I picked up the phone and heard those five words I will never forget. “Fatima is in a

coma.” My aunt, Fatima, went into a coma right after she battled breast cancer. As we watched

Fatima in her most vulnerable state, we still believed that she would come back into our lives.

She did not improve and the doctors urged us to say our goodbyes. The doctors informed us that

if she were to come back, she would be paralyzed from the waist down. No one predicted what

came next. I decided to pursue medicine when I saw a miracle – Fatima awoke from her coma.

After watching Fatima’s doctors perform a miracle, I grew determined to follow their

footsteps. This led me to shadow my orthodontist and work at the health office located in my

high school. At the school health office, it was rewarding to see how much of an impact the

nurse and I had on those students. At this point, I knew that helping others was my passion. In

order to help others, I decided to pursue biology at UC Merced. By joining clubs such as Project

Smile and AMSA, I was able to explore health fields such as dentistry and medicine. These clubs

allowed me to narrow my interests down to pediatrics. My interest in pediatrics started from a

young age and it grew as I made my way through college. Although my interest in pediatrics and

the health field grew over time, my hopes of getting into medical school diminished because of

the self-doubt and fear bottled up inside me. The constant fear of rejection and failure caused me

to explore an alternative route.

In order to figure out my true passions and what career to pursue, I left UC Merced for a

semester and enrolled at the community college in my city. During this time, I decided to test

journalism, a field that grabbed my interest in the past. I applied for an internship at KHTS AM

1220 Radio Station where I worked with my coworkers on updating the website with news

regarding our city. As a team, we worked towards assembling a home and garden show, which

ultimately became a success. As a journalist, I learned to communicate with others. I worked

hard and earned six A’s in my community college classwork. During this time, I gained hope and

reevaluated my life choices; I finally learned where my true passions lie. Journalism did not give

me the rewarding feeling I once received at the high school health office. I knew exactly what to

do next without hesitation. I decided to return to UC Merced in order to continue on my pre-

medical journey and become a doctor.

This sidetrack into journalism strengthened my determination to become a doctor. Not

only did I grow as a person during my time away, but I also learned that I am strong-willing,

patient, and determined to reach my goals. Prior to my internship, I allowed self-doubt to

consume over my ability to strive and pursue what I am passionate about. Although self-doubt

and fear prevented me from pursuing my passions in the past, I have replaced it with confidence

and hope. Today, I am a completely different person compared to only ten months ago.

Yesterday, I was hopeless and lost about what I wanted to do with my life. Today, I have a set

goal that I am determined to reach. Medicine is not just about miracles, medicine is about

communication. Years ago, I watched how Fatima’s doctors communicated crucial news to us

with care. Yesterday, Fatima was vulnerable. Today, Fatima is alive and healthy because of those

doctors. Tomorrow, I hope to become one of the doctors that placed Fatima into the position she

is in today.