Personal Statement For a Physician Major

My journey towards a medical career began on the unpaved streets of Port Royal, Jamaica, and eventually led me to Xavier University and beyond. Being of Jamaican heritage exposed me early on to disparities within global healthcare, providing me with a clearer idea of the challenges ahead. Witnessing people waiting hours outside community clinics without guaranteeing they would see a doctor was both distressing and poignant, instilling an intense determination to reduce inequality between clinics and populations. This early experience cemented my resolve to help reduce healthcare disparities globally.

My passion led me to Xavier University, an institution known for producing minority doctors. I could delve deeper into medicine at this institution while expanding my passion for healthcare. Their dedication to minority empowerment resonated deeply with me; my experiences there only reinforced my belief that I could contribute positively to medicine as a field.

The study abroad experience in Costa Rica further broadened my perspectives. I was impressed by their comprehensive healthcare system, in which every individual, regardless of financial capability or social standing, was assured medical care - something entirely unlike what was seen in either Jamaica or America. This experience reinforced the universal right to healthcare while galvanizing my drive to effect societal change.

My career trajectory took an unexpected twist when I began teaching elementary school students with autism and developmental delays. This experience was transformative; it provided me with unique insights into their daily struggles due to insufficient healthcare support, as well as seeing firsthand that there was too little minority representation among neurologists - something which spurred a mission within me to break this mold, diversify neurology further, and improve healthcare outcomes for these children.

Motherhood taught me invaluable lessons in perseverance, focus, and staying on course. Through personal experiences and observations, I witnessed firsthand how minority communities are often left out of healthcare systems; therefore, my goal became clear - improving healthcare access and quality for underprivileged communities, particularly minorities and those overseas.

My grandmother has had an immense influence on my journey. When she was first diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease, I remember her as the picture of health: eating aloe vera juice and ginger tea daily while walking around our neighborhood daily until her diagnosis of Alzheimer's. While seeing how her illness left her frailer than before was heartbreaking to witness,...