On May 13, 2024, Texas A&M University medical student Patrick Monday '22 '28 found himself 3,032 feet away from his goal of climbing Mount Everest. Seven hours later, he became one of only two Aggies to successfully summit the legendary mountain.
Monday, who received an undergraduate degree in biology from Texas A&M in 2022 and is currently in medical school, set his sights on Mount Everest when he discovered mountaineering in the fourth grade and began training 10 years ago.
“I’ve been wanting to climb ever since I was a little kid,” Monday said. “I got into mountaineering seriously around 10 years ago and in the back of my mind, the goal was always to one day climb Mount Everest.”
Although the climb itself took 41 days, the process of reaching the mountain’s peak required years of training, including high-intensity workouts, cardiovascular training, conversations with experts and even taking a leave of absence from medical school, all to ensure peak mental and physical preparedness.
“Climbing the mountain is actually a very small portion of the process,” Monday explained. “You can put a lot of work into it and get into the best shape and health you possibly can, but when you get there, you have to remember that you’re not just sprinting up the mountain. It takes time.”
Monday arrived in Nepal with his team on April 10, and they began the lengthy process with a practice climb up Lobuche, a 20,000-foot mountain. The team then slowly worked their way up Everest, starting from Base Camp — sitting at a staggering 17,500 feet — to Camp Four, followed by the final trek to the summit.
“The summit climb took a total of five days,” Monday said. “Prior to that, we did acclimatization rotations where we went from one camp to another so that we could slowly work our way up and get used to the higher altitudes.”
There are a lot of parallels with pursuing a degree and climbing mountains, especially with the patience and persistence that goes into both. I had to put in a lot of time and effort into climbing, which is similar to going through school, and it’s not always glamorous or fun, but it is absolutely worth it in the end.
The intensity of the climb required the team to prepare for every possible scenario, including hostile weather conditions, which at one point presented Monday’s climbing team with a difficult decision.
“There was one bit of doubt that we were going to be able to do it safely, because we encountered stronger winds than had been anticipated once we arrived at the South Summit,” Monday recalled. “I was concerned we were going to reach our wind threshold for climbing, but luckily, the winds never reached a dangerous level, and we were able to pass through.”
After 40 days of climbing, Monday awoke on May 12 for the final leg of his arduous journey. He finally saw his first glimpse of the horizon after seven hours and was overcome with emotion, describing the view as nothing short of breathtaking.
“As we reached the summit, there was a little glow on the horizon,” Monday said. “Everything was so small and far down from where I was, and it just hit me that I was standing on top of the world. It was such an emotional time, I felt like I had taken a step into a new dimension.”
As Monday sat at the top of Mount Everest, he took it all in and saw his hard work and preparation come to fruition. He never stopped thinking about his support system back at home, especially his mom, whose message among the many he sent to loved ones that momentous day proved particularly significant.
“It was Mother’s Day back in the states, so I was able to say ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ from the top of the world,” Monday said. “It was incredibly special for me and her because it was confirmation that I was okay, I made it and I had succeeded.”
Monday says his experience climbing Mount Everest has helped him in every facet of his life, including his education at Texas A&M. A native Utahn, Monday served 13 years in the United States Navy before becoming a member of the Aggie family in 2021, choosing the university for its prestigious military medical school that stood out for its different campus options.
“When I was applying for medical school, I knew that Texas A&M had a special medical program with four different campus options,” Monday said. “It was very unique and something I hadn’t seen in other schools. I was also interested in the military medicine program, which was absolutely something I wanted to do.”
Monday continues to serve as a Navy reservist while attending medical school and says the time he spent preparing for and climbing Mount Everest taught him important lessons that he applies to both his mountaineering and academic pursuits.
“There are a lot of parallels with pursuing a degree and climbing mountains, especially with the patience and persistence that goes into both. I had to put in a lot of time and effort into climbing, which is similar to going through school, and it’s not always glamorous or fun, but it is absolutely worth it in the end.”