This is my mentality: The center chair in the front row. Depending on the individual, that is either a horrifying thought, or an enticing challenge. Sitting in the front row signifies excellence and confidence. When you walk into a room of strangers, that is what you want to project. Be the first to raise your hand. Why not? You are here to learn - you are here to grow. Too many people are afraid to be the center of attention, they don’t want to seem “too smart.” There is no such thing as being “too smart.” Share what you believe, if your answer is wrong, see if someone else will collaborate with you. But there is no reason to be intimidated. You worked extremely hard to get to this point. Be bold! It’s just a chair, but it’s not. It signifies excellence and confidence. There is no one in front of you, the people behind you and next to you get to learn from you, and you will learn from them just as much. But you are in the seat with the most meaning. So if the center chair in the front row is open, will you sit in it? Not if I beat you to it. Why I am interested in a STEM degree and how I plan to make a positive impact on the world: After having excellent experiences job shadowing doctors at two hospitals, I discovered that I wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon. I have seen multiple procedures including neurosurgeries, endoscopies, colonoscopies, respiratory surgeries, and foot surgeries, but the anesthesiologist that I was shadowing suggested that I had the perfect personality to have an orthopedic specialty. I paid very close attention to how the different operating rooms were run; the common personality traits of the people within them. I feel I embody the confidence the surgeons carried themselves with; keeping calm under pressure and being 100% focused. My strongest subjects and highest interests are in math and the sciences. I would appreciate the opportunity to become a Bioengineering major and eventually have the Biomechanics concentration. This would allow me to have a great understanding of body functions that would help me in medical school. Being an athlete myself, I will have a better understanding than the average student of the way the human body functions. The Biomechanics concentration would help to satisfy my desire to improve the lives of athletes and the general population. While my ultimate goal is to become an orthopedic surgeon, I would love to get very involved in a research project related to bioengineering. While gaining experience in my medical career, I would like to use the research that I conduct to develop medical systems throughout the country. As a future doctor, it is our responsibility to not only help patients after they are hurt, but to participate in research that will improve their lives.

After having excellent experiences job shadowing doctors at two hospitals, I discovered that I wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon. I have seen multiple procedures including neurosurgeries, endoscopies, colonoscopies, respiratory surgeries, and foot surgeries, but the anesthesiologist that I was shadowing suggested that I had the perfect personality to have an orthopedic specialty. I paid very close attention to how the different operating rooms were run; the common personality traits of the people within them. I feel I embody the confidence the surgeons carried themselves with; keeping calm under pressure and being 100% focused. My strongest subjects and highest interests are in math and the sciences. I would appreciate the opportunity to become a Bioengineering major and eventually have the Biomechanics concentration. This would allow me to have a great understanding of body functions that would help me in medical school. Being an athlete myself, I will have a better understanding than the average student of the way the human body functions. The Biomechanics concentration would help to satisfy my desire to improve the lives of athletes and the general population. While my ultimate goal is to become an orthopedic surgeon, I would love to get very involved in a research project related to bioengineering. While gaining experience in my medical career, I would like to use the research that I conduct to develop medical systems throughout the country. As a future doctor, it is our responsibility to not only help patients after they are hurt, but to participate in research that will improve their lives.

After having excellent experiences job shadowing doctors at two hospitals, I discovered that I wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon. I have seen multiple procedures including neurosurgeries, endoscopies, colonoscopies, respiratory surgeries, and foot surgeries, but the anesthesiologist that I was shadowing suggested that I had the perfect personality to have an orthopedic specialty. I paid very close attention to how the different operating rooms were run; the common personality traits of the people within them. I feel I embody the confidence the surgeons carried themselves with; keeping calm under pressure and being 100% focused. My strongest subjects and highest interests are in math and the sciences. I would appreciate the opportunity to become a Bioengineering major and eventually have the Biomechanics concentration. This would allow me to have a great understanding of body functions that would help me in medical school. I believe that the most important reason to increase racial diversity in healthcare is to inspire young children that it is not out of their reach to achieve something great! For example, I was inspired by a worker that I met during my job shadow to that hospital. It was inspiring for me to see a woman of color working in the same room that I want to be in someday. I want it to be my turn to be that inspiration.

