COM Outlook Summer/Fall 2019

26 | DR. KIRAN C. PATEL COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE STUDENT Perspectives Now, let’s get one thing straight: Superman can fly; I cannot. Consequently, when I’m changing a burnt- out lightbulb on top of the rear end of the fuselage of an F-16 jet aircraft and slip, head first, off the jet, I do not win against gravity. Imagine the 15 insignificant feet becoming the longest distance traveled—and the only thing between life and possible death—for me, a young United States Air Force serviceman. I woke up 48 hours later after having been in a coma for nearly 24 of those hours, surrounded by loved ones and fellow members of the military, with a ridiculously painful headache I’m sure many of them would attribute as the reason for my off-color attitude. It is at this moment of full consciousness that the CT scan of my head is revealed for me to behold. Within the depths of my calvarium, you can make out an egg-shaped opacity in the right frontal portion. The attending physician says, “That’s a pretty big bleed you had there, man.” Indeed, I had suffered an epidural hematoma, a fractured right frontal bone, and my eye nearly popped out. Okay, I exaggerated the last part, but it was prop- totic (bulging out of the socket a few centimeters) due to the increased intracranial pressure I had been experiencing. After looking at the CT images, the only thing that came out of my mouth was “medicine is miraculous.” For me, the sight of the inside of my skull, where the matter that makes me who I am resides, was exhilarating. I knew health care was a passion of mine in that very moment, but I did not know just how far that passion would take me. After completing my time in the Air Force, I dove in and started completing prerequisites for the X-ray technologist program at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. I gained entrance into the program, part of which consisted of 1,500 clinical internship hours. During those hours, I was able to observe physicians (radiologists and surgeons) in their element, clearly doing what they love. I asked one of the radiologists, who would let me watch him dictate imaging studies, “Dr. Dunn, what does it take to get to where you are?” “You’ve got to go medical school, Rylan,” he stated bluntly. He proceeded to tell me what that might look like, and how I might get there. I completed my internship with three questions on my mind: How do I get a job? How do I get into medical school? Then what? The first one took a little while—about four years—and the second tested my endurance and mental fortitude. The third is now reality, and I’ve quickly realized medical school will push me to my limits like I’ve never been pushed before. The process of getting into medical school was rewarding, but also grueling, and there were definitely times it felt like not seeing my dream through would be the better option. However, in moments like those, TRIUMPH 1 5 - FOOT FAL L L AUNCH E S NEW CAR EER PATH BY RYLAN HOLMBERG OVER TRAUMA STUDENT PERSPECTIVES