More Than a Diagnosis by Shawna'Sea

More Than a Diagnosis by Shawna'Sea - October 2026 Scholarship Essay

Sometimes, the experiences that teach us the most are the ones we never expected to face ourselves. Learning about Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, also known as POTS, made my interest in healthcare personal in a way that studying from a text book or professor never could. It gave me a reason to ask questions, search endlessly for hours, and simply just try to understand what was happening inside my own body. What began as a simple attempt to understand a medical condition became something bigger. It became a realization of how deeply I wanted to help others who were also facing uncertainty and confusion. Learning about POTS opened my eyes to how complicated the human body can become. I wanted to understand how one condition can be connected to another and even cause more. I didn't understand how a condition could cause symptoms that interfere with everyday life. After being diagnosed I began to research POTS, I began to realize just how much there is to learn about the human body and the conditions people live with everyday. Medical information was no longer just something to memorize for class. It was information that could help me better understand my own experiences and the experiences of others. Theres something different about learning about a condition when it's personal to you. You aren't just reading words on a page; you are trying to make sense of something that affects you. Searching for information can bring new understanding, but it can also remind you of how many questions are left unanswered. That experience helped me appreciate how important it is for patients to have access to clear information , compassionate healthcare professionals, and someone who's willing to take their concerns seriously. My journey with POTS has influenced the way I think about people living with medical conditions. From the outside, some may appear to be doing fine, while inside their health may be so much more complicated than others realize. A diagnosis is only one part of a person's story. Behind it is a person with questions, emotions, responsibilities, and hopes for a less scary future. I have learned that understanding a medical condition involves more than just learning its name or recognizing its symptoms. It also means recognizing the person who is living with it. This is the main reason I want to become a nurse. I want to understand the science behind illnesses and use that knowledge to help understand the person behind the illness, while making sure they feel cared for during moments when they may not understand what is happening to them. My goal is to become a nursing who puts their patients first always. I know that being in a medical setting can feel intimidating, especially when you do not have all the answers. I want to be the nurse who takes an extra moment to explain something, listens when a patient has multiple questions, and help them feel less alone in an unfamiliar environment. I can't promise that I will always have an immediate answer to every question. However, I want to become the kind of nurse who is willing to keep learning, keep searching for answers, and treat every patient with patience and compassion. I want my patients to feel that their concerns matter and that they are more than just a condition written in their medical charts. POTS has given me a personal reason to be curious about healthcare and the science behind medical conditions. It has encouraged me to seek understanding and has helped shaped the kind of difference I hope to make in the future. I want to continue learning about the human body, not only because I want to become a nurse, but because I want to use that knowledge to care for people in meaningful ways. To me, being a nurse means seeing the person beyond the diagnosis. It means understanding that medical knowledge matters, but compassion can change how someone experiences a very difficult moment. My interest for nursing has grown from wanting to understand health to wanting to help others feel understood. One day, I hope to give reassurance, patience, and care that can make life a little less scary for some. That is what More Than a Diagnosis means to me.