I think of mathematics as a language. This language has a base that was built alongside your native tongue. For me, the complex side of mathematics began in eighth grade geometry and was built up to senior year multivariable calculus. Math classes rarely excite a student, but for me, it is the class that I look forward to the most every day. The beauty of a language is rarely found in its grammar, but is usually expressed in its style and literature. Studying the “grammar” of mathematics can be tedious and even sometimes frustrating, but it is extremely enriching. It is a great way to learn how to think critically, and there is always room for growth. Most people think of math as the subject that they have to suffer through everyday, listen to the teacher talk for an hour, and just memorize a couple of formulas and methods to solve certain equations. On the contrary, math is an outlet for me. I love how satisfying it is to watch numbers cancel out, and how every question has somewhat of an exact solution. Math also reflects a lot into my personality. I am an extremely analytical thinker, so I find ways to apply math into almost every situation that I am presented with. In life, sometimes you have to think literally and at other times figuratively, just like with math. There are times where you need to focus on the numbers, and there are other times that the problem that you are presented with doesn’t include numbers at all. In recent years, I have also learned that math can be extremely collaborative. I used to enjoy the fact that math class would allow me to work alone and figure things out on my own, but through my senior year Multivariable Calculus class I’ve learned that working with others on complicated topics can be extremely beneficial. The idea of mathematics is also extremely unique, due to the fact that it crosses many conceptual and cultural barriers. It is designed to where everyone in a room can look at an equation and have a similar understanding to what needs to be done. This is very different from a poem for example, where everyone has their own interpretation of what each stanza’s purpose is and what it means, which can be influenced by how people were raised or by their past experiences. Math is simple, although it isn’t, but it allows the work to get done because it eliminates disagreements about small details. Lastly, I love the fact that math can be learned by anyone and everyone, it is all about your individual level of determination. Math has the ability to put everyone to the test of mental stability. You have to put in the time to practice in order for certain concepts to come naturally to you, which allows you to learn and comprehend even more complex topics. Mathematics really is a beautiful language, my personal favorite and arguably the most important. It truly allows people from all cultures, countries, backgrounds, and all walks of life to look at something and all have the same exact understanding of it. Math is hard work, but it’s enriching; math is tiring, but it’s fulfilling; math is not for the faint of heart, but that hasn’t bothered me; math is my language of choice, the most beautiful, and that’s why I love it.

After having excellent experiences job shadowing doctors at two hospitals, I discovered that I wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon. I have seen multiple procedures including neurosurgeries, endoscopies, colonoscopies, respiratory surgeries, and foot surgeries, but the anesthesiologist that I was shadowing suggested that I had the perfect personality to have an orthopedic specialty. I paid very close attention to how the different operating rooms were run; the common personality traits of the people within them. I feel I embody the confidence the surgeons carried themselves with; keeping calm under pressure and being 100% focused. My strongest subjects and highest interests are in math and the sciences. I would appreciate the opportunity to become a Bioengineering major and eventually have a Biomechanics concentration. This would allow me to have a great understanding of body functions that would help me in medical school. Being an athlete myself, I will have a better understanding than the average student of the way the human body functions. The Biomechanics concentration would help to satisfy my desire to improve the lives of athletes and the general population. While my ultimate goal is to become an orthopedic surgeon, I would love to get very involved in a research project related to bioengineering. While gaining experience in my medical career, I would like to use the research that I conduct to develop medical systems throughout the country. As a future doctor, it is our responsibility to not only help patients after they are hurt, but to participate in research that will improve their lives.

I think of mathematics as a language. This language has a base that was built alongside your native tongue. For me, the complex side of mathematics began in eighth grade geometry and was built up to senior year multivariable calculus. Math classes rarely excite a student, but for me, it is the class that I look forward to the most every day. The beauty of a language is rarely found in its grammar, but is usually expressed in its style and literature. Studying the “grammar” of mathematics can be tedious and even sometimes frustrating, but it is extremely enriching. It is a great way to learn how to think critically, and there is always room for growth. Most people think of math as the subject that they have to suffer through everyday, listen to the teacher talk for an hour, and just memorize a couple of formulas and methods to solve certain equations. On the contrary, math is an outlet for me. I love how satisfying it is to watch numbers cancel out, and how every question has somewhat of an exact solution. Math also reflects a lot into my personality. I am an extremely analytical thinker, so I find ways to apply math into almost every situation that I am presented with. In life, sometimes you have to think literally and at other times figuratively, just like with math. There are times where you need to focus on the numbers, and there are other times that the problem that you are presented with doesn’t include numbers at all. In recent years, I have also learned that math can be extremely collaborative. I used to enjoy the fact that math class would allow me to work alone and figure things out on my own, but through my Multivariable Calculus class my senior year, I’ve learned that working with others on complicated topics can be extremely beneficial. The idea of mathematics is also extremely unique, due to the fact that it crosses many conceptual and cultural barriers. It is designed to where everyone in a room can look at an equation and have a similar understanding to what needs to be done. This is very different from a poem for example, where everyone has their own interpretation of what each stanza’s purpose is and what it means, which can be influenced by how people were raised or by their past experiences. Math is simple, although it isn’t, but it allows the work to get done because it eliminates disagreements about small details. Lastly, I love the fact that math can be learned by anyone and everyone, it is all about your individual level of determination. Math has the ability to put everyone to the test of mental stability. You have to put in the time to practice in order for certain concepts to come naturally to you, which allows you to learn and comprehend even more complex topics. Mathematics really is a beautiful language, my personal favorite and arguably the most important. It truly allows people from all cultures, countries, backgrounds, and all walks of life to look at something and all have the same exact understanding of it. Math is hard work, but it’s enriching; math is tiring, but it’s fulfilling; math is not for the faint of heart, but that hasn’t bothered me; math is my language of choice, the most beautiful, and that’s why I love it.