Putting the "care" in Healthcare by Joshua

Putting the "care" in Healthcare by Joshua - December 2015 Scholarship Essay

My name is Joshua Wilson, and I am going to change the world.
Allow me to begin with a story. Not long ago I elected to volunteer at a rest home with several friends each Sunday to sing to the elderly there. We sang hoping to lift their spirits and show them we appreciate all they have done for us. I participated in this activity each Sunday for six months, but one single experience has forever changed my life. We entered the room of an elderly, bedridden woman, clearly in distress. We, hoping to help in any way possible, began to sing a song entitled “Love is Spoken Here”. This woman immediately became quiet, rolled over to meet my eyes with hers, and enjoyed the number. As we were saying goodbye, she turned to me, our humble offering of a slightly off-tune song still fresh in her mind. I shook her hand and she whispered to me, “You’ll never be sorry.” Tears came readily; I left the room a changed man. That day I had learned--but more importantly, felt-- something I will never forget.
I am currently pursuing a degree in medicine, and hope to always apply the lesson learned that night: true success in medicine comes from caring for our fellow human beings, one by one. That is the kind of physician I want to be. That is the reason for my education. And it means everything to me.
Recently I was reading a portion of Head First: The Biology of Hope by Norman Cousins. He described a young, recently married woman who was stricken with cancer. The surgeon bluntly and grimly told her that there wasn't much chance of survival. She completely gave up the will to live. Then I read of Norman’s visit to her, and the reassuring words he gave her--to never give up; that there was always hope. He gave her reassurance and hope, and most importantly, he cared about her. Though she struggled for months and finally succumbed to the disease, she kept strong and was a major influence on her family for good. That is the kind of doctor I want to be. I want to lift and inspire and love. I want to inspire hope. Never pull anyone down. I want to make a difference in the lives of others, no matter how small that may be. I want to make this world a better place.
If I may, I would like to share a portion of a somewhat personal journal entry from not long ago.
Nov 16 2015
I was just watching videos about preparing for medical school, and I was touched. I began to ponder about why I want to be a physician, and how I can make a difference, however small, in this world.
I want to make a difference in the lives of people. I want to give; I want to serve. I know that I have unique attributes and talents to share. I have something to offer the world; and I need to work hard to develop these talents and abilities. Why do I want to become a physician? Because it is who I was and am meant to be. I have a vision of being a physician who cares. One who reaches out to connect with his patients. One who values the doctor/patient relationship. This is a healing and a helping profession. Not simply a health profession. I have had and always will have a dream of becoming a doctor, one way or another, and I won’t stop working until that becomes a reality. It is my duty to give back; to share the talents I have been granted.
This is where I see myself in 10 years--giving back in some small way to this world that has done so much for me.