When some people come to their first appointment at the chiropractic firm I work at, they can barely walk. A few weeks later, I get to ask them how their pain has been, and I get to see them smile as they say they have been feeling a lot better. I can never help myself from smiling along with them. One of our patients use to tell me about how hard it was babysitting her grandchildren when her pain was so bad. After a while, she beamed as she told me she picked up her new grandson and didn't have any pain. I not only got to watch someone get their life back, I got to be a part of it. There are few things that make me happier than the process of seeing my patients actually get better. Even on days where I wish I was anywhere but work, I always love my conversations with my patients, and I will always have a good day when someone comes into the office feeling better. I know medical school and residency are expensive, and I intend to work until I can support myself and my family from my medical career, but I know that road will be difficult. And I know that I'm not set up well for this financially-demanding career. My mom didn't come from much, and she's worked nonstop through raising my little brother and I and through an abusive marriage to my dad. My mom and I are working as hard as we can, but I know it will take more than that to get through medical school. My financial issues and family history only make me more motivated. I know how hard healthcare is to afford. I was unable to refill my medications today because I had to cover unexpected expenses for my family recently, and I could not afford them. If I had a doctor who empathized with me over these issues, I think I would be less stressed, and stress plays a role in health that we can't fully understand. I want to be this doctor someday, and maybe I can make a dent in the stress of my patients. Other than financial problems, I think I have experience in other areas that can hopefully make me a better doctor. My dad has had Alcohol Use Disorder since he was a teenager, struggles with bipolar disorder, and is a diagnosed sociopath. I watched how his issues hurt his life and his family. I've written essays on Alcohol Use Disorder, and how people who struggle with it deserve treatment and help. I know how much the people struggling with it know they are ruining their lives, but aren't capable of stopping on their own, and that isn't their fault. However, I also know how the people struggling can take it out on others. I want to be an OBGYN in a women's shelter. I think that my sympathy for people struggling with addiction and my experience as someone hurt by one of these people is a perspective that will make me a more understanding doctor, especially for the women and children who share my experiences. I think that my history has made me empathetic in ways that I can use to actually make a difference in the mental and physical health of my patients. I think that a doctor should be able to comfort people like a therapist could. I hope that I can be a part of people feeling better, and I hope my patients know that I will always be on their side.

I firmly believe that my family is made of the strongest people to exist. They have survived more than anyone could believe. They have made me a strong, independent, compassionate person who has worked so hard for what I have. Our story starts with my Gramma, who has more backbone than can fit in her 5-foot body, and my Papaw, the most compassionate person I’ve ever met. They both lived through severe poverty as children and drug addictions as young parents. They recovered and became the best grandparents I could ask for. While my mom worked, they watched my little brother and me. I played cards and baked with my Gramma, and I built Legos and played in the sandbox with my Papaw. My mom lived through the instability and poverty of her parents’ drug issues. Despite her tumultuous life, she never failed to raise others’ spirits. She was the head cheerleader and was voted “friendliest”, which she still embodies today. She raised my little brother and me while surviving domestic abuse from my father, who has struggled with alcoholism and Bipolar Disorder his entire life. Every day, I am amazed by how much my mom has lived through, and how she has been able to give my brother and me wonderful lives. I think there is absolutely nothing I would not do for my little brother, Braxton. I had to take on many responsibilities with him because of my dad’s issues and our financial instability, and I am so proud of how smart and creative he is. He’s stubborn and disagrees with almost everything I say, but he also makes me laugh more than anyone else does. I am a passionate, outspoken, over-achiever. I lead my school’s Women’s Rights Club, play softball, help lead my school’s technical theatre department, intern at a local hospital group, and work at a very small chiropractic center. My favorite things in life are reading, my cats, and my friends and family. I think I spend more time laughing than doing anything else. I’ve lived through a lot, and I’ve realized that all I want from life is happiness and the ability to help others. Everyone in my family is an explorer. My Papaw grew up on a farm in the country, so he would disappear for a few days as a child and come back with fish he caught and a map of the new place he found. One of my mom’s houses was in the woods with a big lake. She’s told us stories of camping, partying, and wandering in the woods with a big stick in her hand to bat away wild boars. My Papaw used to take my brother and I into the woods to tap maple trees for syrups. One thing we have always wanted to explore is the Mammoth Cave National Park. The park fascinated my Papaw, brother, and I because we love science. My Gramma and mom loved the idea of a family adventure. Before we were able to go, however, my Papaw became sick with a rare type of cancer. He passed away in 2017. I still think about the times we spent with maps of the caves, drawing out our paths while my Papaw scared us with stories of fantastic monsters. I would love to take my family to the Mammoth Cave National Park. We could walk for hours through the dazzling caves, admiring the natural beauty that has been sculpted by eons of life. We could explore like we dream of doing, laughing and smiling with my Papaw right there with us.

