`` Don 't Run ``

As a young child, I was always drawn towards the field of health care. I remember reading about the many options that are held within it and wondering what path it would lead me on. Neonatal nursing was something that always came into my mind, but it was often pushed to the side by people and teachers who thought I should become a pediatrician instead. This became a real struggle for me, but as I grew up and began researching and exploring the health care field I came to a decision for myself. I came to the realization that everyone was wrong. I didn’t want to be a doctor at all. This sudden burst of independence from what everyone else wanted was the first step to reaching my end goal. Along with this, an accelerated education, volunteer

I decided to pursue a career in medicine when I was an adolescent. I scheduled a science-heavy course load in high school. Pursued a degree in Honours Biological Sciences. Shadowed a physician for two months. Graduated with distinction. Applied to medical schools and received my acceptance. My academic and professional career was already planned at the ripe age of fourteen. As the years progressed, my passion and interest in medicine waned. I was left feeling deeply unfulfilled. The career I was pursuing had ceased to be reflective of my interests. I struggled to procure the enthusiasm to apply to medical school, putting it off until I was in my final year of university. Every time I broached

These topics and my interactions with clinicians in our lab have driven my interest for pursuing the specific area of orthopedics. From back injuries, Tommy John surgeries, broken feet, and a prosthetic leg, my family has also had a lot of experience on the patient side of this specialty. The chance to rehabilitate athletes, such as my loved ones, is appealing, but I know that these injuries are not exclusive to this population, and my true passion lies in the opportunity to rehabilitate individuals in underserved populations. My time in Guatemala and Nicaragua has really grown my heart for people living in the impoverished countries of Central America. My first mission trip there largely contributed to my passions for becoming a doctor and since high school, my career goals have been aimed at building the skills necessary to serve those communities. Eventually, I would love to be able to marry my interests in global health and orthopedics, and incorporate my biomedical engineering background, to contribute to research aimed at optimizing care and medical technologies in low-resource settings. As the leader in global orthopedic initiatives, UCSF and the prospect of working with the Institute for Global Orthopedics and Traumatology stand out

My life is a bit of a rollercoaster. I knew what I wanted to do since a young age; however, different paths and decisions brought me to my goal in a roundabout way. After high school I decided to take time off before going to college because I was fortunate enough to have a successful career in retail management. Around the nine year mark I decided that I wanted to return to my goal of entering the medical field, which I was already in the process of doing by attending Northeastern and working towards my BS in Biological Sciences. My ultimate goal being to achieve an MS as a physician assistant. When moving into health care I started in the Urgent Care Department which was closely related to one of the fields I am interested in when practicing

Way back when I first started college, my priorities were not clear. I knew I wanted to do something that I can be proud of, it was only a matter of what do I really want that will fill my life and complete me as a person. I was in the manufacturing field since I was 19 years old and yet, I felt a hole in my heart. I got to a point where I stop growing as an individual and it became apparent that I wanted to do something more significant. That void became the fuel to pursue something bigger and life changing. I tried to dig deep and really tried to figure out what I want in life and at the same time I started taking classes that can go towards any degree in the medical field. Taking care of people has always been a part of me. I took care of

Each month I hold a completely free dance camp for children with disabilities to help with their physical development, social awareness, emotional maturity, and cognitive ability. My ultimate goal is to one day operate my very own physical therapy practice to help children with challenges that they face in their everyday lives. This non-profit organization that I developed has ultimately prepared me for the everyday duties of a physical therapist assistant. When I was thirteen years old, I severely broke my elbow which doctors thought they were going to have to amputate my arm.

Time flows like a river and you find yourself not thinking the way you used to as a child. As I grew older, my dreams and goals changed as well as my mindset on how to achieve those aspirations. Mercyhurst University’s Public Health Program is the main step toward helping me achieve my career goal of becoming a Registered Health Information Technician. I’d like to define success as many achievements and accomplishments, as well as the coming of knowledge for that which was unknown to one’s self. Therefore, there should never be an ending to a success story. It was when I graduated as a medical assistant that sparked the realization to what field I was most interested in.

