A Personal Perspective

“Returning to school after so many years of not attending, to obtain a degree can be a struggle for many people throughout their life, but it also has its benefits, changes, challenges, and goals. Initially, I had planned to go to college right after high school, but due to many family problems I was unable to. It would be another eight years before I would make the decision to enroll in school. My reasons for returning to school are to higher my education, have a better career/ job, and to better my life, as well as the life of my daughter. Returning to school for me, has had its benefits, changes, challenges, and goals. In this paper, I plan to give you a brief

My experiences at home have helped prepare me for a career in medicine I grew up in an economically depressed area in San Francisco where my mother was a single parent. Growing up without a father, I developed self-confidence and a sense of independence at an early age. In order to help my mother financially, I unloaded produce trucks during my years in high school. As a result, I was unable to enjoy many of the activities most youngsters enjoy. However, I am thankful for the determination and inner-strength I developed while overcoming the hardships I faced.

My grandfather, a pediatrician for forty years, was the first college graduate in his family. His home office was my daycare. From my earliest memories, education and medicine was often a topic of discussion when my family gathered. I heard the conversations about college applications and essays and saw the anticipation awaiting acceptance. I saw the excitement of “getting in” multiple times throughout my life. As professionals, passionate about their careers, I hear conversations of patients and students. The UCONN graduates in my family are a testament not only to the high quality of education UCONN offers, but the quality of people it forms and the contagious, positive experiences they want to share from college and

When planning my pre-medical schedule at the University of Iowa, I found a first year seminar titled “Journey to Medical School.” All of the fears, ambitions, and everything I could think of regarding my journey to medical school was covered in the seminar. I left the class feeling terrified, but more than that, excited and prepared for what was to come within my next 8 years. One of the class periods was filled with the intellect of students who currently attend Carver Medical School. During that class period, I was mesmerized by the way the students carried themselves. They talked with poise and grace. Listening to them talk about how their journey was going made my heart putter – I was terrified, yet excited to continue on my own

About two months into scribing, I felt like this is where I belong, this was it. Since I was already enrolled in classes for the fall semester, I decided to start my new path in the spring, the path of becoming a Physician Assistant. My goal at the time was to work hard, take college serious and give back to the two people who brought me into this world, my parents. When I first attended college after high school I did not take it serious at all. I would use my time in college to hang out with my friends, I would tell myself I’m still young and in due time will get it all done. When I started my new path to become a Physician Assistant, I realized how important college was and from this point on would do what would be necessary to make up for lost time and poor grades. With me being human and not knowing what the future held, a turn of event took place in late summer of 2011. My parents were not getting along and decided to split

How about working on your MRS. degree?!” stated her Father. Ignorant to her passion of cardiology, his suggestion only contained relying on a husband for an income. Determined to earn her medical degree, my mom denied the negative beliefs as she continued working towards her goal and enrolled in Ross Medical School (Dominica, West Indies). Still devastated from a lack of support, Lori became overwhelmed rapidly. Anxiety, skepticism, and “a fear of failure” took over her positive lifestyle as she began traveling to Dominica. The gaping age different from her peers (10 years) constantly discouraged her. Meanwhile, as her studies advanced, her sense of homesickness did as well. Due to the expense of calling the United States, communicating with her parents took place on a week, for only minutes! Additionally, being devoted to her studies, Lori constantly utilized her time within the library, to prepare for exams. However, when returning home at 11PM, she would frequently get mugged due to the perilous areas contained in Dominica. Although, my mother persisted through this surplus of challenges, in order to obtain her highly valued

This is a reflective essay concerning my READ 3423.01 with Dr. Reid in the fall of 2016. As I wrap up my first semester at Texas Women’s University I am awed and thankful. I am the first person in my family to attend University. Some find this surprising because I do come from a family that has done well professionally, but that was due to grit and personalities. The fact is, I was never even spoken to about attending college while I was growing up. I believe this is because no one before me had this experience to share or encourage. The truth is I tried my hardest to not be at school from middle school on, I just wasn’t engaged in the process. Of course, there were a few teachers I connected with, like the business and history teachers, but I hated the rules and structure of the environment. I amazedly graduated with my high school class, as my friends went away to Universities I took some classes at the community college. What I found was that when I got to pick my classes I flourished. Even the classes that others said were too hard to take during summer quarter, I excelled in those as well. As life unfolded I got married, moved out of state and had two daughters. When it was time for my daughters to attend school I was pretty apprehensive about the idea of it. I opened a preschool in a mother-in-law apartment we had on our property and decided they could learn there in a small community. That preschool led to homeschooling, and large educational co-ops. I lived in a

