Before this trip our pre-SOMA group spent months trying to get the funding we needed to go on this trip. It was unfortunate that the student government this year was the worst I've ever seen and thus only able to get $1,500, and we are forbidden to attend DO day on the hill because the student fees can't "fund anything political". This barely covered our airfare and our trip was on the verge of cancellation until I came up with the idea of contacting SOMA for help directly. I contacted Crystal, who use to work at Community Health (where I work) because I knew she was involved with SOMA. To my surprise, she is the president this year and was able to get us to stay with the board members. I stayed with Nick - Speaker of the House, Jeremy - Treasurer, and Dan - Board of Trustee Region III and the president of SOMA next year, talk about getting connections, jackpot.
Being at Boulder dreaming about being in med school has a problem, and that's dreaming. Reality is out there with people who are in medical school and doctors who know where the profession is going. Talking with medical students helped me assess the reality of my abilities, it gave me confidence in all the tough choices I made throughout these years. Everyone I met was sincere and friendly, so many med students offered to give me a private tour of their school and their place to stay. People actually wanted me to go to their school and complimented me on my achievements, something I'm sure I wouldn't have experienced at an MD convention. I didn't experience hazing, I didn't experience being looked down upon, I didn't experience cockiness or the cold shoulder. Just a bunch of down to earth doctors who have a passion for the art of healing. It was an empowering and refreshing experience, exactly the kind of environment I want to learn this art.
There was a particular doctor that stuck out in my mind. It was an OMM (Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine) session that Dr. Harold Goodman DO was leading. He sat there in front of the class, unimpressively, he was wearing an old green dress shirt and suspenders, rocking the belly. Not the most attractive or fashionable, seemed kind of like a kookie old man. The way he sat kind of reminded me of my grandpa, which gave me a good feeling. The session was suppose to be an hour long. But Andrea, Val and I stayed for 2 hours. I have never sat through something for 2 hours and felt like it was too short. He only demonstrated a few OMM techniques, mostly talked about the philosophy and his personal experiences as a doctor and as a human being. I wish I could put down what I experienced in words here, but even if I put down everything he said word for word, it wouldn't do justice. He went beyond just the basic principle of medicine, he shared his insight, his hardship, and his most fragile moments to the extent of the metaphysical, with us, students who aren't even in medical school yet. I've never thought about medicine and healing outside of the dimension of science. My mind exploded, I was literally speechless.
Afterwards, he gave me his card and told me that he wanted me to do a rotation with him when I get into med school. I don't know what he saw in me because I didn't say a single word, but I think I will give him a call when the time comes.
Last night there, we got recognized as the Pre-SOMA chapter of the year. Thinking back to all the planning we did for visiting Rocky Vista University-COM, contacting people for talks, holding DO school panels, and volunteering for BCAP. We did more stuff with 3 officers and about 10 members than AMSA (MD group) did with 6 officers and 50+ members. Our hard work paid off, and it couldn't have been done without passion.
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