Personal Essay: Pursuing A Career In The Medical Field

Growing up, I never truly understood the importance of helping others. I used to think that no matter how hard we try, there will still be people who need our help. To be honest, the thought of having a career in healthcare never crossed my mind, until the car accident that occurred during my junior year that put me in a coma for two weeks and took away my brother’s life. After I woke up from my coma, I didn’t talk to anyone, except the lady who volunteered at the unit that I stayed in. Every morning, she always came in and told me a little bit about her life story and how volunteer helped pull her out of the darkest time in her life. It was her passion and commitment that helped me to realize how beautiful it can be to help other people. Since

I was assigned to work with a group of optometrists and ophthalmologists to help with patient’s medical history as well as any relevant information that might help them with their diagnosis. After working closely with them, I couldn’t help it but to develop a keen interest in optometry. Day in, day out, we provided basic vision care to more than a hundred patients, and despite working under the hot climate in the tropical condition, the doctors that I worked with never complained. Rather, they seemed determined and enthusiastic about their career. I hope that I can carry the same passion, determination and commitment through practicing optometry. During my time here, the guidance of these doctors allowed me to get a glimpse of what it is like to be an optometrist, from asking the patient a simple question about their eye’s problem to perform a simple visual acuity test. Not only this experience allowed me to get a glimpse at how optometrist works in a non-traditional setting, it gave me an idea of how difficult it might be for non-English speakers to communicate with healthcare providers. The time that I spent here in Cambodia was a priceless experience, because not only did it introduced me to a profession that I would love to be a part of, but it also taught me how to love and care for other