I never learned time management skills or a sense of responsibility from a book. Instead, necessity made me decide what was truly important in my life, my family's life, and still maintain a consistent path for our collective future. Nobody shouldered me with the responsibilities that I took on. I have been working since I was sixteen, because my family needed me to. I put my sisters through private school and college because they needed me and their futures are just as important as mine. Never did I feel victimized. Instead, I considered what was right, and went about making things happen for my family and for myself.
I have actively sought out and engaged in many community initiatives, always seeking to improve the lives of those who are at risk; the poor, the sick, the needy, and the youth. These people are not championed by me, not for my belief in the underdog, but because these people honestly need support, guidance,,e and aid, or they simply will fall through societal cracks. To be perfectly honest, I will never forget where I come from, a struggling immigrant family in Toronto and later Chicago. I will always strive to reach out and help those in similar places.
A career in medicine, for me, goes beyond simply being a logical progression or a perfect fit for my schooling and experiences: I am genuinely in touch with the pathos of others. To become the facilitator of the amelioration of a patient's life would fulfill not only my ambitions, but be the vehicle by which I can do the most good for the most significant number of people. Through my experiences, I have found that the key to the continued health of a community is the strength of the preventative medicine, education, and qualified physicians available. This is truly where I would like to dedicate my energies. In the future, I anticipate meeting the medical needs of youth on the southwest side of Chicago. It is there that I have found that the future generations need the greatest advocates if they are to go on to be healthy, contributing citizens of tomorrow. There is no better way to serve in this area than to spend sufficient time with the patient, to connect with them,m and to be a source of guidance for healthy life decisions.
Many schools impress upon their students the need for cultural competency. Again, I never took such training. Instead, I speak two languages, come from an immigrant Indian family, grew up in Toronto, then Chicago, and have also lived and volunteered my time in the West Indies. Throughout, I have been able to reach out to many people, and have been able to make a difference in their lives. I have taught high school, ran camps for troubled kids, and directed a community youth center, fed the hungry, counseled, lecture,d and tutored. And now, I want to take the next step.
