Help make me a family doc

October 2017:  Wow, sorry to take so long to do an update!  I started my 3rd year clinicals in February and it's been wonderful  :)  I've finished Psych, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, and am half-way through Surgery right now.  I LOVE being in the hospitals and clinics and am so excited to be putting into practice the skills I learned on Saba.  I wish I'd done this years ago, but am so absolutely grateful to have the opportunity to do it now.  Every day I learn something new and I've had amazing attendings and residents to help me along the way.  I still love my journey and thank you all so much for your help and support!
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January 2017:  I passed my Step 1 exam and am just waiting for my mark on my literature review paper (a SUSOM requirement before clinicals).  Hopefully I'll have more news soon :)
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Sept 2016:  A lot has happened in the last year.  I finished my Basic Sciences on Saba as an honours student and am now studying for the USMLE Step 1 exam before starting clinical rotations.  I'll update everything shortly - yes, I'm still on the journey and more excited than ever!
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Aug 2015:  Last week I finished 2nd successfully!  I've continued my weekend visits to the nursing/seniors' home, along with volunteering at the SPCA Vet Days every 6 weeks.  I was also the class rep for the Surgical Students Assn and the class rep and secretary for the Women's Med Student Assn (next semester I'll be VP for both those groups).  So I'm keeping busy and am looking forward to tackling 3rd in a couple weeks. Until then, I'm getting caught up on sleep :) 
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Apr 2015: I successfully completed first semester, including volunteering at the local nursing/seniors' home every Saturday morning. I'm excited to be continuing on my journey - I start second semester next week - and would appreciate any help you can offer!
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Jan 2015: I've just started my first semester at SUSOM! I've got nine more after this one so it's not to late to spread the word and donate a couple bucks (which would be very much appreciated!) :)
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"Lara is who you want taking care of your parents, but she can't afford to get in the room without your help."

Please help me help others. I'm Lara Kirkpatrick and I want to become a family doctor so I can help others. I’ve been accepted to medical school and need your help for tuition and other costs to get there. Tuition alone will be at least $130,000, with equipment, books, expenses, etc., bringing the costs to almost $300,000.

I'm not trying to do this for free and this isn't just a whim. Several years ago my husband was injured while overseas. Learning from his health professionals how to help him deal with his injuries and cope inspired me to pursue my life-long dream of being a doctor. Unfortunately, because of life’s rocky road and unexpected financial setbacks, student loans plus what I've been able to save over the years to make this happen isn't enough. I've tried to borrow the money, but the roadblocks for a "middle-aged" woman studying out of the country are huge.

I promise to pay forward your sponsorships by donating to scholarships, charities and non-profit organizations so others can benefit also. In fact, I'm already working with others to start helping even before I finish school!

My goal is to be a family physician. The number of seniors is growing, and because they rely heavily on their family doctors, this vulnerable group is hit particularly hard by doctor shortages. I want to work in a smaller community where I can get to know all my patients, young and old. I want to be a productive part of that community and make a difference.

You can also help me by spreading the word. Please share this GoFundMe page, "like" and share my Facebook page, tweet something to your twitterverse, or leave a nice comment. Please don’t forget though what I really need is your donation.

With gratitude,
Lara