S3E7: Age is Irrelevant with Terra Aguirre

Host Leslie Pagel interviews Terra Aguirre on Purpose Project’s season about living “to the beat of our own drum.” Terra, now 55 and in her third year of medical school, describes pursuing a childhood dream after years focused on family and work and a turning point at 50 as an empty nester. Encouraged by her husband, daughters, and a physician sister, she proved she could still succeed academically, studied for the MCAT, and entered medical school.—Three weeks before classes began she learned that she had early-stage breast cancer, which didn’t stop her. Terra shares challenges of being older among her peers, supportive reactions during rotations, her goal of family medicine in Indiana, core beliefs (dedication, service, gratitude, faith), relationship tradeoffs, and advice to prioritize health, prepare mentally, research the path, and go for it. Leslie reflects on shared themes of purpose, age not being a limitation, and the power of support systems.

00:00 Meet Terra Aguirre

01:18 Breaking Age Norms

01:53 Childhood Dream Deferred

02:54 Turning 50 Wake Up Call

06:52 Support System Says Go

07:33 Fear Doubt And Drive

09:56 Proving Herself Back In Class

13:24 Breast Cancer Before Day One

15:36 Finding Strength In Treatment

17:29 Fitting In With Younger Cohort

19:38 Third Year Reflections

20:29 Age Questions and Acceptance

22:35 Experience as an Advantage

24:04 Inspiring Others to Start

25:33 Core Beliefs and Gratitude

27:37 Relationships and Sacrifice

31:34 Advice for Late Careers

33:27 Self Care Turning Point

39:11 Host Reflection and Outro

Purpose Project is a research study on the topic of life's purpose. You can follow along in the making of Purpose Project:
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Transcript

0:04

Welcome back to Purpose Project. I'm Leslie Pagel, and this season we are exploring what it means to live life to the beat of our own drum. In today's episode, I sit down with Terra Aguirre, who is living proof that age does not define us. At the age of 50, Terra has made a bold decision to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor. Today, she is in her third year of medical school. I cannot wait for you to listen to her story, so let's get started.

Leslie 0:40

Terra, thank you so much for being on Purpose Project. I am really looking forward to digging into your story about living the beat of your drum.

Terra 0:51

Happy to be here. Nervous to be here, but yeah, I'm excited to tell kind of a different story.

Leslie 0:56

Awesome. season three, A Purpose Project is all about digging in and learning as much as we can from people who are out there living the beat of their own drums. And maybe we could start with you. Sharing how someone might say that you are going against social norms.

Terra 1:18

Well, that's an easy one because I am, what's now a 55-year-old, third year medical student, You don't see a lot of people going to medical school in their fifties, you know, and, and being surrounded by a cohort of peers in their mostly twenties. So, that certainly has been a journey of kind of, you know, breaking up against social norms.

Leslie 1:39

I'd love to, dig into the story. So 55-year-old decides to go to medical school. Take us back to the point in your life where This decision where you made this decision?

Terra 1:53

Well there's probably kind of two parts. So I wanted to be a doctor since I was a little kid. I remember running around telling people when I was, probably in elementary school that I was gonna be a pathologist. I don't think I had a clue what, that meant. But, you know, I was gonna be a doctor from the time I was a small kid. in my twenties I applied to med school, and didn't get in on the, the first try. So went to graduate school with the intent to apply again, when it was time to apply again. nobody wants to be rejected twice. and I just had my second daughter and so just kind of took a break and said I'm gonna. I'm gonna do the mom thing for a little bit and just maybe put this on hold for a tiny bit. You know, kids grow, they get busy in sports and activities. You end up in a job and somehow life just kind of goes on and takes over and your kids and your spouse becomes, you know, your priority and your focus. And somewhere along the way that dream, you know, your dreams of your youth just kind of fade away. so when I was turning 50. My youngest went to college, I thought, I really wanna work 25 more years. What am I, what am I doing? I don't, I mean, I was grateful for the opportunities I've had, but I didn't, never loved what I was doing. Mm-hmm. I thought, I wonder if I could look back into healthcare. Maybe I could become a nurse. I wonder what it would take to become a nurse. Nurses are amazing. and so I did some investigation, you know, kind of looked at that. talked to some friends and family, you know, everybody was supportive. Yeah, absolutely. Do, do what you think you'll love. And I saved the person for last that I was most worried about her opinion. And that's one of my sisters who's a doctor. And I said, what do you think if I do this? And she said. I think that's fantastic. If you wanna be a nurse, nurses are amazing and I'm so sorry for that beep. But she said, you have always wanted to be a doctor. Just go be a doctor. And I said, I'm too old to be a doctor. She's like, age is kind of irrelevant. Just go be a doctor. So that's really what started. That journey, and did some investigation. It turns out prerequisites for med school never expire. They just wanna see that you can do it. So I took a semester of classes to prove I could still study and be successful. And here I am in year three.

