Why I Am A Doctor

The experience taught me to work hard to achieve my goal of becoming a doctor and helping as many people as I can. It taught me not to waste my time. All of my dedication has pushed me to be the best person I can be so in the future I can feel confident about all of my choices. Volunteering at Children’s Hospital offered me an experience that pushed me to strive for no less than excellence. By volunteering, I watched my dreams and ambitions get closer, and although the process is a slow and difficult one, every second of it was worth it because I was able to watch everything I value become

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

I want to be a MedServe Fellow for several reasons, with the ultimate goals of improving my community and providing a stepping stone between college and medical school. One of the main things I want to do during my gap year is gain clinical experience, something I believe I need before applying to medical school, and this program fulfills that desire. I could do research in my gap year, but working in a primary care setting would be the most beneficial in preparing me, not only for medical school, but for my career. My career goal is within primary care, and while I also could gain experience via an EMT route, I feel that MedServe provides a unique opportunity to truly experience and understand primary care. I want to have a more active role

Anything could have gone wrong. A Japanese soldier murdering my grandmother as they marched into her small village during the Rape of Nanking. The Communist forces dropping an aerial bomb on my mother’s home before the Fall of Saigon. My father’s old fishing boat capsizing in the South China Sea while escaping Vietnam before his miraculous landing in the Philippines. From time to time, I reflect upon my family’s fortuitous circumstances in the darkest periods of war and their tumultuous journey to America. Being the eldest child of second-generation war refugees has significantly impacted my life decisions and aspirations. Neither of my parents finished their education due the Vietnam War, so I have the privilege of being the first in the

It was there, I volunteered with the Health Outreach Quality Improvement Program (HOQI). At first, I questioned how an RV bus could serve so many people. After training, I was hooked! My original role as a volunteer transformed and with time I became a Site Leader, overseeing a group of 10 pre- medical students and completing reports of their performance for my 8th avenue clinic in Alachua County. I valued talking with families, most whom came from Central America and were leery about receiving treatment. Because my parents are immigrants from Jamaica, I readily identified with them. I recall my mother often attempted to use natural remedies before visiting a physician, making teas to alleviate ailments. Able to identify with their concerns, I reassured them about the services they were receiving. Later, as a volunteer in a soup kitchen, I was again able to connect with people from diverse backgrounds, especially the homeless population. Preparing meals, I saw that small efforts can have a huge effect on the lives of

When I was eleven years old, I was living in one of the small Bhutanese Refugee Camp called Goldhap located in Jhapa, Nepal. Life in the refugee camp was simple for me since I was only 11 years old. But for most adults including my parents, it was very challenging. Since they didn’t have their own land; they couldn’t eat whatever they wanted to like in Bhutan where they had large arable land for plantation. People in camp were not allowed to work outside of camp. But to provide for their family they worked laborious jobs such as stone-breaking, road-cleaning, and ploughing (with an Ox). My parents did all they could to satisfy our needs and some wants. Ever since I was little doctors fascinated me so when I grew up I wanted to become one. However, I knew it was next to impossible to become a doctor in Camp because of financial situation. The turning point of my life was when I came to America.

I was fortunate enough to know I would be leaving my birthplace and transitioning to my new home in America.With that being said, the beginning process consisted of many trips back and forth to the local clinic where a series of injections is done to prevent the spread of diseases.Being there daily, a curiosity sparked in me when I saw how the doctors and nurses interacted with their patients and how they maintained a peaceful atmosphere despite complex situations. This curiosity was so profound that as soon as I was old enough I was inspired to volunteer with my church youth group doing community outreach.We repaired homes, distributed food, and offered a sense of encouragement to people in need.The result only served to reinforce my desire to be more involved in the betterment of people 's lives, focusing on their care and needs. Participating in the community gave me fulfillment and joy in knowing that I made a difference in the lives of others.This led to my first dual healthcare experience with an Ob/Gyn and a general surgeon, at the Husain clinic.The years spent at the Husain clinic gave

