Becoming MD

Rewriting the Timeline: Pursuing Medicine After 20+ Years in Military Service with Mark Buford

• Caitlin Calland, M2 Medical Student • Episode 8

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What does it look like to start medical school after an entire lifetime of discipline, leadership, and service?

In this episode of Becoming MD I am joined by Mark Buford, a first-year medical student at Ross University School of Medicine, whose path to medicine began long after most. After serving more than two decades in the military, Mark made the bold decision to trade one demanding career for another — stepping from structured service into the uncertainty of medical training.

Key points of this episode:

  • How military discipline translates to medical school success.
  • How life experience can transform pressure, stress, and failure into perspective rather than panic.
  • What it truly feels like to rebuild your identity when you become “the beginner” again.

Whether you’re a non-traditional student, a veteran, or someone quietly questioning if you’ve missed your moment — this episode is for you.


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