Leslie 4:08

Okay, so I hear a story of, in some ways earlier. Moving with some social norms. yes. You know, going to college, having the family and all of that, and then hitting this point in your life. Was it turning 50 that maybe was a, trigger for it, or was, was there something else?

Terra 4:31

I think on every major birthday, you know, thirty, thirty five, forty, all those, you tend to take stock a little bit. Like, how am I doing? Where did I think I was gonna be? Where am I at? Am I. Satisfied with the impact I've had in the world. You know, those kind of things. so that was probably part A and, and part B was I became an empty nester, which was. A ton of fun. I mean, I love my girls, but being an empty nester was actually pretty fun, but it felt like there was so much more I could be doing.

Leslie 5:02

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Terra 5:03

So I think those two things kind of happened simultaneously and created this environment where I went, wow, I've got so much left to do yet, and so much energy, and why am I not doing something I love?

Leslie 5:16

Okay, so two things triggered this taking a step back and just reflecting on where you're at and realizing that I still have so much more to give looking forward. And when I think about giving that and I think about what I'm doing right now, there's a, a misalignment. So

Terra 5:38

yes,

Leslie 5:39

exploring back in your childhood that passion for wanting to be a doctor.

Terra 5:45

And I don't, I probably didn't even have to look that far back. I, I think for, for several years, obviously, I kind of put that dream of being a doctor. I just thought it would never happen. But, you know, there are people that love to paint or dance or whatever, but that's not their career. So they do that as a hobby. Right. so I have been volunteering at a free clinic in a manager capacity free medical clinic for years. I mean, I think 13 or 14 years now. And I thought that would scratch that itch, so to speak, and, and let me be around that and, and see a way to help people. But I think it was the same as kind of in my professional life, I worked for organizations. It had a lot of impact around the world, but I didn't get to do that directly. And it was the same thing, volunteering for a free medical clinic. I love doing it, but I didn't get to have any direct impact and so that, I think that kept that spark kind of in the back of my mind this whole time.

Leslie 6:45

Okay, so then you decide, I'm gonna do something about this. I'm going to take a step forward.

Terra 6:52

Yes.

Leslie 6:52

And that step for you was getting. Input from other people. You talked about kind of reaching out to some people, and then the last one was your sister.

Terra 7:03

Yes. Well, I mean, the first one was my husband. Right. I obviously needed his, his buy-in and support right from the beginning. Mm-hmm. and he's, he is been, you know, my biggest fan and biggest supporter and, and my girls of course too. But, It's funny at different points in your life or different decisions that you're making, the people that feel like they have some weight who, who kind of know what that path is like and, and can validate that, yeah, you can do it, or, I'm not sure you know, what you're signing up for. So.

Leslie 7:33

Mm. So when you were gathering this feedback and input from those people, how were you feeling in that moment?

Terra 7:43

Excited and a little bit terrified. It's probably like my discomfort doing this is I'm a, I'm an introvert, and I sometimes have a tendency, I think, to be driven by fear, like a lot of people are. You know, you're afraid of failing, you're afraid of what people will think. And starting down this path, I could see all this potential and how I could have impact in my community. But a little bit like, what if it doesn't go well? What if I can't do it? What if all these people find out what I'm doing and then it doesn't go well or things don't happen the way I'm hoping that they happen? And so there was a lot of excitement, but still that little bit of doubt back there. But I think it's something that I've wanted long enough that even still, almost every day, I feel a little bit uncomfortable, but never uncomfortable enough that I don't wanna do it.

