episode 10: mark johnson

November 29, 2023

Interview by pRIYANKA gERA

Edited by Priyanka Gera and Michael Fortunato

Photo by Ivan Dominguez

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Saratoga Springs, New York. About 2 hours north of here. 

If someone were to visit Saratoga Springs, what is one thing they need to know about your town?

Watch out for the spring water. People either hate it or love it. 

I hate it. 

[laughs] Yeah. Exactly. It’s very divisive. Creates a lot of strong opinions. Some springs actually taste really nice. Others are mineral-y and strange tasting, but those are the ones that usually scare people off. 

Do you have a favorite spring?

I really like the High Rock spring, actually. I used to live near it and fill up bottles of water there. But alas, I don’t live near there anymore. 

Do you have any siblings?

Yes. My family started off small, and then got pretty big. I have 2 sisters––a younger and an older. I have a younger half-sister and younger half-brother. Three step brothers and a step sister. My family grew exponentially after my parents split up. Sometimes there can be a positive outcome to things that seem bad. 

Are you going to be the first doctor in the family?

My paternal uncle is a radiologist down in Florida. So I can’t claim the title of first. 

What did you do before coming to medical school?

I graduated from Northeastern in 2017 and was really unsure about what I wanted to do. I was considering either psychology or research. I chose neither and went to India for a year instead.

As one casually comes to that decision. 

[laughs]  Just a natural course of action. If you cannot find yourself, go to India instead then look for yourself there. I traveled around quite a bit, practicing yoga and meditation. After a year, I went to Boston and started working at McLean Hospital as a mental health worker. Initially, I was treating patients in a step-down unit from in-patient who were trying to integrate back into community life. I was only there for a year, before I started working in the Trauma and Dissociative Care Unit, treating mostly women with histories of abuse and trauma. 

Is it fair to assume that all these experiences are influencing the future specialty you are considering?

That is an astute observation, Priyanka. 

[Both laugh] It’s not like I already know the answer to this. 

But yes, I mostly have decided to get into medicine to become a psychiatrist. That said, I do want to keep an open mind. I’m able to get really interested in each subject we cover and can see myself in that specialty, but realistically psychiatry is what I am most drawn to. That is primarily due to my experiences working in psychiatry and my experiences in meditation, yoga, self-help, wellness, etc. Philosophy of mind. 

Since you brought up these topics, what does self-care look like for you?
Good question. Anybody who has spent more than 5 minutes around me will know that having a good cup of tea is paramount to that. Also, for myself, taking walks when I feel like I need to clear my head of things. Calling family members who I can talk to and who can understand me. It’s also keeping in touch with the big picture of what my life is and what I want it to amount to. Don’t get too lost in whatever the present moment or task is. In that sense, you could consider it as having a philosophical perspective on life. That definitely does a lot for my mental health. 

That being said, is there any 1 motto that keeps you going?

“This too shall pass.”

[both laugh] That’s a good one. Wise words. Why don’t you tell everyone about the tea we are drinking right now. 

This is called hojicha. It is the stems of the green tea plant roasted under dry conditions at a certain temperature. What this does is remove the tannins, taking away the bitterness of the tea. What you're left with is the other flavors. It has a silky, smooth, but roasted chocolatey taste to it. It is something I have gotten really into recently because it has lower caffeine, so it makes a nice evening drink when I am not trying to get too hyped up.

Would you say you are a tea connoisseur? Would you call yourself that?

I could never. I guess it is all relative. There are people who are much more knowledgeable about the subtleties of tea and they have the added lingo of how to assess a cup of tea. As for me, I just enjoy a good cup of tea. I like a variety of teas, but I doubt I could call myself a connoisseur. 

The best thing that has happened to you this past month. 

I have been able to do some wonderful hikes in the Adirondack Mountains and see some of the foliage up there. Really spectacular colors. Oranges, yellows and deep shades of red. All the mountains look like they are in technicolor. Meditating in those mountains was definitely restorative for me. 

Do you usually go on hikes often? Any good ones around campus?

You know I have heard wonderful things about Harriman State Park, but the most I do around here is walking around Tarrytown. My go-to place is the Adirondacks though. I will hike anytime of year. 

Any hidden talents? It won’t be hidden now, but…

I guess it is not that hidden, but I have been told that I am a good listener. And that I have a very calming, reassuring voice, which will come in handy in psychiatry. I also really enjoy writing poetry. I will write poetry about anything: tea, the natural environment, etc.

You also wrote a poem the other day about writing poems, didn’t you?

Literally. It was a haiku about haikus. 

So when did you start writing poetry?

I think it really started in 6th grade when our teacher would have us write poetry. I don’t remember doing it before then, but it really spoke to me. I think it is more reflective of how we think in general since when you are casually thinking with your inner monologue, it is often in short snippets of information, not in prose form. I think poetry is similar to that. The barest possible words to express something. I often find it easier to express things in poetry rather than prose, so I’ll often journal in poetry. 

Which emoji best describes you?

I am going to look at the emojis quickly. I have a few go-to emojis, but the one to describe myself? That’s a tricky one. I will say I am a prolific user of emojis. Probably the smiley faced one with the slightly upraised eyebrows. Since it kind of shows some contentment and appreciation. 😌 

Oh. I like that one. I don’t think I have ever used that one. 

Really? To me it conveys calm contentment, which I feel is often my mood. But not all the time, by any means. 

Noted. Are you a window or an aisle seat type of person?

Definitely Aisle. I don’t like to have to disturb people when I want to get up and it’s easier to stretch my legs out a bit, especially during long flights. Not having to ask anyone to move in order for me to get out is probably the biggest selling point for an aisle seat though. 

What’s the last book you read?

It is called “Narcissus and Goldmund” by Hermann Hesse. It is a really beautiful story about these two men: one who stays in a monastery and becomes a monk eventually, and another who leaves the monastery to live a wayfarer’s life. He former advises the latter to abandon the monastic livelihood because, this younger monk, Goldmund, has talents that are to developed through immersion in worldly life. He has a proclivity toward aesthetics and romance, while Narcissus (the older monk) very much lives an austere life of the mind and intellect. I think the author is reflecting his own personality in these characters, as he often writes about the conflict between the heart and the mind. I have often felt similarly, so that novel really spoke to me on a deep level: balancing  the spiritual and material worlds, the mind and the heart. It was a beautiful novel that illustrates that conflict very vividly. I think the mark of a good book is one that can express what you have felt within yourself but never were able to put into words. 

The most spontaneous thing you've ever done?

The summer of my freshman year of college, I went to Cambodia. It wasn’t a same day decision––more like a 2-3 week planned decision. I had gone to Israel, Thailand and Singapore the year before, and I had always wanted to find an opportunity to go back to Asia. When I finished freshman year and was wondering what I would do with my summer, I realized it was a good opportunity to make it back there. I was there for about 3 months. 

What did you do in Cambodia?

I worked as a medical volunteer for part of it and I taught English in an orphanage. It was a formative time in my life where I got exposed to Buddhism, and Asian philosophies in general. And being on my own at such a young age compelled me to grow up in important ways. 

Any advice for current M1s?

“This too shall pass.” Always keep sight of the big picture. It is easy to get lost in the weeds of medical school and forget how far you have come and what more lies ahead. Being able to bear that in mind has given me a lot of gratitude and solace. And do not let any failure keep you down, see it as an opportunity for growth. 

Contact Mark at Mjohnson52@student.touro.edu.

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