Luanda Billups Having a strong passion to improve health care in rural communities through research in infectious diseases, viral infections, and immunology is a vital career goal for me today. Growing up in Chicago, Illinois as a child, I was hospitalized on several occasions with severe asthma. Not being able to breathe was a terrifying experience for me. Several times, I wanted to give up due to my family financial issues. The care that I received while being hospitalized, was like no other. It made me cry to see how much some of the physicians cared for not only me but my family as well. The medical professionals made me realize that their profession was what I wanted to become a part of someday. Seeing the true meaning of being an …show more content…
As a laboratory prep, I was able to set up labs for freshmen and sophomore biology classes. Also, I made visits to my professor’s labs to observe the procedures graduate students used for their experiments and I loved it. After completion of my freshman year, I participated in the “Maternal Child Health Pipeline Training Program” that following summer. I conducted field research that focused on the public health of mothers and children in rural communities. The fall semester of sophomore year, I shadowed graduate students studying breast cancer cells. Later that same year, I began my own research with laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). Upon my junior year, I was accepted into the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medical Program in Auburn, Alabama. At the same time, I was accepted into the Tropical and Infectious Diseases Association in Iquitos, Peru. I was able to study abroad and work in a lab focusing on the negative gram bacteria that was in the water of the poor community of Iquitos, Peru. All of the opportunities I was able to be a part of from my freshman year till this present day has reconfirmed my passion and contributed to my specific area of research and the population I want to
I will contribute to the mission of the Nurse Corps Scholarship program by continuing to provide care to individuals in underserved communities. Medically underserved communities involve racial minorities, offenders and ex-offenders, crime or abuse victims, LGBTQ citizens, people with AIDS, and those that are economically disadvantaged. I was born in the small town of Monroeville, AL. It is a great town but it does not have the best resources when it comes to health care. Most members of this town, including my family, would bypass the hospital there and go to the one in the next town simply because they feel
Over the course of two years, I was able to create bonds and gain long lasting mentors from these experiences. In this program, I did case studies on sexual health, neurology, and public health. With these case studies, I was able to practice leadership skills and investigative thinking along with my peers. Through the Emory Pipeline Program, I also learned new technology within the medical field and how the new technology aided our local hospitals. These experiences opened doors for me to explore what my career calling was.
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
My passion and admiration for the healthcare field began during my teenage years, when I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis—a chronic, autoimmune disease affecting various joints throughout my body. As I went through years of treatment, my physician and other medical professionals were instrumental in helping me to maintain a positive attitude after my diagnosis. Their care was the impetus for my future goals, as I saw the genuine goodness that they felt from helping others. As a result of all the medical help and emotional support that I received from these medical providers throughout my youth, I have chosen to pursue a career in the service of others through the public health field.
It all began when I started volunteering in Los Angeles, with my mother at Asian Pacific Health Care Clinic. Asian Pacific Health Care Clinic is a clinic for low-income families who were in need of vaccinations and other health care services. One day my mom received a phone call from the clinic and asked me to go volunteer with her. Since that day, I would have never guessed that it will impact my decision in pursuing my career as a nurse. I was assigned to help patients fill out vaccination forms, translate verbally, and assist the nurses who were in need of my help. I noticed the joy on each patient’s face once they were finished their vaccinations, and it made me happy to know I put a smile on people 's face after their vaccinations. Since that day, I have grown a passion for volunteering and helping others. Another factor that drew me to the nursing profession, was when I volunteered at a
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.
