My Pursuit Of Educational Goals

My main goal is to earn a degree in the medical field, eventually going on to grad school. I know that I want to study in the medical field and am exploring careers as a general physician or as an anesthesiologist. I plan on studying to earn a bachelor's in the natural sciences, then to graduate from medical school, and to complete my four-year residency in the specialty that I decide to pursue.
Growing up in Oakland, California, in a low-income family, I was aware that the road to college would not be easy. As soon as my family and I get home, we lock our doors, close our shades, and do not go out after seven in the evening. We have followed this routine ever since I was two years old. Having grown up in this environment has inspired me to go to college and to achieve a better life. My parents who are immigrants from Mexico, did not graduate from high school. No one in my family has ever gone to college, which is why higher education is such an important thing for me. It symbolizes much more than just an education; it symbolizes a new

life for my family. By graduating from college, my family and I will have a better life, and I will be able to give back to my family for all the things they have done for me, including sacrificing for my private school education.
I am determined to not let any barriers prevent my educational goals.

Whether it is the neighborhood that I come from or the financial barriers that prevent students like me from achieving an education, I believe that with enough hard work and dedication, I can achieve what I put my mind to. I have been able to earn good grades in order to attend a private high school with financial aid. I have been able to excel in the classroom in order to receive scholarships. All of this revolves around the one major barrier in my education: money. My dad is a self-employed worker; and his salary varies a lot. For example, my dad’s last year salary of eighty thousand might sound good, but the only problem with that is that this year, he earned twenty thousand less. While it still might seem a decent amount of income, he currently supports seven people in the family including his wife, his daughter, my mom’s parents, my dad’s mother, and

myself.
Although my parents have been very inspirational due to all of the hardships they went through, my sister is my biggest inspiration. I grew up for 14 years without a sibling, and once I started high school, my little sister Silvia was born.
High school started off a little rough for me. My dad needed to work more in order to pay for the tuition, books, gear and uniforms, and my mom needed to take care of the baby. It was my first time not having my parents pushing me around to do things, which was really hard for me to adapt to at first. In addition to not being pushed around, I also was not fully aware of the importance that high school had for college. Since no one in my family had experienced high school, I was trying everything out for the first time without any help. In my sophomore year, I began to thrive, and I am now earning a 3.8 GPA. I give myself credit in maturing and being able to become an independent learner and self-starter. I see my sister as an inspiration because I am setting a good example for her. I want to study, be able to give back to my parents, and lead the way for my sister. She always reminds me to always set a good example for her to follow.
I should be selected to participate in this program because of my passion to help others, my desire to learn, grow, and develop myself and my skills, and for my persistence to achieve my destiny. I am still exploring the medical field, which is why I believe that with this internship, I will have the opportunity to gain valuable skills and experience such as exposure to the working environment, the specialized language, and midical connections in order to to propel myself forward in my own medical plans. I can assure that I will not take this opportunity for granted if I am chosen to participate.