Road to Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgeon by Emma

Road to Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgeon by Emma - August 2024 Scholarship Essay

BIOLOGY DEGREE. My first and most important goal is to get a Bachelor of Science undergraduate degree with a major in Biology. My long-term dream is to become a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon and this involves multiple sub-goals to get there. My plan to transition my dream to reality has begun by taking high school classes that I know will prepare me for my Biology major- Advanced Placement Calculus, Physics, Microbiology, Medical Terminology, Genetics, Anatomy & Physiology. I am also in a Scrub-Hub school Club for high school students to shadow different medical practitioners (ER nurses, X-ray technicians, radiologists) in my community. If I accomplish this goal of majoring in Biology, then I will be one step closer to being a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon, and I can be closer to starting to help people.

MCAT. My second goal is to take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) during my third or fourth year of college, depending on my preparedness. This will involve joining study groups, joining student pre-health profession clubs to help me network with other like-minded people with similar goals. I plan on taking online practice tests, going through practice tests from actual “hard-copy” books, and taking advantage of any other opportunities that can help me to successfully prepare and pass the test.

INTERNSHIP. My third goal is to get an internship where I get to do research in my field. I want to research the human body, particularly the heart, and I know some universities offer research/internship opportunities, either in the summer or during the year, for college students where they get to work and research alongside a professor. I want to be a cardiothoracic surgeon, and getting to do some research before I do my residency will help me better understand the heart and be able to identify different diseases and causes for why the heart is acting weird. Also having hands-on experience in my field of expertise will help strengthen my chances of becoming a valuable asset as I enter the workforce.