Leslie 8:37

Okay. Was there any time in this moment where you heard something that made you question, what am I doing?

Terra 8:48

I think for me, but probably for a lot of us, you know, we're our own worst critics, you know? And we worry more about what other people are thinking and judging than they really are.'cause they're really worried about their own lives too. And we worry. More about our own success and failures, and the what ifs. so I think I was probably a little more apprehensive, you know, than anybody else.

Leslie 9:16

Yeah. and then you get to the last person and, and you're thinking, okay, this is gonna be my biggest critic here. Yeah. And, and then the opposite, like

Terra 9:26

Right.

Leslie 9:26

Total support for you. Yes. and actually what I heard is even go beyond being a

Terra 9:32

nurse. Go. Yes.

Leslie 9:32

Yeah,

Terra 9:34

go bigger. Go. And, and nurses are amazing. So it wasn't, it wasn't that she just knew my heart's desire from being a kid from growing up mm-hmm. Was being a doctor.

Leslie 9:44

Right. So how much weight did that process have for you to take then take the next step of. You mentioned going back to school

Terra 9:56

I quit my job and did a semester of undergrad while I applied. you know, had to, to study to take the mcat. You know, some of your listeners might know what that is, but the medical college admission test, you know, that's, that's a challenge After stepping Outta school for 20 years, and I did that studying, while my daughter was a senior in high school. Still working full time, you know, we're planning graduation, getting her moved to college. And, but it, it was good because it gave me a taste, this is what med school could be like, this, this is probably gonna be the hardest thing I ever do. And if I can't do this, you know, I shouldn't be tackling that next step. But I, I don't think if I hadn't had everybody's support. I'm not sure I would've been able to self sustain, if that makes sense. Mm-hmm. It would've been hard to constantly dig deep when you don't have some cheerleaders around you.

Leslie 10:49

it sounds like it gave you a foundation to a, a safety net. Yes. A soft landing for a courageous leap.

Terra 10:57

And it also gave me some accountability. You know, when I meet people out in the world. We just get to know each other. I don't tell people I'm a third year med student, and my husband and my daughter seem to tell everybody, and it's like, stop telling people if this doesn't go well. So there's a sense of accountability there now that this is out there in the world and, and you have, you know, keep going.

Leslie 11:22

Okay. So it sounds like you're still exploring. If you're gonna do this or not?

Terra 11:27

I think at this point I was, I mean, I had taken that test and was applying. I took a semester of classes and I was like, oh, I have something to prove I can do this. I am, you know, you're not gonna tell me that I'm not smart enough after, after time. I think a lot of women especially feel like. They're in their prime in their thirties and, and maybe we get a little older and you know, we have a few more wrinkles. But from a, I think personal, you know, goal standpoint, a professional development standpoint, we aren't in our prime until our fifties and sixties. And so I didn't want somebody to think my age. Made me not, you know, intellectually strong enough to be a student. So I think I went into those undergrad classes looking a little out of place, no doubt. But going, yeah, I haven't been in class for 20 years, but we're gonna jump right back into microbiology and cell biology and physiology and, But, so I think I went in determined and just really wanting to prove that I could do it

Leslie 12:28

when I hear you say that, what I hear is driven by my, purpose to become a doctor, but then also this secondary purpose emerges as, and I can do this at my age as a woman because I have, I have more. To accomplish.

Terra 12:51

Yes, absolutely. As I got to year three, the amount of of women, especially that I've encountered who have said, I kind of thought I was kind of done with my life, or I didn't know that I could do that, or I wish I would've done more, I wish I would've gone further. And I'm like, it is not too late. You're in your forties, you're, you know, 37, whatever it is. So.

Leslie 13:11

Mm-hmm. Absolutely. so you start school, you sign up, you're committed.

Terra 13:18

Yep.

Leslie 13:18

that first year. Once you're in there, how are you feeling? How are things going?

Terra 13:24

Well, I mean, I took the semester of classes and obviously did, did well, and then got accepted to medical school. three weeks before medical school starts, I find out I have breast cancer, and I don't know if you knew that part of my story, but three weeks before the start of of class, I found out I had breast cancer. So I sat kind of faced with this choice of I finally am here. now what do I do?

Leslie 13:50

Right?

