My Journey to Saving Lives by Nismel

My Journey to Saving Lives by Nismel - January 2022 Scholarship Essay

Growing up in a third-world country is also one of the biggest sparks to wanting to pursue medicine. Experiencing the daily struggles of those around me gradually changed my perspective of my community. I lived in a community where clean water was not always available. People in the neighborhood would get sick and some died because of long-term water-borne diseases and infections like cholera, typhoid, and hepatitis. Health care was not always readily available or affordable to those in my community. Wanting to be the one who bridges the gap between the poor and available medical care, I volunteered at my community hospital to assist elderly patients in navigating through the consultation process. This experience developed my sense of empathy for people who are fighting for their lives and I was able to strengthen my organization skills especially when it came to organizing documentation for patients. I volunteered at food drives during the pandemic to provide food to those in need and at my community clinic to assist in putting together and contributing sanitary products for the poor. I believe that pursuing a career as a medical doctor will allow me to improve and extend health care to less fortunate people. I am confident in my ability to help close the gap in available healthcare as a Physician.

To gain more experience and exposure to the field of medicine I sought shadowing experiences. Shadowing physicians from various specialties gave me the opportunity to get a glimpse of the realities and daily lifestyles of being a doctor. I shadowed physicians from various fields. From shadowing anesthesiologists and plastic surgeons to getting insight on emergency medicine and trauma surgery. One meaningful and eye-opening experience was shadowing Dr. Nir J. Hus, a trauma and acute care surgeon. This session taught me the importance of the role that each member of the trauma unit plays. Everyone has a role to play and each of these roles is very critical to the survival of every patient. To a normal person, the aftereffect of the trauma may look like a complete disaster and very chaotic. However, to the trained eye, it is very organized and logically aligned. Every single instrument we see laying around the trauma bay after a patient was seen was a moment trying to save someone’s life. A moment of blood, sweat, and tears for the doctors, the patient, and the patient’s family. These experiences taught me that the field of medicine is a community of people, working together as a team for one main goal, and that is to maintain and restore the health of all patients. Throughout my shadowing experience, I strengthened my communication skills with peers, doctors, and patients of all ages. As I continued to gain more shadowing experiences, I became more passionate about becoming a doctor and having the opportunity to work as a team to leave a positive impact on the lives of others.