Inspire, Summer 2006

20 Summer 2006 Seventy-five-hour work weeks, late nights of study, and life/death decisions. Add commitments to family and church and you have a recipe for a life seriously out of whack! How does the follower of Christ maintain equilibrium (literally “equal balance”) when stress is high? Inspire interviewed recent alums enrolled at Medical University of Ohio in Toledo to discover that balance is about managing, not eliminating, the pressures of medical school. Five P’s to Managing Pressure The pressures of responsibility are not squandered on the weak; the Master’s testing comes after preparation and faithful living. Jason Hall ’01 noted, “My time at Cedarville created the foundation from which to view current circumstances. It was a time when I developed habits in my spiritual life that serve to continually remind me of my dependence on the Lord and that there is no greater pursuit than to glorify God.” Physician’s assistant student Andrea Galehouse ’04 highly values Cedarville University chapel and her CU training in bioethics, seeing God’s hand throughout her life of learning. Thanks to excellent scholarship required by CU faculty Dr. Terry Phipps ’70 and Dr. Lisa Schaffner, third-year med student Eric Mitchell ’02 “already knew what it was like to study all night and still feel overwhelmed!” God’s provision supplies all we need for life and godliness. Jason stated that “close friends, supportive parents and siblings, a wonderful church family, and an ever-patient and encouraging wife [Geneva Roberts Hall ’00] have really aided me in the pursuit of maintaining a balanced life in medical school. And God has continually shown Himself faithful in providing strength and rewarding diligence.” God has graciously supplied a godly older woman to faithfully mentor Andrea in her local church, as well as “friends for life” from Cedarville days to encourage her and avoid relationship “blackout.” Just as Paul trained himself to put aside past gains or lesser goals (Phil. 3:12-14), a clear sense of purpose enables these students to keep their eyes on the prize. Living a life worthy of Christ’s calling (Eph. 4:1) challenges Kathy Steingass ’02 that “it is by God’s will and His grace that I am training to be a physician and that I need to use the gifts He has given me wisely. All of my work needs to be done to His glory.” While peers might be striving to amass personal wealth or accomplishments, Andrea takes joy in preparing for the good works God has planned for her to do through a career in medicine. A firm sense of purpose allows one to set priorities to govern usage of time, energy, and gifts. Eric makes a priority to eat dinner together every night with his wife, Erin (Vallowe) ’01, and their four-month-old son, Cole. Travis Casper ’03 shared that he may practice medicine for 25 years, but he’ll be a husband, a son, a brother, and a child of God for the rest of his life. As a result, attending church with his wife, Kristin (Pierce) ’03 and enjoying their church’s small group activities are key. Eddie Nehus ’01 discovered that keeping things in proper balance was among the most difficult tasks in medical school. Nurturing genuine faith that pleases God involves “holding fast to our previous convictions, namely, that our daily time spent with God IS our number one priority, even when our emotions (e.g., anxiety, worry, and frustration) tempt us to do otherwise,” shared Eddie. Persevering in pursuit of priorities yields productivity . Efficient use of time spent studying, sleeping, and relaxing helps Travis produce under pressure. “Medical school is one giant balancing act. If your priorities aren’t balanced perfectly, you’ll snap under the weight of it all,” he said. Andrea has learned that being disciplined about the way she uses her time makes her a better person and a more useful instrument for God to wield. Efficient use of time has facilitated ministry, allowing several of these students to consistently teach children’s Sunday school, volunteer at clinics for the uninsured, or join Bible study groups. So take it from these medical students — balancing life and managing pressure is all about the five P’s: preparation, provision, purpose, priorities, and productivity! Mark is an associate professor of chemistry at Cedarville University, as well as the director of summer school and continuing education. Left to Right: Eddie Nehus ‘01, Jason Hall ‘01, Mark McClain ‘89, Willie Leukhardt ‘02, Kathy Steingass ‘02, and Andrea Galehouse ‘04 b y M a r k M c C l a i n ’ 8 9 Seeking Equilibrium in Medical School