Terra 13:51

a lot of prayer, a lot of medical advice from my doctors, and I decided to stay in school. I was blessed to have a early stage, you know, very treatable. and like most med students that are probably kind of ambitious and a little bit type a staying home for a year to obsess about cancer did not seem like. It's good for my mental health.

Leslie 14:12

Mm-hmm.

Terra 14:13

So my first year of med school journey is probably a little atypical because that first semester I had surgery, I had radiation every day for 20

Leslie 14:22

Wow.

Terra 14:22

30 days or something like that. So it was a challenge, but I mean, it taught me a lot about myself. It's definitely the hardest I've ever worked. But it also, I guess, really. Showed me how much I wanted it, you know, and that I was gonna keep going no matter what.

Leslie 14:42

Wow. when I think about that, it's in and of itself could be an excuse, but instead. It wasn't an excuse for you. You made the decision to keep going and in that hardship, your roots. Took E deeper.

15:04

Yes.

Terra 15:05

Yes. And I think I was afraid that would happen. I didn't want it to turn into an excuse later. I'd waited all this time, you know, to show my, my girls and my family and my friends that it's never too late, you know, but you know, mostly for me. I was finally there. I, I was just ready. I just really wanted to do it

Leslie 15:26

right. Is everything okay now?

Terra 15:30

Yep. Yeah, I moved completely to survivorship like six months ago, so yep. I'm it. Thank you.

Leslie 15:36

So I imagine during that time it was hard having to learn what you're learning, but then also what you're going through in your personal life as you think back to that anything that you leaned on that helped get you through that time period that. Others might be able to learn from.

Terra 16:00

family was a huge piece. family was, was there for me a lot. a few close friends were, hugely instrumental in giving their support. I had some classmates even bring me some meals. yeah, I think, family, friends, and then certainly a lot of faith, a lot of prayer. kind of got me through that time. I think probably the biggest negative that maybe came out of it though was just. Not being able to be present on campus as much. I really didn't feel part of my school community or part of my kind of medical school cohort, my class really till the end of the first year.'cause I just couldn't, you know, I mean, doing the work and doing treatment, there was just no time for anything else.

Leslie 16:44

Has that, after that, have you been able to.

Terra 16:49

I mean, I'm sure there are some, some, you know, classmates that kind are like, I can't believe she's in the class. But I, I have never heard any of that. I really only have had, you know, my peers ask my story, tell me that they think it's awesome that I'm there. Mm-hmm. you know, I've gotten the same feedback from, you know, professors and administration. It was pretty easy to just feel part of the, the class. I had a couple professors even tell me, you don't even stand out as, you know, when you're with your peers, you just seem part of the group. So I think they've been, you know, far more welcoming than I ever had expected. So, yeah, I've been grateful.

Leslie 17:28

Yeah. Well, and as I am, am imagining you in this cohort with other students who are. I'm imagining younger than you.

Terra 17:38

Yeah.

Leslie 17:39

Was,

Terra 17:39

Yeah, almost everybody's in their twenties.

Leslie 17:42

Okay.

Terra 17:43

the same age as their mom,

Leslie 17:46

did you ever feel any insecurity or anything that was getting in your head about this decision to move forward and become a doctor?

Terra 17:58

I mean maybe initially a little bit, just the nerves, you know, I'm gonna sit in the back of the class. I'm gonna try not to stand out very much. I mean, they already all know I'm here. you know, I'm just gonna try to not rock the boat and be quiet and, you know, maybe they'll just let me stay part of the group. But, You know, I didn't need to do that. I didn't need to do any of that. Everybody has just been honestly, super supportive. I think maybe the only thing I came up against, you know, there were a few times that it, it got hard though. Like, I mean, med school's hard, there's no doubt about it. and I talked to one administrator who said, you know. This is tough. You know, if you ever need to take a break, you can. And, and it's true. You can. And, and sometimes people need to do that, sometimes people have kids, some, you know, lots of things happen. Mm-hmm. but in the circumstance of our conversation, I thought, I bet if I were 22 or a conversation would be just a tiny bit different. Right. but honestly, I mean, you know. The, the vast majority, I mean, nearly everybody has just been friendly, supportive, you know, seems to be some people empowered by it. So I, I've been very lucky.

