Global Awareness
Cultural competency is an important attribute to have in a world that is becoming increasingly interconnected. In order to improve myself as a global citizen, I plan to complete the Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement (DICE) Program through the Multicultural Center (MCC) here at Ohio State. I have already had the opportunity to attend several MCC events, including those that were part of Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month. As a biracial Asian American, my experience is not the same as those of other members of the APIDA community; but the events I attended gave me validation and a sense of camaraderie. They also prompted me to reflect upon the diversity within the community and made me more excited to continue attending events that celebrate other cultures.
Original Inquiry
Bloom’s Taxonomy is an extremely popular learning model that depicts a pyramid of cognitive skills that students should practice. The learning objective at the very top of this hierarchy is “Create,” so I know that original inquiry is one of the most effective and powerful tools for expanding a student’s critical thinking and problem-solving skills. One requirement of my Sociology major curriculum is to have an experiential learning component be part of your time as an undergraduate student at Ohio State. I plan to meet this expectation by participating in undergraduate research in Sociology. I believe that this will be a great opportunity to learn outside of the classroom and contribute to a field that I find to be very compelling.
Academic Enrichment
After graduating from Ohio State, I want to pursue a master’s degree and become a physician assistant. I believe that earning a degree in Sociology with a minor in Biology will lay a well-rounded foundation for a career in the medical field. While any medical professional needs to have scientific expertise, the actual practice of medicine is providing support to people; and individuals with aspirations to work in healthcare should have an understanding of the non-scientific aspects of the field. For example, we need to be aware of the health disparities seen between different groups of people and of the institutional barriers that may inhibit a person from receiving quality healthcare. Thus, Sociology and Biology complement one another and are natural fits for me. By committing myself to taking high-level courses and challenging myself with a multi-dimensional course of study, I know that I will graduate fully prepared to take the next steps towards getting where I want to go.
Leadership Development
Being a resident advisor has been one of the most meaningful experiences I have had at Ohio State thus far. In this role, I am part of a team that strives to foster a healthy and inclusive community by promoting intentional, holistic wellness. I have developed my communication skills, learned about conflict management, and challenged myself to find creative solutions to many different kinds of problems. These are skills that will serve me well after graduating from Ohio State. As the team approach to patient care continues to grow in medicine, I know that I will be well-equipped to play an integral role wherever I work.
Service Engagement
I am a member of the student organization Remote Area Medical (RAM) Columbus. We are a service-based group that seeks to provide underserved populations with quality medical care. We do this by supporting the nationwide organization of RAM. We volunteer throughout the Columbus community, travel to neighboring states in order to serve at RAM free clinics, and hope to host a free clinic of our own in the coming year. Before I graduate, I also want to get involved with Columbus Public Health. I know that they have several initiatives that I would love to contribute to, including CelebrateOne (which seeks to decrease infant mortality rates in the city of Columbus) and the Office of Minority Health among others.
