My Father, The, And Master Chef Of The Heights

I have always had a high admiration for the impact that physicians have on families. At an early age, my younger sister had major heart surgery. Being four, I was too young to fully grasp what this meant for my family, but I quickly learned the grief my parents endured thinking their only daughter would not live past two. Dr. Jane Doe saved my sister, giving me a friend for life. I have set my goal to be like countless doctors who save lives daily and improve the quality

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.

One time, I was taken aback and saddened by a patient yelling a plea to God as she was suffering through tremendous pain. As I walked into the room, the first thing this patient did was stop yelling and attempt to put on a calm face. It was a sobering moment, but I proceeded to ask her if I could do anything to help. What struck me most about this moment, was how much fight this lady could conjure up to hide her pain and yet still remain compassionate towards me. I hadn't expected anything, but this experience was a brilliant reminder of why I wanted so badly to improve the conditions of patients across the medical spectrum. I couldn't fathom the extent of this patient's pain, but I could fathom the idea of pain itself. In the patient, I saw a little bit of myself. I wanted to help this patient greatly and desired the means to do so. In this patient, I saw the nature of humanity. Human beings, for the most part, are inherently good and strive to be selfless even at their weakest moments. In fact, most people I know tend to be more worried about others than themselves, whether it be from a positive or negative perspective. As I got to know this patient, I realized how much she wanted to be with her family and see her grandchildren grow up. Though she was aware of the pain and suffering, she was also aware of what could be once she got through this struggle. Once I become a medical doctor, I can give back

The decision to become a doctor and study really hard for it took a while to get used to, but I finally did it. I decided that it was also time to draw a closer relationship with God. Baptized at the age of twelve, my vision on the world became clearer and that’s when I understood why things happened the way they did – why I came to America, why I met certain people, and why it happened at that time. All these questions were finally answered by God, who spoke through other people at school, church and even my home. I finally understood why the Indian people living in Greenwood helped us the way they did; they put themselves in our shoes and realized that they had gone through the same experience. From these experiences, God has helped me understand the importance of these small parts of life that I didn’t use to think about before. The big change finally made sense! It all happened for a reason – a reason that has impacted me for the rest of my life. The transition to my new life has changed the way I think about myself, act toward other people, and understand God’s will for my life. The decision to come to America was a decision that we will never regret making. - See more at:

The patience, compassion and encouragement of one person improved my family’s last years with its patriarch in countless ways. It was this improvement that inspired me to pursue a career as an

Dr. Williams made a personal promise. He would not allow himself to be seen or thought of as a castoff from the streets. There would be no cliches to define him or his story. He had a dream, and with a fierce determination, steady faith and unparalleled grit he pushed himself through college, then through medical school and on to become a licensed General surgeon.

"BOOM!" "BANG!", went my mom of her feet onto the floor! I ran over to help pick her up off the floor. I got her into the bed and checked for any scrapes or bruises. After I got her all patched up and comfortable I came to realize that the last time this happened she hadn't had her medicine in days. So I proceeded to give her the correct medication and stayed over the next few days to nurse her back to health. Over those few days even at a young age, I realized that the medical field was just for me. I enjoyed doing what I did to help my mom and wanted to continue to help others the same way I helped her.

The person who first sparked my interest in pursuing a career in medicine was my Mom. She used to tell me a story and say “you are one of my many miracles sweetie.” After being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and undergoing multiple rounds of chemo and radiation, the doctor told my Mom she would

First and foremost, there are many different types of food around the world that were discovered and founded by many distinct cultures. The food I eat, some may eat differently. For instance, not many people know what redneck soup is. When they see it, they may think that what’s in it is weird.But to me it’s a red soup with vegetables and meat that we cook all the time. One of the other biggest foods I like to eat in our family is my great grandmother’s famous chilli. You can’t buy it in stores, and if you don’t wing it just right, it’s not the same. There are so many recipes that have been passed down in my family, both meals and desserts, and everyone loves the famous chocolate pie. This recipe has been passed down for a good while now, and when you taste it,it tastes nothing like store bought chocolate pies. Many people in Louisiana love to eat gumbo, and they cook it in many different ways. In my family, not everyone cooks their gumbo the same, but my personal favorite is my dad’s. He usually never measures any of the ingredients exactly, he just

I was sitting in the back of the classroom, focused on my assignment when I heard a loud commotion. I quickly analyzed the situation and found a student lying on the ground. I ran over to him while everyone else remained motionless. I determined that he was having a seizure. My instincts took over as I held him in my arms. I kept him on his side and protected his head. Paramedics arrived shortly after and thanked me for acting so quickly. The feeling of helping a person in need was unlike any other. Little did I know, my kind-heart and scientific background would lead me on my career path to becoming a physician assistant.

grandmother asked me what I wanted to do in the future. I explained that I wanted to be in

It was not until my senior high school year when I had my first exposure to Medicine. I joined the Better Life Institute, a volunteer group that organizes a weekly medical convoys to provide medical service for underprivileged villages in Egypt, where I regularly attended the clinics and also assisted with the logistics and administrative duties. I also became a member of a team that supports and arranges home visits to cancer patients. This was an eye opening experience that made me realized the impact of emotional and spiritual well-being on patients’ prognosis, and I discovered how the simplest of well-chosen words can provide a priceless comfort to a suffering patient. This experience motivated me beyond any expectation and I realized there was no better way for me to pursue science and achieve satisfaction than through Medicine.

Not everyone has a physician in the family, and Dr. Byock’s status helped him greatly through his father’s death, but also made him recognize the importance of advocating for his patients who are not certified MDs.

In middle school I was introduced to one of the most influential people in my life. After our introduction, my brother and I would spend time with him and his friends almost every day. His name is Benjamin Franklin Pierce, aka Hawkeye. While a fictional person, this M*A*S*H character has meant a lot to me growing up. Except for the excessive drinking, I admire the passion with which he lived his life with in the midst of a tough situation, the Korean War. No matter how difficult the situation was personally or for his patients and coworkers, Hawkeye remained a compassionate, determined, and innovative doctor. Hawkeye has helped to mold my definition of what it means to be a phenomenal doctor. I hope that in the future my patients and colleagues

How they combined their own unique interests with their desire to serve. I knew that although interesting, becoming a doctor is a long and hard road. One that requires serious personal investigation and hardened commitment.