Being The 0.0001 Percent To Helping The 0.0001 Percent by Grace

Being The 0.0001 Percent To Helping The 0.0001 Percent by Grace - February 2024 Scholarship Essay

Approximately 10,000 known diseases, 3,500 laboratory tests, and excruciating back pain led to one diagnosis, the one I grapple with. 0.0001 percent, the statistic that will medically define me for the next 62 years. Statistically speaking, it may seem unreasonable for medical professionals to assume a life-threatening factor that occurs in adolescents, but that factor changed the course of my life and corrupted my trust. Medical malpractice is the illegal practice of medical negligence or omission deviating from the standard of care. I originally was a part of the 99.9999 percent, but now I engage with the 0.0001 percent. Medically speaking, I am forever known as that 0.0001 percent, but I identify with the population that advocates.

The medical professional silenced my two expanding pulmonary embolisms. At the first hospital I attended, the doctor deemed me “normal” without an attempt to elaborate on potential causes for my ongoing back pain. An hour prior, I walked through my bedroom door, changed clothes, and went to lie down. My back hit the gray sheet, and the fire-burning pain shot through my spine. In a panic, I went to my mother, in hysteria, believing I was having a heart attack. I was unaware that there were two potential death sentences in my lungs. When my father took me to the hospital, the doctors did not make an effort to provide adequate care or the “standard of care.” They ignored my complaints and sent me home empty-handed. For the next three days, I continued with my life even though I knew I was not “normal.”

I, nor anyone, dwelled on my unregulated coagulation but instead praised for my determination to discover the answer. The night I went to the second hospital was the night I was no longer accepting someone to make choices for my medical well-being. I knew, deep down, there was something wrong with my body. It was not my desire since I grew up in an environment where respecting authority was second nature, but it was my only opportunity to vouch for myself. I grew up with a police officer in my family, and my brother is studying to become a police officer, but I believed going against authority was my best opportunity. I will not lie, taking a stand against authority intimidated me. The nurse did not want to perform a blood test, but I expressed my concerns and convinced her it was in my best interest. After the blood results and a CT scan, my father received my transport papers to Nationwide Children’s Hospital. I had two straddle pulmonary embolisms in my lower right lung. After the blood results, my father received my transport papers to Nationwide Children’s Hospital. I had two straddle pulmonary embolisms in my lower right lung. There, the Hematology unit praised me for my contribution to the solution. They told me they were not sure what would happen if I did not advocate for my health.

Frequent visits to the Hematologist sparked my interest in allowing children to have a voice in their medical experiences. I want to advocate for children and young adults to have a say in their medical adventure; they do not deserve to suffer, similar to my experiences through pain and agony. They deserve to be able to inhale without fear of discomfort. Each time I explore careers in the medical field, I return to the path of hematology. The coagulation of blood, the spleen’s responses to blood cells, and the connections blood has to the immune system fascinate me. My interests are far beyond hematology. I aim to become a pediatric hematologist, allowing the children to advocate for themselves. They should be able to come to a hospital without worrying about malpractice or continuing with their suffering.
During my final semester of high school, I plan on continuing by taking biology courses to seek further education and expand on my ultimate plans for action. To further my education, I will attend Ohio State University in autumn to earn my bachelor’s in biology by taking classes to fulfill medical school requirements and indulging in internships. The Ohio State University offers many exciting opportunities for me to gain relative knowledge about Hematology/Oncology and my major, biology. There, I will take multiple biology, physics, and chemistry classes while doing internships in the medical fields and biological fields. After I attend the Ohio State University, I will attend a medical school to further my understanding of biology and hematology. I do not want a child under my care to be a part of the 250,000 medical malpractice cases per year like me.