Everyone who grew up in a family of “well-respected” professionals must have felt the pressure of pursuing an ambition. Although it is an unspoken command, my parent’s plan for us, their children, always included going to college and beyond. They have raised us in a way that possessing the intellect and the motivation to excel is almost a given assumption. They have always hoped that all of us will play a vital role of making the world a better place one day. It was not easy for me to choose a career with such high expectations placed on my shoulders. In searching for the possibilities of maximizing my interests and capabilities, I found medicine to be the area that I could make some contributions in the future.
My work as a Certified Lifeguard and a swimming instructor brought me close to children. I found children fascinating while I teach them to swim, respect pool safety and administer CPR in various summer camps. They are always enthusiastic to learn new things, fearless in their quest to pursue what they wish. This job taught me not just the essentials of community service, but gave me the opportunity to pass on what I know to children. This is an immensely satisfying experience.
My pre-med study was inspired by the kind of patience and affability I employed when teaching children. Having been a research assistant in a microbiology lab before I focused to study medicine, I have seen a bright picture of contributing to a scientific discovery as a result of my patience working on a microscope. This dream catalyzed my decision to choose medicine early on. As a participant in the Pre-Med Shared Interest Housing program of my university, I was actively engaged in collaborative team projects. I got involved in projects to vocalize student’s needs and concerns on and off campus, as well as tutoring my fellow pre-med students.
The attrition rate for pre-medical and medical students is relatively high, and maintaining the student’s level of commitment is our battle cry. Collective community and academic projects proved to be working to address this problem. My experience in my first Organic Chemistry class is unforgettable. Having discovered that the subject is something that is way over my head, I dedicated much of my free time to study, take tutoring sessions, organized study groups and made close contact with my professor. It paid off well as I eventually earned a top spot in terms of grades in class. This has showed me how ardent work ethic can be formed.
The search for a rare internship program also helped me learn more lessons in work ethics. After deciding to take Osteopathy as my area of study, I took enough zeal and courage to apply for some kind of a “shadow” internship among Osteopathy doctors within the locality. I was forced to do this because there is no organization within my university that caters to this program. I was lucky, and now I am just glad that my current internship has fleshed out a deeper understanding of the medical profession.
Photo Credit : Joe Shlabotnik