After I concluded my basic steps, I became a nurse with the objective to continue on to medical school. It was at a very young age that I had the opportunity to work with patients in a hospital setting and also in the community. I felt that I was just in my world. At this time not just been satisfied with caring for the patients, I also wanted to be able to diagnose and treat their illnesses so I enrolled in medical school. I started medical school with an inquisitive mind hungry for knowledge, I was impressed with semiology, it was so interesting to be able to diagnose only by asking about their symptoms and listening with my old stethoscope. We had difficulty even obtaining a cbc or an x-ray because our resources were very limited. I worked very hard and learned how to establish an open and

These experiences have lead me to what I want to do for the rest of my life, and that is to become a doctor in developing countries, like Jamaica. Changing the world is an incredibly hard task, but changing the lives of those who live in extreme poverty is exactly how I want to change the world. I have seen the drastic need for medical care in destitute places and I believe that I will one day be the person to provide that care. My future goals will not be easily obtained, but I have a pretty good plan on how to accomplish them.

Born into a family of farmers from a small village in southern part of India has given me a real life view of a community with limited health care services but significant health care needs. I still remember my own experience as a 7 year old kid walking anxiously into the hospital where my grandma was admitted with heart attack. Sitting nervously at her bedside, I watched her slowly die due to lack of proper medical care. In the course of time I lost my grandpa to diabetes, a cousin to tuberculosis, a dear friend to leukemia and my own mother from complications of pregnancy. These simple yet a significant events in my life have given me the inspiration to become a doctor.

My desire to become a physician started at the same time that I was frequently visiting one. During high school, I experienced a new medical problem that required the help of a specialized physician. Being from a small town in Northern Wisconsin and a pediatric patient at the time, that specialized physician was not only an hour drive, but they also had a three month waiting list. As I waited those long three months to be seen, I began to understand how important health really is. My health was something that I had always taken for granted, but it was at this time that I realized that if you lose your health, you lose many things with it. Enjoyment, involvement, and experiences in multiple aspects of my life were gone. My sickness was miniscule compared to the impact that worst disease states could have on quality of life. It was also during that long wait that I noticed how underserved my small community was with specialists and physicians in general. This drove me to pursue a career in healthcare and influenced my coursework at UW - La Crosse.

The sun exploded into a million shades of orange. I sat, friends at each side, atop a monstrous pile of boulders. I looked over the vastness of Joshua Tree National Park, and saw a glimpse of myself. Love filled my soul; love of people, love of family. The backcountry has always helped me find this love; it has been my personal northstar, shepherding me toward research and medicine.

Growing up in India, I was a volunteer for the Rotary International and Lions Clubs International. I volunteered at medical camps, annual polio immunization programs and free clinics in Bhimavaram, a town with limited access to public health care services. I primarily assisted General and Family practitioners; I was amazed at how they could manage a broad range of medical conditions and patient populations. I was attracted towards the intellectual challenges, the art of diagnosis and the fulfillment that comes from taking care of a variety of patients. I was appreciated for my ability to educate and rationalize with patients of all age groups. This experience played a significant role in my decision to build a career in medicine that would enable me to take care of a variety of patients and make a positive impact on the community 's health.

My story began when I received shocking news that my grandfather has passed away from a heart failure. Being a twelve years old immigrant, bilingual of Vietnamese American, I fully experienced the hardship of caring for a very ill family member. Unfortunately, my grandfather passed away. The feelings of emptiness consumed my inner being. He was one of my closest family members and was there to raise me. I felt completely helpless and powerless, unable to prevent my grandfather from passing away. I became frustrated and started to ponder if the turn of events would have been any different. If I had better insight to what medical care had to offer, I could have been able to advise my grandfather about his condition and perhaps his problem may have been preventable. I vowed that I would become a competent doctor to find the reason behind my grandfather 's death and to make a real impact on this real life situation. I am determined to succeed.

When I was a child my mom took me to go see a psychiatrist because she wanted to make sure that I didn’t have the mental illness that she had. When I went there, there was a man on a couch with a clipboard asking me questions. I was very uncomfortable and like I did all the time and still do to this day, I began to fidget. I have never been able to keep still so why would I in that moment? After he done examining me he told my mom that I had ADHD. A look came over my mom’s face that I couldn’t comprehend. My mom and dad are divorced so I’m not sure how the process of telling him went but when I came back over the next week he told me he didn’t think I actually had it. At the time I didn’t understand that, a doctor couldn’t be wrong could