My Pathway to Become a Physician by Aaliya

My Pathway to Become a Physician by Aaliya - January 2020 Scholarship Essay

One of my first diary entries is the news of my younger sister, Ayesha. The atmosphere in my house changed immediately when she came home, drawing me into my parents' room. My eyes were captivated by the newborn cooing in my mother's lap: she was beautiful.

My family was ecstatic, but I could not help worrying. My father had just lost his job, and Ayesha was a new mouth to feed. Looking down at her gentle smile, my worries melted away for a moment. I promised myself I would keep her smiling—to never let our family's financial situation affect her. At the time, I did not realize how much my commitment to this promise would be tested.

Within a few months, my mother fell ill with Chronic Kidney Disease. She was on bed rest, leaving me great responsibility: my sister. I changed her diapers, prepared milk bottles, and bathed her. After returning home from school, I would immediately check on Ayesha. At eight years old, I became a mother, and Ayesha became my life. I skipped play-dates and after-school activities to return home as soon as I could. Those days taught me how to prioritize my loved ones, even if it meant sacrificing something I enjoyed the most. Trying to adapt to the rough tide of events, I understood the weight of responsibility to support my mother. As much as I felt honored to fulfill the obligation of helping my mother, I also felt humbled to take it sincerely. At a young age, I learned to manage various responsibilities from both home and school, allowing myself to stay resilient.

Some days, my mother had great difficulty stepping out of bed. When she asked me to skip school, I hesitantly agreed. Although she covered her pain with her smile, she could not hide much from me. I watched as her eyes grew dim; I saw her sorrow when she could no longer bear the weight of my younger siblings sitting on her lap. I became a witness to her grief—a testimony that ate me up from inside. Seeing my mother struggle created the drive within me to help relieve the struggling of others. I began to envision a future in which I can assist others in their times of hardship.

In difficult times, I often turned to my diary for comfort to reminisce joyful memories. On one occasion in high school, as I flipped through its pages, staring at the jumbled thoughts of the second-grader whom I used to be, I noticed how every diary entry progressed to emphasize the lively moments I spent with my sister: my beacon of hope. In an effort to see her always smiling, I found myself sharing moments of laughter, and sometimes sadness alongside her. It was not until this moment I truly recognized that taking care of my sister was a treasure I cared deeply about. I realized how my experiences of a difficult past formed into memories of personal growth. The resilience, patience, and affection that I garnered by taking responsibility formed my pathway to become a doctor.

As I helped my mother, I understood the suffering of patients and their families. By learning how to balance my academics and home life, I began to grow familiar with the similar balance doctors would have to portray in the medical field: differentiating their lives from their patient's to truly benefit the patient. Physicians have to support patients going through some of the most difficult experiences of their lives, requiring tremendous inner-strength. By taking care of Ayesha, I was able to become a support system for my family. Although I felt helpless at first, I grew to possess an unwavering belief that I can stay strong. My perseverance from a young age fosters the development of my passion to become a better physician and serve people to the best of my abilities.