Leslie 19:09

and I heard a little bit there too, when you were talking about, you know, I'm gonna sit in the back of the room, I'm not gonna try to stand out. That, that was, to me, how I heard it was. I'm acknowledging the situation that I'm in and I am, I'm being really intentional with how I'm gonna show up. so I don't like cause attention to myself and make it a distraction for me, or for other people.

Terra 19:35

Yes.

Leslie 19:37

Yes. So your third year student now

Terra 19:41

I am.

Leslie 19:41

Where are you at, um, in terms of the. assimilation, Are you just like one of, one of the. One of everyone else? Or does it still feel

Terra 19:53

the first two years, you know, you're mostly in the classroom, years three and four, you're out on rotations, you know, on these required rotations. And so you're seeing patients and learning for, from different doctors out in the community. So each month is something different. Right now I'm on peds, had a lot of sick kids cough on me this week. So we'll see how that ends up. Almost like starting med school over every month because every month you're with a different preceptor in a different doctor's office with different, you know, other doctors in the office and nurses and medical assistants. And every time, I'm sure I walk in and they're like. Wow, that's not who we expected. Um, and so I think my very first day of third year, my first rotation, I walk into the hospital and I introduce myself and there's another doctor sitting next to him and he looks at me and he says, wow, how old are you? And I just kinda laughed and I told him I was, you know, I'm like, it's okay. But the other doctor said, you cannot ask that. but I mean, it's, it's not a secret. I have some gray hair, so, you know, they clearly know I'm not in my twenties anymore. and I want people to know you can do this at an older age too, but

Leslie 21:05

Right.

Terra 21:06

so it is a little, you know, bit when you wanna not stand out and every month you go into a new environment where, you know, the first thing you're gonna do is stand out a little bit. But honestly, again, you know, I thought I would get some more pushback like. You're kind of old for this or you know, I'm not sure you can keep up. And I, I just haven't had that. People are like. Wow. That's awesome. Yeah, and I get to the end of the rotation. They're like, you did great. You know, you're right where you're supposed to be. You're so, I don't feel like I'm trailing behind, and I, I felt welcomed. So as much as, you know, I felt really worried about the social norms upfront. Mm-hmm. And certainly being in your fifties and med school is atypical. The lived experience has not. And that people have pushed back on that.

Leslie 21:55

Yeah.

Terra 21:55

You know, like I thought they would.

Leslie 21:57

Yeah. Well, I think that is an important point to highlight for whoever's listening is sometimes our imagination creates this resistance that doesn't happen in our lived experience.

Terra 22:15

Yeah.

Leslie 22:16

So that first day on rotations. When after he asked you how old were you? Did you go home and think about that because this, it sounds like this was the first time you're out in the field. Yes, doctor. It is.

Terra 22:33

It is. And I mean, I don't think I expected it to be that blunt, but I was already prepared for people to ask, you know, ask me questions about it. But. The interesting thing about that is they also kind of turned right around that first week and said, wow. You've, you've already had a professional job. Like you, you already know how to adult. We can just, we can just jump right in. We don't have to do some of this background stuff. And I mean, my first week at the first rotations, the end of the week, he's like, I'm not on vacation today. I'm gonna have you come in and see the patients anyhow. And. You know, somebody else will be seeing them. Also, another doctor. But he said, I have this meeting every morning at 10 and I have to present on all the patients, and you're gonna present on all the patients. And I thought, wait, what? And he is like, you, you've done professional meetings for decades, just be you. and so I think, you know, on the same token of being older and kind of getting a chuckle out of getting asked my age on the first day, I've also been able to jump in in other ways. Since I am older. Right. Which has been kind of fun.

Leslie 23:41

Right? You have something that the others don't, which is

Terra 23:46

lived experience.

Leslie 23:46

More years. Years on earth. Yeah. Lived experience. so that happened the first time and now you know, now it sounds like. Was it every month it's a, a different group that you're introduced.

