Passionate About Underserved Communities

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.

My type of stories that I read is not detective novels but more historical novels, romance novels, adult fiction and autobiographical novels. When I was younger my teachers had me in remedial classes because I had trouble reading but as I was growing up I came to love reading especially when I wasn’t told I had to read for class, and now I read every chance I get. I also have a reading speed of 115 words per minutes, my types of books that I read where mainly Barbara Taylor Bradford and Danielle Steel but have since opened my repertoire of new authors to include Diana Gabaldon, Stephanie Meyers and E L

Not only do I have a good understanding of the patient population I want to work with, I want to help reshape healthcare. I particularly want to improve the access of primary care to medically underserved populations. Everyone deserves equal access to healthcare and there should be no disparity in the quality of care provided. Therefore, each additional encounter I had with a PA or a patient has elevated my passion for helping people in need.

Serving individuals in underserved communities takes more than just intellect, it takes character. Filling your brain with the knowledge of various medications is not enough; rather one must empty oneself and become a vessel for compassion. It takes more than a steady hand, but a steadfast heart and a devotion to ethics and the integrity to align with them even when no one is watching. It takes empathy, it takes virtue, and last it takes a passion for cultivating caring and watching it bloom. Contributing to the Nurse Corps mission while nurturing for individuals in underserved communities, I will use these principles as my guiding light in attending to the visible and invisible needs of every patient I serve.

My true passion for helping others begins with my mother. My mother, Carla worked for Gallipolis Developmental Center for many years as a nursing assistant. Unfortunately, she sustained a severe back injury that ended her career. In 2006, she was rushed into emergency back surgery after several herniated discs ruptured. This left her with severe back pain that she will suffer with for the rest of her life. As a result, I learned to care and to have compassion for those in need. My passion to work in pediatrics stems from my experience of being an aunt. I became an aunt at the age of four and I am now an aunt to six beautiful,

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

My career commitment as a nurse has grown tremendously over the past three years; through my daily experiences as a Medical Assistant. I have devoted my time as a full time student and employee of the health care profession. Both of these occupations have helped shape me into the person I want to be for as long as time allows. Daily I witness these community role models that posses abilities such as problem solving skills, promotion and protection of an individual’s advocacy all tied in with compassion to meet the health care needs of an individual.

Underserved communities are often unaware of the medical process and stress that follows a diagnosis. The medical terminology and understanding the statistics of each approach to treat the health complication can be difficult to understand, especially after the initial shock of discovering life changing news. Health care providers serving these communities must be sensitive, patient and insightful of the many disparities theses patients’ are and will encounter as the medical team moves forward with treatment. Providing care to underserved communities goes beyond the medical practice, it’s having a raw understanding of the many layers of disparities a patient will undergo on a daily basis while being treated for their illness and meanwhile hoping to receive the best medical care possible.

I have always had a passion for helping individuals no matter what their situations were. Growing up, I was in the hospital at least once a year or even more due to an injury that I had acquired due to my daredevil stunts. As a child, I remember jumping off the top of my bunk bed into a jar of vaseline and splitting my eye. My stunts were very dangerous and kept me with a spot on a hospital bed at Christ Advocate Hospital. By constantly being at the hospital, it became a home to me. I would become fascinated as I waited in the waiting room seeing all of the different injuries. This fascination only led me to learn to explore further. I would spend my late nights ,when I was suppose to be sleep, staying up until 12 am watching different surgeries on YouTube. The more gruesome the surgery, the more I wanted to experience it.

Today I yearn to become a medical doctor primarily to dedicate a life of service to the most vulnerable members of our society.

Currently, I am working for Home Life, which is a non-profit organization that assists people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I am also conducting research at OSU on cartilage cryopreservation. After an arduous, yet enjoyable journey, I hope to travel to developing nations and assist those that are unfortunate, by providing knowledge regarding health and medical practices. Working hard in school and excelling in everything I pursue ties in with my long-term goal of becoming a doctor. This is due to the fact that attaining such a career requires self-determination, strength during times of agony, and resilience as well as reflection from every failure. Personally, preventing diseases and spreading awareness medically would be profoundly illuminating.

My talents and experiences have prepared me to support the Metropolitan State University School of Nursing mission and prepared me for graduate education. I currently work in healthcare as a certified pharmacy technician and work with diverse and underserved population daily. Unfortunately, I can see how communication barriers, access to health care, physical barriers, and monetary barriers can prevent individuals from living up to their full health potential. I have had patients call our pharmacy to tell us they are unable to pick up their medications due to a lack of transportation access and an inability to pay for their medications. I have also had patients who are unable to take their medications regularly also due finances and an inability to read or understand the directions of their medications.

I have always had a passion for traveling, as well as people who are impoverished and do not have access to things that I and many other may take for granted, such as healthcare. My major career goal is to become a midwife and be able to visit countries where women do not have access to the best healthcare. I want to be able to assist them in their deliveries and health and make sure their those women and their babies are healthy and happy. Many women and newborns die in underdeveloped countries because of exposure to unsanitary conditions and the idea that I can save lives is a major key in my

I volunteer at two agencies that serve the most vulnerable populations in DC in health related capacities. My experiences have caused me to made me consider a career in non profit dentistry that serves the poor. I have served as a Community Service chair of an organization called 1867 at Howard University; coordinating community service activities for our members. I currently intern working with kids under 5 in nutrition and health where I do nutrition evaluations and lessons. It is so important to use your skills to help others. After a year of working with vulnerable populations of children and young adults in my home state I think will know for sure if this what I want to do for this full time for my whole career in healthcare.

The reason am interested in the field of public health is the zeal I have for helping others. Helping others is one