A day in the life of a 32-year-old medical student

Deondra Montgomery hasn’t gotten a paycheck in three years. “I do kinda miss that feeling,” she said. But like most medical students, she took a pause from paid work to focus on education.

As a third-year medical student at Michigan State University, Montgomery works long shifts at a hospital, where she is learning how to become a physician.

“My end goal as attending, once I finish all of my years of training, is to work at a community hospital where I'm able to interact more with individuals from the underserved communities,” she said.

Before starting her training, Montgomery worked in the clinical research industry for eight years. “I knew I wanted to go to medical school [and] I knew it was going to be expensive,” she said. “I was putting aside money consistently.

Though Montgomery said she still has that savings account as a “rainy day fund,” she’s primarily funding her education through loans.

“I am honestly so tired all the time, the most tired I've ever been,” she said. “But at the same time, I am also so grateful because it's such a privilege to be where I'm at right now.”

To hear more of Montgomery’s story, use the audio player at the top of the page.