“Welcome to Health Science 101. Be prepared to learn a lot, cry a little, and even change your career path. I am Mrs. Reeves and I will be your instructor for the next two years- and that’s if you can handle it.” I was so excited. I had just turned 14 years old in April and was already creating a brighter future for myself. I welcomed myself into my sophomore year of high school taking tech/college classes and began to say to myself, “If I complete this course, not only will I graduate with a license under my belt, but I will also be named the youngest in my high school to ever get it.” I was full of hope. But just two months in, I started to regret my decision of pushing myself. I prayed and prayed for a way out. To just drop everything and …show more content…
quit did not sound too bad at that time. Waking up at 7 am to catch the bus to Ridgeville, South Carolina, Monday through Friday felt like pure agony. There wasn’t enough coffee to retain the feeling of arriving to a small building in an even smaller town with about 3 wooden-built stores and no service (a teenager’s worse nightmare), and then having to learn 206 bones, muscles, medical terminology, and patient care for four straight hours.
God knew I had what it takes to get through these two years even when I didn’t. I also had the most kind-hearted and selfless teacher in the school. Although she was over 50, her brunette bob-styled hair had never grayed through the stress we put her through. Mrs. Reeves was simply amazing. It was about 23 students in the course all with different stories leading to Health Science 101. I could tell each of their stories but to summarize, these women went through things I couldn’t imagine and they still persevered. The true role models in my life. Following in their footsteps, I studied every day for four hours, even on the weekends, just to get a ‘B’ in the class. Finally, clinicals and the CNA exams came up. My nerves were shattered. The exam administrators did not come to be amused. Five older woman who all dressed in cheap suits with shoulder pads, red lipstick, and of course, their hair in pin curl had us immediately broken into smaller groups and, in my opinion, I got the meanest …show more content…
lady. I was still very childish so, my details of these women were very similar to my state of mind. As I walked passed the testing room I see various medical supplies, four plastic simulation dolls, and an unfamiliar lady with scrubs on. She told us to sit and wait with our identification and social security card for two of our names to be called. As an hour go by, she finally called Taja and I to the testing room. My feet were stuck to the floor. She called my name again. I finally worked up the nerve to walk into the room. She gave me a card that read, “Pulse and feeding.” I wanted to run. Fast. I hated taking pulse. I knew Taja had hard veins to find. As she lies there, I began touching the radial bone and searching relentlessly for a strong vein. I couldn’t find one so, I had to settle for a weak pulse. She asked if I was ready and I nodded with disparity. I focused on my watch and the very thin, poor vein Taja had. That was the longest minute of my life. Finally, it was over and I was prompt to write down her vitals.
I hesitantly wrote 101 BPM (beats per minute). As I left, tears slowly filled my eyes. I ran to Mrs. Reeves and started to cry. I explained to her that I thought I had failed my exam. She had faith. As she looked in my eyes, she said, “Aliyah, you are the smartest and most couragous teenager I know. You have pushed and pushed and your devotion shows them that you will not only succeed in the medical field, but you will also change lives. Stop crying over fear and claim your success in the name of Jesus.” I hugged her and sat anxiously to wait for my results. After about 45 minutes, the same mean lady with shoulder pads called my name. As I walked towards her, she said with a smile, “Congratulations Aliyah, you passed your CNA exams and you’re now in the SC registry for nurses and nurse aides.” I wanted to fall to the floor how weak my knees were. It felt as if I were dreaming and couldn’t wake up. I then did what any childish teenager would do-scream as if I was hurt. Everyone laughed and although everyone did not pass, we were all truly happy for the wonderful opportunity to learn more about ourselves than we will ever learn. I knew from that moment on, that I was going to save
lives.
What began as tutoring sessions designed for a child to learn how to solve fractions evolved into the moment that forever parallels my revelation to become a doctor. When I first met Abby, she hid behind her mother and struggled to even count. After this disclosure, Abby began talking to me, her grades improved, and she accumulated several friends. I soon realized that the greatest lesson I taught her was not cross multiplication, but the belief that someone understood her and that she mattered. Additionally, she bestowed me the moment that began my journey to become a doctor. I just had yet to realize it.
