Project Horseshoe Farm Personal Statement

I envision that Project Horseshoe Farm will be a great opportunity for me to manage my expectations of what it's like to truly serve your community, reconciling assumptions with reality, while also being provided with invaluable exposure to patient care and community health. As someone pursuing a career in medicine, it is a goal of mine to directly contribute to efforts in underserved communities to address healthcare disparities, many of which are defined by factors such as race, age, education and housing which are addressed in the objectives of Project HSF. At times, I’m tempted to assume that I can make no real difference without the title of MD attached to my name but I know now that it doesn’t take much to deeply impact one’s life and

Having said this, a service I believe I could provide to the elderly and mentally-ill communities is being a champion of their health and well-being. My experiences in a clinical internship in Madrid earlier this year affirmed this goal when I encountered many elderly patients with passions/hobbies that they were not always given the chance to indulge in, whether due to restrictions in ability or simple neglect. Because of this, they were often depressed and disengaged from their lives. Consequently, the doctor I was shadowing would often encourage these patients to spend time in a senior center with other elderly people and engage in group activities. After checking back with them, it was enlightening to hear the ways in which their happiness was improved by having such a strong support system and being able to continue with their hobbies. They found fulfillment and I wish the same for patients like them. That being said, I don’t need to go overseas to see these kinds of vulnerable patient populations and I don’t want to just be passively involved in investing in their health either. I believe Project HSF could allow me to be more actively involved through its various community health programs. I want the opportunity to be that support system and to be a companion to vulnerable community members, encouraging them to embrace healthy lifestyles and find joy in the smallest of events. Sometimes even that is enough to breathe new life into a person and that is something I’m interested in playing a part in seeing through. With Project HSF, I can serve and make a direct impact in communities I wouldn’t regularly encounter otherwise. I can be both a better future physician and a better