i picked up the phone and heard those five words i will ... · i picked up the phone and heard...
Post on 24-Sep-2020
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I picked up the phone and heard those five words I will never forget. “Fatima is in a
coma.” My aunt, Fatima, went into a coma right after she battled breast cancer. As we watched
Fatima in her most vulnerable state, we still believed that she would come back into our lives.
She did not improve and the doctors urged us to say our goodbyes. The doctors informed us that
if she were to come back, she would be paralyzed from the waist down. No one predicted what
came next. I decided to pursue medicine when I saw a miracle – Fatima awoke from her coma.
After watching Fatima’s doctors perform a miracle, I grew determined to follow their
footsteps. This led me to shadow my orthodontist and work at the health office located in my
high school. At the school health office, it was rewarding to see how much of an impact the
nurse and I had on those students. At this point, I knew that helping others was my passion. In
order to help others, I decided to pursue biology at UC Merced. By joining clubs such as Project
Smile and AMSA, I was able to explore health fields such as dentistry and medicine. These clubs
allowed me to narrow my interests down to pediatrics. My interest in pediatrics started from a
young age and it grew as I made my way through college. Although my interest in pediatrics and
the health field grew over time, my hopes of getting into medical school diminished because of
the self-doubt and fear bottled up inside me. The constant fear of rejection and failure caused me
to explore an alternative route.
In order to figure out my true passions and what career to pursue, I left UC Merced for a
semester and enrolled at the community college in my city. During this time, I decided to test
journalism, a field that grabbed my interest in the past. I applied for an internship at KHTS AM
1220 Radio Station where I worked with my coworkers on updating the website with news
regarding our city. As a team, we worked towards assembling a home and garden show, which
ultimately became a success. As a journalist, I learned to communicate with others. I worked
hard and earned six A’s in my community college classwork. During this time, I gained hope and
reevaluated my life choices; I finally learned where my true passions lie. Journalism did not give
me the rewarding feeling I once received at the high school health office. I knew exactly what to
do next without hesitation. I decided to return to UC Merced in order to continue on my pre-
medical journey and become a doctor.
This sidetrack into journalism strengthened my determination to become a doctor. Not
only did I grow as a person during my time away, but I also learned that I am strong-willing,
patient, and determined to reach my goals. Prior to my internship, I allowed self-doubt to
consume over my ability to strive and pursue what I am passionate about. Although self-doubt
and fear prevented me from pursuing my passions in the past, I have replaced it with confidence
and hope. Today, I am a completely different person compared to only ten months ago.
Yesterday, I was hopeless and lost about what I wanted to do with my life. Today, I have a set
goal that I am determined to reach. Medicine is not just about miracles, medicine is about
communication. Years ago, I watched how Fatima’s doctors communicated crucial news to us
with care. Yesterday, Fatima was vulnerable. Today, Fatima is alive and healthy because of those
doctors. Tomorrow, I hope to become one of the doctors that placed Fatima into the position she
is in today.
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