My Interest On Public Health

I was nine years old when my family made the stannous decision to come to America; with only a few clothes and barely any money, the pursuit of the American dream seemed more like a fantasy than anything else. Ever since I was young, I was drawn to the medical field. Looking back, it all appears as a nightmare now: a cold room, no electricity, and my parents imploring for the nurses help. Yet this nightmare was my firsthand experience at the detrimental effects of a limited healthcare. Growing up in a poor town of Albania, I faced minor health concerns, but it wasn’t until I got sick with a common cold that my life almost ended. The unsanitary hospital condition and the lack of medications were part of the sad reality I could not escape from. Thus today, it is my goal to make a significant contribution to the health of the future generations. My passion for the medical field combined with my determination on building and perpetuating an outstanding healthcare service, has lead me to pursue a master’s degree in Health Administration

3) Which one of those below is not used to define a profession? A profession

The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee is not just a book about cancer; it is a story about one disease’s ability to change the course of humanity. My father handed me the book when I was thirteen, and it changed the way I thought about medicine. This new perspective complemented my fascination with maps, which allowed me to understand the many places and people I could never see. After years of flipping through atlases and reading about cancer in my father’s office, I realized the remarkable role doctors have had in pushing the progression of the human race. I quickly became infatuated with medicine and its impact on the world. From stepping into the emergency room at my local hospital to see the effect of medicine on people first-hand to presenting a website about

As a medical assistant at a nonprofit clinic in Washington, D.C. I have seen firsthand how rampant diseases such as hypertension and diabetes are in disadvantaged communities. I am not naive enough to believe that such diseases can one day be fully eradicated from disadvantaged communities, but I do think that we can try harder to reduce them. I want to join a network of people who share my vision of improving preventive medicine in disadvantaged communities and for that reason I am choosing to pursue a career in osteopathic

I have been given many opportunities to help others and make an impact in Johnson City through organizations like the Family Medicine Interest Group at ETSU, serving as the coordinator for student involvement in free clinics. I have also been able to make an impact through medicine in Cleveland, TN by way of the Good Samaritan Clinic. This is a free clinic in downtown Cleveland that I have been volunteering at for the past seven years. I have also been directly involved in the start-up of the Just Care clinic in Mountain City, TN, a medical student ran free clinic in rural Appalachia. I was also been able to spend time in rural Guatemala with a medical team from my undergraduate university helping diagnose, treat, and care for patients whom receive little to no regular healthcare. From my own first hand experiences in both Guatemala and my time spent in the Just Care and Good Samaritan Clinics, I have seen the impact that an inadequate health care system can have on a population. I hope to use my medical and public health training in areas that do not have adequate access to health

Each year, students orchestrate THON, a Penn State student-led philanthropic organization that raises money for Four Diamonds and Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. Throughout the year, students coordinate fundraisers and a 46-hour dance marathon to cover costs that insurance companies will not cover and attain funding for pediatric cancer research. At Penn State, I intend to be a part of this phenomenal organization. Within THON, I plan to continue my leadership through becoming a committee member. Fundraising is an essential component in any kind philanthropic organization; therefore, participating in canning weekends, becoming a committee member, and raising money. All of the money raised through THON benefits Four Diamonds at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital for groundbreaking research in pediatric oncology and medical support for families battling this devastating disease. Over the past 40 years, THON has raised over $127 million dollars to find a cure for pediatric cancer, the leading cause of fatal disease in children, which will impact the lives of those dealing with the effects of cancer and improve the overall quality of life for the

After a week working in the hospital, I went on home visits with nurses, doctors, nutritionists, psychologists and a monk. The first patient lives in a shabby wooden house. A great contrast could be seen between the room that the patient lives in and the rest of the house. “The patient is diagnosed with prostate cancer with bone metastasis. The room is specially built for him by the hospital and his family. He won’t live long.” A nurse told me. On another visit, I met a man with esophagus cancer.

The Never event: Exposing the largest outbreak of hepatitis c in American healthcare history (McKnight & Bennington, 2008) begins telling the story of what should have been a “top-notch” cancer center with a doctor committed to saving lives. Memorial Hospital of Dodge County was expanding their cancer services, making access to services easier for the community. They wanted to keep their patients in town and help them avoid commutes to Omaha. They hired Dr. Tahir Ali Javed from Punjab, Pakistan; he educated and trained at well-known, prestigious facilities. Everything that was put into place, the new facility and outstanding physician, made it seem as though the cancer center was going to exceed the expectations that the hospital had in mind. However, malpractice, lack of compassion, and avoidance drove the center and the patients into the ground. After reading this novel, I was able to define compassionate care in my own terms and will provide examples of acts of compassionate care. As well as, discussing the principles of dignity and beneficence in regards to Dr. Javed and nurses in the clinic. Lastly, I will provide a testimony statement about the future care of patients.

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.

I stood with a look of wonderment as I watched the beehive of physicians, radiologists, nurses, and paramedics collaboratively save a man’s life. The scene initially appeared chaotic with scrubs flying around and doctors swarming all over, but in actuality the team was extremely single-minded—as if driven by instinct. I was amazed by the speed and conviction with which the attending doctor made his decisions; his training and experience was evident with every move. Seeing the tearful wife thank the doctor highlighted the impact of his work—his actions had saved a husband and a father. I left admiring both the competency of emergency physicians and their ability to touch lives in such a dramatic way. While my enjoyment of high school biology sparked my original inclination towards medicine, my first hand experiences in the hospital deepened my motivation and left me steadfast in my decision to become a doctor.

St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, with its interesting history and untiring devotion to the world’s children who battle cancer, remains an iconic medical institution. Uncertain to where his life was directing him, Danny Thomas battled, for many years, about his future. Danny called on St. Jude Thaddeus for guidance with this decision. Danny Thomas knew that he wanted to change lives for many children and families, but was still unsure on how to do so (“St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital” 1). Danny knew he wanted to build a hospital for children, so in 1955 Danny and a group of

Kicker, a 3 year-old boy, who has never been to a doctor, never received any type of shot or poke, eaten a clean, nutrient dense diet throughout his short three years and never had anything toxic on his skin, was sitting in the cold hospital room waiting for news of a diagnosis. Nurses came in and out of the waiting room, bringing in needles, advice, paperwork and machines. All of which were intimidating to a 3 year-old and his mother, Season, who happened to be a holistic nutritionist. A nurse came into the waiting room and informed Season that an Oncologist needed to speak with her. At that moment, Season began holding her jaw tight to fight back the tears knowing that Oncologist specialized in cancer.

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.

When people are applying for college there is often a misperception; That the applicants think all colleges are looking for is perfection, outstanding grades, and perfect attendance. But in reality colleges are often looking for ones imperfections; the things they are not good at, the subjects they are not strong in, and the not very good

How we do harm is a book based on experiences and life of Dr. Otis Brawley’s life as a practicing oncologist at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, and researcher for the National Cancer Institute. This book is based on many issues and facts that our medical system is facing now. He pulls back the curtain on how medicine is really practiced in America. This book shows us every aspect of the complicated triangle relationship between patients, disease and doctors. This book starts with a patient Edna Riggs who was carrying her detached breast in a bag waiting for doctors to get operated on; she was suffering from advanced stage of breast cancer which in turn resulted in infection and eventual auto mastectomy. This sheds light on the