Terra 24:01

You're at a different kind of facility and a different group of people. And so every month is kind of replay, but I think every month, you know, I've had people in the office and even patients go, can you just, I just wanna hear a tiny bit of your story. and I have had also probably somebody at every location who said I always wanted to be. Something, whatever that something was, but I didn't know if I could, or I didn't know if it was too late or I didn't know how to plan for it. And you've given me something to really think about. And that was kind of a byproduct of this that I didn't anticipate, right? I became a doctor because I always wanted to be a doctor and it's how I wanna have impact in my community, but I didn't know. an offshoot of that would be maybe a platform to empower people to live their purpose.

Leslie 24:52

Yeah.

Terra 24:52

or they were afraid to live their purpose, or they thought life had kind of passed them by, and I just, I don't think that's the case. We're living longer than ever, healthier than ever. There's lots of years left.

Leslie 25:04

Right. How cool is that?

Terra 25:08

So, yeah.

Leslie 25:10

I mean, in living your purpose, you're inspiring others to have the courage to live theirs, and to not let age be a limiter in our lives. Yeah. What kind of doctor are you wanting to be?

Terra 25:26

Family medicine.

Leslie 25:27

Family medicine. Okay. Nice.

Terra 25:29

Nothing flashy, but we need, something we need here in Indiana.

Leslie 25:33

So when you think about your underlying beliefs, are there certain beliefs that are core to you that have supported you in this journey

Terra 25:45

So I actually did a little exercise a couple years ago in to kind of see, uncover, I guess, what are my core beliefs. And so I actually looked at them last night. I'm like, do I remember what they are? I think I do. and I don't know really some of'em, how they directly translate. One of'em is dedication, so that. That translates. I think if I set my mind on something like it, it may be an unexpected path to get there, but I will persevere. I mean, I am committed until I get there. So

Leslie 26:16

it sounds like that definitely has played out.

Terra 26:19

I have kind of, I think a strong sense of service. I volunteer a lot. and I think that kind of plays out in wanting to be a family medicine doctor too. I wanna have impact in the world by serving patients. maybe it'll give me an opportunity to, do some mission work around the country or around the world too. That would be amazing. some of the other ones are probably tangential. one of them is kind of a sense of gratitude and in beauty and nature. So I read a book a couple years ago called 1000 Gifts. So I've been working on my own list of a thousand gifts. I think I'm up in the nine hundreds somewhere. But living with that sense of gratitude, I think keeps you in a healthier place. so that you can do hard things.

Leslie 27:03

Mm-hmm.

Terra 27:03

med school has really been a hard thing. Without a doubt. It's been the hardest thing I've done. I think it's harder than raising kids.

Leslie 27:09

Wow.

Terra 27:10

My girls work have been a joy and they weren't always easy, but on the most part they were, they were pretty easy and they're pretty wonderful. So, it's definitely the hardest thing I've done. So that sense of gratitude I think keeps you in a good, you know, healthy mental space. Mm-hmm. Certainly a deep sense of faith, can help kind of keep you going also and keep you grounded when you know, you worry or when things get hard.

Leslie 27:35

Yeah. Has, have you noticed any changes in your relationships since you've been on this journey?

Terra 27:45

I. Yes, good and bad. So I'm trying to think. Not bad, but the commitment to go to med school in your fifties, I feel like I have to work a little bit harder than my peers. They work really hard and they're amazing, but I probably need another pass or two than they do, you know, to remember all the material and. So I have had, you know, family and friends I think that have been so gracious that are really important to me. But that have said, we get that we won't get to see you as much anymore, and it's okay if you don't come, you know, come visit. Or if we don't get together on Thanksgiving, or maybe we don't get together for dinner as often anymore. Because the commitment to be a doctor is, is that big. Mm-hmm. So, you know, the support from family has been amazing, but it's also for, you know. F extended family and friends out there, you know, I've had to pull back just a little bit too. And, and that's kind of hard, but it's also for a season, you know, I get on the other side of this and

Leslie 28:48

Right.

