Clayton Gary Johnsen: NYCPM Class of 2007

My name is Clayton Gary Johnsen.  I was born in Gillette, WY and grew up mostly in central Illinois and Houston, Texas.  I went to Brigham Young University for my undergrad, and graduated with my BA in Exercise Science in 2003.  I am an avid athlete and enjoy activities including surfing, wakeboarding, ATVing, and competing in triathlons. 

I always wanted to go into medicine.  I had a friend that was in DO school and he recommended podiatry to me.  Once I learned more about it, I felt like it was a good fit.

I chose NYCPM because I wanted a new and different experience.  I had never lived on the east coast and I wanted to expand my horizons.  In addition, NYCPM has a great clinic reputation, and that was very important to me.  I also was accepted under the articulation agreement NYCPM created with BYU.  The articulation agreement allowed me to finish my senior year of undergrad while simultaneously completing my first year at NYCPM.

I initially went into podiatry to get into sports medicine.   As a student, I was the president of the sports medicine club for two years and spent a lot of my free time studying sports journals and reading about sports injuries.  Other activities I participated in during my time at NYCPM included being a Student Ambassador (a student leadership role working with the admissions office), and volunteering for many events.  Throughout my time at NYCPM I also developed a love of pediatrics, orthopedics, and surgery.

After graduating from NYCPM, I chose to do my residency at Silver Lake Medical Center/Baja Project.  My residency included experiences in the private sector (small surgery centers, orthotic casting and fabrication, private practice), the VA hospital system (3 months of Podiatric Surgery, Vascular Surgery, and Dermatology), and a position at Kaiser Permanente (1 year as the sole resident covering inpatient management, trauma, and outpatient surgery for two hospitals).  Upon completion of my residency program in June 2010, I will begin working at the Pro Sports Club in Bellevue, Washington.  My focus there will be sports-related injuries.

NYCPM was a great school for me.  I felt extremely confident in a clinical setting after graduating and was well-prepared for residency.  Based on my training and experiences at NYCPM, I now have the skills, confidence, and knowledge to be a significant contributor to the podiatric community.