The passing of my mother, years after being diagnosed with postpartum depression, ignited the first spark of a flame of curiosity to uncover where the mind lay within the physical brain. The mind-boggling understanding of the brain’s ambiguity was my initial inspiration that led me to take interest into the mysteries of medicine and the body’s extraordinary capabilities for survival. The idea of millions of functioning tiny cells working in unison, occurring beyond our thought or control, is absolutely riveting and encompasses the excitement of why I want to immerse myself in the medical field.
I sought out a community volunteer opportunity at The Hospital for Sick Children in the Cardiology Inpatient Unit. With the overwhelming sight of residents, fellows and attending staff bustling around me, I quickly fell in love with the intricate communal environment of the hospital and the technologies of medicine. However, during my shift, I came across an unfortunate situation in which a parent had signed a Do Not Resuscitate order for their child. It further emphasised that medicine was nothing compared to its depiction on t.v. where the patients were cured by the end of the episode. Moreover, I was becoming aware of the level of mental and emotional stability doctors require to empathise for patients, inspiring me into pursuing a medical degree.
My medical endeavour deepened as I completed a five-month cooperative education program at a paediatric practice as a medical
My interest in medicine first stemmed from my freshman Biology class and my Nutrition class. I was intrigued by our studies of cells, genetics, and disease. Both courses incited a sense of awe and curiosity within me. Dissecting a frog, was the stepping-stone for my interest in medicine. Seeing the frog's heart made me wonder how the human heart worked. My research into the human heart inspired me to learn more about the medical field. I sought out volunteer opportunities that would give me insight into a doctor’s typical day. During my volunteer experience, I learned that as a doctor you experience many obstacles, including patient compliance and insurance approval issues. In my journey to pursue medicine, I learned that becoming a doctor means more than helping people, it means being the team leader, being compassionate, and most importantly being committed to the patient’s well being.
As a recent graduate of the Johns Hopkins University and a new Research Technician at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, becoming more familiar with different healthcare settings and helping others in doing so have always been of my interest. From my experience of volunteering as a piano teacher for inner-city children in Baltimore, I have learnt that even a small commitment and emotional support can make a big difference in the daily lives and the happiness of those in need. I have briefly familiarized myself to the hospital environment by shadowing physicians and conducting biomedical research but have yet to translate my volunteering experiences and the lessons learnt from them to the healthcare setting. I am a friendly, optimistic,
For as long as I could remember, I have seen my father rushing to the hospital in a white coat, answering pagers in the middle of important family conversations and attending night calls even in the most terrible weather. I had always wondered; what could be so important that it belittles every other responsibility in his life. It was only after many years of anguish and protests that it finally made sense to me. This defining moment of realization occurred when I first met a patient in his office. I saw how the gratitude in the patient’s eyes can provide a sense of fulfillment that triumphs all other feelings in the universe. It was human life that was most important. Being a doctor does not make you a mere healer but also gives you the responsibility of a caregiver. I had never felt more proud of my father and that was the day I felt the urge to relive this feeling many times over. It was there in that moment that I decided to pursue a career in medicine.
Mr. Zhao taught about the human body with such zeal and overwhelming passion, it encompassed me from day one. Though I had already planned on a being a pediatrician because I loved to care for kids, Mr. Zhao made actual medicine in relation to the human body another aspect of a health career to explore and love. You’re probably thinking, “Well yeah, you can’t just like people in the healthcare industry”, yet patient care, compassion, and sympathy play a definitive role in such a field. I’ve witnessed these elements of healthcare first-hand volunteering at Texas Children’s Hospital. I volunteered during the summer and do so now during the school year.
Almost thirteen years ago, my life changed when my youngest daughter was born with undiagnosed medical problems. The challenge of finding answers consumed my life. My family and I spent a significant amount of time searching for answers in and out of doctor’s offices and hospitals, always by our daughter’s side. Throughout my journey, I was able to learn a lot about the medical profession, including the differences between good and not so good healthcare professionals. We were fortunate to meet a lot of excellent doctor’s, nurses, and support staff, however, we also had our fair share of medical professionals that were not so great. At times our journey was extremely frustrating because we had to depend on medical staff that was uncaring and
It was dark and there were so many noises around me as I slowly woke up and recalled I was in a hospital with abdominal pain. I then heard a familiar voice say “Sweetie, wake up! Wake up!” I opened my eyes to a blurry image of my mother. “Shhh… don't make any noises. We're leaving now. Just act like you are fine. We'll try to sneak out before anyone notices”, my mother said. She explained later that she could not afford to pay hospital bills, so we had to leave before any physician checked over. Living in Vietnam, I was filled with resentment towards their healthcare system, as people were rejected treatment and left to perish in the streets. As a child, I therefore never considered medicine as a career. My spark for medicine was unforeseen until I went on a high school field trip at INOVA Fairfax Hospital in Virginia. Hovering over the glass ceiling of the operating theater, I watched doctors performing coronary bypass surgery while witnessing the heart beat stronger and stronger. At this magical moment, I was overwhelmed by the power of medicine to save people’s lives.
It is a warm summer evening at Grady Hospital. It is my first day as an emergency room volunteer. I’m nervous and eager, hoping to see something exciting. However, it is surreally quiet. Suddenly, there is word of an ambulance en route. Minutes later the paramedics burst into the trauma slot pushing a man on a stretcher. His head and face are covered with gauze that is soaked through with dark blood. It is a flurry of well-orchestrated movement as the attendings and residents start to resuscitate him. They pull back the bandages to reveal a deep gash that is bleeding profusely. With much effort his vital signs are stabilized and he begins to regain consciousness. Later, after the excitement had passed, I learned what brought him here. He is diabetic and couldn’t afford to properly manage his condition. He had fainted due to hypoglycemia and hit his head. He had almost lost his life because of the unfortunate financial realities of modern healthcare. In that moment, I came to appreciate the very real cost of disease and the incredible role physicians have in ameliorating it. This formative experience was the beginning of my path to medicine.