Terra 28:48

And I'll be able to see everybody a lot more again. So, there's kind of that component that is a little. Little bit sad sometimes, you know, I have a friend that I love to go to independent films with, and I haven't done that for years now. Mm-hmm. but again, it's a season, for my husband, you know, my daughters. Maybe sometimes we don't do as much as we used to. But the time that we do spend together, we're very intentional about, my girls are actually not in Indiana anymore right now, but you know, at the end of the month when a rotation's done and I don't have to study,'cause the next rotation hasn't started, you know, I'll fly to New York and spend the weekend with one of'em, or go to North Carolina and see the other one, or my husband and I'll. Plan some stuff on the weekend and get some really good quality time together. So it's different. But those that are close to me, you know, you just have to be very intentional about that time together. Mm-hmm. Because it doesn't happen by accident, you know anymore. Right. And people kind of outside of that have just been just so gracious and so supportive

Leslie 29:50

Yeah. I appreciate you sharing that because I do think that when we live to the beat of our drum, that sometimes it has other consequences.

Terra 30:03

it does. I mean, you can't always have everything and do everything simultaneously.

Leslie 30:08

Right.

Terra 30:08

I mean, it just isn't possible. You know, we can work hard and, and, you know, be strong women, but, but you still can't do everything and be everything to everybody.

Leslie 30:18

what do your kids think about what you're doing?

Terra 30:20

They just love it. I mean, it might be a tie. Who's the bigger cheerleader? My husband or one of my two girls. So they have been all in from the beginning. And even my, my younger one played volleyball in college. In the first two years, I got to see her play all the time. In the last two years, not quite as much'cause I started school and she never once said, I'm so sad you couldn't come. You know?'cause she went to school in New York. It's not easy always to get to New York from Indiana. there's not flights that go right where she was. and she never once said, I wish you would come to more games. You know, she always just said, keep going. It's awesome and you're inspiring. And she's like, I tell everybody I know about you. So, there's been nothing but but support from them.

Leslie 31:02

Yeah. That's great.

Terra 31:03

hopefully it's a good example for them, you know, I don't want them to quit on their dreams now. You know, and wait until they're 50. I'd rather a young person fight hard for what they wanna do in instead of feel like they waited. Right? I think that's my kind of only regret now is, wow, I'm only gonna get a practice medicine for, you know, X number of years instead of getting to do it for longer. So, you know, I hope it shows them to fight for what they wanna do now.

Leslie 31:32

Love it. Yes. As you think about, other people out there who are listening to this, what advice do you have?

Terra 31:41

a couple things. I think one is you need to take care of yourself first. Because I think I have also focused a lot in my past on like my family and my home and that kind of stuff that I didn't always take care of myself. And, and really to be able to do this and have this stamina, I have had to kind of prioritize my health and exercise and eat well, and get my physical and mental health in order. Because, you know, tackling some of these things, if you want to have a second career later in life, you can absolutely do it. But you have to be at your best, I think.

Leslie 32:19

Right?

Terra 32:20

And I even did, went through a little bit of counseling too. You know, make sure I was ready for this and kind of talk through concerns that I had and, you know, is there anything I hadn't, you know, dealt with that I needed to deal with? So I think it's good to get your personal, you know, health and mental health in order a little bit first. and then I also think you need to investigate. I mean, if you haven't known this path to, you know, med school or whatever thing that you're interested in, you really need to know what you're signing up for. some things maybe aren't as hard as others, but some things may challenge you in ways that you didn't expect. You know? So from learning from people that do that role, or what the process is to get there, I think you need to know kind of what you're signing up for, you know, and then you feel like you're ready and you know what you're signing up for. You just have to go for it.

Leslie 33:12

Yeah. You talked about caring for yourself. Was that something that you discovered along the way or did you go into it and, and know that you needed to focus on that?

Terra 33:27

So I knew I needed to work on some mental health pieces before I went in. I had, this is a little bit a side note, but. My older daughter and I had tried to do a hike on the Minnesota Hiking Trail. It was gonna take us two weeks, and we did all the prep. I mean, I was physically ready. We had all the right gear, we had all the right food dropped off at all the right places. We got dropped off, you know, however, 200 miles at the start of the trail. And by day three I was like, we have to quit. Because I didn't know that I should have mentally prepared for that to be out there in the wilderness completely isolated. I was not ready for that. Mm-hmm. So you can be physically prepared and, and you know, logistically prepared. But I was not mentally prepared. So I did mental preparation, I guess, you know, work on my mental health. Before I started, I was not at my physical best. In between cancer and the pressure of med school, I ended the first year of med school, the heaviest I ever was. I felt the unhealthiest I ever felt. And you get that summer off between your first and second year of med school, and I thought, I have got to get a grip because I want to be able to be a good doctor for my patients, and that means I have to take care of myself first. So I really, that first summer, turned my diet around, turned my exercise around, turned my sleep around, and prioritized my health over schoolwork. And so for that whole second year, I worked really hard, but I put my health just slightly but above my schoolwork. and it's made, you know, all the difference,

Leslie 35:10

So take care of yourself, do some homework, know what you're getting into, any other advice that you have.

