By Jessie Rolph, Health Science Relations
It was only because of a little "monkeying around" that Mark S. Johnson initially pursued medicine.
At age 6, Johnson was diagnosed with Toxic Shock Syndrome after the blisters he had received playing on the monkey bars at school became infected.
" This was a big deal at the time, so I got all kinds of news interviews and made the front page of the Cedar Rapids Gazette," he said. "After that ordeal I began to take an interest in medicine."
Now a second-year Physician Assistant (PA) student in the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Johnson is adding to his experience in the medical field. Prior to entering the PA program, he worked for four years as a medical technologist at St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids - the same hospital he was born in.
His work as a medical technologist allowed him to perform interesting tests everyday and work in every department in the laboratory. It also taught him the importance of thinking quickly in emergency situations, he said. After positive experiences shadowing some PAs and a desire to challenge himself, Johnson decided to pursue PA school.
Johnson was attracted to a career as a PA because it would be flexible, allowing for a balance between work and home. It would also employ his knowledge gained as a medical technologist. His understanding of medical tests will be helpful, especially as he begins ordering tests for patients this year, he said.
Getting his PA training and education at the UI gave Johnson the opportunity to study at a program with a 99 percent pass rate on students' certifying examination and that has been ranked by "U.S. News and World Report" as the number two PA program in the nation in a ranking of "America's Best Graduate Schools."
" Our pass rates are fantastic and previous grads are very well prepared. But even more, the faculty and staff are dedicated to the PA students and have helped us through every stage of our schooling," Johnson said. "Also, since the PA students spend much of their first-year training with second-year medical students, we have a chance to work together as a team and understand each other's roles."
Johnson is considering specializing in family medicine, which would allow him to see a variety of patients. He also looks forward to giving back to his community by volunteering, being involved in community leadership and educating people on preventive medicine.
Johnson did his undergraduate work at Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, where he majored in medical technology and minored in chemistry. He also completed a one-year internship at St. Luke's Hospital School of Medical Technology.
In his free time, Johnson is active in the campus groups of the Christian Medical Association and the Physician Assistant Student Society. He also enjoys spending time with his infant daughter, Alexa LeeAnn, and his wife, Jessica. Johnson also likes fishing, boating, traveling, playing the drums and trumpet, and collecting antiques.