Why I Chose a Career of Doctor Essay Example

Close your eyes for a second; now imagine there is a three-year-old child looking up at you and telling you that they wanted to be a Doctor when they grow up, but specifically, an Obstetrician. Puzzled by how they could ever pronounce such a word, besides the fact that they even know the word when all they watch is PBS Kids and Sesame Street all day. Now, open your eyes and here I am, once a three-year-old with a dream of becoming an Obstetrician, now, a 22-year-old North Carolina A&T Biology graduate, working towards her lifelong dream.

Throughout life, we all will face “close-calls” or things that could potentially cost us our lives. For instance, a “close-call” could be a physician’s 'lack of.' Lack of compassion, lack of understanding, lack-of not knowing and lack of willingness to search for the answer(s) to save or improve the quality of life. As a child, my reason for wanting to pursue medicine was to save lives, but of course, that is a part of every doctor’s reason for pursuing medicine. When I say I want to save lives, I dream of bettering one’s quality of life.

If a patient was to come in with a list of questions that I do not exactly have the answers to, I would not be afraid to tell them “at this moment I either do not know all of the answers to your questions or I am not sure how to diagnose you, but if you give me time to research and consult with a secondary physician, I will give you the answers you are looking for.” Throughout my life, I have encountered doctors who were quick to give an answer but it was not always the right one and it could have cost me, my life especially as an infant.

During the summer of 2017, I had the pleasure of job shadowing Dr. Ernesto Graham, an Obstetrician and Gynecologist. While working with him, I learned many things from how important it is to be socially and ethically informed, how to make your patients feel comfortable, how to be sympathetic and comforting when a new mother comes in and receives the sad news that the pregnancy is not viable any longer, or even a young girl who has gone through so much, and the last thing she needs are judgmental eyes.

In addition to job shadowing, I have had the opportunity to volunteer within my community. Once a month, I volunteer with a food bank to feed many families located in downtown Fayetteville, NC. I enjoy activities like this because it gives me a deeper insight into life outside of my everyday surroundings. Additionally, it is heartwarming to see the lives being impacted, sharing smiles, stories and even learning new life lessons. This past year due to the many hurricanes that happened, I along with many of my colleagues raised over 500 pounds worth the goods i.e. clothes, food, water for the victims in Texas affected by Hurricane Harvey.

Throughout my four years in college, I had the opportunity to volunteer and shadow in the hopes of helping people. During my junior and senior year of college, I had the opportunity to study the proliferation of breast cancer cells by use of different mushroom extracts. It forced me to expand my knowledge and understanding of the information at hand. It also taught me to never give up when I hit a roadblock, and learn how to ask for help. Being a researcher is not about just finding one outcome but continuing to seek out and test many outcomes until you find “THE” outcome.

I also want to give people the opportunity to take control of their health and their health care. I have witnessed doctors post notices on their office windows saying, “Do not come to my office with a diagnosis from Google.” As a patient, I too have looked up my symptoms on Google before going to the doctor just to inform myself on possible diagnoses and to prepare for any questions I might have. When I become a member of the healthcare profession, I will encourage my patients to do their research and come with all of their questions and concerns. I want to make a difference in how patients receive their healthcare information. One of the biggest things that are going to make a difference is really listening to patients and understanding their problems and concerns instead of prescribing them medication and sending them on their way. Additionally, I want to provide patients with holistic medicinal options if traditional methods do not work.

Choosing a career in healthcare will allow me to be part of a critical role in a growing field. Upon completion of my medical education, I will have the opportunity to be part of a crew dedicated to helping improve the lives of others. It is like the old saying goes, “teamwork makes the dream work.”