I remember the exact moment when I decided that becoming a pediatric nurse might be what I wanted to do with my life. My family and I were down the shore for a family vacation, which we do every summer. One rainy night we decided to stay in the hotel and watch a movie as a family but it did not go as intended. All of a sudden my sister started to complain of agonising pains in her kidney so we rushed her to Atlantic City Medical Center where she was diagnosed with kidney stones at age 6. This hospital then transferred her to St.Peters Childrens Hospital where I met the most kind hearted nurse. This woman cared for my sister with so much love, not only as a nurse but as a person. Once she entered the room my sister had a smile on her face even though she was in pain at times. As I
...forming bench research at Barry University and Weill Cornell Medical College in the Traveler’s Research Fellowship, I have been exposed to the side of medicine where scientists work every day to find cures for diseases and save lives. Experiencing different aspects of medicine has made me a more competent individual to thrive in this field and has deepened my interest and passion to pursue medicine as a career.I believe that those who fight with so little against so much truly need others to help them in their struggle. Being a physician is not only becoming a successful professional. I will work hard to bring about necessary changes to end social disparities, so that more groups in society receive the best healthcare. By making a difference in their lives, I will receive rewarding experiences that are worth all the hard work and sacrifice my chosen career requires.
Listening often allows me to help others sort through their problems. Combining this trait with my love for working with children, I began mentoring children who had HIV/AIDs on a weekly basis beginning my freshman year. Whether I helped them with their homework or just listened to see how their day went, I tried my best to connect with my pupils. Thus, as a student in SPRINGH, I would be very happy to conduct HIV/AIDS research or anything related to pediatrics since I already interact with many of them on a long term basis. It would be interesting to be able to gain a social and an academic perspective so that I can have a more holistic view. Experiences such as these will shape the kind of educational and personal experiences I want out of the two and a half years I have left. I am certain that the Summer Program for Research in Global Health program is the next step in my journey here at Washington University in St.
From a young age, I was drawn to the healthcare field, not because the amount of money doctors, nurses and other health professionals made, but because of the dedication and contentment I saw on their faces helping someone in need. Growing up everyone wanted to become a doctor or a nurse and as a little child being a doctor or a nurse was a profession many parents wanted their child to pursue as a career. Needless to say, I fell into that category because I had high hopes that one day I will become a nurse. However, that dream came to a halt.
My passion for a career in Clinical laboratory science stems from a key experience with a li-censed Clinical laboratory scientist. On one day in the church , I was in dire need of help finding a job that can help me study medical in the future. For the first time I encountered professional-ism, knowledge, and humanity all at once. And this wasn’t a one-off experience. Each time I re-turned to the church, the exact same thing occurred: The Clinical laboratory scientist never seized to take the opportunity to encourage and help me knows better about the great work of Clinical laboratory scientists. From that moment, I decided to do my master in that field.
My journey to become a nurse began when my youngest sister was diagnosed with synovial cell sarcoma. We spent months at the hospital by her side throughout her chemotherapy, radiation and several surgeries. Being around all those families and children in the hospital when many had illness's much worse than hers really opened my eyes to how much of an impact healthcare workers make on so many people’s lives and their families lives too. Although the situations that those children were in seemed so terrible, they had such joy and hope in their eyes.
I was visiting my brother in Massachusetts when I got sick on the airplane. I went to the emergency room and I was immediately admitted into the hospital. The doctor recognized my symptoms and immediately took action to medically treat my condition. I enjoyed my week stay in the hospital because the nurses and I became so close and the nurses were there for me when I needed them. The nurses kept me inform, comfort me by making me feel everything was going to be alright. The nurses that took care of me genuinely cared and guided me each step to recovery. This life changing experience gave me inspiration to continue my dream of becoming a
The field experience was very effective in progressing myself professionally. My next steps will be to further my research training. I plan to enter a Ph.D. program in a biomedical science as my next academic step. I will likely begin study at John A. Burns School of Medicine in cell and molecular biology in August 2016.
My most memorable trip was the day I went to the Children 's Memorial Hospital to meet my baby brother. Meeting my brother was an indelible moment because I had never felt such happiness and love for someone. On our way there, I also got to create a bond with both my parents and learn how to be a better happier person. At the time I was sixteen years old and was going through a stage where I felt depressed and that’s why the day I arrived at the hospital to meet my brother I felt this warmth in my heart that made me feel happy again.