I entered high school feeling like a traveler beginning a journey toward an unknown destination along pathways shrouded in fog. I had an inkling of where I wanted to go, but my ambitions of medicine were hazy and unformed, tinged with the suspicion that a great chasm lay between dreams and reality. No amount of straining brought my road or where it could take me into focus; I needed a guide, an experienced traveler to give me confidence on my path. I needed someone who could hold my hand where the way was unclear and lead me to a place I could never reach alone. I needed more than a teacher; I needed a mentor. I am fortunate to have found that mentor in Kathleen Huckabee.

The date was March 24, 1974, cloud and gloom, perfectly matching my mood. A year had passed since my parent's death, and wasn't planning crying anymore. I didn't want to anymore and I did not think my parents would want that for me. Grief was an emotion I had commonly crossed path with during that year. My parent's, my grandma, and my spirit. College had been a thing of the past, being one of the sharp-witted people in my school I had decided and got accepted into Yale Medical School. Maybe dropping out was not one the smartest things I have ever done, but it was done deal, the affliction had got to me. Flashback: "Gabriela, come down here, I know you're studying up there, but we need to tell you something," yelled excitedly my dad John. "Yeah,

Growing up in a single parent household with a mother that was constantly sick and two younger siblings under my care, proved challenging for a premedical student. All my life, it has been my dream to become a physician and to be of service to people in need. I have done nothing else but devote all my time and effort in pursuit of this goal of becoming a physician.

Unlike a lot of students in this school, I do not possess an outstanding amount of intelligence or academic prowess. I consider myself to be a mediocre student to say the least, and I constantly struggle with my school work. I become so infuriated at times with an overwhelming amount of frustration that I question my life dream of becoming a doctor. I remember that the best things in life never come easy, that I have to have the determination and unquenchable thirst for success in order to make my dream blossom into reality. With that mindset, I have been able to succeed in taking the first of thousands of steps towards that dream. While taking the highest level science and english courses available at the school, I have been blessed with earning a 48 thousand dollar scholarship to Newman University ,renowned for their success in sending students to Medicine School, for academics. Until my dream of becoming a doctor is a reality, I will never cease in my efforts to achieve complete academic

At 18, I was your average high school student. I participated in marching band, took a few advanced courses and enjoyed the fellowship of friends. A blooming teenager with high hopes of attending the University of Alabama at Birmingham to obtain my degree in nursing. However, the summer following my graduation, I discovered that I was pregnant. Understandably shocked by this unexpected circumstance, I placed my dreams of attending UAB on hold.

I took a semester off in the Spring of 2012 and 2013. In 2012, I helped care for my grandfather, who suffered from lung cancer and passed away that April. During my time off, I volunteered in the pediatric department of the hospital where he was staying. The inoperable nature of his cancer spurred me to shadow Dr Cheng, a radiation oncologist. In 2013, my mother was told that she might have breast cancer. With my father working in China, I took time off to be with her. I decided to transfer schools because Columbia dramatically decreased my financial aid for the upcoming year, while Brandeis offered me a full scholarship. With my mother’s health issues, I did not want to further burden her financially. I shadowed Dr Anderson, a pediatric geneticist at UT Genetic Center and validated a plasma cell enrichment procedure for the diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma.

We live in a society that the further you explore your education, the better chance you have in living a fulfilling lifestyle. I re-enroll to Allen School for medicine and science to reach my goals on better myself as a person. By becoming a student in the field of medicine and to widen my horizon. Unfortunately, I was unable to complete this program at the beginning of January due to a setback, from my parents. My dad was not willing to help me further my education because of financial reasons nor his wife because of their separation.

t has been five years since I walked through Van Wickle gates as a freshman. Bright-eyed, confident, and hopeful, I felt smart and capable. Ready to begin the next chapter of my life, I wholeheartedly set my sights on getting the full “college experience” that awaited me at Brown. I remember that I was most excited to begin a perfectly paved journey towards graduating and becoming a doctor - the one and only destination in my life since I was twelve. Therefore, I was devastated when I was dismissed from the PLME not even one year after being here. It was a harsh but eye-opening experience that made me question my very existence; it left me shattered. I also think I publicly cried more during my time at Brown than I did throughout the rest of