Growing up, I never fully knew what I wanted to do. I viewed deciding a career path as an absolute life decision and a major commitment for someone who was still unsure and interested in many career fields. When I was 17, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and was introduced to engineering technologies that help make my life easier every day. After acclimating to life as a college student, I continued to experience the difficulties of managing this diagnosis on my own, away from the help and support of my family. As new challenges surfaced, I grew resilient, learning more and more about my illness, how to be self-sufficient, and discovering the passion for engineering that helps so many people with chronic diseases like mine. I have become aware of numerous other people who face these same challenges, many of which continue to struggle allocating the resources and care I have been privileged to have access to. Additionally, I have seen a need for more accessible, affordable and progressive care for those who struggle with such diseases. Knowing the …show more content…
With my first few years of undergraduate coursework dealing with chemistry, math, technology, and the sciences of bioengineering, I felt as if I was not getting introduced to the interpersonal side of medicine; this was necessary to become familiar with if I decided I wanted to continue to pursue my interest in becoming a physician. Instead of looking for an internship at a biomedical engineering company this summer, I thought it would be more beneficial to focus and learn hands-on medical care as a more immediate introduction to patient care through EMS. Although my goal is to go into research as a physician, I still feel it is necessary to learn a broader understanding of interpersonal contact and medical care with both patients and the teamwork of other healthcare professionals. Most of this, my educational career would lack in