That’s Doctor to You—Auto Mechanic Becomes Doctor at 51 Years Old

This Cleveland resident is an example of childhood dreams coming full circle.

Cleveland auto mechanic, Dr. Carl Allamby, has landed the title of “doctor,” fulfilling his childhood dream of becoming a physician, after years of working in his auto repair shop.

“While thinking about the things we hold dear to our hearts, I think our health, our families and friends and our cars rank high on the list. When any of these fail us or suffer loss, emotions run high — and life as we know it can be turned upside down,” Allamby told Fox News via phone interview.

Allamby shared that his family endured many financial difficulties, and those circumstances made it difficult to pursue his education.

According to Afrotech, the rough circumstances created an obstacle for Allamby, setting him back from going to medical school.

“We faced economic hardships throughout my upbringing and were on welfare for what seemed to be my entire childhood,” said Allamby, according to AfroTech.

“I remember having a desire at a young age to become a doctor — but my life circumstances led me to a much different place.”

Allamby opened Allamby’s Auto Service at the age of 19, after deciding he wanted something more than just working at a local car parts store. By the age of 34, he earned a business degree from Ursuline College in Pepper Pike while juggling his shop, which had already become popular around town.

A final course to fulfill a biology requirement was an important moment for Allamby, as it was a reminder of his original career goals of becoming a doctor.

“Learning about some of the incredible basic functions of the body reminded me of my childhood ambitions to become a doctor,” Allamby said.

He enrolled in Cuyahoga Community College to complete pre-med requirements, while volunteering in a pediatric ward at a nearby hospital. Following his pre-med studies, he entered a program at Cleveland State University that prepared him for entrance into Northeast Ohio Medical University.

Allamby began his emergency medicine residency in 2019 at Cleveland Clinic Akron at the age of 47, and is now working as a physician in an emergency room at Cleveland Clinic’s Hillcrest Hospital in Mayfield Heights, Ohio.