Change begins with understanding; understanding begins with the ability to identify oneself with another. This ability is called empathy. The turning point in my life was the day that when as a nine year old boy, I visited a school for the speech and hearing impaired with my grandfather. While the impairment of these young children had a profound impact on me, I realized that while it was easy to empathize with them, much more was to be achieved by channelizing my energy to work towards acquiring the knowledge and skills to alleviate their suffering. The first seeds of becoming a Doctor were sown in my mind on that same day and as the thought germinated; my goal to study medicine with the single-minded purpose of giving back to the society grew stronger, setting me on my path to medical school. My ability to empathize with these people, to communicate, understand and care grew with each passing year. As time passed, my affinity towards other human beings and understanding of their ailments strengthened my resolve to become a doctor and I began working tirelessly towards realizing my dream.
During my time in the department for Internal Medicine at the medical school my curiosity to learn more about patients and their ailments kept drawing me back to the wards where I often spent my days and nights. During one such occasion, I encountered a patient with a case of epigastric pain which I had diagnosed as pancreatitis as she had a history of the same besides battling alcoholism.
During my junior year of high school, I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Arthritis walk in Philadelphia. Volunteering at the event allowed me to gain deeper intellectual engagement and also influenced my future career. At the event, I had the opportunity to meet several people who suffered with Arthritis. When observing the many effects that Arthritis had on people it widened my eyes to the lack of healthcare in society. By the end of the day a lightbulb went off in my head and I knew for sure that I wanted a career in medicine. I was certain that a career in health services was for me because each person with arthritis warmed my heart and my mind began wondering about endless ways to better their situation. Since I was a young girl I was sensitive, caring, and always trying to find a way to help someone out of a bad situation. There are
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 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.
If you would have told me ten years ago that I would be writing this essay and planning yet for another years into the future, part of me would have been surprised. Years ago I would have never envisioned myself going into the health field. Growing up I always heard stories from my parents and grandparents of how lucky I am to be alive and how thankful they were to the doctors and nurses. After hearing these stories for so many years it then made me realize that all I wanted to do was help people.
After my observations, I have learned a lot about how the the medical aspect of the health care system worked. I always had the mindset that the doctors were the ones who ran everything in a hospital or a clinic. Upon observing, I realized that this was false and that it took teamwork, cooperation, and communication to help create an environment to best serve its patients. When I came into the University of Michigan as well as the Health Sciences Scholar Program, I had set my target to go into family medicine in order to pursue a career as a family physician. I also saw that there were many health disparities and inequities among patients in hospitals as well. I thought maybe I could help fix this if I became a physician. After my observations, I had an ambivalent feeling if I should still continue with what my heart was set on. I never really thought about exploring the vast array of other health-related professions. There were many fields of health professions I had really never thought about and this class as well as my observations had really helped open my eyes to the complexity of the health system to make it work.
My patient is a 64-year-old that came in for upper abdominal pain. She felt her pain was worse when she lied down flat, so she had been trying to sit up and lean forward for most of the day. As the day went on her pain got worse, so she came into Emergency Department for further evaluation. She did not have any nausea or emesis and no change in her bowel habits. No fevers or chills. No trauma to the abdomen. In the hospital, she is diagnosed with acute pancreatitis.
Growing up with my grandparents had helped me determine my decision of pursuing a career in the medical field. My grandparents were Chinese farmers who would always reaching out for our neighbors and providing them with life needs. By growing up with them, I obtain their personalities as well. They taught me to be humble, responsible and caring. I remember a quote by Stephen Richard, “When you reach out to those in need, do not be surprised if the essential meaning of something occurs.” This quote was later proven by my own experience, which I would get this indescribable gratification I get after helping someone. Therefore, I wanted to become someone who can reaching out for others as my grandparents ever since I was little. Being in the
With the achievements I have accomplished related to health care, I now have learned so much information that I can apply to help others in desperate needs. The first step I had to immediately take was to enroll in health science courses. By taking these courses I was more familiar with the human body and its abilities.
Becoming a doctor would not only allow me to educate others, but would allow me to endlessly improve my medicinal knowledge and education. There are many moments in my life which have motivated me to pursue a medical career and help others, but the memory I consider most influential is when I volunteered with Shepherd's Table Soup Kitchen in Raleigh. My goal was to make as many people smile as I could. However, there was one man in line that made me smile instead. He was crippled and defeated by poverty; he was laid off from his job, which, consequently, prohibited him from attending college. He shut down and let poverty win. He said it was the biggest mistake of his life. Choked up with emotion and pain from the past, he then gave me advice, "If you can see your dream now, grab it. Whatever you do, don't let it go." Serving others, like the man in the soup kitchen, has bestowed upon me the motivation to lead and inspire others, just as he inspired
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
Dr. Nelson, the general practitioner for whom I volunteered for two and a half years, had always told me that the desire to become a doctor must come from deep within. In his office, I took patients’ vital signs and helped them feel more comfortable. I also spent a significant amount of time with Dr. Nelson learning about the physician’s role. He became my mentor. I learned of
The memory of George’s struggles provides a continuous reminder of why I am pursuing a career in medicine and serves as a perpetual source of motivation. I have a responsibility to those less fortunate than me to work my hardest and to continuously improve, so I may grow to ensure that others do not needlessly suffer as George has. Moreover, the knowledge of healthcare inequities I have gained will allow me to bring the concerns of underserved populations to the Wake Forest School of Medicine and help foster the growth of physicians who are dedicated to aiding the disadvantaged. Medical school will undoubtedly be wrought with challenges; however, I am confident that dedication to ameliorate others’ suffering will allow me not only to thrive, but also enrich the learning experience of my peers.
At the Congress in November, there were several speakers who spoke about changing lives. They also said we, as future physicians, hold the future of so many lives in our hands. We also have a huge impact on our patient’s lives. When the speakers said all of this, that really got me thinking about who’s life I could change.
Although some may argue that Stacy could have easily learned about these characteristics through school, Stacy says that the tasks she must handle at the hospital are very different from completing homework assignments, which have very straightforward instructions. At the hospital, Stacy must often come up with solutions on the spot, whereas she is able to complete school assignments on her own time. This shows how her service experience was the only way she truly learned her ability to work spontaneously. This was also her first time interacting with patients and children, which demonstrates just how valuable her experience was toward her discovery of her interest in becoming a physician. Helping others is essential to learning about any innate talents we may possess. By dedicating ourselves to the service of others, we not only learn how we operate with other people, but also do so with the greater benefit of helping the community. Therefore, I urge the reader to try attending a new service activity and reflecting on the experience afterwards. By working in a new environment, I hope that the reader will find out something new about his or her own
Mr. P.M. is a forty-seven-year-old African Canadian who came to emergency with complains of vomiting and severe abdominal pain. He stated that he finished a heavy meal accompanied with 3-4 glasses of wine when his pain began. He usually consumes 2-3 cans of beer per day. Based on clinical findings and tests, he was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis and admitted to the medical-surgical unit. I was assigned to care for Mr. P. M. during the day shift following his admission.