My Dreams for the Future by Akira A.
Upon graduating high school, I have already been faced with tough choices about which direction I should go in to make my aspirations and dreams come true. Should I take out loans my first year? Should I go to community college then transfer? As time dwindles down and the stress and confusion piles on, I am certain of one thing. I want to help others. I want to make a difference. The best way I believe is by becoming a doctor, more specifically a neonatal surgeon. This however, is only part of the picture. My ultimate goal is to be happy and fulfilled in my life. I want to live an existence that I don’t dread every day and have a career that fills me with gratitude for being alive. Making a difference in others’ lives will give me the satisfaction and peace of mind I am reaching for.
As a surgeon there are various oaths you must take upon graduating from medical school. “I will maintain the utmost respect for human life from its beginning even under threat and I will not use my medical knowledge contrary to the laws of humanity.” This phrase is from the Declaration of Geneva of the World Medical Association. I believe these are the most important words I will say in my entire career. I consider this to be true because medicine is the right balance of science and humanities. As a surgeon you have the ability not only to repair the damage a person has, but also advocate for them as a human being. A lot of programs allow surgeons to use this balance to aid others. Doctors without Borders is a great example. At the time when I enter my residency, participating in Doctors without Borders will grant me an opportunity to be of service to people in rural/third-world areas who need serious medical attention.
Medical and health grants allow doctors, surgeons, and scientist to answer the tough, critical questions that have helped so many people with mysterious diseases and help further research already existing problems. Upon entering and establishing my career as a neonatal surgeon, earning a medical research grant is at the top of my list. Because neonatal surgery is relatively new, only being developed within the last 60-65 years, there is a great deal the medical community still doesn’t understand about it. With earning a grant, I want to research new methods in which to decrease the mortality of newborns, infants, and even children who have undergone or need neonatal surgery in developing countries. Initially, I would like to create a program to train surgeons in these countries to understand the procedures better and demonstrate to them the techniques needed to have more successful surgeries and good post operation care for the patients. This is vital for the mortality rate because almost everything starts and ends with the ability of the surgeon. If they understand the procedures, risks, and pre/post operation care they can accurately evaluate what’s best for the patient. This alone can significantly decrease the mortality rate.
Eventually, I have the goal of going to law school to receive my degree in Healthcare law, becoming a Juris doctor (JD). A Juris doctor is a doctor of law who could receive their law degree in any field of study related to law. With this degree I plan to meet with legislators to implement universal healthcare for those Americans who want and need it. I choose healthcare law because, in the past and present a lot people often fail to obtain even the most basic healthcare they need. This usually occurs because good healthcare plans are very expensive. In some European countries and Canada universal healthcare has been implemented, which has approved entire countries’ health. Here in America the closest thing we have to universal healthcare is the Affordable Care Act. Although the ACA has helped many get healthcare at an affordable price a universal healthcare plan will drastically improve the quality of the entire country.
This fall I will be attending Spelman college in Atlanta. GA. At first, I was apprehensive about attending an HBCU and women’s college because I didn’t think going to an HBCU/women’s college would give me the caliber of education I needed to achieve my goals. However, after doing some extensive research about my field of study, and the college I am attending, I knew that Spelman would get me to where I need to be. I could obtain a pre-med biology or health sciences degree at any school. But, not every school can offer me what Spelman can. Which is to allow me to focus solely on my academics and well-being rather than focusing on if I deserve to be there because of my gender or race. I chose this major (pre-med) because I knew academically I could handle the challenge, but more than that I chose this major because it will present me with failure, something I’m not used to as a 4.0 student. This major will push me harder than I have ever been pushed before. It will break me down, but it will certainly build me back up when I succeed. It will prepare me to face the tough questions with precision and accuracy, something crucial for surgeons.
When I become I surgeon I want to have a good understanding that I will be doing the absolute best I can to impact lives positively. It won’t come without struggle, but if I must struggle to make a difference then that is what I must do. That will achieve my ultimate goal. Confucius said, “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail.” Do I want to fail? No. But I understand that with the route I have chosen success does not and will not come easily. I realize that to get to the day where I take an oath as a surgeon to fulfill my dreams I must fall 9 times to rise 10 more. If I were to receive this scholarship I would use it to help pay for my tuition at Spelman. This school has been my dream since I can remember. This is the school that is going help make my dreams and career goals become a reality. I believe I whole-heartedly and humbly deserve this award because I am the hardest working person I know. With this scholarship no time would be wasted. I will aspire to greatness with the help of this scholarship.
