COM student of the month

Name: Jared Vanlandingham
 
Hometown: Omaha
 
Program/Year: Second-year medical student (currently applying for the MD/PhD program)
 
Education: Bachelor’s of Science degree in biochemistry with minors in math and chemistry
 
Hobbies:
I enjoy all types of different physical activities. To summarize:
I completed a half marathon and a sprint triathlon this previous spring and summer.
I was a part of the summer intramural softball championship team.
Beach volleyball is my favorite sport to play.
I take yoga classes when they fit into my schedule.
I love bike riding all around Omaha and seeing the beauty that Nebraska has to offer.
 
Outside of physical activities, I enjoy learning about economics through conversations with my family.
 
Staying Balanced: 
The key for me to stay balanced is estimating the amount of time I think it will take me to finish a task and then fit it in when I need to. I am not very good at scheduling, but I make it work in a pinch.
 
The balance that goes on in my head mostly revolves around what I am passionate about in the moment. I then use that passion to motivate myself into getting the not so fun work over with, so I can focus on what I enjoy. Once the tough work is behind me, I am free to focus on things that will help with my mental state, such as socializing with friends, playing a game, or just closing my eyes and relaxing for 15 minutes.
 
I will admit that the work does get to me on occasion (more often than not), and I do feel an immense amount of stress at times. When I feel like I can’t do anything to overcome the stress, I take a moment to sit back, close my eyes, take a deep breath and remember why I am doing what I am doing.
 
From what I can tell, medicine is a field of ups and downs, life and death. As long as I have a way to cope with the downs – whether it’s not doing well on a test or just not feeling like it’s my day – I know I will be able to handle whatever challenge comes at me.
 
If all else fails, reaching out to those who care about me just to chat will significantly help me. There has never been a time in my life that someone I love couldn’t cheer me up and get me back on track.
 
Focusing on the things I love to do and surrounding myself with the people I love typically allows me to balance whatever may be on my plate at that moment.
 
Three things people may not know about me:
I am Scuba certified (which is essentially useless in Nebraska).
Most of my joints are hypermobile.
My mom is my hero.