register for Free:
What: Starting Medical School at 47: From Car Mechanic to Emergency Physician
When: Saturday, October 24, 2026, 12 PM (Pacific Standard Time)
You will receive an immediate email confirmation of your registration from Zoom. PLEASE check your SPAM or JUNK folder, as the email might be directed there. Additionally, you will receive an email reminder from Zoom ONE hour before the event, sent to the same email address you used for registration.
