When I was a young girl, many of my friends had career aspirations that were quiet exciting, and these aspirations changed quiet often. On Monday, it was MLB baseball player, princess, and firefighter, and by Thursday it was astronaut, zoologist, and science teacher. Needless to say, their career choices changed frequently, but I was a little bit different. When I was a little kid running through the mud and playing “hot lava monster” with my brother, I already knew what I wanted to be when I grew up: a doctor; and 10 years later that still hasn’t changed.
I grew up in a small town in San Diego County, CA, and have since moved to Columbus, OH to attend one of the largest public universities in the country. I enrolled in college as a psychology major on the Pre-Med track. In my first semester of college, I started my first college-level science course: General Chemistry I. I watched Pre-Med students drop like flies in that class, but I reached the other side with only minor bumps and bruises. As I continue into my college-career, I still watch the number of Pre-Med students dwindle down, and I think about all of the people just like me how have a dream of becoming a doctor, and had that dream ripped out from under them.
I chose to study psychology for many reasons, but mainly because I am fascinated with human thoughts and behavior, and reasons why people do what they do. I am interested in by the biochemistry and psychology behind the human brain, and thus have decided to study psychology. After I complete my undergraduate studies in psychology, I plan on attending graduate school and obtaining a Masters of Science in Cognitive Neuroscience. After completing my Masters, I plan on attending medical school and becoming a neurosurgeon. I have decided to complete a Masters degree before I attend Medical School because I feel that there is still so much for me to learn in the field of psychology and neuroscience. I really enjoy learning, and I think that receiving more schooling in psychology can only make me a beer doctor.
In order to achieve these goals that I have just listed, there is a lot of work that needs to be done. I have already begun the process of building my resume, and I have quite a bit of experience in healthcare and research. In the summer of 2015, I became a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT-B). I feel that in order to understand how to care for patients as a physician, it is important to understand the pre-hospital care they receive. After all, a lot happens before a patient even gets to the hospital. I currently work as an EMT-B at MedCare Ambulance in Columbus, OH. At MedCare, I perform pre-hospital care to sick and/or injured patients as well as transport them to the appropriate medical campus. We mostly transport patients between medical facilities (e.g. hospital to a rehabilitation facility, etc.). Working at MedCare has given me experience in handling stressful and life-threatening situations, as well as taught me how to communicate with patients, patient family, nurses, and other healthcare staff. I also currently volunteer at the James Cancer Center, a part of the Ohio State University Medical Center. I plan to continue these activities throughout my remaining time at Ohio State, and continue to grow as a scholar, academic, leader, and volunteer.