Polio Epidemic In Ann Fay's Blue

It started from wanting to be a doctor because almost everyone in my family is in the medical field in some way. I wanted to carry out that legacy at first, but then it did not feel true to what I really wanted. At that time, I really did not know what I wanted to do as a career. Then I entered into my junior year and in my English language and composition class, we were reading the book “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”. This book changed my life and helped me make my decision to become a Health Specialties teacher.

Mark Twain once said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you figure out why.” Personally, the second day came when I discovered the physician assistant profession and subsequently the Master of Physician Assistant program at MCPHS University. From then on all of my life experiences as an EMT, shadowing, and working have fervently inspired me to become the best possible physician assistant I can be.

I knew that I loved to help people in need and I always felt that working in the medical field would be a great way to help me help others. I have been extremely interested in the world of medicine ever since. At first, I wanted to be a physician. I used to practice on my stuffed animals, teddy bears, and even my siblings! I used to pretend to give them diagnoses and prescribe fake medicine to them.

The first time I realized I wanted to specialize in medicine was when my father took me to the fire station when I was around the age of fourteen. He began to show me images of different cases and trauma scenes they had participated in. Since then, I have constantly asked my dad questions about different calls and scenarios about patients he has rescued. By having a father in the medical field and continuing to take science and medical courses throughout high school, I began to learn more about medicine throughout the years. Deciding to partake in these courses further advanced my understanding in medicine. These courses helped it become clear to me that the medical field is something I continuously

I have been able to see the joy on a child’s face when they finally make a shot, the joy on their face when they learn how and when to cross the street, and the joy on their face when they realize that they have the potential to be anything they want to be in life. Being able to watch this all happen has allowed me to realize that I want to see these kinds of amazing reactions every day for the rest of my life. On top of this, I want to be the one to allow them to have this reaction. To me, it is the best feeling in the world when I know that I have helped someone do something they felt they couldn’t do before. This being said, my volunteer work has persuaded me into the direction of the medical field. I feel this has happened because the medical field gives me an enormous variety of ways to impact lives

What life experiences have motivated you to choose a career in the medical, health, or life science fields? During my four years at Crispus Attucks High School I have gained experiences that has influenced me to choose a career in the Business field. Not only have I gained experiences at Crispus Attucks but I have also gained experiences outside of school with the opportunities they have provided me with. The exposure that I have encountered at Crispus Attucks is the involvement in the NoMore Club and by preference taking Introduction to Business on Edgenuity.

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.

With a substantial amount of preventive healthcare advancements behind them, the American medical community turned its attention to the deadly polio virus plaguing America. From 1937 to 1952, known cases of Americans contracting polio skyrocketed from ten thousand to a staggering figure of roughly fifty-seven thousand cases. Of those cases within that time period, approximately one thousand five hundred deaths as a result of polio were recorded. In the year 1953, The National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis provided the scientist Dr. Jonas Salk with the tools necessary to research, and develop a working vaccine to combat the devastating polio disease. After much trial and error, Dr. Salk was finally able to create what he felt was a successful polio vaccination, and proceeded to conduct a field test. After resounding success, manufacturing instructions for the Salk vaccine were sent to a series of scientific laboratories for immediate production and administration to American children. The disaster that occurred next will forever be known through American medical history as the Cutter Incident (named so after one of the labs that administered the polio vaccine). This medical crisis sent shockwaves throughout America and the medical community, and numerous lawsuits were filed against Cutter Laboratories, resulting in fewer and fewer labs willing to accept contract work in developing vaccines.

Growing up in an underserved community made me realize the blessing of a quality education and good physicians. Having faced an arduous medical diagnosis has given me the ability to look at things from a special perspective. Rocky beginnings in community college accompanied by time off from school allowed me to work fulltime

It all started in the 4th grade. That’s when I knew that being in the medical field is what I’ve always wanted to do. This day, my 4th grade teacher gave us an assignment while learning science. We were specifically learning about the heart and it’s 4 chambers. This subject, I remember, was so captivating and fascinating for me. I soaked in all the information I got from this class extremely easily. It was unlike any of the other classes that I have taken thus far. Math, literature and history were not subjects that I thought were very interesting for me but science was something that I especially excelled in. As the years went by I learned that I was especially had an interest in forensics. The ability to see the open body one-on-one in the fashion that forensics get to have contact with a body was more than interesting for me. So at the age of 12, I decided that forensics was what I was gonna put my mind to.

Seeing all of the things going on in the hospital influenced me to really pursue this profession. What also influenced me was seeing how my pediatrician cared for other kids and was always taking good care of not only myself, but others as well.

What is Poliomyelitis or better known as polio? This is a question you are Probably asking, well it's a very rare disease caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system, and can cause paralysis in the affected person. There are three types of polio there is Sub-clinical, Non-paralytic, and Paralytic. There is also something called Post- polio

I first realized that I had a passion for helping people when I was a part of the Interact Club in high school. We performed many community service projects, most of which directly involved helping people in need. Watching the look of someone 's gratitude when you give them groceries, or help repair their home was extremely satisfying. At the same time, my passion for medicine first began when I visited the hospital to see my ill cousin while in my teenage years. I watched as health care workers worked tirelessly and with such compassion to make sure he was comfortable and was getting better. I remember all of these scenes vividly and to this day I feel this event was the initial spark of my love for medicine and helping people. These two passions combined helping me to understand that I wanted to use them together in the healthcare field.

Polio is a viral infectious disease transmitted via the faecal-oral route. It is a dreaded disease especially in children, it results in infantile paralysis. Polio has no cure causing great concern due to significant morbidity and mortality. Despite global efforts to eradicate Polio, it is still endemic in parts of the world. This paper discusses the global problems posed by the disease, eradication strategies employed globally and regionally and the challenges in the way of achieving a world without Polio.

Three experiences in my life truly defined my goal of going into medicine; my injuries, research experiences, and shadowing experience.