My family is a mix of nurses, engineers/scientists, and those in a technical vocation. Mom is from rural New Mexico, and Dad is from a suburb of Chicago, IL. I am the first in my family to have been accepted into medical school. I “chose” the medical profession when I was two. Those are my earliest memories of saying I wanted to be a doctor, playing with a toy plastic doctor kit, “torturing” my father with physical exams and vaccinations. There is a no single experience or event that turned me toward medicine or shaped me as a person. My life is a collection of decisions and actions that drive me toward my goals.
I have damage in both my knees and shoulders that comes from sports injuries. As a sophomore in high school, I had knee surgery to correct some of the damage.
When my cousin was 22, he had a brain aneurysm that ruptured. This cousin is now a home health care nurse.
Another cousin was in an almost fatal vehicle accident. Due to severe brain damage, she had part of her temporal lobe removed. She spent a year in severe neurological therapy. Before the accident she was an ED nurse at UNMH (previously an ICU nurse).
My parents both have high cholesterol; mom also has diabetes (type II) ad high blood pressure; dad has minor (non-significant) thyroid problems, a murmur, and knee and ankle problems. I have inherited the thyroid disorder from my dad (and his mother) and have been on medication for 7 years. I have had knee surgery and have knee problems and shoulder problems still. I am also at risk for cancer and heart problems.
During my junior year, I volunteered in the post-partum ward at Presbyterian Hospital for about 5 months. I didn't specifically work with a doctor, but I learned the ways of the ward working with the nurses and getting to interact with patients.
I also was an employee of Sandia National Laboratories as a student intern for 6 years, working in the nuclear weapons field and with the business intelligence group. This job taught me how to adapt and be a professional. The networks, experience and friendships I forged are invaluable.
It was always about medicine
I was raised to be a strong independent/interdependent woman. College was never an option, it was a requirement, and I was raised to love school so college was never a burden. My mom doesn’t have a formal degree; she has what would be equivalent to an associates from TVI (now known as CNM) if it would be recognized; my dad has a MS in computer science. I know that without a degree I can not go anywhere in life. I ended up in medical school thanks to the BA/MD (som.unm.edu/education/md/bamd/) program; this was a huge step forward and a leap of faith as I didn't find out about the program until the year before I would apply. I worked to build up my resume as much as possible during my junior year of high school so I would stand out enough on the application. I have held a variety other jobs (sales associate at a Muay Thai Gym, photobooth operator and media guru for a DJ company, server at Applebee's, student intern at SNL); all were fun, but medicine has always been my passion. When someone has asked what I want for a career, I always come back to medicine. I intend to practice as I would see fit to stay true to who I am. The person my parents raised me to be is very important to me, I want to make them proud, live a Christian life, and follow my dreams. When asked why I want to be a doctor, I always answer because it is who I am. After chasing this career for 20 years it has now become a major part of who I am, who I desire to be, and the type of life that I want to be able to portray. You can say that I was born to be in healthcare. I will be the first doctor in the family, and I look forward to a long and healthy career.