I am the product of two cultures: African and Arab. I was born in the United Arab Emirates to Sudanese parents and married a first-generation American, and as such, I have had the advantage of being deeply immersed in otherwise distinct cultures and worldviews. Exceptional role models and unique personal insights have given me the desire to pursue medicine. Indeed, two of the most inspiring and influential people in my life have been my parents. Both have always stressed the benefits and values of solid education. My mother always said to me, “Knowledge and education equal emancipation, seek the gift of knowledge, it will make you a better person”. Her exemplary dedication and desire for excellence is what I hope to emulate. Moreover, pursuing medicine in particular was a cumulative decision I took over years of fascination with biological sciences.
My life took a turn during my first year at the University of Khartoum medical school when I had to watch my cousin and best friend suffering because of kidney failure. When her doctor told us that she has suffered from severe dehydration and as a result, her kidney failed and she might need to be on a dialysis machine. I was terrified as I realized that our village lacked the basic medical services she needed to survive. After waiting for several days for one of the few dialysis machines to become available, she managed to have a couple of dialysis sessions. After three months, her doctor told us that her kidney function
I was born in a farming family in a small town in southern India. My father worked in the agricultural field for thirty years. He realized while he was working that his children should receive the best education as he had faced many problems due to his illiteracy. This motivated my father to give me the best education without which I couldn’t have come this far. When I finished tenth grade, I had to choose either Mathematics or Biology and I opted for Biology as I had an affinity for science since my childhood. I always stood in the top ten of my class. I pursued my medical education at the distinguished institution, Guntur Medical College. I commenced medical school with the aim of becoming an internist.
My passion for medicine is something deeper than a mere interest in learning the extraordinary functions of the human body. I am completely fascinated to learn gross anatomy, histology, pathology, and the complete medical school curriculum. However, I am more captivated by how the knowledge I will gain in medical school will allow me to perform the lifesaving procedures that physicians are able execute. Although, medicine is not always ideally as I have written, I believe that as a physician I would use my knowledge and my experiences to provide the best holistic care to my patients. My culture, my experiences, and my education will bring a different perspective to the medical field. I aspire to have the ability and knowledge to save a child that might not live, to save a woman that suffers a heart stroke, and to even provide the necessary treatment for a child with a mere cold. Additionally, participating in the Loma Linda Gateway to the Health
I decided to pursue medicine while I was attending high school in Kolkata, India and fell in love with biology. I enjoyed engaging with people and developing meaningful relationships. I was looking for a path that would provide me with the skills to help others, both in my home country India and abroad. I felt that medicine can offer me an enriched career with the perfect balance of scientific challenge, intellectual stimulation and personal collection. Surrounded by the Himalayas in West Bengal, India, medical school further inspired my intellectual curiosity and cemented my professional identity.
During my internship, I had a patient newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He and his family came from a rural area and did not have enough knowledge about the disease. Seeing that, I took the time to educate them about his condition and the details of his care.A year later I received a phone call from this patient’s family thanking me for what I did, and consulting me for a minor illness that he encountered at that time. Although they knew I was a junior doctor, they have valued my opinion. I felt appreciated and exhilarated to experience such a satisfying moment. Learning medicine in Sudan was challenging, being in a country with a culturally diverse population and limited resources doctors are confronted countless times by the lack of diagnostics, medications and even hospital beds. Therefore, patient care necessitates sharp physicians who rely on their fierce clinical sense. Throughout the years I realized how important it is for a physician to build such a firm clinical background. It is stunning how minor changes in clinical signs and symptoms could lead to different interpretations from one patient to another. Every case was challenging and mysterious, nonetheless I incredibly enjoyed the intellectual stimuli and the excitement of solving clinical puzzles and interacting with patients. Additionally, I believe I have an inquisitive nature, and I resolved to take on the intellectual challenges offered. This along with my intense passion will guide me to
Growing up in an impoverished area of the Mexican border pushed my parents to send me to the U.S. to obtain a better education. Through self-discipline and persistency I slowly broke through my language barrier, however other obstacles crossed my path that required more than simply persistency. As I become comfortable with my new environment, I developed a deep curiosity about the world around me especially human physiology. My parents' careers involved science and medicine on a daily basis, this sparked my curiosity significantly towards medicine and science, and the principles of my institution helped me discover my vocation. These principles and interests ultimately led me to what I believe
I was born in a refugee camp in Kenya to escape war-torn Somalia. I was then raised in Atlanta, and will complete school in Madison. I’m the 7th daughter in my father 's line, the 8th in my mother 's line, and the 1st in my family to attend a University. My involvement in the Legal Studies and Criminal Justice fields allow me to understand the social and legal factors placed on our health care system. My African American background, my role as a 1st generation college student, my Somali culture, and my identity as a Muslim, have all contributed to the person I am today, and to the doctor I will become. Because I’m a linguaphile I casted away my comfort zone and immersed myself in a new culture, language, and land for three weeks and explored my foreign language studies in Deutschland. I’m an avid gym goer since high school, when I set a record in my weight training class. I consider myself an extreme foodie, and I’ve traveled to far places solely to try out new cuisines. My interests in social justice marked my college years with protests and causes I partook in, due to my passions in furthering equality and justice. I have considered a law career, but ruled it out because I desired a career in medicine too fiercely to ever walk away from it. I also understand that I face challenges in obtaining an acceptance, but I am hoping that the mistakes of my past do not cost me my future.
