Reflection Paper

When I first decided to expand my education, it had been so long since I had been to school, and I was very hesitant. I talked at length about my decision with my husband and with his encouragement, decided to enroll but still was not quite sure which degree program to enroll in. I knew that this was something that I had always wanted to do since I obtained my Associates Degree in Nursing, but I did not have the courage, nor did I want to give up the time with my family and children. I second guessed my abilities and my knowledge because it had been so long since I had been in college. Now that my children are about to graduate high school and

The medical field is a career path that brings about many options and opportunities of great value. The noble idea of being a doctor tends to cloud the diligent studying and precise training that is actually required for this career. I have wanted to become a doctor since a very young age, and now that the opportunity is here for the taking, I have fully researched what it takes to succeed in this profession and various specialties of the practice. The road to a medical degree is one filled with thousands of notes, years of schooling, and many stressful nights, but the reward is one incomparable to any other. Saving people’s lives on a day-to-day basis has been one of my dreams for as long as I can remember, so the rigorous curriculum

In hindsight, although becoming a physician was always my plan, I was not quite ready to commit. However, my time away from school has allotted me clarity in many areas. Much of this clarity came from becoming independent, not only financially, but more importantly in own my beliefs. I no longer constantly look to others to validate the decisions I make. Working side by side with physicians has given me a better understanding of the interdependence of business, clinical work, and the politics that come with working in a large hospital. Not only has my desire to enter the healthcare field become personal, but more importantly I now understand what it means to be a caretaker. The most essential realizations have been recognizing the amount of sacrifice and humility that coincide with being a caregiver, and appreciating that someone entrusts you to care for them. Maintaining this trust while remembering to be empathetic are two great responsibilities, and I cannot think of a more noble reward than having your community’s trust bestowed upon you. It is an honor to be granted the ability to improve peoples’ lives through

Here I stand on the brink of adulthood, a daunting place to exist. I peer over the edge and gaze into a chasm, bright but blurry. I am afraid. I am anxious. But I am hopeful. I am hopeful because I know that my past has defined me, but it is my future that will continue to mold me. As my years as a teenager draw to a close, I find myself reflecting on pivotal moments that taught me what it really means to be a good human being.

I had been told by many that medicine was the hardest career pathway anyone could take and worse more, it was nearly impossible to get it into! But medicine was all I could see myself doing, I had no alternatives so I was determined to get in. Naturally, I found myself more inclined to the sciences. I read more than I was expected to, I worked harder than I was expected to and with tremendous faith, I challenged all the boundaries set around me.

On September 6, 2017, I were documented for an incident that involved a University Housing policy violation. I was charged with violating the University Housing Alcohol 1.2 policy. With my violation, came consequences. I met with The Residence Conduct Coordinator to discuss my actions and came to the conclusion that I would have to schedule a meeting with The Campus Alcohol and Drug Education Center (CADEC) and with that, a reflection paper.

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

“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing”- Pelé. When I think about my future, quite frankly, I’m not sure where I’ll end up. I truly believe my future will depend on my personal happiness no matter what career I end up in. However, that’s not how life goes. In a career, it’s not all flowers and daisies; you sacrifice, you endure, you persevere, and sometimes, you suffer but in the end you are rewarded with a life only dreamed by some. I’m not looking at the medical field for money, I’m looking at it for how it fits to my characteristics. The medical field is a group of people willing to suffer, sacrifice, and endure for the well-being

Haling from a family that puts major emphasis on the importance of education, the thought of college was never a yes or no question in my mind. I was to attend a university after I graduated high school. My upbringing taught me that formal education is not something to take lightly and was inevitably expected of me. With the added pressure of graduating with a class of over 1200 students, I felt great accomplishment in attending my parent’s alma mater. However, the path towards my future career was still opaque. My passion was so unclear. Beginning college in a field of study I did not enjoy, my freshman and sophomore years proved to be greatly disheartening. It was not until I took a course contrasting graduate school and medical school that I finally felt the spark that I had been so desperately searching for. Fortunately, the opportunity to shadow a physician was readily available, and that’s when it dawned on me what exactly my future was fated to entail. The trials of of unhappiness in my early studies, coupled with the two monumental realizations in my sophomore year, set forth my personal journey towards a lifetime of medical practice.

In 2014, I was the first person in my family to earn a college degree. During my time as an undergraduate at Norfolk State University I faced many challenges. I was trying to balance being a full-time student with being a mother, military spouse, and a dental assistant. Although I struggled academically in the beginning, I quickly improved my academic performance and, was able to develop strong time management skills. My ability to turn setbacks into comebacks shows that I have the resilience needed to be successful in the Medical Education Development Program and in Dental School.

As an aspiring physician my preparation has been driven by motivation, intelligence and most importantly commitment. Over the course of my undergraduate education I have developed strong communications skills all while maintaining a strong work ethic. My best attribute is my willingness to help other. I am caring, compassionate, confident, cultivated and consistently eager to learn. The career path I have chosen has tested my ability to deal with uncertainty, problem solving, and most importantly helped me to distinguish my strengths and weaknesses. I have learned to manage risk and deal effectively with problems. Overall, I have developed the skills to virtually engage people.

The decision to apply to medical school was not taken lightly. I knew that medical school would require a huge commitment of my time and energy. Therefore, before applying to medical school, I knew that I needed to prove both to myself and to the committees that would be reviewing my application that I had what it takes no not only survive, but to excel in medical school. Therefore, while continuing to work around 50 hours per week, I returned to school with a full-time load, and prepared myself for the MCAT – all in a period of about 6 months. This was one of the most mentally and physically exhausting periods of my life, but the tools I developed to spend my time both wisely and efficiently helped me stay organized. My passion for the coursework

The medical field attracts a wide variety of individuals from all walks of life. The reasons for their shared choice, to pursue a career as a practitioner of medicine, are similarly different. Several of my classmates and friends can point to specific events that helped them make their choice, moments of inspiration when they consciously decided to become physicians. I had no such epiphany, but my choice to study at DMU was influenced by two main factors. Additionally, I have been forced to reevaluate myself and my goals several times along my journey. Most recently, the film “The Doctor” caused a change in perspective regarding my future goals as a physician.

After all the hours of shadowing, clinical work, volunteering, research, studying for the MCAT, and going through the application process, I have finally been admitted and started medical school. Although getting accepted to medical school has not required a small amount of work, I know it will only become more challenging each year. However, many people have helped shape the course of my life to this point and I intend to maintain the characteristics that I have worked to develop.

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.