Roughly 1,240 miles from Pullman, Jordan Bolen (’20 Microbiology) still gets the occasional ‘go Cougs.’
This summer, Bolen, a 2020 microbiology graduate from Washington State University’s School of Molecular Biosciences , moved to Kansas City, Mo., to attend the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences.
Bolen is studying to be a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine or DO.
“DOs will use manual manipulation if it is needed, it can be used to treat back pain and muscle stiffness, and treat certain dysfunctions, besides that we are similar to MDs,” Bolen said.
He hopes to specialize in anesthesia or some form of surgery.
For Bolen, the move more than halfway across the country is a move like no other.
When he ventured off to college at WSU in 2016, he packed up and made the 35-mile drive to WSU from Clarkston, Wash.
While he keeps getting further from home, Bolen said the goal is to come back to eastern Washington, with an eye on his hometown.
“That’s where I’m from; it’s underserved,” Bolen said. “I think we need as many physicians as we can get.”
He said he’s already missing the mountains, the weather, and the people.
That could change in two years though, when he has the option to finish his last four years of medical school in Denver, Colorado.
Bolen is still sporting his Coug gear and medical school is going well for him thus far.
He said he doesn’t study any more now than he did last year at WSU. He’s even on track to complete the class ahead of schedule.
“I feel really prepared, especially with the immunology courses I’ve had,” Bolen said. “Everything is more in depth at WSU than in medical school because they focus so much on the clinical aspect; it gave me a good foundation. We have a good group of professors that want to see you succeed.”