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
believe in education. The reason for that is because it’s the key for success and it is a very important tool that you will need for later life. Education is what keeps people staying out of trouble and doing what is right regardless of the position you’re in. Education is something you can’t lose so it would be the wisest choice to get as much of it as you can. Education is really important in our society, especially for the younger children who are barely learning.
From taking my first steps at the age of 8 months old, to walking alone to a friend’s house at 3(kids don’t try this at home), followed by cooking dinners autonomously at 10 years old, my life has accumulated to a series of beautiful memories that my father has meticulously sculpted to raise me as an independent young lady. He taught me the virtues of such self governing and the beauty of freedom that such a gift dons. Every day I strive to honor such teachings. It is no wonder that these lessons have led me to strive to pay for college by myself.
Medical school’s purpose is to prepare students to become doctors, allowing them to have a positive impact on their patients’ lives. However, medical school is bias with its teaching, because it believes its’ methods are the only way to treat medical problems. This idea is becoming more problematic with the diverse cultures coming to America. With each culture comes more boundaries for biomedicine to face. Instead of trying to cross these boundaries, biomedicine strictly believes that their knowledge of medicine is far superior to other cultures. The problems that occur due to these barriers could be overcome if the doctors were able to
Growing up in Ethiopia, I saw just how desperately my people and the world needed physicians. Although the situation seemed dishearteningly bleak, I found hope in the idea that one day, if I worked hard enough, I could help my people by becoming a doctor. As a result, ever since coming to America my hope has given me the drive to push towards my goal, daily. For example, while working and fulfilling my duties to help my community through club; I always put my obligations to school first. Every day my aspirations for the future seem increasingly within reach. Although I still have a long way to go, I believe that my drive and focus will help me in attaining my
From youth, I was surrounded by gifted individuals; my parents, my sisters, my aunts, even my cousins. They were all overachievers, who strove towards one goal. Excellence in their field of medicine. I, quite stubbornly, resisted that which was my calling for the longest time.
At the place where I grew up in Ethiopia, a college degree is a very precious thing that only those who are academically strong and lucky could acquire. Being a first college student to pursue a bachelor’s degree in my family and growing up in one of the undeveloped country, there have been many challenges that I had to overcome from elementary school to attending the University of Maryland College Park. That said, just like the true identity of a gold is determined by putting it in a glowing fire, I believe, the true passion of one’s self can only be revealed after overcoming many obstacles. Therefore, I believe the challenges that I had to go through have made me who I now am and aspired me to study medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
One of my academic goals is to get the best education possible at Allan Hancock College before I transfer. I will accomplish this by always paying attention to all my teachers and do all my work and most importantly make school my number one priority. Another academic goal that I have is to transfer to Cal Poly or Long Beach and obtain my Master’s degree in education. I also want to graduate with honor and with a 3.5 GPA or above. I decided that I wanted to be a teacher because I like helping people out and also I enjoy working with kids. I selected these goals because my economic background is not the great, most of the money that my family makes goes to the rent and daily expenses. We live in a small apartment and we are a family of five; we don’t usually go out and eat at restaurants only in special occasions.
I grew up in what I like to call, a ‘loose family’. That doesn 't exactly mean we had no values or close communication. I say that with the perspective I now have as a 24 year old, young man. Without going into too much detail, the least I can say is, although we weren’t there together for a majority of the time we always had one another for advise and constant motivation. As a kid I would spend a lot of my time reading and I would do so in what I considered my best friend, a huge pine tree in our front yard. As strange as it may sound I fell in love with not only that specific tree, but all trees. Since that time I’ve never felt any less towards all nature and wildlife and I hope to one day educate on that subject. I’ll reach that goal because of one thing. Motivation. To give you an inside look at where my motivation comes from and my initial motivation to start college, it starts with my graduation of high school.