RylanHolmbergDO

Summary

• My journey to medical school, while unconventional, taught me many life lessons and endowed me with vital skills necessary to succeed. Right out of high school I joined the United States Air Force for two reasons: following in the footsteps of my father and earning help for my future collegiate plans. While serving, I repaired electrical systems on F-16 Jet Aircrafts at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks Alaska. Brrrr! It was an amazing experience, and taught me discipline, timeliness, dedication, teamwork, and the importance of hierarchies. Towards the end of my Air Force career I fell off a jet I was repairing, landing on my head, crushing my skull, and incurring a large epidural hematoma. I also had an accompanying pneumothorax and fractured right forearm. My mother, and rest of my family, thought I would not survive. Yet, due to the efforts of a highly skilled neurosurgeon and integrated medical team consisting of many different specialists, I miraculously survived. Once I woke up in the hospital after a few days of being in an induced coma, I remember asking to see the x-rays of my head. It was then I knew I wanted to pursue a career in the medical field, specifically imaging. After being honorably discharged from the military I completed an X-ray Technologist program in my home state of Utah. While completing it I conversed with the radiologists regularly and came to the conclusion I need to go to medical school in order to further my passion for healthcare and imaging. Needless to say, after overcoming my fears of failure, I put my mind to the grind and pushed towards medical school. Thankfully, I succeeded and now get to give you a brief view of my story.
  
  Outside of medicine and medical school I love spending time with my wife and daughter, going to movies, live shows (hopefully coming back soon due to vaccinations), and out to restaurants. Also, I enjoy playing basketball, golfing, snowboarding, and video games and spending time with friends when time