I aspire to exceed expectations in this field and work with doctors to access possible conditions. As a student who has always been passionate about science and excelled in these areas, I have had the opportunity to share my knowledge while assisting a physics instructor in the laboratory with experiments he plans to introduce in future classes and while tutoring struggling students in Chemistry, A&P, and Statistics. This has been a rewarding experience for me as I desire to see others succeed. This has also allowed me to stay sharp in these areas and has helped me learn to communicate more effectively; both of which will be beneficial to my program. This year, I’ve had the honor of instructing a science club at a private school where I led a group of students through hands-on learning projects and experimentations. Although I demonstrate a strong background in Science, I knew it would be important to gain some medical experience. I was fortunate to be able to volunteer at a local women’s health clinic with the head sonographer beginning August 2017 and continuing for 1 year until classes begin in the
In the beginning of fall of 2016, I got a job as a medical assistant. It’s long process to get this sort of job, at least with the University of Utah so when I finally went through the orientation, lab training, computer training, and community clinics I got to work and realized there was, even more, training. Every clinic has its personal preferences and rules, so I had to start from scratch with the training I already had. As soon as I got therenoticeI was a given a quick tour of the clinic and given all the rules, passwords and regulations. It was already too much to handle, but I was memorizing as much as I could. I can’t always function under pressure, but I tried not to let my nerves get to me.
Brendan Kosteroski is an excelling high school dropout who is trying to make a word for himself. He then got a GED not just because he needed to, but because he wanted to. He wanted to become what he loved. So when I asked him what he majored in he said that “Philosophy is what I’ve always loved, so that's what I did. But something has to bring in the bank; So for the rest of the years I tried to becoming a teacher.”He told me about how he always hated school, and he emphasized “hate”. Brendan never was an outstanding student. Although he was a smart kid, he never felt like doing the work. He said while going through college, that was the toughest adjustment.
I had known for years that I wanted to work in the health care field, but I always believed it would be as a doctor. I watched for the first few years of my brother’s life as he struggled with different health challenges such as being born premature, having croup and breathing difficulty, and speech impairment. Watching my brother struggle and then being able to overcome these difficulties, as well as seeing other children around him who were not as fortunate, really pushed me even at a young age to make a difference. My family, both immediate and extended, were very supportive, and I felt a real positive push towards working hard to achieve that goal of working in health care. In high school, I was fortunate enough to do a cooperative placement at the Peterborough Regional Health Center’s Intensive Care Unit. Through observing rounds and being in the medical setting, I truly knew this is where I wanted to
This summer, after I was informed that I had been offered a teaching assistantship, I was terrified. I was not sure that I was capable of teaching students about a discipline in which I still possessed such a conscious doubt of my own abilities. For most of my life I was what you might call a non-achiever. When my parents strongly suggested that I enroll in college (the other option being to leave the house) everyone around me just sort of held their breath waiting for my inevitable failure. Then a strange thing happened. I passed my classes, and even enjoyed them.
Patient care is the main reason I chose to be a career in the healthcare field. During training a Certified Nurse’s Aide is required to master twenty-one patient care skills. These skills include taking vital signs, assisting with bathing and dressing, changing bed pans, and assistance with exercise and mobility. It is important CNA’s know the proper way of helping patients ambulate, shave, and providing perineal care so the patient does not get a skin infection. Perineal care is often included in bathing and involves cleaning the perineum, the external genitalia, and the surrounding skin. In order to complete the program my competency of the twenty-one performances skills had to be evaluated by a Registered
My transition to college was successful, but it was nonetheless one of the most stressful times in my life. Unlike many of my peers at Saint Louis University, my rural high school experience did not truly prepare me for the academic rigors of college. Despite extensive preparation, I performed rather poorly on the first round of exams. While I didn’t fail any particular exam, my performance was seriously lacking. I knew that getting C’s on exams would not serve me well in the pursuit of my dream of becoming a physician. I remember feeling, for the first time in my life, that I was unintelligent and incompetent. I was also heavily fatigued from the excessive hours of studying, which I felt were necessary to reconcile the problem. I managed to
