This is Me by Crystal

This is Me by Crystal - June 2017 Scholarship Essay

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” I have been asked that same question for the past twelve years. My answer has been identical.
“I want to be a doctor.” Six year old me was obsessed with everything and anything that had to do with doctors. Six year old me was infatuated with playing ‘doctor’ with her siblings and toys. Six year old me would watch any show that involved doctors. While other six year olds loathed the doctor’s office, six year old me loved them. Six year old me was mesmerized by everything in the office, from the lacquered tools to the ice-like leather exam table. Six year old me loved the smooth, rubbery feel of the latex gloves and the sterile, plastic aroma they emitted. All that was five-star, but six year old me’s favorite part was the scent of the soap. The smell of hospital soap is like heaven on earth. Six year old me knew a doctor was what I itched to be.
“I want to be a pediatrician, obstetrician, or pharmacist.” Twelve year old me had a more mature answer. Twelve year old me knew that she wanted to be a doctor; it was just a matter of deciding what field to pursue. Twelve year old me still had the same six year old obsession. Twelve year old me used to pretend to ‘scrub in’ every time she would wash her hands. All twelve year old me’s family knew she would be a doctor, she told them all the time. Twelve year old me knew she yearned to help, she knew being a doctor was her calling.
Now, seventeen year old me has decided what she wants to do for the rest of her life. Now when people ask the classic question I proudly answer, “I’m going to be an OB/GYN. What's that you may ask? They're obstetricians and gynecologists. I’m going to deliver babies.” When people ask me why, I respond by saying, “There is no sovereign job than helping bring budding life into the world. This is the job that I know will not feel like a boring nine to five. It's the only job that guarantees I will come home spirited every day.” Seventeen year old me has been preparing for this moment her whole life. In a little less than a year, seventeen year old me is finally going to be on the path to become what she has always craved to be, a doctor.
My education has not impacted my choice in career, rather it has strengthened it. The one role education played in deciding my career was amplifying my knowledge on how to be a doctor and by helping me specify what field I want to enter. Medicine has always been my passion from a very young age. I know there is a lot of dedication and education required to become an OB/GYN, and I know all those grueling years will be worth it. I cannot wait to see how my future unfolds. In the delivery room, ten years from now, you will see me as Dr. Okafor.