I Like The American Way And The Chinese Way

I came to America from Vietnam when I was just three years old. I spent a majority of my life with my grandma, who has always taught me the importance of helping others. She always told me to have; you must give, and if you have nothing to give, you can always give your time. This phase has been a huge guide in my life, and it has truly shaped me into who I am. At a young age, I always felt that my purpose in life was to help people. After attending many doctor visits with my grandma for her health check-ups, I was confident my future occupation would be in the medical field. During these frequent doctor visits, I had the chance to watch the interactions and cooperation among different healthcare professionals in different settings. Being in this inspiring environment, I hoped one day I could mirror them and make a difference in people’s lives and the community. Although I have always wanted to help those in need, I was uncertain of what specific career role would allow me to fulfill my passion for helping others.

“The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.” - Barack Obama It all started in the beginning of my freshman year when I started to volunteer at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital. The volunteering experience opened and continues to open my eyes to the needs of my community and the many opportunities for community service. UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital has been open for nearly 100 years. Not only does the staff dedicate their life to their work, but 100% of what they do is for the kids. Their mission is to protect and advance the health and well-being of children. Their vision is to be a leader in children’s health. Since October, I have been volunteering

I grew up dreaming and admiring the work of Florence Nightingale, Mother Teresa, and my aunt who is a Gynecologist Specialist while providing utmost care and assistance to sick family members who were in pain, especially my grandparents, my three months premature daughter, and my mother-in-law who fought with cancer for 15 years. Throughout my school years, I worked hard towards my dream, however, when in college I met my husband, was married and moved to Kansas. It was not until, after fourteen years of marriage that I started working as a Pharmacy technician and acquiring my CNA certificate that I felt as if God has chosen me for this purpose and I decided to acquire BSN degree. Since CVS was a neighboring store, I met people with various illnesses, started seeing them on a routine basis, and tried my unsurpassed in providing them with comfort, assistance, and support, while using empathy and tolerance in satisfying their needs. Most of all, I started

Throughout my four years of college, I wanted to learn about myself and the world. I did not want to follow a particular path or be strict with myself. Now, as a graduate I discovered my passion for health and helping people. I want to volunteer at New York Methodist Hospital because I want to learn more about health while getting to help people feel at peace during a difficult time in their life. I am ready to learn and I am ready for a new experience. I want to learn from accomplished individuals and further my knowledge in health for when I decide to go to nursing school. At the age of 5, I had to help my grandma because she could not walk due to arthritis of the spine and knee. At a young age I learned how one person can make a difference

My personal experience gives me emotional strength and purpose to serve the vulnerable sections of society through pediatric health care. Growing up in a remote town in

The experience taught me to work hard to achieve my goal of becoming a doctor and helping as many people as I can. It taught me not to waste my time. All of my dedication has pushed me to be the best person I can be so in the future I can feel confident about all of my choices. Volunteering at Children’s Hospital offered me an experience that pushed me to strive for no less than excellence. By volunteering, I watched my dreams and ambitions get closer, and although the process is a slow and difficult one, every second of it was worth it because I was able to watch everything I value become

As a Childlife volunteer at Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA I felt the warmth and fulfillment of helping others during times of ill-health. Every week I would join a team of volunteers to spend time with the children and give their parents someone to talk to. Jacob, a soft-spoken 6-year-old, stays particularly close to my heart. Living in the hospital for numerous weeks had seemed to extinguish his childish exuberance. Whenever I tried to engage him he would simply turn away with a glum look upon his face. Making sure not to reveal my inner thoughts of pity, I

I have been able to see the joy on a child’s face when they finally make a shot, the joy on their face when they learn how and when to cross the street, and the joy on their face when they realize that they have the potential to be anything they want to be in life. Being able to watch this all happen has allowed me to realize that I want to see these kinds of amazing reactions every day for the rest of my life. On top of this, I want to be the one to allow them to have this reaction. To me, it is the best feeling in the world when I know that I have helped someone do something they felt they couldn’t do before. This being said, my volunteer work has persuaded me into the direction of the medical field. I feel this has happened because the medical field gives me an enormous variety of ways to impact lives

When I was nine years old, I was very sick, and I had to stay in the hospital. I have very few memories of the hospital, but I do faintly recall a few calming faces as I lay in a hospital cot. These calming appearances were the doctors and nurses of the hospital. During my stay, I interacted with the hospital staff which was made up of nurses and physicians. The main reason why I didn’t feel scared about my condition was due to the trust I had in the abilities of my doctors and nurses.

