I will prepare and someday my chance will come.

Abraham Lincoln

Career Preparation
The area of science has been a passion of mine since elementary school and
proves to be the best field for me as a career, specifically a physician. I feel a
deep passion for medicine as I have already experienced the field, catching a
glimpse through various pre-career programs.
Howard Hughes Holiday Lectures on Science
I have attended the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Holiday Lectures that were streamed by our science club
the last two years. The lectures are a one or two day event featuring prestigious scientist presenting modern
research on the topic of the year. Last year, the topic was Medicine in the Genomic Era. Research and findings
into the link between genes and autism/cancer were presented in this series, while this years topic was
Biodiversity which featured research into the possibility of the sixth mass extinction with the current climate
changes. These lectures prove to be entertaining as well as educationally enriching.
Hutcheson Medical Center Volunteer
In the summer of my junior year, I volunteered in the emergency room at Hutchinson Medical Center in Fort
Oglethorpe, GA. Even though my jobs were simple, such as running errands, cleaning rooms, and taking care
of patient and family needs, my time there reinforced my desire to become a physician as I felt a desire to bring
hope into patients lives. I was also fortunate enough to shadow physicians on the emergency room floor.
Future Docs Medical Exploration Program
This program was through the University Of Tennessee College Of Medicine at Erlanger Hospital in
Chattanooga, TN. It was a summer program that allowed me to get a behind the scenes look at the medical
profession. I attained a better understanding of conditions, procedures, and physicians life-styles by shadowing
doctors from various clinical experiences: internal medicine, pediatrics, radiology, oncology, and OB-GYN. This
program allowed me a glimpse into the field that helped me understand what I am getting into, yet I do know
this is just the beginning of all there is to discover.

Heritage High School

Experience is not what happens to a man; it is what a man does with what happens to him. Aldous Huxley

Personal Experiences
Ever since I was little, I have felt a drive to become a physician. Starting at four years
of age, I remember science books being my favorite things for my parents to read to
me. This beginning love for science pushed my early childhood dreams into becoming
a physician as, at that age, I knew the prestige of being called a Doctor but not the true
nature of the occupation. This desire was fueled all through early elementary school as
parents would dress me up in a lab coat for career days and tease me about eventually
becoming a physician. Around fourth or fifth grade, I began to question the dream of
becoming a physician as the area of science was no longer presented as just science
but the sub-categories that reside in science; I noticed I liked marine biology more
than any of the other areas. However, it was not long before my dream to become a
physician was reignited.
In 2007, my sixth grade year, my mom was diagnosed with systemic sclerosis also known as scleroderma. The concept of the
disease was new to my family as we researched into what it truly meant. The disease was revealed to be what is called an
autoimmune disordera disorder in which the bodys own immune system attacks the body causing the diseasewith no
cure and a higher chance of premature death due to possible organ involvement. My family grew terrified as we did not want
to lose our mom, yet no cure existed to stop what was happening. Luckily, prayers were answered as her case proved to be
less severe than most. Yes, she is forced to live with spots on her skin and a fear of the cold due to the Raynauds
phenomenon, but she is alive and well to this day, something I am very thankful for with Thanksgiving in the rear-view mirror.
Quickly after her diagnosis, my family got in touch with multiple rheumatologists trying to find one that best suited our needs.
Although it is far away, we found the best physician at Johns Hopkins Medical center, Dr. Wigley. Dr. Wigley is the head and
founder of The Scleroderma Center and remains today as a great idol for me in pushing for my dream. He is an amazing
physician who realizes the scope of his specialty as he remains in constant contact with his patients providing hope and
comfort to those who need it most. In seeing his work, the desire to become a physician was brighter than ever.
With finding Dr. Wigley, my family was confident in my mom health until hardship struck in December of 2011. My mom had
a severe Raynauds episode which caused a blood clot to form in her right hand. Her fingers turned white and then blue as
they started to slowly die. We took her to the local hospital, Memorial, where we met Dr. Huffstutter, a local rheumatologist.
He proposed a procedure known as TPAa procedure in which the blood is thinned to dangerous levels in order to allow
blood flowas an option to eliminate the clot. My family believed in his decision, so the procedure was started. My mom
was taken into the ICU unit where she had a arterial catheter inserted into her leg that was routed to just below her elbow
and secured in that location. The catheter was used to deliver the medicine to break down the clot. For several days she laid
there unable to move with the threat of unstoppable bleeding if it was to occur. Dr. Huffstutter proved to be a caring
physician as he checked on her multiple times every day. Thanks to the physician and the procedure, my mom now lives with
her hand intact except for the tip of a finger. Dr. Huffstutter is a motivation as he cared for my mom and provided the upmost
care he could, and my mom proves to be an inspiration as she faced this endeavor bravely. I know that if she faced this
adversity, I can face the challenges that await me in my future education.
My mom and her trials prove to be my largest motivation behind my future studies. The physicians she encountered and the
challenges she endured remain to influence me and how I push forward towards my dream. Last year, I came to love
chemistry and shadowed physicians in a summer program. This combination, with my past experiences, reveals how much I
truly care about the field of medicine. I desire to bring people hope and raise their spirits as many did for my mom. I plan to
push through with this dream as she pushed through adversity. It is Mercer University where I plan to educate myself for the
world beyond by majoring in chemistry and taking a pre-medicine path. This area of study allows me to achieve my dream
while providing enrichment in a field I enjoy. I feel that Mercer will be the best place to receive an education in order to
achieve my dream.