At my kindergarten graduation, my class walked the stage and announced what we wanted to be. My friends said princess, racecar driver, and firefighter. I said ABA therapist. Fast forward to fifth grade, I told everyone I met to vote for me for president in 2040. My platform was based on eliminating homelessness and puppy mills. For a while in eighth grade, I was making plans to start a non-profit to help disadvantaged kids reach their academic potential. Between all of my career changes, the one thing in common is my desire to help others. Now, I feel confident in my plan to become a physician's assistant. I am getting a start in healthcare now. I work as an assistant chiropractor and I intern at a local hospital. I know healthcare is where I belong because I love nothing more than watching people get better. People limp into Brownsburg Chiropractic and tell me that their pain is stopping them from enjoying their lives. A couple weeks later, they smile and say they feel great. They tell me about the wedding they went to without pain, or that they picked up their grandkid. I love that I get to help these people feel better. After high school, I plan to double major in Biomedical Sciences and History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Science and Medicine at the University of Chicago. While there, I hope to do research in biomedical sciences and work in healthcare. I will then complete the Physician Assistant program at Northwestern University. I want to work as a physician for a youth or women's shelter in Chicago. As part of a shelter, I will be able to help the people in my community that do not have access to the care they deserve. I know how expensive healthcare is, and my family has experienced putting off care we need because we can’t afford it. I want to prevent as many people from experiencing that as I can. I also hope to be able to make connections so that I can have a greater impact on my community. I plan on being very involved in activism and doing whatever I can to make change, especially in healthcare. I will learn more about the complexities of the issues in the field and have new ideas for fixing the system. I cannot wait for the opportunities I will have to help people for the rest of my life.

I live in Brownsburg, Indiana. Our five-person town council is five men. I live in the United States. Our Congress has five-hundred and thirty- five seats and only twenty-seven percent are women. I live on Earth, where only twenty-three percent of workforce leaders are women. Gender equality has progressed monumentally in the past few centuries, but the lack of women in leadership positions continues to be a major obstacle. Half of the world's population is not currently being represented in places of power. When women are in charge, they make it easier for other women to take the positions they deserve. Women being in power paves the way to equality. At my high school, I am a co-president of Women's Rights Club. As a leader, I have made it a priority to have a growing, positive impact on my school and community. I research opportunities for my club members so that they can be empowered. I create presentations about issues so that they can become informed leaders. And I try my best to improve and learn anything I can so that I can be better at helping other women succeed. I also think a major component of supporting women in leadership is ensuring that young girls have the tools to succeed. I volunteer with an organization that provides developmental therapy and toys for children in need. I also led a book drive through Women's Rights Club that collected over 150 books for local children. I hope that I can grow my impact throughout my life, because helping just one girl achieve her dreams means that she can help even more girls. It is also important to note that women in the US have it much better than women in many other countries. As women in the US succeed in leadership, we cannot forget about other women who need support. Making local change paves the way for global change. That is why I am determined to have a positive impact on my community. Because helping one girl could help a whole generation of women.