Although, this part of my life is over, there will always be lessons never to be forgotten. Now, I am 27 year old college student at Guilford Technical Community College with a full time job with one of the most successful companies in the state. My job is both challenging and rewarding, but it is not the dream I had before. Health and wellness has always been important to me. I am an avid natural bodybuilder and soon to be licensed personal trainer with the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Health has been a core theme in my life and will never be replaced. In some respect the last 10 years has led me to this career path. The persistence of a friend to get me to join the Gym when I felt all was lost developed a love that has never broken; my drive to make a difference in people’s lives when they asked me for my help in achieving their weight loss goal; and finally, a random suggestion of a client and friend to look into physical therapy as a career when deciding on a path after my

Throughout the majority of my life, I had dreams of becoming an attorney and did not consider medicine as a profession until much later in my academic career. I had previously pictured myself pursuing a career in intellectual property rights and hoped to become a patent attorney, given my interest in the scientific field. My interest in patent law led me to take science courses that piqued my curiosity. I soon found myself involved in undergraduate laboratory research, focused on discovering new drugs to treat chronic pain syndromes while preventing drug tolerance and limiting the side effects of conventionally used narcotic pain medications. During my last year of college, I was accepted into law school, however I ultimately did not feel that I was truly pursuing my passion and decided to withdraw my acceptance. I then found myself with a college degree and an unclear direction in life, unsure of what new career I wanted to pursue. Shortly after graduating, I discovered a medical scribe vacancy in my hometown's Emergency Department (ED). Working as a scribe in the ED was a profound experience that undoubtedly shaped my career path and inspired me to become a physician and apply to medical school.

My name is Dorlie Leandre and for as long as I can remember I wanted to be in the medical field. My passion for biology is the reason why I chose to pursue a career in medicine. In June 2014, I became a licensed Respiratory Therapist in NYS. I’ve been working as a full time Respiratory Therapist at Montefiore Medical Center for almost three years. I also work per diem at a nursing home. When I’m not at work, I enjoy cooking, traveling and most importantly sleeping. I’m currently enrolled at NYCCT, pursuing Bachelor’s degree in Health Service Administration (HSA).

Delos M. Cosgrove states, “I think it’s important to try and leave the world a better place than you found it.” He accomplishes his dreams by the struggles he faced through his life. He always wanted to be a surgeon, but through persistence the path he was on took a turn and opened up new opportunities. These opportunities allowed him to explore new possibilities of healthcare. In some ways, I can pertain to what he experienced. Helping others has always been a passion of mine. Not only do I love helping people, but I love the idea of assisting others in a healthcare profession and I hope to do this in the future. There were many ups and downs during my high school career;however, like Mr. Cosgrove I am very persistent. He states, “a lot of

and I was getting sick and tired of the amount of operations I was having and my leg was taking along time to heal. However I didn’t let the feelings and emotions I had get the better of me. Everyday I remember I had a feeling of my injuries weren’t going to get the better of me and that I’m going to rise from it and be able to run a marathon without no aide or restrictions. Because I was self motivated and self driven I was able to do so and I ran a marathon for Cancer Research

Due to my leg condition, I often had to get creative like reviewing my physics notes while riding a stationary bike at physical therapy or typing an essay on my bedroom floor after having muscle spasms. However, my leg condition was not the only trial that tested my commitment to medicine. For instance, I came to college at the age of sixteen and there were so many times when jobs, volunteering opportunities, internships, and research labs refused to even glance at my application because I was too young to even be considered as a candidate. I will admit that it was initially frustrating because I was denied the access to certain resources due to a factor that was beyond my control. Nevertheless, the ubiquitous rejection that I faced taught me not to confuse who I am with the results

On many occasions my personal goals have come before my professional aspirations. A career in the medical field has always been something I have looked forward to. As a child I wanted and dreamed of being a doctor, however due to the choices I made in life and the priorities that I had not thought of, I have come to realize that my childhood dream may not come true. Yet, I was able to compromise and make short and long term goals that will lead me into a career in the medical field. My long term goal is to enter the medical field world and be a respected contributor to it. I want to be able to help others in the time of need. In

I know that the road that I take to become a doctor is going to be very challenging; however I feel that my past has prepared me for taking on the challenge. As a student, I am an active participant in my academic and extracurricular activities. My first priority has always been to make good grades and learn in college. Although this is important to me, I also know that by participating in clubs, sports, and extracurricular activities, I will become a well-rounded student. I have been working hard for the last 7 years, operating as an independent, responsible adult. In that time I have constantly learnt from my life experiences and developed skills in both learning and life management. I am a very motivated person with goal setting, time management and prior skills that help me achieve what I aim to do.