In September 2015, I had an opportunity to join the team of volunteers of the Inspira Medical Center in Woodbury. I joined the Emergency Department. My shifts were once a week for three to six hours. I had a chance to interact with patients, mostly to help ease their anxiety and fear. This experience was valuable because it allowed me not just to observe, but also to look at healthcare from the perspective of a patient. I realized that I did not have to be a licensed practitioner to understand patients’ concerns and fears. I also realized that any effort on my part to help ease such worries would go a long way towards helping the patient feel more secure in themselves and their
I began volunteering at the Hospital for Special Surgery, to get an overview of what is is like to work at a hospital. Volunteering at a hospital was an eye opening experience, because I got to encounter how physicians, and medical staff communicate, and listen to their patients. These two skills are essential to understand patient needs, and therefore make the right decisions in diagnosing diseases. My role at the hospital was to provide snacks, beverages, and aid kits to patients, families, and medical staff. I have witnessed families that stayed up long nights, because they had loved ones undergo surgery. Any person that has a loved one undergo surgery becomes worried and scared, because of the uncertainty that lies ahead. However, the imperative skills that I have learned and exceeded on was my communication skills. Communicating with these families, and patients was exceedingly important, because you have to place yourself in their shoes to understand the situation they are in. I met young patients, as young as 5 years old, that were in the hospital for days recovering from surgery, or undergoing
After beginning medical school, I quickly realized that for every one question we could answer there were about a dozen that could not be answered. I delved even deeper into my studies, determined to learn all I could to help my patients to the best of my ability. Suddenly, two of my close family members died, and with this my determination to find answers increased again. Something else awoke within me during the morning of these loved ones, as well. I truly understood what families were going through while watching their loved ones suffering, and my empathy, compassion, and bedside manner became even stronger.
Ever since my childhood, I have always found medicine to be intriguing. My interest first sparked when I learned about my cousin’s, Austin, illness. Austin was born nearly four months early and was diagnosed with an underdeveloped trachea and COPD. Within Austin’s first moments of life, doctors had to perform a tracheotomy. As I observed my cousin’s suffering over the years, my desire to help others was ignited. Since then, my will to help people has only grown immensely. From playing doctor to caring for my family when they are sick, my caring nature and love to help people has always been evident. All I want is the ability to help others and to make a difference. Now, my cousin has miraculously lived
I became captivated by the opportunity to apply my knowledge of the biological and chemical sciences in a way that one day may save a life. Though my interest stems from my experiences, my passion to pursue this field lies elsewhere. Growing up in a family of low socioeconomic status in an area with few sources of acceptable health care, I saw my parents struggle as they aged to provide my siblings and I with a proper education. There were times they would ignore their own illness in order to save funds for an emergency for us. Observing this, I knew that no matter how difficult of a path I picked, regardless if it was pharmaceutical sciences or the medical field, my parents had concurred greater difficulties. Growing under such conditions, I began to realize the disparities in quality of treatments my parents received compared to those who of a higher socioeconomic status. This motivated me to pursue a career where I would be given the chance to offer care to individuals through unbiased views. Of course, there are a plethora of careers that can fulfill this but medicine has presented itself as very unique to me. It promises a lifestyle devoted to empathetic patient care, direct patient interaction, and a boundless opportunity to learn and experience something new. As the end of my undergraduate experience is forthcoming, I look forward to taking on the next phase of my life, endeavoring to join the ranks of tomorrow’s
To say that this incident was the defining moment as to why I chose medicine would be an exaggeration, but it had undoubtedly been an affirmation of my decision. To embark on a career in Medicine was not an easy decision, and it was certainly not something that I had aspired to be from a young age. In fact, it took nearly half a decade of careful consideration and exploration before I reached this conclusion. My motivation to become a doctor stems not only from my love for science, but also from the special connection that is established between a patient and a doctor during diagnosis and consultation. The opportunity for devoting a lifetime to alleviating illnesses stands as my inspiration. I believe that there is no other profession that can be compared to one which utilizes one’s acquired abilities to bring about a more immediate impact on someone’s life, just as this experience had
As a student aspiring to pursue a medical career, I knew it was imperative to attain a firsthand experience in a medical setting. Therefore, my experience volunteering at the Volunteer Healthcare Clinic, or VHC, was profoundly significant as it allowed me to learn how the profession was in practice, which strengthen my desire to become a doctor. This experience, engaging with patients and physicians, exposed me to a different side of medicine through which I learned the crucial role of interpersonal communication; and, it also led me to discover a new aspect of medicine that captured my interest and motivated me to seek a profession within this field of study.
Hospitals are a great way for a medical student to serve the community as well as gain valuable experience in their future field. For this reason, I have spent around forty hours from the end of the summer up until now volunteering at HonorHealth hospital. I volunteered as a transporter, what this means is that I move equipment, medical documents and lab samples around the hospital. I also help discharge patients by pushing them in a wheelchair to their car. Through this experience I was able to make life easier on people who were vulnerable and trying to recover as well as the busy staff member who treated them. I had many interactions with people and by from this I have a better understanding of impact my service had. I will be discussing: How psychology can explain social interaction, how outside factors can influence a person 's sense of self, how behaviors and situations can help you understand a person, the importance of communication as well as focus, and the environment shapes the organization.