Louis Pasteur Clinic Personal Statement

Healthcare is a universal concept and regardless of where we are in the world, access to medicine is a necessity. Having been born in Vietnam and raised in the U.S., I have witnessed the stark differences between both of these healthcare systems. When my family and I moved to the U.S. in 2003, I was immediately immersed in a world of vast culture and endless opportunities. The education in America has fostered many of my early aspirations and allowed me to find my niche in medicine. Through numerous experiences growing up, I have developed a sense of compassion and desire to help others. I have been able to learn from experiences relating to both aspects of my background as a Vietnamese American and it has ultimately shaped me into the individual

However, this trip completely revolved around medicine and I was determined to be at the forefront of providing care to the people of my native country. Participating in the Eli Abroad International volunteer program, I was able to work at the Louis Pasteur Clinic, located in the city of Da Lat. Vietnam’s healthcare facilities are centralized within large urban areas, thus, the rural majority of the country is forced to travel great distances in order to access healthcare. The Louis Pasteur Clinic is one of the centralized facilities for care, therefore, they receive a large number of patients seeking medical attention. For three weeks, I immersed myself in daily clinical work and got to experience different practices of medicine. I worked alongside several types of doctors and technicians and aided in providing diagnoses and running tests. Due to the lack of technology and funding, some of our equipment was limited and we performed procedures through unconventional methods. Doing so gave me insight into different medical practices and put into perspective how drastic medical care is in other countries especially when compared to the United States. One of the main things that stuck out to me was the amount of gratitude each patient had when they received care. Although they noticed that I was an American student who was still training, they never questioned my abilities. They were eager for me to help and I was equally as eager to learn. The patients always left thanking me for my service but I was grateful to them for giving me the opportunity to expand my character and develop my passion for medicine. Being as involved as I was for those three weeks, I left the trip completely certain that becoming a physician is the right choice for