Personal Narrative: Full-Blown Blizzard

After three hours of of hiking what felt like a vertical slope, the top of Mount Haystack was right in front of me. I knew that I could keep pushing through because I had suffered so much worse before. I wasn’t about to let this mere incline prevent me from reaching the top. I powered through the aching muscles and throbbing knees, while ignoring the sharp radiating pain in my calves. After what felt like forever, I was standing 5260 ft above the sea and taking in a spectacular view. When I glanced to my left, I realized I wasn’t quite at the top, I still had two more peaks to go before I’d reach the top of Lafayette. So after a few minutes of rest I got started on the rest of the hike.

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 the Frost Festival finally drew to a close, the excitement of the frost fae, both royal and non-royal, began to wane as the festivities and parties died down, and the frosty multicolored flags of the various frost fae Clans were taken down and folded neatly for storage until the next Festival. I’d been working as a Frost Guardian for over twelve hours protecting the princess of the Snowflake clan, and, even though I thought that I was going to be beyond exhausted and more than ready for bed, I still felt strangely wide awake and even a little buzzed with adrenaline, like I’d gotten energy from the remnants of the festivities that had happened around me and the fact that I was finally training in the real world as a Guardian.

A medical professional essential role always boils down to serving other people faithfully. For me, I have always found great joy in serving the community in any capacity, but found a special joy in health care. I have found my desire to serve is what continually motivates me to become a Physician Assistant. This drive has help me maintain a 3.80 GPA, while leading my college soccer team as a captain for the past three seasons. All while establishing myself as a chemistry lab assistant and tutor. The balance between the three is great preparation for the future as I prepare to face the challenges ahead. I am aware of the value of education and gaining as much knowledge as possible, however I equally value establishing relationships with people.

That storm was it, we had been suffering for weeks. There was dust all over our house, most of our things were broken. Our crops were dying because of the gruesome drought we had gotten, so that meant that my father was not making any money from our crops and we were barely getting anything to eat. Although our life those past few weeks has been tough, I didn’t want to leave. We moved there from New Hampshire a good four years before and since then I had grown so much, I had so many friends and I was doing so well in the school there, but it was time for us to move and live in sunny California.

As the coming years approach, I want my future to hold both the passion to explore new opportunities and the strength to overcome new challenges. With the experiences of my high school career, I aspire to take all the things I learned to transition into a college environment where my ideas can be challenged and shared. Where I can learn from others; where I can seek the opportunity to make a direct impact towards saving lives. I believe I can do great things. Through tenacity I will not only be gratified in becoming a doctor, but also be able to share my compassion for others through

Taking on a journey stretching well over 2,100 miles, covering fourteen states (from Maine to Georgia) by foot is no simple stroll where at the end of the day a comfortable bed and hot meal would await you. Instead, hiking the Appalachian Trail can be an endless battle with all the elements of mother nature: whereas in one state spring would have sprung already with wildflowers dressing the forest floors and insects buzzing through crisp air, on other parts of the trail it [the weather conditions] would be smothering heat, but meanwhile a few states north the rain would fall endlessly with gusts of cold wind, and snow would blanket the pathways of the trail and more than likely blizzards

The scenes journey along the Appalachian Trail captures the true magnificence and greatness of the eastern U.S. of wilderness. Starting in the Deep South at the foothills of the smoky mountains, this journey overwhelms one with southern beauty while also making one experience the South’s legendary simplicity and retreat from the urban gridlock of modern society. The Appalachian Trail’s scenery attracts many people from all over the world to witness it for them. Causing many people to come with their families and possibly volunteer.

This non- profit organization encourages individuals to learn survival skills in the wilderness and take risks that require stepping out of comfort zones. The organization believes that mission trips should have an outdoor adventure and a rewarding service project. The “adventure” part of this trip was backpacking eighteen miles through Yellowstone. Our path was filled with rocky hills and unleveled ground, and by the time we got to our campground, our feet were covered in blisters. That night, our exhausted group of eight slept under a tarp held up by a pole in the middle of a treeless field where buffalo hooves were imprinted into the ground. We woke up to the sun rising over the mountain tops and valleys that were unending. And though our bodies were aching, we felt energized and

I started my college education at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, then to GCU. My passion to help others was evident in the classroom resulting in my professors recommending that I became a tutor at the college’s learning center. I worked there for three semesters tutoring math and science. In addition, I volunteered at Chandler Regional Medical Center where I accumulated over 300 service hours working in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU). After earning my bachelor’s degree, I was offer a position to work in the CV-ICU at Banner-University Medical Center. I am also an RN supervisor at Southwest Behavioral

Adversity has only improved my tenacity, focus, endurance, and problem solving abilities. Various circumstances have affected my academic performance negatively, but I use that as motivation to continually improve myself. I want to be a part of the solution to the family physician shortage and serve the community in the most effective way. My drive to improve the lives of others will help propel me through the difficulties of medical school and beyond. The personal experience I have with my immersion in the field of primary care gives me unique characteristics that will translate into creating a successful physician that focuses on building meaningful relationships with patients. I continually witness how my grandfather is positively impacting the community through medicine and it is my goal to be granted an opportunity to do the same. My belief in lifelong learning and continual self-improvement consistently drives me towards the study of medicine. Because of my life experiences, I now have the balance, endurance, clarity, and tenacity needed to be a successful medical

Just this past summer, under the hot, and sticky sun, we pushed our car to the limit, on our 1,000 mile journey to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, although in actuality we might have pushed our fears to the absolute limit. Flipping through the Colorado vacation brochure proved to have posed some interesting vacation destinations, such as "Big Bear Lake" and Trail Ridge Road. With the intent to get high in the sky, our family headed out the next morning to Trail Ridge Road, which is a road that takes you up to a staggering height of 12,000 feet. Although optimistic, we imagined of the vast fields of green, the glacier-topped mountains, and the valleys that undertake the them. As we climbed up to the peak, it seemed apparent that there

I never really thought a little Chevy s-10 could climb out of a ditch higher than it sat. There are a lot of things people don’t know because they’ve never experienced it. Another thing I didn’t know until I experienced it, an s-10 can do some long burn outs. Sometimes when you’re having a bad day, a burn out and ending up in a ditch just might make it better. After this burn out though, we ended up in a ditch and once we got out I made fun of my boyfriend for the longest time and I still do.

I cannot envision myself going into private practice or being away from a teaching environment. I take pride and enjoyment in teaching and mentoring my fellow interns and rotating medical students: be it through formal daily attending rounds or in a more intimate capacity as 1-on-1 tutoring of my peers who feel that infectious disease is not their strongpoint.

I have taken stock of myself, considering my skills, experiences, and goals. I have looked to family and friends, some of whom are doctors, for advice. Because of this self-examination, I have decided to pursue a career in health care. The process has been difficult at times but always illuminating. Throughout it all, I have never lost confidence - the confidence that I will actively absorb all available medical knowledge, forge friendships with fellow students, and emerge from my training as a skilful and caring physician.