Just a few weeks ago, Noah Johnson was in a hospital in Huesca, Spain, watching a surgical procedure. In the background, soothing music played. Johnson kept a close eye on machines that tracked the patient?s vital signs.
?How?s the rhythm?? the anesthesiologist asked in English.
?The music?s fine,? Johnson answered.
?No, the one that matters. Close your eyes,? said the anesthesiologist.
Johnson closed his eyes and almost immediately the musical notes merged into a different type of beat. ?I hear it. The heartbeat.?
The anesthesiologist smiled.
That moment stuck with Johnson as he returned to the U.S. last Saturday after four weeks studying abroad with other students from the University of Kansas. All 10 of the students (Johnson, who had just finished his first year at KU, was the youngest) intend to pursue medical careers. Johnson was the only one interested in anesthesiology.
?I have a passion to do this, and I think the doctors wanted to test me and push me because it?s an intense job. For them to want to teach me, they had to know I was there for the long run,? he said.
JOHNSON?S passion for health care began as a student at Humboldt High School. He graduated in 2018 as a valedictorian with a dual degree from Allen Community College. The past four summers, he has volunteered at Allen County Regional Hospital; last year he volunteered at Overland Park Regional Medical Center?s post anesthesia care unit.
After his sophomore year of high school, he took part in a leadership program to study health care at the University of California-Berkeley. He attended an advanced version of the same program at John Hopkins after his junior year.
Those programs helped him narrow his career choices, from an early interest in surgery to medical research to nurse anesthetist.
He?s now at KU, majoring in biology with a minor in psychology.
His first year at KU helped solidify his interest in anesthesiology. An anesthesiologist works with patients before, during and after surgery, requiring a level of personal care Johnson believes best suits his personality.
