February 28, 2025 – Dr. Jon Ahrendsen recently shared his unique experience serving as a physician at McMurdo Station in Antarctica with residents and visitors at the Clarion Meadows Senior Living Community.
Journey to the Ice- How did he decide to serve as a doctor in Antarctica? Like most good ideas, it started with his wife. Becky Ahrendsen, with whom he shares two adult daughters, suggested it after Jon expressed a desire to visit the last continent on his bucket list.
After an extensive application process, including providing information on distant family members and listing references who ended up being surprised with an in-person interview, he was approved to serve at McMurdo Station. McMurdo is the largest U.S. research facility in the Antarctic, located on the southern tip of Ross Island.
Getting there was an adventure in itself. Dr. Ahrendsen described his multi-leg journey, 9,214 miles from Clarion, which involved several flights before boarding a military transport plane to Antarctica.
Upon arrival, all newcomers were issued extreme cold-weather (ECW) gear, including insulated coats and “bunny boots” designed to withstand frigid temperatures. Though the coats were returned at the end of their stay, Ahrendsen later obtained a similar one, which he displayed for the audience.
“They are extremely, extremely warm,” he shared. During his time at McMurdo, he experienced temperatures as low as -34°F, with wind chills dropping even further. Ahrendsen was in Antarctica from August 2023 to February 2024, experiencing the end of winter, spring, and summer.
Living in Isolation- McMurdo Station operates as a small, self-sufficient town, complete with dormitories, a cafeteria, a clinic, and a wastewater treatment plant. The population varies throughout the year, from around 250 people in winter to nearly 950 during peak research months.
Despite its town-like setup, McMurdo is not a tourist destination, only workers, researchers, and the occasional congressional visitors are permitted.
Daily life at the station included long working hours, communal dining, and recreational activities like hiking Observation Hill. Dr. Ahrendsen hiked it so many times that his total distance was equivalent to climbing Mount Everest, a place he has also visited in 2016.
He also attended Ice Stock while practicing medicine in Antarctica, a New Year’s Eve music festival for McMurdo residents. The event, created by two Iowans in 1989, has become a station tradition and is known as “the world’s most exclusive music festival.”
While events like Ice Stock and Halloween celebrations helped boost morale, the isolation and harsh conditions could be mentally challenging.
“There were at least a couple of people who had to leave due to mental health reasons,” Ahrendsen shared.
Medicine in Antarctica- As one of the station’s doctors, Ahrendsen led a small medical team responsible for treating minor illnesses to small dental issues. The clinic was equipped with an exam room, a trauma bay, an X-ray machine (which occasionally made the lights flicker), and a small hospital ward.
If a case required more advanced care, like a broken bone requiring surgery or a pregnancy, patients were flown back to New Zealand for treatment. One of the unique aspects of medical care in Antarctica is the necessity for self-sufficiency.
“We did everything, saw the patient, took blood pressures, drew blood, ran lab tests, took X-rays, dispensed medicine, swept the floors, and even did the laundry,” Ahrendsen said. The medical team also trained volunteers to assist in mass casualty incidents, preparing for potential emergencies like aircraft crashes.
Research and Responsibility- McMurdo Station primarily exists to support scientific research and is one of 70 permanent research stations in Antarctica.
Research that takes place there include
– Drilling ice cores to analyze climate history
– Astronomy research using the GUSTO balloon, which gathers data on interstellar gases
– Meteorite collection through the Antarctic Meteorite Search Program
Environmental responsibility is also a top priority at McMurdo. All waste, including human, is processed and shipped back to the U.S. “Part of the Antarctic Treaty is that you can’t just go outside and relieve yourself,” Ahrendsen explained with a chuckle.
An Extraordinary Experience- Though Antarctica is largely without wildlife, Dr. Ahrendsen shared stories of encounters with emperor penguins and Weddell seals. Visitors must maintain a 15-foot distance from animals, as required by the Antarctic Treaty, and Ahrendsen noted that people would back away even when eager to see them up close to maintain distance. 
One of the most awe-inspiring sights the good doctor saw was Mount Erebus, the southernmost active volcano on Earth. “It has a constant lava lake at its base, which helps release pressure, so it’s not in danger of a major eruption,” he explained.
When asked if he would return, he admitted that six months was a long time to be away from family, but he remained open to a shorter assignment. According to Dr. Ahrendsen, those who visit McMurdo Station go the first time for the adventure, the second time for the money, and the third time because “you don’t fit in anywhere else”.
Dr. Ahrendsen’s six-month stay at McMurdo Station was both demanding and unforgettable. From tackling medical challenges to braving Antarctica’s extreme conditions, his journey offered a rare window into a world few will ever experience.
But he’s not the only one with a story to tell about the icy frontier, read more in the next week!
