Jack March’s desire to become a physician reflects what first inspired him to enter medicine.
“From watching my mother care for patients in her veterinary clinic to working with patients in urgent care and at Boone Hospital Center, I’ve seen how medicine is both a science and an art form,” says March, a Biochemistry student at Columbia College.
After graduation in May, the Hallsville, Missouri, native will enter the Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine. While he has not fully decided on a specialty, he is interested in family medicine and psychiatry, and he looks forward to exploring different fields in medical school and figuring out the area in which he can make the biggest impact as a physician.
“I’ve come to realize that patient care goes beyond diagnosing symptoms and requires truly understanding the person,” he says.
Columbia College’s Natural Sciences & Math Department has not only pushed him academically, but has supported him with real-world situations, he says.
For example, when professors knew that students were planning to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), they catered their exams toward the MCAT style – an approach that helped March as he prepared for the next stage of his journey.
“This school consistently puts me and my classmates in positions that will help prepare us for working in the field or in grad school,” says March, who serves as Vice President of the college’s Science & Pre-Med Club.
Associate Professor of Biology Dr. Tara Martin and Professor of Biology Dr. Kent Strodtman have been especially influential during March’s time at Columbia College, he says.
“(Martin and Strodtman) have not only made me a better student academically, but also helped shape me into a better person,” March says. “I look up to them as examples of the kind of physician and human that I hope to become because of the way they treat others with patience and genuine compassion.
“I can tell that both of them truly love teaching.”
Professor of Art Naomi Lear also has made a meaningful impact on March, starting in her Drawing II class and continuing beyond that experience.
“(Leer) helped me realize that I did not have to choose between the arts and sciences and that I could continue pursuing art while completing a biochemistry degree,” March says. “Because of her influence I continued taking art classes, which has broadened who I am as a person. Her level of attentiveness and genuine care for me demonstrate the kind of values I hope to bring someday as a physician.”
Columbia College is a place that March says makes him feel like he belongs.
“Everyone here is so warm and welcoming,” he says. “This is an environment that is built on connection. It was super impactful for me to be able to have these strong connections with my professors and my fellow classmates.”
From playing golf and disc golf in his free time to harvesting potatoes and tomatoes with friends in the heat of July from Columbia College Garden, March says his years at Columbia College have exceeded his expectations.
“I didn’t expect to meet such amazing people who would become some of my closest lifelong friends,” March says. “I also never imagined having this much fun in school and making so many memories during my time here.”
Fantastic! A great story and best wishes for Jack.