Who I am is a brand new nurse that has entered a different environment of healthcare compared to my previous work of the pharmaceutical industry. I am a person who has always had an interest in helping people, doing amazing things on a daily basis and learning consistently. In efforts to fulfill my interest; I became a nurse through the many obstacles and sacrifices that were faced. To my very core, I am a person of great ambition, empathy, confidence, and value respect. I practice nursing in a hospital environment caring for patients on a medical-surgical floor. How I practice nursing is by providing education to patients, learning the material through experience, carrying out provider orders, taking care of
Contemplating on the big responsibility that nurses will have to fulfill in the future, I see myself in a good position. I said that because I love the field and want to do it until I retired God’s willing. It is not impossible to achieve the recommendations on increasing the proportion of nurses with a BSN by 2020. The field of nursing is very fulfilling and anyone who loves people and wants to serve can be a great nurse. I know now I can help a lot to continue their education by being the example of someone who had many obstacles to overcome. Now a month away from receiving her BSN. I had a love in my heart to do more after I became PCA and worked at a nursing home. I took the necessary steps from being a PCA to a BSN. However from the beginning the ride was not easy. I remember like yesterday, when I first got to San Antonio, Texas looking for a better life for my family. I could barely speak English and I had 4 young children. We only had one car so I had to wait for my husband so I could go to school at night to get my GED after I finish taking care of the kids, cleaning and cooking. With this degree I
In high school, I was among those students who always indicated that I will be going college. However, unlike most people I seem to meet these days I did not know that I wanted to be a doctor. When it was time to head off to college, I was still unsure of what I wanted to pursue. As most college freshmen, I did not know what major best suits my personality. I desired a career that would define who I am and a career that is self-gratifying. However, the path that I should follow was unclear to me. Because of my uncertainty I failed to see that my parents dream became my reality. As I began my college experience as a nursing student, I felt somewhat out of place. I realized that my reason for majoring in nursing was my parents' influence on me. They wanted me to believe that nursing is right for me. I always knew I wanted to go into the medical field, but I felt that I needed to know how to choose a medical specialty that I feel is right for me. My first step was to change my major. I chose to change my major to biology. My love for science led me to this decision. I began to explore the opportunities open to biology students.
With ups and downs in my career and my personal life, I have become stronger, more modest and grateful for all the chances that life offered. I have always been one of the top 10 students in class. But, I wasn’t able to perform my best in my third and final years of dentistry due to some distractions at home. But my mother always encouraged me with the thought that a failure is life’s way to make you better at something, for which you must keep trying. Holding on to that thought, I worked even harder and not only proved my merit in my second attempt, but got a better conceptual understanding about the subjects than most students around
At the age of 36, mom decided to return to college to obtain her nursing degree. This wasn’t a hard decision for her to make. In April before she enrolled in school, my great grandmother passed away. This major dilemma played a major role in mom’s return to school. She had taken care of my great grandmother for months before she passed away, and decided that she wanted to make an impact on the lives of geriatrics.
As I started to advance into my high school education, I noticed that my attitude about school and grades was not going to get me anywhere. I went to school and goofed off with my friends and did enough work to get a decent 70 on my work and go home. I had no “active responsibility”, as Freire would say, because I didn’t have anything to motivate me to want to do well. It all changed when I started high school at Bear Grass Charter School. Bear Grass had just reopened as a charter school my freshman year. I was a new beginning for me because not only was I starting out at a new school, but I started to realize that I needed to improve my self-effort in my classes. I knew that I wanted to be a nurse when I graduated and I
I have always felt drawn to medicine and working in the medical field. Upon entering college, I oscillated between going into the pre-med program or doing engineering, I had no idea what I was meant to do with my life. In this time of contemplation, I found myself being guided towards engineering, whether this was pressuring from others or God, I’m not sure, but I felt it was the right place for me. Since entering college, my understanding of what it means to be a student has changed. I have found that I needed to make a more conscious effort when studying or doing homework. I have realized that this is the time to learn and absorb knowledge because this is one of the last steps in my education. With this in mind I have been trying to take advantage of the resources the college offers. I have already signed up for a tutor and meet with them once a week. I also visit with my classmates after class or at night if I find I am struggling to complete difficult assignments. By talking to members of my classes, I am expanding my knowledge of the subject, as well as my relationships with those individuals. I have also realized my experiences and performance in