This mom of four started medical school in her 40s and is encouraging others to never stop pursuing their dreams.
Black mothers are resilient, determined, and ambitious. They have proven time and time again that if you believe it then you can achieve it. Take Evelyn Uba, the mom of four in California who went viral for passing the bar exam after studying for ten years, or Loyiso Gola’s mom, whose dreams were put on hold due to the South African apartheid yet she still managed to graduate at 58-years-old.
The latest story on a mother who never gave up on her dreams is about Shamone Gore Panter, who had intentions of going to medical school in 2007 but eventually chose a different path. Instead, she became an assistant lecturer at Cleveland State University and worked on conducting cardiovascular genetics research at the Cleveland Clinic.
After a conversation with her pregnant niece regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, Gore Panter wanted to help people who had the same questions and concerns. After successfully educating one of her family members on the vaccine, her desire to attend medical school was reignited. “I thought, ‘This is what I need to be doing every day. I want to go to medical school. I didn’t know where I wanted to go. I just knew I wanted to do it,” she told TODAY.
Gore Panter believes it’s easier for Black patients to be open and trusting towards treatments and medical practices when the doctor looks like them. “I might not be able to solve all the problems, [but] sometimes seeing someone who looks like you gives you at least a foot in the door to maybe try to talk to people and give them information to potentially take better care of their health.”
The 43-year-old buckled down and studied for the MCAT, which was one of her prior reservations. To her surprise, she scored above a 500 and got accepted to a rigorous three-year program at Ohio State University. She’s expected to graduate in 2025 and become a family doctor.
The new life she’s adopted is challenging; she has kids ages 7, 17, 19, and 20 that still need her support. Gore Panter says her loving husband is making the transition easier for her, and the thought of one day being able to change lives gives her the much needed motivation to continue.
This mom is proof that it’s never too late to switch gears. You never know what’s in store! “It doesn’t matter how old you are. If you’re still alive, you can go try and do it. That could be a major regret if you don’t even try,” said Gore Panter.
Congratulations Mrs. Gore Panter!
Photo: TODAY/ Shamone Gore Panter