Reflecting on my personal experiences, I appreciate the extensive impact of science in my life. I was born and brought up in Mekele in Ethiopia. The region was plagued by drought and civil war. As a result, people endured a lot of suffering and they strived to survive. Staying healthy was akin to a violent brawl. There was a shortage of doctors and medical supplies. A lot of people lost their lives, a fact that bothered me. Similarly, access to education in such an environment was almost impossible.
My parents were lucky to have secured an education. My worked as a teacher while my mother worked as a book keeper. Regardless of this, they experienced a lot of hardships in raising me and my five siblings. Finances were scarce. As such, the importance of education was inculcated in me both by my parents and my situation. My zeal for medicine was further triggered by a personal situation. My father who was my hero died due to liver cancer. According to the medical reports, my father would have lived longer if he had regular hospital checkups and the correct drugs. To me, this was a sporadic situation that shed more light on the need for medical doctors.
I finished high school in Addis Ababa. It is with the realisation that technology is widespread that I pursued Bachelors Degree in computer science even though I did not complete since I dropped out in the third year. Afterwards, we moved to the United States of America. The aim of our parents deciding on this great move was to offer chances for the betterment of our lives. I must point out that it was my mother who fist moved to the U.S. and made it possible for the rest of the family to move.
Recalling vividly, on our way to the embassy to process our visas, my dad became very ill and had to be admitted. My dad falling ill was to a fault unreassuring to me considering that her was more than just a daddy to me. I spend most of the time with him at the hospital and I remember always wishing that there was something I could do to help him back on again. Little did I know that this was my awakening to the medical profession. The confirmation came when my daddy, because of shortage of doctors in Ethiopia, died due to lack of personalized medical attention. I started envisioning becoming a doctor as one of the ways through which I could join hand in ameliorating the situation.
When I arrived in America, I pursued a degree in general studies. I furthered my knowledge in the field by obtaining a degree in biological sciences from the University of Maryland. These two degrees were useful in giving me a general knowledge on the various issues in the society that affect medicine and health care in general. These degrees were quite instrumental in preparing me for the medical field.
I believe that knowledge is acquired through practice. That is why, through my endeavours, I purposed to ensure that I get the required experience. I have volunteered at Washington Adventist Hospital at the Surgical Intensive Care Unit. I also interacted with patients in the same position. This knowledge will be useful in my practice. I also volunteered at the Ethiopia Community Development Council where I interacted with refugees. Here, I was able to utilise my varied cultural experience that I acquired when growing up in Ethiopia.
Furthermore, I enhanced my knowledge in biology by undertaking a lab internship. During this tenure, I was able to acquire knowledge on the preparation of reagents and buffers, and culturing techniques; I believe such knowledge is overly important for anyone who wants to pursue a career in medicine. This knowledge was espoused in my work experience as a deck hand. Moreover, the same position allowed me to gain knowledge on public relation which will come in handy in my medical profession. The medical field is highly related to the social field and these skills will be quite useful.
I always thought that professional activities are only related to the specified profession. However, I have come to realise that almost all professions are interrelated. This is why I believe that my current skills will help me deal with all the aspects related to the medical field. In fact, I believe that I am capable of relating well with patients, identifying some forms of micro- organisms and be able to ensure that government regulations are followed.
While I was growing up, I witnessed situations which could have been avoided if there were enough doctors. For instance; several children died due to simple diseases such as malaria. When asked, the parents would insist that going to the hospital would mean taking a whole day. This is because there was only one doctor to attend to all the patients at a time. I realise the need for doctors in such situations, and I intend on correcting that. I will use the skills I acquired during my volunteering position at the Ethiopia Community Development Council. In this way, I intend on serving the community.
I believe that my experience in the diverse environments has enabled me to acquire a variety of useful skills. I am not only capable of relating well with people, but I can also manage behaviours effectively. My passion for medicine is driven by a just cause. I am able to utilise the available information in solving issues legally and properly. My ability to work well with other people has been enhanced by my volunteering skills and work experience. Furthermore, joining the medical field will enable me to fulfil my vision of reducing suffering within my community especially the society that I grew up with in the U.S. I believe I will make a significant contribution if given a chance.