Terra 35:19

Oh, gosh, not that I can think of off the top of my head.

Leslie 35:24

I'm sitting here in complete admiration.

Terra 35:27

Oh, gosh.

Leslie 35:28

I found myself thinking how much we shared, because when I was 49 and I was looking at being an empty nester, I started Purpose Project. But I I will tell you, after hearing this story and reflecting on my journey, you're, you are going all in. I mean, you went all in and, I still feel like I'm dipping my toe. So when I say in complete admiration. That's the sentiment where it's coming from, looking at the similarities in our story and yet, our commitments different, as well. and honestly, that's something to say in and of itself is you can. Make forward progress without necessarily being all in, you know? Yeah.

Terra 36:21

Everybody's path is different and, and where you wanna end up maybe doesn't take this level of commitment. Becoming a doctor is a pretty all in kind of a mm-hmm. Endeavor. Right. but, but that doesn't have to be everybody's. And sometimes you love your job, but your purpose maybe is something else outside of your job and it's a hobby or it's a project, but it has impact. and you feel like it's your purpose, but it doesn't have to be something that gets your time and attention.

Leslie 36:48

When you look forward, what do you see in your future?

Terra 36:52

I, had a patient this week and I went in with the doctor and the kid came right up to me as the doctor. It just made me laugh. So it'll be interesting to see on the other side of this once I am, you know, officially Dr. Aquiere. There's a, you know, an excitement there, but a little bit of awe about the responsibility that people are gonna think. I've been a doctor for decades and know a lot, and I'll just be starting out

Leslie 37:20

Yeah. And as I hear you say that, I'm also saying in my head, but you also have so much other lived experiences that you're bringing too.

Terra 37:31

already know how to adult. Yes.

Leslie 37:37

Is there anything else on your mind or anything left unsaid?

Terra 37:44

It's strange to share this journey for somebody who's an introvert, and a lot of my classmates have heard snippets here and there and, you know, my family and friends have shared with a few people, but it's, it feels a little odd to put it out there for just the general public. but I also hope that if in some small way it inspires somebody to kind of live their purpose or to explore what they wanted. To be doing and not held back by fear or social norms or, you know, other people's doubt.

Leslie 38:16

Yeah,

Terra 38:17

I think that would be amazing.

Leslie 38:18

Yeah. Well, I, hearing that I appreciate it even more that you are here on the show and sharing your story, because I do feel like hearing stories like yours help other people see that. I can do this, and can help build some confidence. So appreciate you being here and sharing your story with us

Terra 38:47

well thank you. I appreciate you making this platform possible.

Leslie 38:51

It's my honor, I wish you the best of luck. I am so excited for all of your future patients to, be in your care because Thank

Terra 39:02

you.

Leslie 39:03

Your journey is incredible and I can just feel that love that you're gonna give to all of your patients.

Terra 39:09

can't wait.

39:11

I cannot help but connect to Terra's story because I am struck by how much our journeys intersect, even though the paths themselves look very different at 50 and with empty nesting approaching, we both made. Bold choices. For Terra, it was stepping into medical school. For me, it was starting Purpose Project, different paths, but a shared truth age is not a limitation. In fact, it can be a powerful tool for pursuing our purpose. The other thing that stands out to me is how important support is our support systems. Terra speaks so openly about the role that her family has played in her journey, and it's a reminder that none of us do this alone, but it's also a reminder that we can be the support system. For other people's pursuit of their journeys. Thank you for listening to Purpose Project. Keep listening for your rhythm and trusting that it is never too late to follow it.

Leslie 40:29

Purpose Project is brought to you for education and for entertainment purposes. This podcast is not intended to replace the advice that you would receive from a licensed therapist or doctor or any other qualified professional.