Deborah Gustafson

Professional Background and Current Work

At 67, Deborah Gustafson is pursuing an MD as a first-year medical student, beginning a second career shaped by experience across several professional fields. After earning a BA in Accounting from St. Thomas, she entered public accounting and lived and worked in Minnesota, Illinois, California, Texas, and Wisconsin.

Alongside her accounting career, Deborah worked part time as clergy, a mental health therapist, and a paralegal while raising six children, including triplets. Her multidisciplinary education includes a Master of Arts in Divinity, a Doctor of Ministry, and a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy. She has also completed paralegal training and one year of law school.

While attending medical school, Deborah works at a law firm as its paralegal, accountant, and CEO. Her responsibilities include taxes, financial matters, and client paperwork. She also founded Gustafson Consulting MN, Inc.

Medical and Scholarly Focus

Deborah plans to practice medicine in the United States and Canada and is interested in working in a hospital or clinic. She is exploring a broad range of medical subjects and plans to write for medical journals. She has applied to serve as a delegate to the World Health Organization Executive Board meeting in Geneva in 2027 and is awaiting a decision.

Beyond her professional work, Deborah has owned a substantial nonfiction library of antique and recently published books. She collects cookbooks, enjoys cooking with inspiration from Julia Child’s books and television programs, and has a particular interest in Scandinavian writing.