My life started in the Congo, and throughout it my family and I have aspired to pursue higher education. My father passed away when I was twelve years old, and my mother struggled to pay for our schooling amidst a country in war. As a child, I watched my mother who was a midwife; provide indigent care by helping women deliver their babies in homes with compassion. Her dedication and commitment inspired me to go into health care where I can help although it left me with a lot of unanswered questions. My experiences stirred my compassionate heart at eight years old, and I asked my mother, “How can I make a difference in someone’s life?”

My dad left for work like any other morning, but he never came back that night. I don’t remember my birthday that year. I spent a lot of time in various hospitals, thinking my situation couldn’t get any worse and that no one could possible understand what I was going through. That is, until I finally looked around and saw people in positions exactly like mine or even worse. I let myself get so intertwined with my own problems, I didn’t take notice to my surroundings. It was during these times spent at the hospital that I really developed a compassion for others. Up until that point I was considerably self-absorbed, but during this period I was enlightened and was compelled with the need to care for others. This trying time for my family sparked a fire in me to not only notice the needs of others but fulfill

I feel that I've had an opportunity to be a student of life. I've been lucky enough to hear stories from my patients about their trials and triumphs, their setbacks and how they've overcome them, and how to have a remarkable outlook on life in the bleakest of moments. I’ve dealt with patients who have stabbed themselves in an attempt to commit suicide. I’ve been in scenarios where my squad had been hit by indirect enemy fire and I was the only medic to deal with the situation. I’ve responded intelligently in an ambulance to emergencies numerous times. These experiences have molded me into the man I am today. I’m empathetic and nonjudgmental. I challenge myself to look at the

The biggest influence of my life has been the Dr. Bill Neches Heart Camp for Kids. Heart Camp is a weeklong summer camp for children who live with Congenital Heart Disease. I have been attending this camp since the age of eight and have worked as a junior counselor the past two years. As I have grown older and learned more about my heart problem, I realized that I wanted to work with children who are faced with similar trauma. By attending Heart Camp, I have had the wonderful opportunity to speak with many nurses who work at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Not many teenagers have the opportunity to have a personal connection with people that save lives every day. By attending Heart Camp, I have met dozens of health professionals that I am

My first goal is to help younger students by being a role model and providing college ready guidance. Two years ago, my life shattered when my mother and premature sister were hospitalized and almost died. Throughout a period of 4 weeks, I suffered as I saw my mom in a coma and my baby sister in an incubator. I cried and prayed while touching my little sister’s 2 pound body and soon realized how fragile we were. It was New Year’s Eve when both she and my sister came home from the hospital. We had so much support from friends, family, and teachers that I sometimes wonder what I would have done without them. Everyone always smiled at me which brought me comfort. Therefore, I learned that I have to be strong and smile to tackle each obstacle to the best of my ability. Smiling gives people relief and hope for a great end result. I acknowledge that my baby sister’s life was saved by the donation of other

While at the hospital one day with my boyfriend I observed a man going up and down the hallway. The nurse constantly kept calling him and asking him how certain rooms were doing. I could tell by the way he was dressed that he was not an employee but rather a volunteer. I noticed how helpful he was, and since I love comforting and helping others in times of need, volunteering at the hospital seemed like a natural choice for me to donate my time. What better time when a person just comes into this world, is about to die, going through a harsh time without family or just someone who needs some cheering up. So, I went on my computer and searched opportunities to become a volunteer. Children’s Specialized Hospital was a top hit. I scrolled the