Rising Above My Disability

I, who thrive on responsibility and friendship, have the makings of an outstanding physician. A near straight-A student, I held several paid research internships and led a team to first place in a nationwide design contest. This semester, I won an unprecedented three national awards.

But my teachers and mates may be surprised to find that my greatest achievements come from outside the classroom. Four years ago, I lay in a hospital bed, with grave head injuries. A high school freshman, I was the lone casualty of a one-car accident. To this day, I do not know what happened, other than the fact that my head slammed through the driver's side window. For all I know, I may have swerved to avoid a deer.

Hospitalized for three months, I worked diligently with rehabilitation personnel to regain my memory, judgment, speech and other communication skills. Although my doctors were uncertain if I would read or write again, I shocked them by asking for my schoolbooks soon after I was moved into a rehabilitation hospital.

"Fortunately, with a lot of...