Philosophy statement

I was born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, a third world country where the majority
of the population lives below poverty. Growing up in Ethiopia made me realize from a young
age that not everybody has the same access to healthcare and opportunity like I did. I would
always hear stories of people dying because they either could not afford to go to the hospital,
could not afford the medication or were unable to find the medication that they needed. A few
months ago, I saw a video of a 21-year-old young man who had become paralyzed from the
waist down. He could not afford to get the treatment he needed, and the medication required to
help his condition was not available in the country. Hearing him tell his story impacted me
deeply because he is the same age I am, and it made me realize that I have been able to come as
far as I did because I never had to think about my health the way that he did. He is now stripped
from opportunities because he is physically dependent on his family and will most likely be for
the rest of his life. People like him make me want to go back to my country and work in the
healthcare field, I was given so much opportunity to be able to make it this far and hopefully go
even further, it is only right for me to go back and give back. I want to serve the under privileged
by helping them to get better access to health care services.

When I was younger, I always wanted to be a physician, but coming to college and
learning about the different factors of healthcare made me realize that there is only so much I can
do as a medical doctor, and that I can be more effective on the macro level by going into public
health. Majoring in this field can give me access to different ways I can approach the problems
facing my country. I can use the different research skills I have acquired through my class to
conduct research on what is missing in the field or what needs to be improved. I can use the
Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) methods to plan and implement programs.
I have always believed that a person’s health is a fundamental right and not a privilege no
matter what social class they are in and that everyone is entitled to access to basic and
fundamental health services. My philosophy on health was always if a person is physically
healthy that is all they needed to have a good life due to the circumstances a grew up in. Going
into Public Health had taught me that health is not only physical but mental, emotional,
environmental as well. So, my current philosophy on health is symmetry, which is defined by
health having a physical, emotional, spiritual & social components all have equal importance in
an individual’s life.

After I graduate with my Bachelor of Science, I am planning to get my Master’s in

Health Administration. Afterwards, I want to work in a hospital and learn more about healthcare
systems and how they are managed. Ultimately, I want to go back to Ethiopia and work on
establishing a health-care system that would give access to the entire population. I look forward
to serving my country’s need through the knowledge I have acquired and the skills I have
developed over the years as a public health professional.